How to Get to Copacabana Beach for New Year’s Eve
Public transport
Public transport is the cheapest option. However you need to buy tickets weeks in advance and it needs to be done physically at the metro station. So, if you’re are visiting for a shorter time and will be arriving just before New Years, this will be pretty tricky. Sometimes you can buy the tickets up until a week before, but you still need to buy them physically. So if you come to Rio a little bit before New Years it might be worth it to check and see if some are available. Just head to the Metro station and ask. If you end up getting a ticket you should also know that it will be for a specific time slot. This makes the flow of people going both to and from Copacabana much smoother all evening instead of everyone cramming together to catch the same subway.
Cars and Taxis
The whole area around Copacabana is closed for traffic most of the time leading up to the celebration, and since we lived in Lapa this was my biggest concern. How would we get there and back since I was not able to get a Metro ticket in time. However, I learned that this was much easier than it seemed! Rio is used to throwing big parties so they have a pretty good system for it. The traffic around Copacabana stops at 7pm, meaning normal cars and Ubers are not allowed in to the area. If you want to get there before you can take an Uber or local bus like normal. Registered Taxis however are allowed to drive to Copacabana until 10pm. We took a taxi from Lapa to Copacabana beach at 9pm and found that to be perfect. The taxi dropped us of a coupe of blocks from the beach because even they can’t drive along the promenade this day.
Best Time to Arrive at Copacabana Beach on New Year’s Eve
If you want a good spot on the beach close to the main stage and enjoy the free concert you need to arrive by late afternoon. The area starts filling up quickly, especially near the main stage. For me personally the concert wasn’t so important so we got there at 9pm, which gave us lots of time to grad some food in town and walk to the beach. Even though we came rather late there were lots of places available. We had no problem finding a nice spot to sit down close to the ocean. Even if we weren’t close to the stage we could see it and hear the music. Just make sure to be in the front of it.
Does it get packed with people?
If you have seen pictures of Copacabana beach from above on New Years it does look crazy and absolutely packed with people! I can assure it doesn’t feel as crazy being there. We never felt that it was too crowded and I was super surprised by how much space we actually had the whole evening. We found a vendor who sold beach towels to sit on, so we bought one of those And settled down with lots of room around us. Alternatively there are many of the bars who rent out chairs as well. There were still many chairs available when we came at 9pm.
What to Wear for New Year’s Eve in Rio
Wearing white is the traditional custom in Brazil, symbolizing peace and good fortune. Many people also wear colorful accessories that represent their hopes for the new year—red for love, yellow for prosperity, and green for health. I opted for an all-white beach dress. Usually I would dress up more from New Years in Norway, but this is a beach party and people were mostly dressed with that in mind. A lot of people wore bikinis and swimsuits, so no need to feel you need to dress up like crazy.
Food and Drinks at the Copacabana New Year’s Celebration
Vendors line the streets and beach selling everything from grilled meat skewers to fresh coconuts. Bringing your own drinks is allowed, and many people bring coolers filled with beer and caipirinhas. We grabbed some dinner before heading to the beach, but found some pretty strong Caipirinha's before we sat down. We had two of them each and that was enough. Super tasty, but pretty strong! There was never a line when we wanted drinks, but they do run out during the evening so don't wait until last minute if you want something to toast the New Years in with.
What is the Copacabana Fireworks Show?
At midnight, the sky exploded with one of the most spectacular fireworks displays I’ve ever seen. The show lasted about 15 minutes, with vibrant bursts reflecting off the ocean and illuminating the massive crowd. The atmosphere during this show was out of this world! I will never forget how fun this was.
Safety Tips for Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Rio
As always in Rio and most places, you need to watch your stuff! Especially at these big events with so many people. However, I don't want to scare you. I had read so much about everyone getting robbed that I nearly changed my mind and didn’t go. Which would’ve been a mistake because it was such an amazing night and I never felt unsafe at all. However, I do always take precautions. I had money tucked away inside my clothes and my phone was secured with two straps around my wrists. So, if someone was going to rob me it would’ve been pretty tricky. Most of what I read was younger kids running through the beach and grabbing peoples phones while they were recording the fireworks. For that reason I talked to some people who just opted to not bring anything. This is up to you. We didn’t bring more than our phones and a little bit of money, and it was all we needed. I never felt or saw anything that made me feel unsafe.
How to get back to the city after the Fireworks show?
I have to say that this really impressed me! I’m used to it getting cramped and stressful when so many people are leaving at almost the same time, but not here. Since all the traffic is closed of until the morning, everyone uses the roads to walk back. Either to where they live or to Botafogo to catch a bus, uber or taxi. There were so many buses lined up so don’t feel any rush to get there early. We didn’t really know which bus to take so we opted for a taxi and it was super smooth. So when the show is over just follow the crowds through the tunnels and you will end up at a place you can get a taxi. It really is as simple as that.
Final Thoughts: Is New Year’s Eve in Rio Worth It?
Spending New Year’s Eve on Copacabana Beach was an experience I’ll never forget. The atmosphere, music, and fireworks created an unparalleled celebration that I’d recommend to anyone looking for an unforgettable way to welcome the new year. If you plan ahead, stay safe, and embrace the energy of the night, you’re in for an incredible experience!
For more travel tips on Rio de Janeiro and the best New Year’s Eve destinations, be sure to check out my other blog posts!