Practical Guide to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Copacabana

The New Year’s Eve in Copacabana, or Réveillon party as Brazilians often call it, is the biggest New Year’s Eve party in Brazil and the world.

Every year there is a big party on the sands of Copacabana beach on the night of December 31st to January 1st. The main attraction is an approximately 15-minute fireworks display, preceded and followed by concerts by various Brazilian artists, currently attracting about two million people.

In this post, we prepared a practical guide to celebrate the New Year’s Eve party in Copacabana. And it includes the main and best local tips for the party. After all, it’s essential to start the year off on the right foot, right?

Rio de Janeiro's Official New Year's Eve Party

Although it is easy to find great parties in the city’s hottest nightclubs with open bars and live DJs, nothing compares to the official New Year’s Eve party in Copacabana. And the best thing – for free!

The city hall organizes the party all along Copacabana beach each year, with special programming and a very organized scheme.

New Year’s Eve Party in Copacabana starts around 7pm when DJs and bands kick off at the main stages along Copacabana beach. In addition to the stage for live concerts with Brazilian artists, big screens are installed on the sand to watch the fireworks display.

Typically, at least 3 stages are distributed along the entire length of Copacabana Beach: the main ones are in front of Belmond Copacabana Palace Hotel and near Posto 4 (near Santa Clara Street). The other stages are situated between Leme and the Copacabana Fortress.

Every year, the city hall prepares a special fireworks show from ten rafts spread along the coast to avoid accidents.

To ensure the safety and well-being of all, medical and chemical restrooms are also set up, as well as police observation posts.

Carioca Tip:

Although the police force is reinforced, be careful with your belongings, especially flashy jewelry, watches, cameras, and cell phones. There are millions of people gathered, and, unfortunately, pickpocketing is common.

-> For more safety tips in Rio de Janeiro, download our free ebook here.

Where is the best place to see the fireworks display?

Certainly, one of the main and cheapest places to watch the fireworks display is in the sand, where you will have a broader view of the fireworks.

Another option is to stay in one of the beachfront hotels on the Copacabana waterfront. Many hotels have parties in their rooftop bars, and it is worth checking out the packages offered.

In addition to these options, several large and luxurious cruise ships stop at the Copacabana to watch the fireworks burn out at sea. This is an excellent option for those who have more days in the city and want to know other cities besides Rio, such as Ilha Grande and Salvador. Read more in the end of this post.

Where to stay for New Year's Eve

Some other locations and neighborhoods also have New Year’s Eve parties, but none is as famous and as frequented as New Year’s Eve in Copacabana.

Therefore, if you are going to spend the New Year’s Eve in Rio de Janeiro, our recommendation is: stay in Copacabana. This will save you time, and you will have a much more comfortable night!

However, as we are talking about one of the biggest parties in town, it is expected that the city will be crowded and prices elevated. After all, it is a high season peak in Rio de Janeiro. Hotels offer special packages to this period with a minimum of nights, for example, and charge more for it.

-> If a Copacabana accommodation fits your budget, read our complete guide to the most famous beach in town and find your accommodation here.

-> If staying in Copacabana is not part of your plans, read our post about the neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro and choose one that fits your style.

How to get to Copacabana for New Year's Eve

The best transport option to get to the neighborhood if you are not staying there is by subway. This is because, on December 31st, a particular traffic scheme blocks the whole area for cars and buses. After 10 pm, only the subway works, but you must have a special ticket to use it.

By subway

Of the 2 million partygoers who will go to Copacabana for New Year’s Eve, only 153,000 will be able to go by subway. This is the number of special tickets issued by MetrôRio for those who want to use the service on New Year’s Eve.

The fare is the same as for ordinary days: BRL 13.80 (roundtrip). However, the tickets have pre-determined hours to board. You must choose from 5 slots boarding from 7 pm with the last boarding at 11 pm to 0 am. Outside the purchased time slot, the turnstile does not accept the ticket. To return, the tickets are valid for boarding from 0am.

When going to the event, the special cards will be accepted at all stations. From midnight onwards, they will only be accepted at stations open for boarding: Cardeal Arcoverde, Siqueira Campos, Cantagalo, General Osorio, and Jardim Oceânico.

Tickets can be purchased until 12/25, from 10am to 9pm, at the following stations: Pavuna; Central do Brasil/Center, Carioca/Center, Jardim Oceânico/Barra da Tijuca. From 12/26, sales will only be in Carioca/Centro from 10am to 9pm.

Each customer has a purchase limit of up to 10 cards. Tickets can only be used during New Year’s Eve, with no refunds afterward.

By taxi or bus

Taxi and buses can only drive in Copacabana until 10pm. Therefore, they are the best alternative for those unable to buy the special subway ticket.

If you want to leave Copacabana before 5am, you will need to walk to Ipanema or Botafogo Cove.

And by car or Uber

Cars (including Uber) can only drive in the neighborhood until 7pm. The area will only have traffic unlocked at 5am in the morning.

To get an Uber before that, you will also need to walk to Ipanema or Botafogo Cove. For this reason, we recommend that you avoid these options.

Did you like our tips?

We are waiting for you with open arms for the New Year’s Eve party in Rio de Janeiro, and we hope you enjoy this celebration, which is one of the biggest parties in the city!

And don’t forget that if you need assistance in planning your visit or would like to have a customized itinerary for your trip, get in contact with us! We can help you make your trip to Rio de Janeiro unforgettable!

Have a look at our unique and customized local experiences and get to know Rio de Janeiro like a local.