Rio de Janeiro Attractions; All the Sights
There is no shortage of Rio de Janeiro attractions. The city is full of breathtaking views and cool places. The Christ statue, now one of the seven wonders of the world, and the Sugarloaf are probably the most famous. But there are many more things to see and do in Rio and I have listed a few of them below. Many of them are available through different
Tours
.
Beautiful Views
Rio de Janeiro is surrounded by hills, from the top of two of them it´s easily possible to enjoy the beauty of the city. Go to
Christ the Redeemer and the Sugarloaf
to find out about them. Even though the costs of going there are pretty high it is a must. The Beaches
The image of Rio spread around the world is many times that of a crowded beach, and indeed it is a big part of the culture here. On sunny weekends Ipanema Beach and Copacabana Beach are crowded with people. It´s a social meeting point where you go to flirt, relax, have fun and work out. Coconut water, beer, grilled cheese, beach sheets; All is provided by various vendors. Embedded between the green hills the memory of the beaches are definitely among the Rio de Janeiro attractions most people will bring with them home. Read more detailed descriptions about the beaches by going to
The Beaches in Rio de Janeiro
. Samba School Rehearsal Parties
They are definitely one of the more popular to visit. The misleading name gives you the idea that you will be attending classes to learn Samba, that´s not the case. It is more like organized Samba parties where you can experierence the unique mixture of culture in Rio. Although many tourist go there they are not touristy since it is also very popular with the Cariocas. All of them are meeting points for the community that is the Samba School. Go to
Samba School Rehearsals
to find out more about them. Cidade da Samba
One of the newer Rio de Janeiro attractions. This is where a lot of the spectacular cars that are seen in the Carnival Parade are made. You can come and visit Tue-Sat 10h/17h. The address is R. Rivadávia Correa 60, Gamboa, I recommend getting a
Taxi
there from the City Center since it´s located a bit off, that wouldn´t cost you too much. Calling them at 2213-2503 or 2213-2546 would give you updated info on the events that are going on, it always changes. Favela Tours
Almost everyone has heard about these before coming to Rio. And no, it´s not like a safari to see misery and poor people. I have never heard anyone coming back with negative reactions. These tours generates a lot of money for these communities so they do have an positive influence. Go to
Favela Tours in Rio
to learn more.
Maracanã & Football games
Brazil being the most prominent nation in the worlds biggest sport makes the national stadium Maracanã one of the more popular Rio de Janeiro attractions. Going to games is easy, you can either do it on your own or organized. I have put together some info on this in
Maracana & Football Games in Rio
.
Centro, Lapa & Santa Teresa
These are neighbourhoods of special interest. I have more detailed information about these, clicking the links below will take you there. In
Centro
you have a lot of history. Walking around here will take you through the oldest parts of Rio. The City Center is also good for shopping (go to
Shopping in Centro
to get more details on that).
Lapa
is where you have many good options for nightlife;
Live Music
and
Street Parties
make it in my view the best place to have a good time. Here you can have some genuine fun Rio-style, Samba and crowded streets. Really good!
Santa Teresa
is a bohemian neighbourhood on a hill. Artists and writers dominate this beautiful area with it´s charming old houses and winding streets. Old fashioned and with lots of soul.Lagóa, Jardim Botânico & Parque Lage
The lake Rodrigo de Freitas is only referred to as Lagóa is one of the more popular recreational areas in Rio. The 7 1/2 kilometers around the lake is perfect for running or bicycling. There is also tennis and rowing available. At night you have live music in the many quiosques where they also serve a good variety of food. Starting in December there is a huge Christmas tree decorated with a light show floating in the middle of the lake, fireworks on weekends and crowds in the early evening make it really cool.
Close to the lake is Jardim Botânico (The Botanical Gardens), one of the Rio de Janeiro attractions that is perfect for a rainy day. There is also a nice cafeteria here. The address is R. Jardim Botânico 920, Jardim Botânico, tel 3874-1808/3874-1214. It is open everyday 8h/17h and entrance is 4 R$. You can get there either by bus 125 that passes through all of Zona Sul including Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon or bus 409 that passes Botafogo but then cuts across straight to the lake. For exact routes go to
Rio Ónibus
. You can also easily walk from Ipanema and Leblon by using a map, it´s not far.
Parque Lage is located not far from Jardim Botânico on R. Jardim Botânico 414. It is free to the public and in a beautiful old building, that actually resembles an old roman villa, you have an art school and a really nice little cafe that is open during the day. Well worth a visit. The Tijuca Rainforest
Rio de Janeiro is embedded in a big Rainforest, it is called Floresta da Tijuca and is a National Park. Realizing the growing citys devastating effects on flora and fauna the King Dom Pedro II 1861 ordered the replanting of the forest. This beautiful area offer a few of the better views in Rio and hiking is highly recommendable. For the Cariocas themselves it´s always on the toplist of the Rio de Janeiro attractions. Going in on your own is not recommendable since the sheer size makes it really difficult, getting lost can be tiresome and even dangerous. The use of a guide or going with a native is therefor to recommend.
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