The Roman Catholic Church established the tradition of Carnival as it is today, a tradition that continues until Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in the Christian calendar. The Portuguese introduced the festival of Entrudo, which inspired the birth of the Brazilian Carnival. In 1840, Rio de Janeiro hosted the first masquerade ball, where polkas and waltzes became the focus. As the 2026 Rio Carnival approaches, excitement is building. This annual extravaganza is celebrated in authentic Brazilian style and continues until Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent for Christians worldwide. During Lent, Christians fast and abstain from worldly pleasures. Each year, the carnival attracts approximately one million people from around the world to the city to enjoy the vibrant rhythms of samba.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

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Rio de Janeiro Carnival | Rio de Janeiro

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Festivals

Old 9

Located in Rio de Janeiro, a famous city in Brazil, South America

Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana

Near Copacabana Beach|Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer

Best Things to Do

Historic buildings

Mountain climbing

Md Iqbal Hasan

Christ the Redeemer, standing atop Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the world&rsquo;s most iconic landmarks. This 30-meter-tall statue of Jesus Christ, with arms outstretched over the city, symbolizes peace and faith. Completed in 1931, it&rsquo;s made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, offering breathtaking panoramic views of Rio&rsquo;s beaches, mountains, and the Sugarloaf. Reached by train or hiking trail through Tijuca National Park, the journey itself is scenic and memorable. At sunrise or sunset, the statue glows against the sky, creating a truly spiritual and awe-inspiring experience&mdash;an unmissable highlight for any traveler to Brazil.

Copacabana Beach

Beaches and shores

Surfing

Night view

胡di 卖火柴的老男孩

This is the largest and most famous beach in Rio de Janeiro. Take a walk here and enjoy the sea and mountain views. Very relaxing and the weather is great. This is the largest and most famous beach in Rio de Janeiro. Take a walk here and enjoy the sea and mountain views. Very relaxing and the weather is great. This is the largest and most famous beach in Rio de Janeiro. Take a walk here and enjoy the sea and mountain views. Very relaxing and the weather is great.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Ms Shanghai

Sugarloaf Mountain is a must-visit site in Rio. We went on a Monday at 16:00, thinking we would make it up in time for sunset at 17:30. The queue was so long that the attendants just laughed when we asked for an estimate. We went to the beach instead, then prebooked tickets on CTrip for the next day. The process of using the tickets was a bit confusing. When we arrived at the cable station at 15:00 we were told to go to the reception desk to have our proof of booking printed out. A kind lady at reception helped us do this luckily, but it was a bit confusing due to the language barrier. After we&rsquo;d printed the proof we had to go to another window to collect our physical ticket and were then allowed to join the queue to board the cable car quite far ahead of the back of the line - so even though the process was confusing, booking online definitely helped. This is the one occasion where I would say that paying extra to skip the queue is really worth it!!! The Sugar Loaf cable car ride is actually divided into two separate segments. This means that you queue to get tickets, queue to board the first cable car, queue to board the second cable car, and then queue twice more to go back down - and each time you&rsquo;re queuing for about 30 minutes! And this was on a Tuesday in July; I can&rsquo;t imagine what it&rsquo;s like on the weekend. Anyway, the pictures show that it was definitely worth the effort:)

Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

徐徐霞客Rr

This Stairway Church is very famous in the local area, and it is worth visiting for people who come from far away to visit. When we went there, several couples held their weddings here, which felt particularly dreamy and sacred.

Parque Lage

Lisliska

Very beautiful park with green plants and different animals everywhere. There is a tracking to Christ the Redeemer.

Time:	Feb 13–Feb 21, 2026 (UTC-3)
Location:	Avenida Atlantica \| Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro Carnival | Rio de Janeiro

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Rio de Janeiro Carnival

Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana

Christ the Redeemer

Copacabana Beach

Sugarloaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

Parque Lage

Rio de Janeiro Carnival | Rio de Janeiro

Details

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Are you interested in Rio de Janeiro Carnival?

Recommended Products for Rio de Janeiro Carnival | Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro Carnival

Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana

Christ the Redeemer

Copacabana Beach

Sugarloaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

Parque Lage

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