It happens at the peak of summer, when Cariocas are at their best. The festivities attract thousands of people from all corners of the world. Carnaval , as spelled in Portuguese , is a 4-day celebration.
Dates change every year .
Arrive a few days earlier to explore the city . The origins of Carnival are unclear, but most agree that it started as a pagan celebration in ancient Rome or Greece. Carnival balls were imported from Italy in the late nineteenth century, and had their golden era in the thirties, with legendary balls at the Copacabana Palace and Municipal Theater. The Samba Parade also got started in the 30's - first timidly at Pra a XI, and later at Av. It found a permanent home in 1984 at the Sambodrome , in the downtown area .