Samba City in Rio de Janeiro
Read this page to find out everything about Samba City in Rio de Janeiro. It explains what the Samba City is like and what it offers to visitors. You will also find information about admission fees and how to get there.
Samba City is the home of the production units of the principal Rio samba schools.
It also serves as a tourist attraction to entertain and at the same time introduce visitors to the production activities of the samba schools.
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Samba City, inaugurated in 2005, is a recent project of the city of Rio de Janeiro to bring the “factories” of all the principal samba schools in the Special Group under one roof. Every school has its own block within the compound, to produce its floats and many of its Samba Parade costumes. It offers a more civilized environment in stark contrast to the previously neglected and dilapidated plants spread all over Rio's most dangerous parts.
Samba City is also meant as a tourist attraction to educate visitors how the samba schools prepare for their annual competion in the Samba Parade. It offers entertainment and samba shows mainly before and during Carnival.
The compound is near Rio's port which is considered to be the cradle of samba. The lay-out of Samba City is of a geometric shape, with the factories surrounding the main central square. They are meant to symbolize the parts of a bigger group, linking hands, forming a large circle. The world of samba is embracing here its ancestors, who arrived at this place in the 17th and 18th centuries, bringing African art, dance and music with them, to make them integral parts of the culture of today’s Brazil.
Each school occupies one block or production unit. They look and are of real factory sizes, being 12m high, allowing them to build the vast Carnival floats inside. You can go and look 'behind the curtains' to gain some insight into how Rio Carnival is actually 'produced'.
Samba City is surrounded by safe fences, however it is located in a dangerous area. Best to go by taxi. Do not walk around outside the compound. It is safe and spacious inside with lots of parking space.
Carnival Shows
Thursdays on February 5th and 19th
21:00 Live old-samba music (pagode)
22:00 Parade with 80 members and visitors´ participation with fireworks
A large verity of samba music is played, including the old genre called pagode
Carnival performance and display including samba dancers, drummers and percussionists, masters of ceremonies (flag-bearers with their escorts), the Swirling Ladies and some celebrities of the Rio samba world
A mini-parade to close the evening off
Admission: R$150.00 and R$75.00 for Rio residents (includes free buffet)
Box office from 19:00
Doors open at 20:00
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Go with us for the experience of a life-time!
Breathe and live samba
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