New Years in Rio – Reveillon
*** ALL FESTIVITIES FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE 2021 IN RIO DE JANEIRO
ARE CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 ***
New Years in Rio de Janeiro; Millions of people meet on the beach in Copacabana to greet the next year welcome, New Years in Rio de Janeiro is fantastic! In many countries bringing together all those people and alcohol would end in lots of fighting and bad energy; not here. How a huge crowd like that can be so peaceful is a mystery to me and the surge of good energy just before and after the switch to the new year is amazing. So what’s the best way to go about things to enjoy it most?
Preparation for New Years in Rio
To traditionally celebrate New Years in Rio, or Reveillon as it is called in Portuguese, you should be dressed in something white. Many eat lentil soup and even but some grains in their wallet, it is supposed to grant prosperity during the coming year. Gather some friends you want to celebrate with and walk down to Copacabana Beach. Meeting up before is essential since it is almost impossible on the beach, the crowd is huge and cell phones normally stop working. I think a good time to be down there is around 9 or 10 PM. On the way buy some lillies so you can sacrifice it to the Yemanjá (Goddess of the Sea); after catching seven waves throw them into the water (it actually grants you three wishes so make sure to make them). Bringing some beach sheets (kangas) is a good idea so you don’t have to be on your feet the whole time. Glass (beer or cups) is not allowed, bottles of bubbly are exceptions, beer in cans are sold for elevated prices. Note that if you live in a neighbourhood further away, like Catete or Santa Teresa, you should buy special colour-coded metro tickets in advance, without them it can get very hard to arrive in Copacabana.
The Best Spot
The main stage is in front of Copacabana Palace, so it gets really crowded there. If you want to go there you have to go down there quite early to get a good view of the free shows since people crowd to see them. A much more relaxed atmosphere and a lot more space you will find closer to the fort in front of Life Guard Tower 6 (Posto 6). The other advantage of staying there is that it is closer to Ipanema where you most likely will be going later.
To Ipanema
Just after the fireworks end in Copacabana the crowds starts to slowly move over to Ipanema Beach. On the beach of Ipanema there are several parties going on, some of them private, others you can pay entrance to join. The partying goes on until early in the morning. What better way then to start the year with a beautiful sunrise at the beach!
Where To Stay?
I have put together some info about Accommodation for New Years in Rio where you can find out how to make the best deal for you. Just like during Carnival prices go up considerably, the difference between neighbourhoods is extreme since it all has to do with the proximity to the parties.