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01
\nWeather & Air Quality
\nWhat to wear
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Temperature
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22°–30°C
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Partly cloudy, warm
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Rain Chance
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10%
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Very low risk
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UV Index
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Very High
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SPF 50+ essential
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Mon 16
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31°C
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25% rain
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Tue 17
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31°C
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60% rain — Storms PM
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Wed 18
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28°C
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65% rain
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Thu 19
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29°C
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Partly cloudy
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Weather tip: Sunday is the best day of the Carnaval weekend — only 10% rain chance with partly cloudy skies and a high of 30°C. Yesterday’s scattered storms are gone. Hydrate aggressively between blocos and reapply SPF 50+ every 90 minutes. UV will be in the “very high” band from 10h to 15h, which covers most morning blocos. Hat, sunglasses, and a small water bottle are essential. Monday stays mostly dry (25% rain), but Tuesday’s Terça de Carnaval brings a 60% chance of afternoon storms — plan outdoor blocos for the morning if possible.
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02
\nDay at a Glance
\nQuick scan
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—MICHEL TELO at Ibirapuera — Sertanejinho do Teló, 11h–16h. One of the biggest megablocos of the weekend, sertanejo-meets-Carnaval on the Av. Pedro Alvares Cabral corridor
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—POCAH at Obelisco — Bloco da Pocah, 13h–18h. Funk queen takes the Obelisco corridor with one of the day’s biggest crowds. Supla’s Bloco 89 also runs Faria Lima 13h–18h
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—100+ BLOCOS TODAY — From Bloco Me Viram no Ipiranga (9h) to Ilú Obá de Min at Praça da República (19h). Vila Madalena, Pinheiros, Centro, Consolação all packed from morning. Full list in §03
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—ANHEMBI — Grupo de Acesso 1 from 21h — Eight schools: Camisa 12, Vila Maria, Tucuruvi, Mancha Verde, Nenê de Vila Matilde, Pérola Negra, Dom Bosco, Independente Tricolor. Top 2 earn promotion to Grupo Especial 2027. Band TV broadcast
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—PAULISTÃO FINAL ROUND — All 8 matches at 20h30. São Bernardo vs Corinthians (Record/TNT), Palmeiras vs Guarani, Santos vs Velo Clube, Ponte Preta vs São Paulo. Four playoff spots and one relegation at stake
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—METRÔ 24h — All stations open for embarque and desembarque through the night (Sat→Sun operation). Tomorrow night (Sun→Mon): embarque only at Portuguesa-Tietê and Palmeiras-Barra Funda. Free buses to Anhembi from 18h
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—30°C, 10% rain — best day of the weekend. UV very high: SPF 50+, hat, hydrate constantly. Tuesday’s Terça de Carnaval brings 60% storm chance. Enjoy the dry window today
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—B3 CLOSED — Carnaval recess. Ibovespa closed Friday at 186,464 (-0.69%), USD/BRL at R$5.23. Markets reopen Wed Feb 18 at 13h. US also closed Mon (Presidents’ Day)
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São Paulo’s second day of official Carnaval is the biggest yet — more than a hundred blocos fill the streets from Ipiranga to Ibirapuera, with megablocos headlined by Michel Teló, Pocah and Supla drawing six-figure crowds along the city’s main corridors. The programme runs from early morning bloquinhos through evening megablocos and into the small hours at the Sambódromo do Anhembi, where eight schools of the Grupo de Acesso 1 compete for two promotion places to the Grupo Especial. Mancha Verde, Nenê de Vila Matilde and Acadêmicos do Tucuruvi are the favourites in what promises to be a fiercely contested night. Meanwhile, the Paulistão reaches its dramatic conclusion: all eight final-round matches kick off simultaneously at 20h30, with four playoff spots, one more relegation, and the full bracket for the quartas de final still to be decided.
This is part of The Rio Times’ daily coverage of São Paulo business and economic developments.
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The weather is ideal — 30°C with only 10% rain and partly cloudy skies, the driest day of the Carnaval window. Yesterday’s scattered storms have cleared. The outlook shifts Tuesday, when a 60% chance of afternoon storms returns for Terça de Carnaval. For the 16.5 million foliões expected across the holiday, today is the day to be outdoors.
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Markets: the Ibovespa closed Friday’s pre-Carnaval session at 186,464 (-0.69%). The index hit an intraday record of 190,561 on Wednesday, then saw profit-taking into the holiday. USD/BRL closed at R$5.23, slipping from midweek lows near R$5.15. B3 is now closed until Wednesday Feb 18 at 13h. In the US, January CPI came in at 2.4% annual (below expected 2.5%), reviving hopes for two Fed cuts in 2026. US markets also close Monday for Presidents’ Day, creating a rare simultaneous shutdown that concentrates all repricing into Wednesday’s shortened sessions on both sides of the Atlantic.
