Blocos are an essential part of the Carnaval experience in Rio de Janeiro.
“But Lil, where do I find information about these blocos?” Glad you asked 😎 There’s an app for that. “Blocos de Rua” is a website and app that can help you locate all the blocos in the city.
Pretty overwhelming, isn’t it? There’s a ton of blocos, many of them happening at the same time, so how do you choose? One trick I like to do is type the bloco name into instagram or tiktok to see if there’s any videos from last year’s. What were the vibes like? What music were they playing? How big was it?
I’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of blocos I enjoyed the most, you’re welcome 🤗
Bloco Me Esquece
This bloco passes through the Jardim Botanico neighborhood, probably my favorite neighborhood in Rio. The streets are large, so there’s plenty of room to move, unlike the tight squeeze in the Santa Teresa neighborhood.
Escangalha Bloco
This bloco passes through the Jardim Botanico neighborhood. Much larger than Me Esquece, I joined in around 11am, but left around 2pm so I could get a nap in before parading with a samba school!
Cordão do Boi Tolo
This is one of the biggest blocos of the season, starting 8AM in the city center, with the crowd parading all the way down through the tunnel in Flamengo. I didn’t do the entire route, opting to just go through the tunnel with the crowd. This bloco was particularly special, with my friends spotting me in a sea of thousands!
Fervo da Lud
One of the most popular Brazilian funk artists, Ludmilla, hosts her own bloco in Centro early in the morning. This is a moving concert, get ready to dance and sing along all day with her fans!
Tecnobloco
This secret bloco that’s announced the day of, so be sure to keep an eye on instagram. My friends heard about it through word of mouth and rushed from another bloco so we wouldn’t miss this. You’ll be following the brass band playing techno classics, and when the beat drops—start sprinting!
Boto Marinho
Considered on the last blocos of the season, this bloco is held on the tiny island of Paquetá, about an hour ferry ride from Rio. This one is also kept under wraps, so you’ll need to rely on word of mouth to figure out what date this one takes place.
The party starts on the ferry, so be sure to make it to the first few ferries (starting at 7am) so that you’re onboard with the band. You’ll need to arrive at Praça XV and purchase your ferry ticket (~10 reals), bring cash!
