Time Your Luxury Yacht Charter in Brazil for a Trip to the Rio Carnival

The roots to this colourful extravaganza can be traced back to a 15th century tradition celebrated in the Portuguese island of Azores, when the end of Lent was celebrated by four days and nights of riotous street celebrations. The tradition was adopted by the former Portuguese colony of Brazil in the 19th century, with great swathes of people marching and dancing through cities up and down the country to music played by vast neighbourhood bands. By far the most famous of the carnivals is Rio, where scores of samba schools representing different neighbourhoods or social clubs compete in the parade, with strictly choreographed 90-minute performances. The groups are then marked by a panel of esteemed judges on everything from costumes, percussion and dancing to the music and story itself. Whilst Rio is the largest and most renowned carnival, there are a number of other festivities up and down the coast which are well-worth calling into on a luxury yacht charter. For example, the town of Salvador, situated further along the north-eastern coastline, hosts a party not unlike Notting Hill carnival by the sea, with thousands of different groups marching to all kinds of music from samba to carimbo. Further north still is the cosmopolitan city of Olinda, which hosts the holy Carnival Trinity which is slightly less frantic than Rio and Salvador but no less bewitching. Another Brazilian tradition not to miss whilst on luxury yacht charter in the region is the synchronised balletic movements of Capoeira dancers. The dance originated in Angola as a ritual fight to gain the nuptial rights of women and was imported to Brazil with slavery. It involves a pair of dancers spinning and twirling in stylised combat in a high-energy martial Yoga. And whilst it is often practised on the beaches, the best place to watch the dance is in the academias de capoeira, where visitors are invited to come and even join in. Finally, it is impossible to visit Brazil without being dazzled by the display of footballing skills on beaches and in streets the length and breadth of the country. Next year will see the World Cup come to Brazil and the country is already in feverish excitement about hosting the most important football competition on the globe. We strongly advise that clients plan ahead to book a luxury yacht charter to combine the best of the Brazilian coastline with the best of the beautiful game. Northern Brazil from Sao Paulo upwards benefits from an equatorial climate with average temperatures of 250C, so it is suitable for year-round cruising. The best times to visit, however, are over the northern European winter encompassing Christmas, New Year and Carnival, although July and August are also high season on the coast for Brazilian holidaymakers. For information on chartering a yacht in Brazil please contact us.
Article edited from the Fraser Yachts Magazine