Everyone knows that Brazilians love to party. They love it so much that during Carnival, the entire country pauses for a moment to celebrate. If you’ve never been there, this is an incredible opportunity to enjoy not only the country but also its people. But where to go?
Each Brazilian city has its peculiarities. And during Carnival, it couldn’t be any different. In some places, the festivities are in the streets, for free; in others, the best option is to pay to be part of a street block that follows a trio elétrico – a 
truck with a sound stage where musicians take turns playing.
There are also places where you can go to clubs and enjoy all the days of Carnival to the sound of DJs playing traditional Carnival marchinhas, created in the early 20th century. Wherever you go, Carnival in Brazil is a unique experience, filled with music and joy. Below are three cities where you can enjoy this great Brazilian party:
• Rio de Janeiro (RJ): Cariocas (as those born in Rio de Janeiro are called) really know how to party! And Carnival is the clearest manifestation of this festive spirit, with hundreds of street blocks scattered throughout the city and the famous samba school parade.
The schools represent a specific neighborhood or community and parade at the Sambódromo, on Marquês de Sapucaí Avenue. They participate in a competition where they earn points for the chosen theme, costumes, and floats, among other items. Each school has its samba hall where rehearsals take place, which are also great options for those wanting to enjoy Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
The street blocks go out on different days and times. Each has its traditional gathering place where the crowd gathers before the parade. Currently, there are over 300 street blocks in Rio playing marchinhas, frevo, samba de raiz, axé, and many other musical styles. The festivities begin in January and go until Carnival.
• Salvador (BA): One of the most famous and internationally commented, the Carnival of Salvador brings together people from all over the world dancing through the streets of the city, following the trios. Singers like Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo, Cláudia Leitte, among other famous artists, lead the show that lasts much longer than the usual four days. It requires stamina, but the energy is so intense and positive that when you get there, you’ll only think about resting when you return home.
The camarotes and many of the blocks at Carnival in Salvador are paid, and to participate with more safety and comfort, it is preferable to buy an abadá (a t-shirt that guarantees entry into the block).
• Olinda/Recife (PE): Every good Carnival lover or reveler must go to Olinda and Recife at least once in their life. The cities are neighbors, and the Carnival in both is quite similar, except that in Recife the festivities are at night, and in Olinda, during the day. To the rhythm of frevo, thousands of people climb and descend the hills with the carnival blocks and masks (orchestras that mainly play frevo and marchinhas). The Carnival of Olinda and Recife also brings giant puppets to the streets. One of the most famous puppets that has paraded since 1932 is the “Homem da Meia-Noite.” A Living Heritage of Pernambuco since 2006, the puppet 
weighs almost 50 kg and is 3.50 m tall.
During Carnival, it is also very common to hear rhythms originating from Pernambuco in the streets, such as maracatu, manguebeat, coco, and ciranda. The main characteristic of Carnival in Pernambuco is that the party is democratic, meaning it doesn’t matter if you have an abadá or not.
Wherever you go, the main rule is to have fun!
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Source: www.visitbrasil.com