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03
\nCulture & Events
\nWhat to see & do
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Sambódromo do Anhembi — Grupo de Acesso 1
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Grupo de Acesso 1 — Eight Schools
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Sambódromo do Anhembi, Av. Olavo Fontoura — From 21h — Band TV broadcast
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The final night of samba school parades at the Anhembi this Carnaval. Eight schools compete for two promotion spots to the Grupo Especial in 2027, while the bottom two are relegated to Acesso 2. Each school has 55–65 min.
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→ 21h — Camisa 12 (enredo: women founders of candomblé houses)
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→ 22h — Unidos de Vila Maria
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→ 23h — Acadêmicos do Tucuruvi
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→ 0h — Mancha Verde
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→ 1h — Nenê de Vila Matilde (enredo: “Encruzas” — nine years since Grupo Especial)
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→ 2h — Pérola Negra
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→ 3h — Dom Bosco de Itaquera
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→ 4h — Independente Tricolor
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Free buses from Portuguesa-Tietê and Palmeiras-Barra Funda (from 18h). Metrô overnight: embarque only at those two stations. Apuração (results): Tuesday 17 Feb from 8h30.
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Museums Open Today
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Sunday hours — most museums on normal schedule
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→ MASP, Av. Paulista — 10h–18h. Current: Histórias Latino-Americanas cycle (ongoing). Also: Abel Rodríguez drawings (until Apr 5), André Taniki Yanomami (until Apr 5), Minerva Cuevas: ecologia social (until Apr 12). R$50/R$25
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→ Pinacoteca (Pina Luz) — 10h–18h, Wed–Mon. Current exhibitions on view. R$32/R$16
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→ Sesc 24 de Maio — 9h–18h. “HIP-HOP 80’sp — São Paulo na Onda do Break” (until Mar 29). Free
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→ Museu do Futebol, Pacaembu — 10h–18h. Current: South American football exhibition (until Apr 5). R$24
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All museums closed Monday (feriado). MASP free on Tuesdays (Nubank). If you want to escape the blocos, the MASP and Pinacoteca are your best options — air-conditioned, uncrowded on Carnaval Sunday, and genuinely world-class.
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Megablocos — Sunday Headliners
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Sertanejinho do Teló — Ibirapuera
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Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, Ibirapuera — 11h–16h — Free
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Michel Teló brings sertanejo to Carnaval on the Ibirapuera corridor. One of the most popular megablocos in São Paulo, drawing crowds that stretch from the Obelisco to the park gates. Arrive early — the corridor fills fast. Metrô: Linha 5-Lilás to AACD-Servidor, then walk.
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Bloco da Pocah — Obelisco
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Obelisco do Ibirapuera — 13h–18h — Free
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Pocah commands the Obelisco corridor with funk, pop and Carnaval anthems. Heavy police and medical presence. Expect major road closures along Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral from 10h. The afternoon shift following Teló — plan your route between the two.
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Bloco 89 — Faria Lima
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Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 4100–4500 — 13h–18h — Free
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Supla’s rock-meets-Carnaval bloco on the Faria Lima corridor. Expect 80s and 90s rock, new wave, and Brazilian rock classics. The Itaim Bibi stretch between 4100 and 4500 becomes a street party. Metrô: Linha 4-Amarela to Faria Lima.
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Ilú Obá de Min — República
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Praça da República, 386 — 19h–23h — Free
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The Afro-Brazilian percussion bloco celebrates its tradition with an enredo honouring Ifatinuké, historic founder of the Iemanjá Ogunté Obaomin terreiro in Pernambuco. One of the most culturally significant blocos in São Paulo — all-women bateria, powerful cortejo through Centro. A Carnaval essential.
