Practical local guidance
Local guidance on Rio de Janeiro neighborhoods, safety, transport, culture, food, Carnival, and trip planning.
Street Carnival in Rio is free and open. Learn how blocos work, how they differ from the Sambadrome, which famous processions to know, and how to prepare for the crowds.
Read articleWhere English works in Brazil, where it does not, and how to prepare for hotels, taxis, restaurants, public transport, and everyday travel.
Read articleHow LIESA judging works at Rio Carnival: nine criteria, apuracao, Champions Parade, ticket ranges, and how visitors can buy a commercial ala costume to walk the Sambadrome.
Read articleCompare ten day trips from Rio by bus, ferry, and car, including Niterói, Petrópolis, Teresópolis, Arraial do Cabo, Penedo, and Conservatória.
Read articleTuru is a wood-boring mangrove mollusk eaten in northern Brazil. What it is, where to find it in Para and Marajo, how locals prepare it, and whether visitors should try it.
Read articleEight Brazilian destinations worth building a trip around: Rio, Sao Paulo, Iguacu, the Amazon, Salvador, Chapada dos Veadeiros, Lencois Maranhenses, and Ouro Preto—with seasons, days, and costs.
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