Rio de Janeiro Travel Guide
Rio de Janeiro is on most people’s must-see list for any vacation to Brazil. Rio has great beaches, beautiful people and a range of luxury hotels in which to stay. The people love to party, samba being the music of choice. Things to do in Rio de Janeiro include soaking up the atmosphere, relaxing on one of the cities many excellent beaches, visiting Sugar Loaf mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue (Corcovado -see photo), and there is also the botanic gardens. The shopping is great, as are the restaurants, but primarily it’s all about Rio de Janeiro’s beaches and lifestyle. And football of course!
Rio de Janeiro’s Beaches
Rio has some fantastic beaches, but tourists should be aware that most are rather polluted. Rio de Janeiro’s most famous beach is Copacabana beach, where numerous luxury hotels such as the Copacabana Palace can be found. Copacabana beach is a little seedy in places and can be dangerous at night. Next to Copacabana beach is Ipanema beach, which makes a more pleasant place to book a hotel. Ipanema beach is trendier than Copacabana, and it is generally where the most beautiful people tend to hang out. The Ipanema beach area of Rio also has more interesting restaurants and shops, making it our number one place to book a hotel. Slightly, further along, is Leblon beach, which is like a middle ground between Copacabana beach and Ipanema beach. These three beaches are Rio de Janeiro’s main city beaches, but slightly further afield are some other fantastic beaches. São Conrado beach is popular with hand gliders. Prainha and Grumari beaches are 40 minutes outside of Rio de Janeiro and are smaller, less crowded beaches popular with surfers. Other beaches in Rio include Flamengo, Botafogo, Leme, Arpoador, Barra da Tijuca, Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Grumari and Recreio dos Bandeirantes. Paqueta is a district that also has some decent beaches.
Copacabana Beach
Probably the most essential part of Rio is the area promoted through Barry Manilow’s music – Copacabana! One of the most prominent aspects of Brazilian life is the beach culture, which is present in so many of the coastal areas. One of the most famous beaches in Brazil is that which can be found in Copacabana. Indeed this is one of the most famous beaches in the world. Copacabana is on the east coast of Brazil and benefits from fantastic weather all year round, which is one of the factors in ensuring that millions of people visit here each year.
Copacabana beach is seemingly endless in that it runs for 4 KM, starting at Posto Dois and running to Posto Seis. Running along the entire length of the beach is the Copacabana Promenade, which boasts a wide range of eateries and entertainment venues as well as Copacabana bothersome of the most popular bars and clubs in the area which create a fantastic nightlife which is famous the world around.
The beach itself is like something from the movies in that it is luxuriously golden and sandy with clear blue waters. The waves, while not being the biggest of all the beaches in the area, are undoubtedly sizeable and make for a great surfing experience. If you enjoy a quiet beach with a great deal of privacy, this is certainly not the destination for you, although few would not enjoy the real buzz which surrounds this paradise so close to the urban jungle of Rio de Janeiro.
The Copacabana is supported by excellent public resources such as showers and restrooms and is a must-visit location if you decide to visit Rio. A visit to Rio would not be the same without a visit to Copacabana Beach.
Rio Carnival
Rio de Janeiro is synonymous with carnival, which is the biggest and loudest of all carnivals in Brazil. The 5-day carnival is every February at the end of the Brazilian summer. Essentially, Carnival is a five-day inhibition-less party for the residents of Rio and tourists alike. It is not the time to take your granny on holiday to Brazil. Hotels often quadruple their prices over the carnival period and often have minimum stay periods of 5 or more nights. Some of Rio’s budget hotels will let you stay for as little as 3 nights over carnival though. Bear in mind that the Rio de Janeiro carnival has now essentially become a tourist event – many of Rio’s local people pack up and leave the city to spend a genuinely more Brazilian (and less touristy) carnival in other parts of Brazil. Carnival in Salvador (North East Brazil) is considered by many to be preferable to the carnival in Rio, but ask many Brazilians and they’ll tell you the best carnival is actually in Olinda (a suburb of Recife).
Areas of Rio
Botafogo, Brazil
Botafogo houses of the best museums in Rio and is home to one of the top football teams in the Brazilian domestic leagues. Botafogo is a pleasant and beautiful area of Rio de Janeiro, which is located on the coast and boasts glorious stretches of beach. Natural beauty is undoubtedly one of the best features of this area, with the mountains and ocean teaming together to create magnificent views.