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More Sunday Blocos
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By Neighbourhood
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→ Pinheiros/Vila Madalena: Bloco do Escocês (10h), Forró da Taylor (10h), Bloco Me Lembra Que Eu Vou (10h), Bloco Bastardo (R. João Moura, 13h), Bloco Jegue Elétrico (13h), Gringolôco (R. Inácio Pereira da Rocha, 16h)
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→ Centro/República: Bloco dos Bancários (R. XV de Novembro, 10h), Djongador (Av. São João, 10h), Bloco da Lisa (R. Augusta, 11h), Samby Junior (Largo do Arouche, 11h), MinhoQueens (Av. Ipiranga, 12h–17h — drag, pop, LGBTQIA+, 10-year anniversary), Je Treme Mon Amour (R. Rui Barbosa, 12h — Northern and Northeastern culture), Unidos do BPM (R. Augusta, 13h — electronic), Tecnomacumba (Pátio do Colégio, 14h)
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→ Consolação/Vila Buarque: Domingo Ela Não Vai (Av. Ipiranga → República, 11h — 10-year anniversary), MistoQuente (12h), Bota pra Ferver (13h), Somos Todos Carmen (Vila Buarque, 13h)
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→ Itaim Bibi: Bloco Besame Mucho (Faria Lima, 10h), Bloco GoFun (12h), Bloco Bateria de Rua (Faria Lima, 13h)
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→ Mooca/Ipiranga: Bloco do Boi (R. Izonzo, 12h10), Bloco Me Viram no Ipiranga (9h)
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→ Perdizes: Bloquinho Gente Miúda (13h — kids’ bloco, family-friendly)
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Expat-Friendly Picks
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→ Gringolôco (Pinheiros, 16h) — the name says it all. International crowd, English-friendly, good entry point for first-time Carnaval-goers. Located on R. Inácio Pereira da Rocha in the Vila Madalena corridor
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→ Bloco Besame Mucho (Faria Lima, 10h) — Latin rhythms on the Itaim stretch. Well-organised, good infrastructure. Popular with the expat crowd in Itaim Bibi
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→ Ilú Obá de Min (República, 19h) — if you attend one bloco for cultural significance, make it this one. All-women Afro-Brazilian bateria, powerful cortejo, deeply rooted in candomblé tradition. Evening start means you can combine it with an afternoon bloco
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→ Bloquinho Gente Miúda (Perdizes, 13h) — best kids’ bloco of the day. If you have children, this is your Sunday afternoon
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All blocos end by 18h (new rule for 2026). Check carnavalsp.com for real-time updates. Confirm on social media before heading out.
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04
\nTransport & Getting Around
\nKnow before you go
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Metrô
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24H OPERATION — ALL STATIONS OPEN
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Today (Sat→Sun night): ALL Metrô stations open for embarque and desembarque through the entire night. Lines 1-Azul, 2-Verde, 3-Vermelha, 15-Prata. Tonight (Sun→Mon): embarque during the overnight period only at Portuguesa-Tietê (Line 1) and Palmeiras-Barra Funda (Line 3). All other stations: desembarque and transfers only. Free Atende buses to the Anhembi from Portuguesa-Tietê and Barra Funda from 18h.
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CPTM
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24H — BARRA FUNDA EMBARQUE ONLY
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CPTM Lines 10-Turquesa, 11-Coral, 12-Safira, 13-Jade running overnight. Palmeiras-Barra Funda: 24h embarque and desembarque. All other CPTM stations: desembarque and transfers only during overnight hours. Buy your return ticket in advance via WhatsApp (11 3888-2200) or the TOP app to avoid queues.
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Lines 4-Amarela & 5-Lilás
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OVERNIGHT — DESEMBARQUE ONLY
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ViaQuatro (Line 4-Amarela) and ViaMobilidade (Line 5-Lilás): all stations open overnight for desembarque and transfers only — no new embarque. During normal operating hours (4h40–0h), full service. Use Line 5-Lilás (AACD-Servidor) for Ibirapuera blocos during the day.
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Buses & Road Closures
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SUNDAY SCHEDULE — 4,922 VEHICLES
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SPTrans operating on Sunday schedule today: 4,922 vehicles on 1,042 lines. SPTrans 1,300 lines in all regions, plus 150 night lines. Major road closures: Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral (Ibirapuera), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima (Itaim stretch), parts of Consolação, República corridor. Expect surges near Ibirapuera and Faria Lima from 10h. Avoid driving in bloco zones entirely.
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Transport tip: Metrô is the only reliable option today. For Ibirapuera megablocos: Linha 5-Lilás to AACD-Servidor. For Faria Lima: Linha 4-Amarela to Faria Lima. For Anhembi tonight: Linha 1-Azul to Portuguesa-Tietê, then free bus. For República/Centro blocos: Linha 3-Vermelha to República or Anhangabaú. Uber/99 surge pricing near megablocos will be extreme from 11h to 18h — budget 3-5x normal rates. Buy your Metrô return ticket before heading out.
