What exactly are street blocks, or as we say in Brazil, "Blocos de Rua"? According to some definition found at the web: "The street carnival are structured in groups named: block, cordon, band or rancho. A Carnival Street Parade are created like this: a friend’s group, who lives together by some interest: neighbourhood, same wok place, leisure, etc.. had regular meetings to decide about the name, colors, and flag which were be used in the parade"

Another definition from the web: "The difference between a banda and a bloco is that in a banda the orchestra plays well-known Carnival hits, the marchinhas. These are songs that everybody can sing along, and some have been around since the Carmen Miranda days. Cordao da Bola Preta is a reference, around since 1918. Banda de Ipanema is the most traditional South Side banda in Rio. In a bloco there is a special theme song that they choose every year. There may be meetings where songs are presented, just like in a Samba School. These rehearsals create a sort of camaraderie and, of course, a great excuse to party! Monobloco is the largest bloco today with Simpatia coming a close second.. "



We decided to post the most famous and trendy street blocos of Rio de Janeiro 2008 Carnival. There are so may options you can´t say you couldn´t make it.


We included in this special list, the name of the "bloco" , the time its starts, the address, and its neighborhood.

The best thing: they are all free!

Check the list below and party until your energy is there!


1/31/2008 - Thursday January 31st


"Banda da Rua do Mercado" : at 5 pm- Rua do Mercado, in front of Stock Exchange Bolsa - Neighborhood - Centro -

2/1/2008 - Friday February 1st


"Eu sou eu e jacaré é bicho d’água": 4 pm - Rua Torres Homem com Visconde de Abaeté Neighborhood : Vila Isabel

"Carmelitas" : 5 pm - Rua Dias de Barros
Neighborhood : Santa Teresa

"Embaixadores da Folia": 5 pm - Av. Rio Branco and Rua São Bento,
(Neighborhood : Centro

: "Vem ni mim que eu sou Facinha" - 5 pm - R. Prudente de Moraes, 10
Neighborhood :Ipanema




"Rola Preguiçosa" 6 pm - Av. Epitácio Pessoa and Maria Quitéria
Neighborhood : Lagoa

"Rival sem Rival" 7 pm - Teatro Rival - Rival Theater -Centro

"Badalo de Santa Teresa" - 8 pm - Largo das Neighborhood: Santa Teresa

"Concentra mas não sai" - 8 pm - Rua Ipiranga Neighborhood : Laranjeiras

: "Azeitona sem caroço" - 8 pm - Bar Azeitona - Corner of Rua Dias Ferreira and Bartolomeu Mitre


: "Empurra que Pega" : 5 pm - rua Carlos Góis Neighborhood: Leblon


"Bloco do Bip Bip", midnight - Rua Almirante Gonçalves Neighborhood: Copacabana


2/2/2008 - Saturday - February 2nd


:"Embaixadores da Folia" : 5am - Av. Rio Branco and Rua São Bento, altura da Praça Mauá (
Neighborhood:Centro

Street Bloco Name : "Cordão da Bola Preta": 9 am - Municipal Theatre
Neighborhood: Centro

Street Bloco Name : "Céu na Terra": 9 am - Largo do Curvelo
Neighborhood:Santa Teresa

"Pega pra sambar" : 11 am - Rua do Senado, Neighborhood: Lapa


"Bloco do Caveira" : 2pm - Rua Marquês de Olinda Neighborhood: Botafogo

"Turma do Gato": 2pm - Bar do Gato, Rua Djalma Dutra Neighborhood:Pilares

"Dois prá lá, dois prá cá" : 2 pm - Rua Álvaro Ramos 11 Neighborhood: Botafogo

"Afroreggae" ; 3pm - Quadra Nahildo Ferreira (
Neighborhood: Vigário Geral

"Barbas" : 3 pm - R. Arnaldo Quintela com Assis Bueno Neighborhood: Botafogo



"Banda de Ipanema" : 3 pm - Praça Gal. Osório and Teixeira de Melo Ipanema

4 pm - Rua do Lavradio Neighborhood: Lapa

"Se não quer me dar… me empresta" : 4 pm - Rua do Lavradio, 90 Neighborhood: Lapa

"Empurra que pega" : 5 pm - Praça Cazuza - Neighborhood: leblon

"Laranjada Samba Club" : 5 pm - Praça do Chorinho, R. General Glicério
Neighborhood: Laranjeiras

