What do you think of when you hear “Brazil Carnaval”? I bet it’s the Rio de Janeiro Carnaval with the sambadrome, women in high heels, and feathery costumes. That is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime spectacular. And pretty much the complete opposite of what you’ll find at Salvador’s millions-strong 6-day street party/city takeover. When is Salvador’s Carnaval […]
Opening in February, 2018, the Casa do Carnaval (House of Carnaval) was long overdue in the city that has the largest carnaval in the world. Fittingly, it sits in the historic center of Salvador, in a lovingly-restored building between Praca da Se and the Pelourinho. At $30 reais, it’s quite a bit more expensive than […]
To say my first Salvador carnival experience was overwhelming and bewildering would be an understatement. First, there were new and unfamiliar terms — bloco, camarote, pipoca, circuit, fantasia, adabá — that I had to understand to navigate the behemoth event. Second, in the two months since I had last been to Salvador, the logistics of […]
When I heard I needed a costume for carnaval, I instantly thought of the glittered masks of New Orleans Mardi Gras. My friend and I went on a shopping adventure, walked out with masks and feather boas, and showed up on the carnaval circuit all ready to go. Excerpt we totally weren’t. We completely mis-understood […]
Are you as addicted as I am to those strong, rhythmic percussive beats of afro-brazilian music? The ones that make your hips and shoulders start swaying back and forth before you even realize it’s happening. Yes, those beats! Then carnaval in Salvador is definitely a place you want to be. With the largest black population […]
When you think about attending carnaval in Salvador, what do you picture yourself doing? Are you in a bloco walking right alongside your favorite band or artist, wearing a commemorative shirt that tells the world, “yes, I am with them?” Or, are you in a camarote (viewing stand)? Maybe even one that has a spa […]
When you think about carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, you probably think about the Sambadrome. And when you think about carnaval in Salvador, you probably envision a trio elétrico passing along a beach surrounded by throngs of people. Am I right? Those dreamy beach images are from the Barra-Ondina circuit, one of dozens of official […]
Salvador carnaval is a marathon, not a sprint. While the official carnaval days are Thursday through Tuesday, it extends several days in either direction with additional official activities. And, if I was to be honest, the carnaval season actually starts on December 4th with the festival of Santa Barbara / Iensã. Yeah, they like a […]