Beyond samba schools: Rio offers plenty of choice for Carnival goers

The city of Rio has Carnival options for all revellers. From the colours and themes of the Sambódromo to smaller parties all over town, locals and tourists alike have a multitude of options to pick from. There will be six days of celebrations in the Passarela do Samba, as well as stages set up in the north and west zones of Rio and the hundreds of blocos (traditional street parties of the most varied themes and mottoes) that criss-cross the city. The Ministry of Tourism estimates Carnival will inject R$ 3.5 billion in the Rio economy this year.

 Check out some of the city's most traditional blocos below:

 Cordão da Bola Preta

Created in 1918, the Bola Preta is the oldest bloco in activity in the city. The name ("8-Ball Cordon") was allegedly coined when one of the founders spotted a woman wearing a white dress with black polka dots while they were trying to think what to call it. Its parade traditionally takes place on Carnival Saturday.

Carmelitas

A group of football buddies from the Santa Teresa neighbourhood got together to join the fun with their own party in 1990. Legend has it that a Carmelite nun decided to escape her convent to partake in the festivities, a momentous event that led to the bloco's current name. The Carmelitas always parades on Carnival Friday and Tuesday.

Cordão do Boitatá

The irreverent Boitatá has graced Rio's Praça XV square since 1996. It is famous for attracting incredibly creative costumes, which also need to be made to last: the parade often lasts for more than seven hours.

Banda de Ipanema

The “Ipanema Band” parades through the eponymous neighbourhood since 1965; this year, it is paying tribute to iconic samba singer Martinho da Vila. The bloco always parades on three days: one 'warm-up' event before the festivities officially begin and then on Carnival Saturday and Tuesday.