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Cidade do Samba Behind-the-Scenes Carnival Tour in Rio de Janeiro

icon 4 hours Mobile ticket Free Cancellation
Tickets from € 61.02

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Psst — over here. Get a good peek into Rio's Carnival on this half-day tour behind the scenes of the behemoth celebration. Travel to Cidade do Samba, where the best samba schools build and store their grandiose floats, sparkling costumes and feathered headdresses. Take a guided tour of the warehouse of Acadêmicos do Grande Rio, a highly ranked samba school, and then try on some of those snazzy costumes. You’ll gain in-depth insight into Carnival culture, and toast your inside-access visit with a caipirinha, Brazil’s signature cocktail.
  • Professional guide
  • One caipirinha drink
  • Guided Visit to Grande Rio’s Warehouse
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off to most South South Zone hotels in Rio
  • Gratuities
  • Food
Departure Point

Traveler pickup is offered

* Roundtrip transfer to/from most hotels located in Sao Conrado, Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon
* Please wait for your guide in the hotel lobby of your selected hotel. If your hotel is not listed, contact us so we can inform you the closest pick up location and time.

  • Cidade Do Samba, Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    After hotel pickup, travel to the mandala-shaped Cidade do Samba, a warehouse complex in Gamboa, the birthplace of Rio de Janeiro's samba. More than 80 samba schools with 100,000 dancers participate in Carnival, but each year only the top 12 to 14 samba schools form the Special Group, aka the First League, which build and store their magnificent floats and costumes at Cidade do Samba. As you explore the complex with your guide, learn about the history of samba as well as the Carnival parade and competition in the Sambadrome. Although Carnival explodes into action only once a year, backstage preparations continue on a daily basis. Want to know more? Head inside the warehouse of G.R.E.S. Acadêmicos do Grande Rio, a local-favorite samba school established in 1988. With your guide leading the way, meander through the warehouse and marvel at the floats in progress. Eye the rows of racks bursting with eye-popping costumes. Learn about the allegories and stories underlying the pageantry, as your guide explains Carnival’s pagan origins that began in ancient Greece and continued into the Middles Ages in Europe before arriving in Brazil through Portuguese colonization. Wondering how those costumes would look on you? Try them on and find out! Slip on some outrageous ensembles and snap memorable pics to upload on your social media accounts. Finally, toast your visit with a caipirinha, a cocktail made with cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar and lime, before taking transport back to your hotel.
    120 minutes
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • It is recommended that you wear comfortable clothes and shoes
  • Minimum age to drink alcohol is 18 years
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
James_L
18 Jun 2023
The dedication each school put towards the carnival each year to make it spectacular. Also the warehouse had many great designs!
Shelley_R
04 Mar 2020
We enjoyed the experience and the girls had a lot of fun dancing, and trying on the costume. We did have some problems with pick-up on time and the bus broke down delaying our return. Our guide was friendly, energetic and knowledgeable. I would have liked to look at the floats a little more though.
690biancaf
17 Jun 2019
Gostamos muito! A visita é comprada pela internet e é feita com data e agora agendadas. É possível conhecer uma breve história da Cidade do Samba e visitar os bastidores de uma Escola de Samba, a Grande Rio. O trabalho é feito através de um projeto com crianças e adolescentes e isso já valeria o passeio! Além de conhecer todo o processo, a montagem dos carros alegóricos, costureiras, etc. uma verdadeira fábrica! ainda é possível aprender sobre a história do samba e vestir fantasias e sambar um pouquinho. O passeio termina na lojinha com uma caipirinha super bem feita! Recomendo.
This tour in Southeast Brazil is organized by Gray Line Brazil

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We always double-check the availability with our local partners for each booking. Even though this is usually a swift process, it can take up to 24 hours. Once this process is completed you will receive your voucher or ticket by email. If our local partner is not able to confirm your booking we will offer you the best possible alternative. If the new date and/or time doesn’t fit your itinerary, we will reimburse the full amount paid.
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