Originally Posted by oiRRio

Just to point out that Farme de Amoedo is a street of gay bars so may not be to everyone's taste.

If you're referring to the blocos in Ipanema that start from Praca General Osorio e.g. Banda da Ipanema IMO they are nothing special unless you have a particular yen for transsexuals and if anything are more "touristy" than going to a samba school. I would also give the Bailes in Scala in Leblon a miss in the week leading up to Carnaval unless you're a single woman and lonely.

For me going to a samba school is largely what Carnaval is all about and one of the reasons I prefer the build up to Carnaval itself. Having said that the parade itself is worth seeing once even if you're not mad about samba. If you want to be different go out to a samba school rehearsal at Imperatriz or Beija-Flor in Nilopolis where they are less used to seeing a lot of tourists.

IMO Rio isn't really a type of city to go too far "off the beaten path" unless you know what you're doing particularly if you're on your lonesome. If you want to hang out around the sambodromo there will be some festas on so you might want to check around there. I'm sure there will also be Baile Funks on in the favelas to but going to one is not something I would recommend.