Though much of Botafogo is made up of modern buildings, including a series of high build tower blocks, certain parts of the city feature older buildings and offer a Botafogo people insight into the history of the area. For those who want to take this one step further, there is the option to visit Museu do Indio. This museum contains information and exhibits educating on the history and culture of Rio as well as Brazil as a whole.
This is one of the more affluent areas of Rio, and the surroundings and resources are as you would expect from a place of such standing. Gone are the associations with the troubles which used to haunt this area, and it is now seen as extremely safe and visitor friendly. The shopping centers and cinemas provide the modern commercial aspect of the city while the area has plenty of bars and cafes to explore.
From the respect of the tourist, one of the great features of Botafogo is the bustling nightlife, which offers something for people of all ages. There is also a large casino that has a reputation as one of the most exciting in the city and is a must-visit for anyone who enjoys a flutter.
Deodoro, Rio
Deodoro is a lesser-known area by many tourists, but this is another vibrant and pleasant Brasiliapart of the city. Deodoro is an area in the west of Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the areas which will host many of the events during the upcoming Olympic Games, a fact that is designed to benefit the entire city, both short term and moving forward. One of the key developments in this respect in Deodoro is the shooting center, which will be one of the most modern and high tech developments of its type in the world.
One of the main characteristics of Deodoro is the young population. The area has the most significant percentage of young people in the city, meaning that young visitors to the area will be able to relate well to many aspects of the culture. As you would expect from an area with this demographic, there is plenty to do in the area, with outdoor activities, in particular, being high on the list for many. There are great BMX routes, hiking trails, and plenty of sporting facilities.
Deodoro is well linked to the other areas of Rio de Janeiro, and this will only increase as works on the infrastructure continue in the build-up to the Olympic Games. The city is on the metro line and also has regular and busy bus routes.
As with the majority of Rio, Deodoro has some fantastic landscape, which is exciting to explore and is also pleasant on the eye. The area is ideal for those who like to spend time outdoors, and there are places where you can hire bicycles to maximize your experience, and there is also the option to hire a local guide.
Maracana
The Maracana is known by football fans worldwide because of the Maracana football stadium in the same of the same name. The name “Maracana” is perhaps most associated with the stadium in Brazil. However, the stadium is called Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, with the name Maracana derived from the area in which it is located.
The neighborhood of Maracana is a common area that mostly accommodates professional class people and their families. It is a primarily pleasant area that is popular with those raising a family but also has a large student population as a result of one of the leading universities in Brazil being located there.
Aside from the university, two large colleges prepare school leavers to enter the workforce, and the other significant association with the area is a sport. Not only does the city have the national football stadium, but it also boasts a horse racing course and a highly acclaimed bike track which hosts many significant events. The area will be one of the main hotspots for activities during the Olympic Games, which will come to Rio in 2016.
From a visitor perspective, the infrastructure in the Maracana area has improved significantly over recent years and will continue to do leading up to the Olympic Games. Several new hotels have popped up in the area, with restaurants and entertainment venues upgrading to meet the increased demand.
Maracana is easy to reach using public transport as several buses run to the area from the center of Rio. The journey from the city center should take up to half an hour at most, although traffic can influence this.
Barra area
An area with great views and worth visiting is also the Barra area, with great views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Things to Do
Rio de Janeiro Attractions Guide
There are plenty of options for spending time in Rio de Janeiro sightseeing, and these choices include world-famous monuments such as Sugarloaf Mountain, the beautiful Botanic Gardens, and the stunning Maracana Stadium. We take a look below at some of the best attractions in Rio, Brazil.
Sugarloaf Mountain
Sugarloaf Mountain is one of the must-visit attractions in Rio, given how iconic the mountain is and considering the stunning view that the location offers.
Jardim Botanico
The Jardim Botanico district of Rio, where the Botanical Gardens of Rio de Janeiro are located, is a great area to visit and the gardens well kept and one attraction that is often missed, yet is highly recommended.
Maracana Stadium
Along with the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona and Wembley Stadium in London, the Maracana Stadium is one of the world’s most iconic football stadiums in the world. It is another attraction you might want to consider when in Rio de Janeiro.
