More than just a party for a few days, the production of carioca carnival continues throughout the year. It is with the work of many people that the great festivities take place among the samba schools of the Special Group of Rio de Janeiro. But do you know where they produce all the floats, costumes and other accessories? At Samba City! Don't know it? Then, continue reading and learn more about this important place for all carnival-goers!
What is Samba City?
THE Samba City is the place where the sheds of the samba schools of the Special Group of Rio de Janeiro . Located in Gamboa, it is part of a complex of tourism, art, history, culture and entertainment in the Marvelous City. Opened on February 4, 2006, the site has 92 thousand square meters, which corresponds to 10 football fields.
In addition to 2 sheds dedicated to the Independent League of Samba Schools (LIESA), there are 12 that are used by the associations and each of them has the capacity to assemble up to 12 floats. In other words, there are 14 warehouses. Each one has four floors and, generally, samba schools produce the floats on the first, leaving the superiors to handle administrative and creative issues.
Why was Cidade do Samba created?
THE Samba City The project was created with the aim of making the work of the samba schools easier when it came to carrying their floats. This was because it was not easy to transport them from far away to the Sambadrome through downtown Rio amidst the carnival blocks. After all, each one is up to 10 meters high and 12 meters long. Considering that there were 10 floats being pushed by the teams of the samba schools, since they did not have motors, you can imagine the difficulty that the samba schools had before the creation of Cidade do Samba, right?
How to get to Cidade do Samba?
There are a few ways to get to the Samba City, which is located in the Gamboa neighborhood, Port Zone, Rio de Janeiro. Check out which ones they are below.
- By VLT: There is a VLT (TRAM) station in front of the main entrance to Cidade do Samba (Station name: Cidade do Samba).
- By car or on foot using apps like Waze, Google Maps, UBER or Taxi: just enter it into the app and ask: Carnaval Experience or Cidade do Samba, main entrance.
- If you need to park: Parking is paid on the street - Rua Rivadavia Corrêa, nº 60 (Note: Parking is not under our control and we are not responsible for its opening hours and/or policy).
Enjoy the best of Carnaval in Cidade do Samba with the Carnaval Experience
Now, you already know what the Samba City, its creation story, how it is divided and how to get there. SYou just need to check out the best of Carnival in this incredible place with Carnival Experience, Rio Carnival Tourism and Culture Program. With the in-person tour, you will have an unforgettable and complete experience of how the production of the great carnival works and you will be able to enter the City of Samba. But, if you prefer, there is also the virtual tour, which allows you to visit the Grande Rio warehouse and the history of carnival from a distance. Get in touch to find out more and enjoy!