: "Empolga às 9" : 5 pm, - Casa da Matriz, Rua Henrique N
Neighborhood: Botafogo

"O remédio é o samba" : 2 pm Copacabana Beach

"Banda da Bolívar" 2 pm - na Rua Bolivar Neighborhood: Copacabana

"Banda Santa Clara" : 4 pm Rua Santa Clara
Neighborhood:Copacabana



2/03/2008 - Sunday - February 3rd

"Banda de Ipanema" - Banho de Mar à Fantasia do Arpoador até o Posto 9 from 10 am to 4 pm

"Cordão do Boitatá" 8 am - Rua do Mercado and Praça XV :Center

Street Bloco Name : "Bar Paz e Amor" R. Garcia D’Ávila conrner with Nascimento Silva
Neighborhood: Ipanema

"Simpatia é Quase Amor", 4 pm - Praça General Osório Neighborhood: Ipanema

"Cachorro Cansado" : 4pm - Bar Planalto, Rua Barão do Flamengo, 35 Neighborhood: Flamengo

"Cacique de Ramos" - 9 pm - Av. Rio Branco corner with Presidente Vargas Neighborhood: Centro

"Empolga às 9" - 9 PM - Posto 9 - Neighborhood: Ipanema



2/04/2008 - Monday - February 4th


: "Songoro Cosongo" : 11 AM - Curvelo Neighborhood: Santa Teresa

"Sobrinhos do Tio Bio" - 12 AM, Rua Domingos Ferreira Neighborhood: Copacabana

"Pede Passagem" - 1 AM - Santos Dumont Square - Jockey Club Neighborhood: Gávea


"Bloco de Segunda" : 2PM- Cobal do Humaitá, Botafogo

"Volta, Alice" : 3 PM - Tasca do Edgar, corner with rua Alice c/ Mario Portela Neighborhood: Laranjeiras

"Cacique de Ramos" : 8 PM - Av. Rio Branco with Presidente Vargas - Neighborhood: Centro


2/05/2008 - Brazil Fat Tuesday - February 5th


: "Se Melhorar, Afunda" : 9 AM - Praça São Domingos
Neighborhood: São Domingos - Niterói

: "Rio Maracatu" 3 PM - Arpoador
Neighborhood: Ipanema


"Banda de Ipanema" : 3 pm - Praça Gal. Osório com R. Teixeira de Melo - Neighborhood:Ipanema

"Bloco da Ansiedade " : 4 PM - Mercadinho São José Neighborhood:Laranjeiras

"Cachorro Cansado" : 4 PM - Bar Planalto, Rua Barão do Flamengo, 35 Neighborhood: Flamengo

"Largo do Machado, mas não Largo do Copo" : 4 pm - Largo do Machado Neighborhood: Flamengo
: "Vem ni mim que eu sou Facinha" : 5 pm - R. Prudente de Moraes, Neighborhood: Ipanema

"Carmelitas" : 6 PM - Largo dos Guimarães
Neighborhood: Santa Teresa


2/07/2008 - Thursday - February 7th


"Voltar pra quê ? " : 8 pm - Rua Álvaro Alvim, Cinelândia. At the famous “Beco da Cirrose”
Neighborhood: Center



2/08/2008 - Friday - February 8th


: "Só Tamborins" : 9 PM - Travessa Mosqueria, corner with Mem de Sá
Neighborhood Lapa


2/09/2008 - Saturday - February 9th

: "Bafafá" : 5 PM - Posto 9 neighborhood: Ipanema

"Mulheres de Chico" : 5 pm - Praça Antero de Quental - Neighborhood: Leblon


2/10/2008 - Sunday - February 10th


"Monobloco" : 9 AM - Hotel Sofitel, Posto 6, Av. Atlântica
Neighborhood: Copacabana


"Barangal" : 4 pm - Posto 9 Neighborhood: Ipanema

Maybe I´ll see you around!



This is a non-commercial blog devoted to wonders of Rio de Janeiro, with a focus in Brazilian Carnival. Our sole objective is to describe how Carnival in Brazil is magically created, its artists, dancers and musicians that make up the world’s largest show. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Rio-de-Janeiro Carnival is synonym to magic. Thousands of people from all over of the globe come to Rio to experiment this exotic energy for their vacations. Ok, we know Rio-de-Janeiro is about fantasies, dreams, celebrities and samba, but what are the real hot places to have fun during carnival? We decided to handpick the best spots to party and write about them.