Tijuca Forest
Located in Tijuca barrio (district), this rainforest is a beautiful way to explore and see the green side of Rio. The best way is to take an organized tour from your hotel and to enjoy a guided walk around the Tijuca Forest.
5 Best Day Trips from Rio, Brazil
One of the great features of Rio is the excellent transport links, meaning that you can easily visit the surrounding areas. Below are some of the best day trips you can take from Rio.
Buzios
If you enjoy beaches and enjoy a change of scene from those in Rio de Janeiro itself, the town of Buzios, a short drive from the city, provides an absolute wealth of beeches to choose from. There are around 24 beeches to choose from in this area, which is considered to be one of the more fashionable in the Rio area. Although the city is a Rainforest day trip playground for the rich, there is also a quaint and characteristic town to explore, which contains some glorious architecture.
Sepetiba Bay
The waters off the coast of Rio de Janeiro are filled with an abundance of wildlife, which is perfect for exploring, providing a great day trip away from the city. You can take a boat trip along the coast and enjoy the view from the deck or take the opportunity to dive into the water and get in amongst the residents of the water.
Angra Dos Reis
The islands of the Angra Dos Rei provide a perfect retreat from the city and enable you to enjoy some of the best landscapes and scenery in the area. The main town is situated in amongst the islands and has plenty of exciting characteristics to explore, including colonial buildings.
Rio Rainforest
The rainforests of Brazil are amongst the most famous in the world and enable you to marvel at the size of the trees, the diversity of the wildlife and the general wonder which Mother Nature does better than anyone human-made creation.
Petropolis
Visit this city an hour’s journey from Rio and explore the history and architecture. The museums alone will keep you occupied for hours.
Events Guide – Rio de Janeiro
There are hundreds of events worth attending in Rio de Janeiro every year, and these range from international exhibitions, trade fairs, major sporting events, and festivals. Below a look at some of the main annual Rio events.
Rio Marathon
One of the most scenic and exciting marathons runs in the world, Rio marathon is one of those marathons you have to run once. If not, then it is still quite an event to see while in Rio.
Jazz in Rio
Rio Jazz Festival is a must if you are a music lover and want to experience the real vibrancy and World Cup fans passion that Brazilians have for music.
Carnaval Time
Rio Carnival is one of the most famous carnivals worldwide, and this event attracts worldwide media attention each year. This is an event well worthwhile attending if you ever have the opportunity.
Rock in Rio Music Festival
If you thought the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK is significant, the Rock in Rio Music Festival would blow you away. This show rotates between being held in Rio de Janeiro and Lisbon, Portugal.
World Youth Day
World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro sees the world youth represented with the event being held in Brazil.
Rio Hotels
Luxury Hotels
Rio de Janeiro has some excellent first-class hotels, some of the best in all of South America. The most famous hotel, and the most expensive, is the luxurious Copacabana Palace. This is the most famous hotel in Brazil and has had numerous distinguished guests to stay. The service at this hotel is second to none, but the Copacabana beach area is a little seedy, so tourists might prefer to stay in the Ipanema beach area instead, the best hotel there being the Caesar Park Ipanema. Those who want to stay on Leblon beach should consider the Leblon Palace. Other luxury hotels in Rio de Janeiro include the JW Marriott hotel, the Sheraton Rio hotel, and the Sofitel.
Mid Range & Budget Hotels
Excellent mid-range 4-star hotels include the Ipanema Plaza hotel and the Pestana Rio Atlantica. If you’re on a budget on your vacation, both the Orla Copacabana hotel and the Luxor Regente Hotel are both good hotels that are also good value.
Rio de Janeiro Vacation Combinations
A three or four-night stay in Rio de Janeiro is generally enough for your vacation. Other places to visit in Brazil include Iguassu Falls (a one hour flight from Rio), Buzios (a trendy beach destination 3 hours drive from Rio), Ilha Grande (another great beach destination nearby), Parati (a beautiful colonial fishing village about 5 hours drive from Rio) and Florianopolis (an hours flight from Rio, locals will tell you the best beaches in Brazil are here). Further afield, tourists can fly north to Manaus and the Amazon region to stay in a jungle lodge, or to Campo Grande / Cuiaba to visit the Pantanal area of Brazil which is excellent for wildlife viewing, or to North East Brazil which has some of the best beaches in Brazil in the area around Salvador, Recife and Natal. Alternatively, catch a flight to Buenos Aires in Argentina.