Feira Nordestina

Rio de Janeiro


This enormous fair (32,000 sq meters, with over 600 stalls) is not to be missed. It showcases the culture of the Northeast of Brazil, with barracas (food stalls) selling Bahian dishes as well as beer and cachaça (sugarcane alcohol), which flows in great abundance here. The best time to go is at the weekend, when you can catch live bands playing forró (popular music of northeast Brazil), plus samba groups and comedy troupes, Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) and rodas de capoeira (capoeira circles).

In addition to food and drink, you can browse music CDs (forró, of course), hammocks and a wide assortment of handicrafts.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rio de Janeiro attractions

1. Quinta da Boa Vista

0.71 MILES

Quinta da Boa Vista was the estate of the Portuguese imperial family until the Republic was proclaimed. Today it’s a large and busy park with gardens and…

2. Rio Zoo

0.78 MILES

Covering over 12 hectares, the zoo at Quinta da Boa Vista has a wide variety of reptiles, mammals and birds, mostly indigenous to Brazil. Special…

3. CADEG

1.05 MILES

While CADEG doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as ‘Ipanema Beach,’ this voluminous market packs a treasure trove of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish,…

4. Fábrica Bhering

1.11 MILES

Inaugurated in 1880, Fábrica Bhering was the first chocolate factory in Brazil. It is now a stunning multistory, multipurpose art space and cultural…

5. Maracanã Football Stadium

1.18 MILES

Rio’s Maracanã stadium is hallowed ground among football lovers. The massive arena has been the site of legendary victories and crushing defeats. Maracanã…

6. Cidade do Samba

1.42 MILES

Located north of Centro, near the port, Samba City is actually made up of 14 large buildings where the top Rio schools assemble their Carnaval floats. It…

7. Sambódromo

1.73 MILES

The epicenter of Rio’s Carnaval, the Sambódromo was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1984. During big parades, come here for fantastic views…