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Who Needs Rio? Celebrate in Style at the Carnaval Sao Paulo!
The tide is changing, and the Carnaval Sao Paulo is beginning to come into its own! Unlike the seductive, flashy, tourist-laden carnival that you’ll find in Rio, Sao Paulo’s carnival has heart. It’s a bit quieter but no less exciting, and it’s a bit more localized, but no less thrilling to be a part of. In fact, in recent years, participation in the samba schools has increased so dramatically that applicants have had to be turned away! Even popular Brazilian celebrities are clamoring to be a part of Carnaval Sao Paulo.
Carnaval Sao Paulo is held each year around February, though on some years it may begin in early January, depending on when Ash Wednesday and Easter occurs each year. In fact, since Carnaval is such a popular time to travel to Brazil and Sao Paulo, you might want to make sure you apply for your tourist visa well ahead of time – it might take longer than usual! What else is great about Sao Paulo’s party? It costs a lot less than Rio’s, and during the few days leading up to the main bulk of the festival, you can participate in dances and music celebrations at the Sao Paulo Sambadrome for free!
The other side of Carnaval is that if you’re in the city for business during this time – which is unlikely, since very few people do any business during this holiday – you’ll have some trouble getting around town, since most of the streets are blocked off from traffic for the parades. Also, since most people are out celebrating, there aren’t many people driving around – you’ll find them all at the Sambadrome!
Before the parade lights up the streets, the Carnaval gets started with some simpler escolas de samba that get all the spectators warmed up and ready to enjoy the celebration. These large samba clubs aren’t as flashy as the schools, but they’re no less enthusiastic about dancing. All samba groups that you see during Carnaval practice for months – sometimes even a year – before the actual event, in order to compete for the coveted prize of the best dancing or even the best costume.
Another benefit of visiting the city during Carnaval Sao Paulo is that everyone from restaurants, to shops, to museums, all cater to people who are in the city for Carnaval. That means that there will be special dishes and better prices on food and drink, since everyone’s competing for business, and there are sales all over the city on clothes and accessories – no one wants to be caught looking anything less than their best!
In fact, Carnaval Sao Paulo is a great time to dress up not only in your good clothes, but also in costume! Plenty of hotels will have costumes for their patrons to borrow, and others would be happy to direct you to places where you can rent something that suits your taste. The whole point of Carnaval is to dance, loosen up, and have a good time – and who wouldn’t want to visit a city dedicated to fun?
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