Tickets to Carnival parade?

September 16, 2007 1:39 PM

Rio Carnival Filter We're attending Carnival next year and would like to know the best way to get tickets to the parade at the Sambodromo.

We found a couple of options online:

www.carnivalservice
www.rio-carnival.net

...but the tickets are pretty pricey and I've heard stories of folks paying for fake tickets and not finding out until they get there. We expect it to be expensive but want to make sure we're getting the real thing.

I'd love to get some recommendations from folks who have been there and done it.

Thanks for any advice
-spifl

posted by spifl to Travel & Transportation around Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1 answer total)

I ordered tickets only 1 month in advance for the samba parade from rio-carnival.net. They tickets *are* pricey but if you wait until you get there, they will be even more pricey. The research i did showed that if there was a price difference between any of the vendors i had looked into, it was nominal.

rio-carnival.net worked fine. If i remember correctly, i paid online, they sent an email with instructions with how to recieve the ticket (they send it to your hotel on a specific day and you or the hotel must sign for the ticket) and a handy pamphlet with information on the parade (how to get there, history, etc). I was staying at a hostel and the people at the desk were kind enough to make sure my tickets were signed for on the date they were to be delivered. Delivery was on time. Everything went without a hitch!

The only sort of crappy points:

1. The sambadrome is surrounded by not-so-nice neighborhoods. Entrances to your specific area might be anywhere around the circumference of the sambadrome. My entrance was COMPLETELY on the other side of the sambadrome and i got terribly lost trying to find it, in neighborhoods that made me feel a bit uncomfortable (i don't speak much portuguese). Luckily a local young girl noticed i was lost and led me about 1/2 a mile into an area i would have NEVER found on my own, to my entrance. Point is-- the area is a little sketchy (at least i felt that way, as a girl, travelling alone), so make sure you know where you are going. You don't want to get lost. There are hordes of people, as you can imagine but its easy to make a wrong turn and find yourself alone.

2. It rained when i went. Bring a poncho if it seems it might rain for you. Being wet is uncomfortable.

3. The parade goes on for days, 24 hours a day. Its incredible. Everyone knows the words to all of the sambas. Its amazing. People get there early on the first day and set up shop (there aren't really assigned seats for the general admission-- just assigned areas) so if you are in a group it might be difficult to secure a section if you don't come early and on the first day. I was travelling alone so i could just find a spot anywhere and the people there were incredibly friendly so it was never a problem for me.

4. If you can splurge for tickets closer in-- do it. The view is much better (of course). The costumes and floats are amazing, i'd love to have seen them closer up. My pictures were all far away because i paid for the more general admission.

5. I said before-- the parade goes on for days. I have a short attention span-- i admit i was a little bored after a few hours.

Other than that-- its an amazing time-- i'm still talking about it today. I definitely want to go back for another carnival!! Don't forget to check out the smaller carnival festivals around the city (blocos i think they might be called?) they felt more authentic to me and are sometimes less crowded.

Have fun!

Email if you more info. I loooooooved Rio.
posted by modernsquid at 4:55 AM on September 17, 2007