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05
\nFood & Drink
\nWhere to eat
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Restaurant Picks
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→ Bar do Luiz Fernandes, Vila Madalena — Feijoada and pastéis. Ideal refuelling stop between Pinheiros blocos. Open Sunday. R$40–70
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→ Mercado Municipal, Centro — Open Sunday 6h–16h. Mortadella sandwiches and pastéis de bacalhau. A São Paulo institution for pre-bloco carbo-loading. Metro: São Bento
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Hydration & Street Food
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→ Water vendors line the megabloco corridors — prices spike near Ibirapuera. Buy in bulk at a convenience store before heading out. Freeze bottles overnight
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→ Espetinhos and acarajé along bloco routes. Cash in small bills (R$5/10/20) — many street vendors don’t take cards. Pix is increasingly accepted but don’t rely on it in crowds
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06
\nPractical Information
\nNeed to know
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Money & Rates
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→ USD/BRL: R$5.23 (Fri close). Touched R$5.15 mid-week — lowest since May 2024
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→ EUR/BRL: approx. R$6.20
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→ Selic: 15.00%. Market expects cuts beginning March. Year-end consensus around 12.5%
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→ Banks CLOSED today (Sunday). Closed Mon 16 (ponto facultativo) & Tue 17 (feriado bancário). Reopen Wed 18 at 12h. Pix and ATMs function 24/7
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Health & Safety
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→ Phone safety: pochete (belt bag) under clothing. Minimal cash. Leave passport at hotel. Screenshot Metrô maps offline
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→ Pharmacies 24h: Drogasil (Av. Paulista) and Droga Raia (R. Augusta). For emergencies: SAMU 192 or Hospital das Clínicas
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→ Tourist police (DEATUR) bloco-day hotline: (11) 3120-4453
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→ Dengue season: repellent at dusk, especially near Ibirapuera park. Medical posts deployed along megabloco corridors
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Carnaval Calendar
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→ Anhembi: Grupo Especial Fri 13 & Sat 14 (done). Grupo de Acesso 1 tonight (Sun 15). Desfile das Campeãs: Sat Feb 21 from 20h
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→ Apuração (results): Tue Feb 17 from 8h30 (Grupo Especial) and 16h (Acesso 1)
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→ Holiday status: Mon 16 ponto facultativo. Tue 17 feriado bancário. Wed 18 (Ash Wednesday) — B3 reopens 13h, banks reopen 12h
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→ Blocos 2026 new rule: all blocos must end by 18h (earlier than previous years)
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→ App/site:
carnavalsp.com for official bloco listings and real-time updates
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07
\nCommunity & Expat Life
\nConnect
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Expat Carnaval Picks
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→ First Carnaval? Start with Gringolôco (Pinheiros, 16h) — international crowd, English spoken, contained and well-organised. Graduate to Teló (Ibirapuera, 11h) for the megabloco experience
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→ For cultural depth: Ilú Obá de Min (República, 19h). The all-women Afro-Brazilian bateria is one of the most powerful experiences in São Paulo’s Carnaval
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→ Language tip: “Qual bloco está passando?” (Which bloco is coming through?), “Tem água?” (Do you have water?), “Onde tem banheiro químico?” (Where’s the portaloo?)
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Shopping & Services
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→ Shopping malls: Lojas 14h–20h (Sunday hours). Restaurants open 12h–22h. Mon: reduced hours. Tue (feriado): lojas closed, food courts only
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→ Supermarkets: most open today with Sunday hours. Stock up on water, electrolytes and snacks for Mon–Tue
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→ Consular services: most on holiday. US Consulate SP: +55 11 3250-5000 (after-hours)
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08
\nSports
\nScores & fixtures
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Paulistão 2026 — Final Round (Rodada 8)
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All 8 matches at 20h30 simultaneously. Novorizontino, Palmeiras, RB Bragantino and Portuguesa already qualified. Four playoff spots remain. Ponte Preta already relegated.
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→ São Bernardo vs Corinthians (Record, TNT, Cazé TV, HBO Max) — Corinthians (5th, 11pts) need a draw to clinch. Defending champions with Memphis Depay
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→ Santos vs Velo Clube (TNT, HBO Max) — Velo Clube fighting relegation. Santos cruising
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→ Palmeiras vs Guarani (TNT, HBO Max) — Palmeiras already qualified
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→ Ponte Preta vs São Paulo (TNT, HBO Max) — Ponte already relegated. São Paulo seeking position
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→ Also: Botafogo-SP vs Capivariano, Primavera vs Noroeste, Mirassol vs Portuguesa, RB Bragantino vs Novorizontino (all HBO Max)
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Running & Fitness
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→ Ibirapuera park interior: open but the Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral corridor is closed from 6h for megablocos. Use the park’s internal circuits (Vila Mariana entrance via R. Abílio Soares)
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→ Pista de Cooper at CERET (Anália Franco) or Horto Florestal are uncrowded alternatives far from bloco routes
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New format for 2026: Paulistão first phase is a single group (no more pots). Top 8 advance to quartas de final (single-match elimination). Final on March 4 and 8 (two legs).
