Luanda Carnival, Angola

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What is the Luanda Carnival?

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Luanda Carnival is an annual celebration that takes place days before Christian Lent. The carnival season brings with it a much-anticipated celebration across the length and breadth of the country. Angola and the city of Luanda dress up in colorful and fantastic costumes to celebrate one of the happiest and most anticipated festivities of the year.

Carnivals in the city of Luanda are a great event that everyone celebrates with great importance. In fact, several political figures participate in the celebrations, some of these have been thepresident of the nation and some other high-ranking officials. The celebration takes place on Marginal Avenue and there various groups sing, dance, play traditional music and hold competitions.

 

 

The different groups or bands have their own Carnival Queen or King, who accompany and represent the rest of the groups during the carnival festivities. The carnivals also provide spaces for diverse artists such as dancers and singers to express themselves on the streets and stages of the city. Although carnival is a season of feasting and fun, the Luanda Carnival is also celebrated in a competitive atmosphere, as the groups fight for first place and win a tempting prize.

 

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When is the Carnival of Luanda?

The Luanda Carnival takes place on the last Thursday before Lent and ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. That is, from Maundy Thursday to Shrove Tuesday. The Luanda Carnival will take place approximately from February 12 to 16.

 

 

 

History of the Luanda Carnival

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This carnival tradition was incorporated thanks to the Portuguese colonists when they settled in the country.  In this way, the carnival was taking more and more strength, becoming part of thecultural roots of the city.

The carnivals in Luanda were always highly influenced by politics, since in their first editions of the 20th century, the carnival groups directed mocking messages towards the country’s personalities. For several decades the event had been banned to avoid any kind of mockery of religious or political symbols. However, in the 1970s the carnival was again celebrated as the Victory Carnival, commemorating the eviction of troops from South Africa in 1976.

In the 1990s the carnivals began to have much more notoriety and concentrated on the nationalistic sense of theAngolan citizens. Today, the Luanda carnival has returned to its roots. Each year a political and religious message is carried through the carnivals and preparations for the festivities are taken with great discipline, with preparations beginning almost immediately after the end of the previous carnival.

 

Where is the Luanda Carnival

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The Luanda Carnival takes place in thecapital city of Angola. The city of Luanda is the heart of the country, where the largest conglomeration of industries and urbanizations is located, as well as the largestcultural centers.

 

 

How the Luanda Carnival is celebrated

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During the carnivals you can observe a large number offood stands that provide typical and traditional dishes of the region and the country. Likewise, the parades and events feature the participation of around 14 groups competing for the main prize. There are also various events provided for the children of the city in the different streets, avenues and public squares.

The carnival of Luanda has influences from the carnivals of Rio de Janeiro, however, it preserves its own traditions with masks and costumes, showing the colors of the Angolan flag (black, red and yellow)..

The streets of Luanda are filled with the colors of the flag and celebrated with traditional music called semba, influenced by the Brazilian samba.

 

 

Tips for going to the Luanda Carnival

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If you want to spend your next carnival in the city of Luanda, we recommend you to plan your trip and take into consideration that these carnivals are not used to receive many tourists as it is a carnival much more rooted in the cultural origins of Angola. However, you can attend if you want to attend carnivals that give to know the national feeling that the locals show in the streets.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country I recommend this guide:.

 

Events in Luanda Carnival

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During the carnivals the different organizations take possession of the streets to show their colorful costumes, their dances and music. These groups correspond to the different schools and groups that contribute to the realization of the carnival. In addition to this, we must take into consideration the main parade that takes place in the Marginal Avenue and other small parades aimed at the little ones of the city.

Likewise, the commemoration and awarding of prizes to the winning group or group is also celebrated.

 

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Luanda Carnival Parades

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The city has a long list of groups that participate during the carnivals. These groups are part of a specific category (A, B and C) taking into consideration the age and experience of each segment. The groups are defined by adults “first level”, adults “second level” and the children’s group. The group that won last year’s competition opens the parade on Luanda Avenue.

 

 

Parade route

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The parade takes place on Avenida 4 de Fevereiro, also known as the Marginal Avenue..

 

 

What to eat at the Luanda Carnival

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Some of the typical foods of the region are the Funge which is a dish to accompany meats and is consumed as a puree made of cassava. There is also the mufete de pescado which is fish stuffed with lemon and onions. The city also offers other options from the different eateries found throughout the city such as Pimm’s, Cafe del Mar or Restaurante Recantos which offer local, Portuguese and Mediterranean food.

 

 

Travel Insurance

 

From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Luanda Carnival

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You can watch the different competitions that take place on the avenue. You can alsotake a stroll around the different traditional food stalls that are located near the avenue. Finally, don’t forget totake part in the smaller events and parades that take place in the streets and avenues of the city.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside the Luanda Carnival

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The city of Luanda offers some tourist attractions throughout the city, some of these are.

Avenida 4 de Fevereiro

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This is one of the main thoroughfares of the city and where you can stroll near the waterfront which has a great view. You can also visit the different stores that are located in the area.

 

São Miguel Fortress

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It is a Fortress built in 1576 by the colonizer Paulo Dias de Novais and unfortunately was one of the departure points of slaves to Brazil. Today it functions as a national history museum.

 

Luanda Cathedral

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It is one of the main churches of the city built in 1628 and has undergone several reconstructions since 1877 had been in ruins. Today it retains the structure after repairs that culminated in 1900.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

 

Safety at the Luanda Carnival

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Luanda is a safe city during the day; however, it is at night that you should be more careful. Avoid transiting through city streets, avenues and roads at night. At the same time, pay attention to your surroundings to avoid becoming a victim of pickpockets and keep your belongings in a safe place. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your belongings safe:

 

 

Weather at the Luanda Carnival

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The weather in Luanda during the carnival festivities is somewhat high, the temperature ranges between 25 to 31 degrees Celsius. If you wish to participate in the carnivals, take precautions to avoid direct exposure to the sun.

 

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How to get to the Luanda Carnival

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How to get there by plane

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You can access the city through Luanda International Airport which is the country’s main airport. From there, you can transport yourself throughout the city with the help of the different means of transportation.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by train

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There are several train connections in the towns of Dondo or Malanje that you can use to get to or transport through the city.

 

How to get there by bus

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TCUL provides buses within the city of Luanda to the different locations such as Benguela, N’dalatando, Malanje and Huambo.

 

How to get there by car

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Angola’s roads and highways are still under construction, so the condition of the roads and your safety cannot be guaranteed. Your best option is to transport yourself directly from the airport from a private vehicle or cab.

 

Where to stay at the Luanda Carnival

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The city of Luanda offers a few venues to stay during your next visit. Some of these hotels are a bit far from the city center.

 

Booking.com

 

RK Suite Hotel

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4-star hotel located 900 meters from the city center. It features a gym and wifi throughout the property. Each unit has air conditioning, private bathroom and kitchenette.

 

Hotel Continental Luanda

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3-star hotel located 2.8 kilometers from the center. Offers gym, restaurant and bar. Rooms come with TV and air conditioning.

 

Palmeiras Suite Hotel

4-star hotel located 11 kilometers from downtown. It offers gym, jacuzzi and sauna. Free internet is available on the premises and rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV and private bathroom with its toiletries.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.

 

Thank you for reading

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