NEW YEARS RIO DE JANEIRO
NEW YEARS RIO DE JANEIRO
Come to the greatest open-air party in the world and prepare yourself to have REAL fun!
It’s well known that Brazilians know how to party and New Years in Rio de janeiro, or Reveillon, is one of the biggest events of the year. Rio de Janeiro is challenging New York as the biggest New Year’s Eve party in the world. The main party along Copacabana Beach hosts several music stages, fireworks and dancing.
A massive crowd gathers in the world’s largest open air ballroom for a party with a difference, filled with light and fireworks, peace and human warmth, at which the guest of honor is the new year. The beach is key to the proceedings, which require that tributes be paid to Yemanjá, the African Goddess of the waters, revered since the time of the slave trade. Her name come from Yoruba expression which means the goddess whose offspring are fish. In Brazil, she’s the most feminine and popular orixá. According to the legends, Yemanjá is the mother of all the other orixás and her torn breasts gave origin to all the rivers of the world. She protects fishermen, by guaranteeing their return to land. The followers of the Angolan cult call her Kajala. She is a beautiful and vain Goddess and much appreciates gifts to see in the new year: mirrors, cosmetics, combs, white flowers, liquor and coins, all floated out to her in delightful decorated tin boats. But the party on the beach is much more than a quasi-religious ritual; the fireworks are breathtaking, the music contagiously all pervading and the general air of companionship and joy amongst the millions of strangers on the beach something that simply has to be experienced.
Copacabana beach is the focal point of one of the biggest parties on earth, although festivities take place, on a smaller but increasing scale, on the beaches of Flamengo, Ipanema, Leblon and Barra da Tijuca.
During new years Rio de Janeiro the beachfront hotels and premier restaurants organize the fireworks between themselves, as their annual gift to the city. Stages are erected along the beach upon which live shows take place.It is, undoubtedly, the greatest open-air party in the world. All are welcomed and the only requirement is that you are prepared to have fun.
The parties on Copacabana Beach are enormous. During the day hundreds come to pay homage to the Afro-Brazilian orixá, or goddess, Iemanjá, placing offerings in the sea. Music is played throughout the day, but it really kicks off around 7pm when live acts and DJs start up the sound systems on the official stages. Around two million people are expected on Copacabana beach and therefore organisation of transport in and out of the area is vital. Roads are blocked to traffic from 6pm on 31 December until 4am on 1 January. There are taxis, tourist buses drop people off and urban buses have free access. To use the metro you must buy a special ticket in advance from certain stations. Check which stations will be open when you buy your ticket.
Three stages are set up over a 4km stretch: there is a Brazilian popular music stage playing sambas, pagodes and choros, a rock stage and another playing boleros, samba-canção and old carnival songs. At midnight a spectacular fireworks display blasts out the old year and toasts the new one. This is only the beginning, however, as people dance into the night.
There are balls and parties at all the major hotels along the beach, including the Copacabana Palace, Excelsior, Le Méridian and the Sofitel Rio Palace. The hotels stay open all night, serving champagne breakfasts from around 3am on 1 January. One word of advice, though: you should go dressed in white, a religious tradition that is well entrenched. If you don’t, you will stand out like a sore thumb.
Check our tour to new years Rio de Janeiro! **Special prices booking your New Years Rio de janeiro Package through August 2011**
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