Here are some suggestions of places to go in Rio:
Before you go, please read about safety and security in Rio.
1. Use Uber to travel everywhere, cheaper than taxis and more secure.
2. No jewelry whatsoever.
3. Hide your phone and money, don’t have your phone out in the open in the streets.
RIO Basics
Best beaches are Ipanema Beach & Leblon Beach, two halves of the same beach. Arpoador Beach is the end tip of Ipanema beach, go see the sunset there, one of the best sights in Rio. Stop by one of the beach kiosks for coconut water straight form the coconut.
Best neighborhoods to hang out are Leblon, Ipanema and Gavea.
Corcovado – Christ the Redeemer is a must see
Sugar Loaf – Morro da Urca – another must see
Jardim Botanico – Botanical gardens with thousands of tropical plants and trees.
DOWNTOWN – Historical Rio
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian – Amazing constructivist cathedral from the 70’s
São Bento Monastery – Gorgeous Portuguese Baroque church
Real Gabinete Português Da Leitura – The oldest and most opulent library in Rio
Municipal Theater – Art Deco inspired by Paris’s Operá
This looks like a good walking tour of downtown Rio, walking by the Municipal Theater, Confeitaria Colombo, etc.
Confeitaria Colombo – A century old Art Nouveau style bakery and desert place. Make sure to go to the one downtown, not the one in Copacabana.
LAPA neighborhood
Selarón Stairs – one of the entrances to Santa Tereza neighborhood in Lapa. Made famous by Pharrell Williams and Snoop Dogg in their video Beautiful.
Rio Scenarium: A great place to go on a Friday or Saturday night for live music, dancing and good food
SANTA TERESA neighborhood
Santa Teresa, a wonderful neighborhood full of artists and old style houses. There’s an old style tram that still works there.
RESTAURANTS:
Two great restaurants in Santa Teresa: Armazém São Thiago (Restaurant/Bar) and Aprazivel, which has one of the best views in Rio.
I recommend going to Aprazivel in Santa Tereza, they have one of the best views of Rio and the food is great there. You have to make a reservation several days in advance. It is a little more expensive but everyone likes it a lot. It’s also a bit out of the way in Santa Teresa neighborhood.
If you want an all you can eat Brazilian style barbecue, a “churrascaria”, Fogo de Chão is the best. Just beware that this is usually a lot of food, go for lunch and skip dinner.
For the Brazilian national dish of Feijoada, a black bean and pork stew, the best place is Casa da Feijoada.
BOTEQUIMS
Rio has a very strong bar culture for drinks as well as food. Much like Spain’s tapas with a wide variety of finger foods. Many of the city’s best restaurants are actually bars. We call them “botequim” or “boteco”.
My all time favorite botequim is the Academia da Cachaça in Leblon, they have a wide variety of caipirinhas and the largest selection of cachaças, the national drink, and of course great bar food.
Another very traditional and old style bar with great bar food is Jobí in Leblon.
For authentic Brazilian bar food Bar do David in Copacabana is a very good option.
Bar da Urca, is great place for seeing the sunset, drink beer and eat some bar finger foods. Near to the Sugar Loaf.
Aconchego Carioca, Leblon
OTHER RESTAURANTS
Some recommendations: 17 Restaurants in Rio
Museums & Cultural Centers
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil – CCBB
