Rio Carnival on a Budget

Getting Into the Carnival Spirit

Budget travelers looking for a cheap holiday in Rio de Janeiro can have their work cut out at the best of times, thanks to spiraling prices and an increasingly strong national currency. And with the arrival of Carnival sending accommodation prices soaring, it can be easy to panic about the state of your travel budget.

But panic not. While accommodation is undeniably pricey during Carnival, it’s so easy to make spending cuts elsewhere that you should have plenty of money for eating, drinking and general merry making during Carnival.

For starters, if the budget is tight, forget taxis. There are street parties happening all over the city for the duration of Carnival, and 24-hour bus and Metro system means that you’ll easily be able to get from party A to party B without too much hassle.

Secondly, don’t blow the budget by eating out in Rio restaurants. During Carnival in Rio there are countless street vendors selling everything from grilled meat and cheese, toasted sandwiches and pizza to corn on the cob and fruit salads, all for just a couple of reais.

Likewise, give the pricey clubs and bars a body swerve and pick up a beer or cocktail on the street – during Carnival it’s impossible to take more than a couple of steps without finding somebody selling something chilled and alcoholic. Try caipirinha popsicles to keep the heat at bay, or indulge in a tasty caipirinha jelly (jello) if you want to keep hunger pangs at bay without letting alcohol levels drop!

During Carnival, it’s possible to party 24/7 without once paying to enter a club or shelling out bar prices for drinks, so relax, keep cool (or as cool as possible in 40 degree heat…) and enjoy the biggest party on the planet.

Photo: Lucy Bryson