there are a number of holidays in rio de janeiro - knowing when these are is important for planning, as most shops could be closed on these days, and even restaurants.

the most widely celebrated are new year's day, when almost everything is closed in rio after the wild celebrations of new year's eve, and carnival week, falling either in february or march, when while shops continue to stay mostly open the city enters a unique atmosphere of celebration where nothing else seems  to count.

in addition to all brazil-wide state holidays, rio de janeiro celebrates two of her own - january 20th, the day of saint sebastian patron of the city, and march 1st, birthday of rio de janeiro, with 2015 marking the 450th birthday.