rio de janeiro is one thing, and carnival in rio de janeiro is another thing.

the city is home to beautiful beaches, forests, waterfalls and hiking trails, as well as lagoons, islands, and most peaceful corners and incredible belvederes.

however, during carnival the city gets into party mode, with all attention and energy geared towards the celebrations - beaches get overcrowded, traffic becomes slow, and long queues plague most touristic spots.

this is why we recommend that visitors in rio for carnival mostly focus their attention and energy toward the festivities, and the many aspects of this incredible period.

every other beauty of the city can be discovered before or after carnival, when the city gets back to normal.