What is the Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro?

If you are planning your next vacation, you are probably thinking about the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro. As a tropical country with paradisiac beaches, you might think summer is the best season to visit Brazil. Well, that might not be true.

In this blog post, we will show the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro for different purposes. You may come to party, to enjoy the beaches, or to explore the city. However you choose to spend your vacation, we will help you plan your next trip to Rio.

Carnival

If you like partying, Carnival season is definitely the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro. Carnival happens around 40 days before Easter. So, usually during the month of February, sometimes March.

While in Rio, you can enjoy Carnival both ways: going to street parties or watching the samba schools. I mean, you can also be part of the parade yourself if you want. The only thing you need to do is buy a costume from the school.

Oh, and for all that matters, you can do both: enjoying the street party during the day and going to the sambadrome at night.

Read more about Carnival here: Where To Celebrate Carnival In Brazil – Best Cities & Parties.

New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve in Rio de Janeiro is a big celebration in which people gather with their friends to party. It is very common for groups of friends to rent a big house someplace nice to celebrate the new year together.

Rio de Janeiro is probably the most famous destination to spend New Year’s Eve in Brazil. Copacabana is known for its big party with a massive firework display. Ten platforms placed at the sea are responsible for 15 minutes of non-stop fireworks, creating an amazing show in the sky.

The celebration also includes exclusive free concerts at the beach with the hottest Brazilian singers and bands. It is a huge event that reunites over 2,5 million people in Copacabana. Several screens are spread throughout the beach, making it possible for everyone to enjoy the event.

Further reading: New Year’s Eve In Brazil: Tips, Traditions, And Famous Destinations.

Summer

Contrary to what you might think, summer is not the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro for different reasons. First, the city gets crowded with tourists and visiting the famous attractions is not so pleasant. The beaches in Rio de Janeiro also get jammed with Brazilians on vacation, especially children and teenagers. Furthermore, Summer is really hot and humid in Rio, with temperatures easily reaching over 38/40°C (100/104°F). That might be too extreme for some Europeans and North Americans to handle, especially if you are thinking about touring the city and spending many hours walking outside.

And finally, summer in Rio de Janeiro brings lots of torrential rain, which can spoil your vacation and make you stuck in your hotel room. Besides, tourism prices are at their highest.

Just so you know, Summer in Brazil goes from the end of December to the end of March.

Further reading: Summer Lovers: Top 10 Hottest Cities in Brazil

Fall and Spring

If we can give you some advice on when to visit Rio de Janeiro, we would say during Spring or Fall. During these seasons, prices are not that high for accommodation and plane tickets, the weather is still warm and nice, and you can enjoy beautiful blue-sky days while touring the city. So, go for April/May (Fall) or September/October (Spring).

During Fall and Spring, the temperatures range around 24 to 26ºC, which is perfect to enjoy both beaches and hikes through the rainforest. Also in  October, every two years, Rio de Janeiro hosts Rock in Rio. Rock in Rio is one of the biggest music festivals in the world and lasts for 6 or 7 days. The festival is joined by big names in the music industry, such as the most famous bands and pop singers in the world.

Festivities

If you want to know the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro for parties and festivities, check this blog post: The Ultimate Guide of Brazilian Celebrations and Holidays.

Caminhos Language Centre is the largest and most exciting Portuguese school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We have an excellent infrastructure, over 15 experienced Brazilian teachers, and a friendly multilingual support staff. We are the only school in Brazil able to offer Portuguese group courses throughout the year on 10 different levels. Moreover, our school also offers more than just Portuguese lessons for foreigners, we offer you the complete Rio de Janeiro experience. Every day we organize 100% free and fun activities for you to socialize and practice your Portuguese. We can also help you with a student visa for Brazil and accommodation in Rio de Janeiro. Follow us on Instagram for some Portuguese tips and news.