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Sports note: Tonight’s simultaneous 20h30 kick-offs make this the most dramatic Paulistão finale in years. Corinthians need just a draw in São Bernardo. Velo Clube must beat Santos AND hope for results elsewhere to avoid the drop. The bracket for the quartas de final will be set by tonight’s results — the top-ranked team hosts the eighth-ranked in single-match elimination. Brasileirão resumes after Carnaval.
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09
\nBusiness & Markets
\nMarket watch
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→ B3 CLOSED — Carnaval recess began after Friday’s session. Reopens Wed Feb 18 at 13h (pré-abertura 12h45)
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→ Ibovespa: Fri close 186,464 (-0.69%). Hit 11 all-time closing records in 2026, touching 190,561 intraday on Wednesday. Week: +1.92% despite Friday’s pre-holiday profit-taking. YTD: +15.73%
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→ USD/BRL: Fri close R$5.23 (+0.57%). Week: +0.18%. Mid-week low R$5.15 (lowest since May 2024)
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→ US CPI (Jan): 2.4% annual (below expected 2.5%, down from 2.7% Dec). Markets now pricing two Fed cuts in 2026, first likely July
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→ Selic at 15.00%. Market pricing cuts beginning March, year-end expectations around 12.5%. IPCA inflation expectations edged down to 3.99%
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→ US markets closed Mon Feb 16 (Presidents’ Day). Both B3 and NYSE dark Monday — low global liquidity through Wednesday
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Market trend: The Ibovespa enters Carnaval up 1.92% for the week despite Friday’s correction. São Paulo’s Carnaval alone is projected to generate R$3.4 billion in economic impact, with 16.5 million foliões and 627 blocos — the first Carnaval fully financed by private sector investment. The convergence of Carnaval in Brazil and Presidents’ Day in the US creates a rare simultaneous closure that concentrates all repricing into Wednesday’s shortened session. The softer US CPI may support emerging market flows when trading resumes.
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10
\nWeek Ahead
\nPlan ahead
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Carnaval Week (Mon–Sat)
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→ Mon Feb 16 — Ponto facultativo. Blocos continue citywide (100+). Pabllo Vittar’s Bloco da Pabllo at Ibirapuera 13h–18h (one of the most anticipated of the entire Carnaval). Metrô 24h returns to restricted embarque (Tietê/Barra Funda only). SPTrans on Saturday schedule (6,843 vehicles). 31°C, 25% rain
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→ Tue Feb 17 — Terça de Carnaval (official feriado). Galo da Madrugada (SP) at Ibirapuera morning. Last major bloco day. Apuração (results): Grupo Especial from 8h30, then Grupo de Acesso 1 from 16h. 31°C, 60% storms PM — plan morning blocos
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→ Wed Feb 18 — Quarta-feira de Cinzas. Banks reopen 12h. B3 reopens 13h. City returns to normal. Government offices reopen Thu 19. Metrô returns to regular schedule. 28°C, 65% rain
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→ Sat Feb 21 — Desfile das Campeãs at Anhembi from 20h. Top finishers from all three groups return. Metrô 24h for one final night. Also: BaianaSystem Bloco Navio Pirata at Ibirapuera 15h–18h
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→ Sun Feb 22 — Pós-Carnaval: Pedro Sampaio’s Bloco Beats at Ibirapuera 13h–18h. Leo Santana at Obelisco 9h–14h. Daniela Mercury’s Pipoca da Rainha closes SP Carnaval on R. da Consolação
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Looking ahead: São Paulo’s Carnaval 2026 is the largest in the city’s history — 627 blocos, 16.5 million foliões expected, and R$3.4 billion in economic impact. It is also the first Carnaval fully funded by private-sector investment, a new model that the Prefeitura hopes will become permanent. Tonight, the Anhembi closes its 2026 parade season with the Grupo de Acesso 1 — Mancha Verde, Nenê de Vila Matilde and Tucuruvi are the favourites for promotion. Tomorrow, Pabllo Vittar takes Ibirapuera. Tuesday’s apuração will crown the Grupo Especial champion (watch for Rosas de Ouro defending the title against Gaviões da Fiel and Mocidade Alegre). The Desfile das Campeãs on Feb 21 is your last chance to see the top schools — tickets still available via Liga-SP.
Related: Rio de Janeiro Brief | Brazil Morning Call
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