Carnival is a time of joy and celebration, reflecting the diversity and cultural richness of Brazil. Its story (from the Latin carne vale – “goodbye meat”) has its origins in Catholicism, takes place 40 days before Easter and is associated with the beginning of Lent, during which believers are forbidden to eat meat and other products of animal origin.
In Brazil, modern carnival analogues began at a time when the country was a colony of Portugal. At the start of the 17th century, Carnival in Brazil was an exclusively aristocratic event, with horse-drawn carriages and masked parades mimicking the habits of European aristocratic courts. Over time, holidays have spread among the general population.
The announcement by the Brazilians of their independence from the European state in 1822 did not affect the very fact of the celebration of Carnival, but gradually acquired new traditions and innovations. Soon the cultural heritage of the black citizens of Brazil, whose ancestors were brought to the South American continent by the Portuguese as slaves, added to the purely Catholic character of the event.
At the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century, the first samba dance schools appeared in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo – it is their students who today cross, or rather cross the Brazilian cities on platforms special mobiles, the so-called “blocks”. Technological progress is noticeable even here – huge mechanical dragons, birds and other “living creatures” mounted on these same “blocks” actively flap their iron wings, open their steel beaks and look around the assembled audience with a look menacing, accompanying the samba dancers.
It should be noted that the only Brazilian state in which carnival days are considered public holidays is Rio de Janeiro. This is not surprising, given the fact that the famous festival capital in 2012 was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Then, no less than 4.9 million people took part in the celebration! In other words, the population of all Ireland on the streets of a city. All other states in the South American country choose for themselves whether or not to set vacations for their residents.
The enforced two-year break has seen demand for flights to Brazil during Carnival increase by 120% compared to 2020. According to tour operators in the country, Rio de Janeiro tops the list of Brazilian cities most in demand by tourists . Followed by São Paulo. Salvador, Recife and Fortaleza were also able to enter the top five.