Our first pick is the “desfile” (in Portuguese) or Samba Schools Parade, held at the Sambadrome which is considered the high point of Carnival. It takes place on a Sunday, February 3rd, and a Monday, February 4th, with seven schools parading each night.



The schools belonging to this group, affiliated to the Liga Independente das Escolas de Samba or Independent Samba Schools League of Rio-de-Janeiro are specially magnificent and sumptuous, each containing approximately five thousand participants plus celebrated Brazilian show-business and jet-set personalities. Some of the legendary Samba Schools are Salgueiro, Portela, Beija-flor and Mangueira, founded in 1928.

Location of the Sambadrome or “Sambódromo” How to get there:

Sambódromo is located at Rua Marquês de Sapucaí, Cidade Nova. That is, the parade begins at Presidente Vargas Avenue, near Praça Quinze, and ends in Rua Frei Caneca. In order to get to the “Sambódromo” and watch the Carnival parade, it is best to find out the exact location of the relevant sector, divided into two sub-groups: even and odd numbered sectors.


To Reach Even Numbered Sectors
If the relevant sector is 2, 4 or 6, there are the following options:

Taxi – pre-determined taxi companies serve the even sectors and there is plenty of information about them during carnival. There is a tariff to leave the Sambódromo and the taximeter or an agreement with the passenger settles the journey to the Sambódromo.


Below, the charm and grace of an anonymous samba dancer from Porto da Pedra Samba School:




Subway – The subway works uninterruptedly everyday to 11 pm of Tuesday, the last day of carnival, at 10 minute intervals during the night. The getting off stop is always “Praça Onze” station, no matter where from. Once outside the station, turn twice to your right and then walk straight ahead to Sector 2. For Sectors 4 and 6, turn on Rua Carmo Neto (Carmo Neto Street ) and walk on to Avenue Salvador de Sá. The Sambódromo can soon be seen and several signs show the entrance to the sectors.




Odd Numbered Sectors
As for sectors 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13, the options are:

Taxi – Special companies serve the odd numbered sectors as well, with fixed tariff. In any case, ordinary taxicabs take passengers to the Sambódromo charging what the taximeter shows or what has been agreed upon. For those who come from South Zone, the best route is through Santa Bárbara tunnel, and for those from North Zone, via Itapiru Street. In both cases the taxicab must go over Viaduct São Sebastião, which runs parallel to the Sambódromo. Right away the signs to the entrances of the different sectors can be seen.

Subway – Easy! In Rio-de-Janeiro , either from north or south zone, the getting off stop is “Central”. From there, walk to the Rio Sambódromo, a long stretch of approximately 700 meters, going past the schools’ allegorical cars.

Bus – coming either from north or south zone, it is important to make sure that the bus is going over Viaduct São Sebastião, as many lines change the itinerary during carnival.

Samba Schools Parade Official Schedule

Below, we pasted the official schedule of the Samba schools parade in Rio-de-Janeiro so you can plan yourself ahead. Next post, we will be writing about what to wear, what to drink, how much money to take and other tips for avoiding last minute troubles at the samba parade.

Carnival 2008 – Rio-de-Janeiro Sambódromo - Schedule



Sunday - 02/03/2008

Estimated Time Samba School

Start at 21h00 São Clemente
Between en 22h05 e 22h20 Porto da Pedra
Between 23h10 e 23h40 Salgueiro
Between 0h15 e 1 h Portela
Between 1h20 e 2h20 Mangueira
Between 2h25 e 3h40 Viradouro

Sunday - 02/03/2008





Estimated Time Samba School

tart at 21h00 Mocidade
Between 22h05 e 22h20 Unidos da Tijuca
Between 23h10 e 23h40 Imperatriz
Between 0h15 e 1 h Vila Isabel
Between 1h20 e 2h20 Grande Rio
Between 2h25 e 3h40 Beija-flor


Have a great show and if you need to rent vacation apartments in Rio-de-Janeiro , please feel free to contact us! If you have other questions to, keep them coming!

Brazil; birthplace of Samba! Rio-de-Janeiro its present home!

This is a non-commercial blog devoted to wonders of Rio-de-Janeiro , with a focus in Brazilian Carnival. Our sole objective is to describe how Carnival in Brazil is magically created, its artists, dancers and musicians that make up the world’s largest show. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.