Rio's National Samba Day is "full of smiling faces", a television presenter has observed.
While Rio is usually associated with its world-famous Carnival, the streets of the city also come alive for the annual National Samba Day in December.
The yearly event sees hundreds of thousands of revellers take to the streets and the beaches of the Brazilian city with drums and tambourines to celebrate the local heritage preserved through Samba, which was brought to the country by the four million slaves transported to South America from Africa.
And while the music may have a sad past, now the National Samba Day represents one of the world's biggest parties, with visitors advised to take out travel insurance and board a special 'Samba Train' which heads into the city's vibrant suburbs, being serenaded by musicians, singers and dancers.
Television presenter and clergyman Reverend Peter Owen-Jones wrote in the Times of his trip to the festival: "I've never seen so many smiling people in one place - people of all ages, somehow walking and dancing at the same time."
Holidaymakers keen to sample the delights of Samba in Rio should ensure that they take out comprehensive
travel insurance, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised, with pickpockets rife in some parts of the city.
Holiday insurance from
Direct Travel Insurance covers a wide range of activities and may be a wise purchase for those planning on taking an adventurous break.
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