Rio de Janeiro Brazil Tourism & Travel Information Hotels Tours Airport Transfers

Rio de Janeiro					Brazil

Rio de Janeiro Travel Information

Rio de Janeiro, Copacaba, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra de Tijuca and São Corrado

Rio de Janeiro includes the beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra de Tijuca and São Conrado. Geographically, Rio is a peninsula framed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Guanabara Bay (see Rio de Janeiro map).

Access by air is through Galeão International Airport, some 20 km north from the city. Santos Dumont is situated downtown and operates domestic flights

Hotels in Rio de Janeiro concentrate heavily in Copacabana while Apart Hotels are scattered through Ipanema, Leblon and Barra de Tijucas.

Copacabana is a small strip densely populated by hotels, small shops and street vendors. Some sort of bazaar that mixes five star hotels, homeless and hardware parlors. Ipanema has also lots of top restaurants and hotels in the area close to the beach . It is less crowded than Copacabana and its style much more residential.

Leblon is Rio de Janeiro’s most exclusive area due to a number of reasons: residents with higher standard of living, favorite spot of expatriates and tourists, proximity to the beach and the lagoon, and the charm of Morro Dois Irmãos (see pictures of Rio de Janeiro).

São Conrado is a little bay located one mile south from Leblon. The place is well known for the beach Pepino, a landing spot for gliders. Its infrastructure is very limited except for two highlights: Fashion Mall, an upscale shopping center and Rosinha and Vidigal, Rio’s largest favelas (shanty towns)

Barra de Tijuca is an upscale development situated two miles south from Saõ Conrado. Its lodging infrastructure is limited although there are several large hotels under construction. Good restaurants are located along the coastal avenue and the commercial area including Rio´s largest shopping center – Barra Shopping – are on Avenidas das Americas (see Rio de Janeiro map). The beach is very good here.

Rio de Janeiro Hotels, Apartments for Rental, Flats & Accommodations

Hotels in Rio de Janeiro are divided into several segments: international hotel chains, local chains and flats that can be rented for periods of time. Tourists often choose accommodations in Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon (see Rio de Janeiro map).

Three star Hotels and Flats offer good services and infrastructure, including pool, sauna and jacuzzi. We recommend making reservations in advance during the summer, Carnival and Easter.

Lodging Prices are at international standards. A good hotel room costs about USD70 and luxurious hotel rooms can be found for USD250. Four star hotels in Rio de Janeiro are the most popular accommodations among tourists

Apartments for rental in Rio de Janeiro and the area are rare due to the good supply of flats. These cost about the same as a three star hotel and provide security, services and good location

Hotels in Rio de Janeiro tend to rate their facilities with more stars than deserved. Check services and facilities before booking

Rio de Janeiro Tours, Carnival & Attractions

A city tour in Rio de Janeiro involves the Sugar Loaf, the Corcovado, the beaches and the malls. Taking a city tour is recommended for geographical and security reasons. Visits to specific attractions can be arranged with local drivers at the hotels.

Sugar Loaf ( Pão de Açucar) is near the Botafogo beach. The first leg ends at Morro Urca and the second at the top of the Loaf. On both stops you will get breathtaking 360-degree views (see pictures of Rio de Janeiro). We recommend taking this tour in the early morning to take advantage of clear skies. If possible, try a helicopter ride departing from here

Corcovado is Rio de Janeiro´s famous landmark. The statue is 30mts high and it can be seen from anywhere in the city. The access to the premises is by car only, but you can take a small train on Rua Cosme Velho that goes to the top across a deep native forest in about 15 minutes. From there, you will get amazing views of Rio de Janeiro. To avoid the crowds, we recommend taking this tour in the early morning.

Carnival is another trademark of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. Several schools (Escolas de Samba) compete every year to be number one. The contest takes place at the Sambodromo on Presidente Vargas Ave. Tourists can join different Escolas paying a small fee that includes training sessions and full clothing. If you are in town for the event, it’s worth every cent

The Tijuca National Park was created to preserve the native species. It has 3.200 hectares of Atlantic forest and is ideal for walking, biking or even driving. The Park has a number of creeks, waterfalls and natural points with fantastic views (see pictures of Rio de Janeiro)

Rio de Janeiro´s downtown area is very noisy and busy during workdays, but deserted on weekends and you can tour a number of interesting places, such as the San Bento Abbey, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Cathedral and the Museum of the Republic at Catete.

Ipanema & Leblon have a trail that starts at the coastal avenue and goes to the top of the hill with several points of observation along the way. From there, you can get a magnificent view of the coast, the lagoon and the Jockey Club. Some of Rio de Janeiro´s top hotels and restaurants are located on Ipanema & Leblon, along the San Martin, Bartolomeu Mitre and Ataulfo de Paiva streets.

La Lagoa (Rodrigo de Freitas) is a natural lagoon with an excellent walkway for biking, skating or simply walking with with kids. There are plenty of good restaurantes and bars with tables outside to relax and enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding hills

The Botanical Garden is an excellent option to spend the evening walking among ancient trees and hundreds of local species. Their collection of orchids is outstanding.

Rio de Janeiro Car Rental, Airport Transfer & Bus Transportation

Airport Transfer in Rio de Janeiro comprises several options: there are taxi lines with similar prices (about USD14 to Copacabana) For tourists going to Buzios, an agency is the cheaper alternative to contract transfers.

Car rental in Rio de Janeiro is the best alternative to visit Angra dos Reis, Buzios or Paraty. When renting a car be carefull because the roads are in bad conditions and there are frequent speed control points along the way. Do not drive at night.

To get around Rio de Janeiro, we recommend the public transportation system of buses and subway. It is safe and covers all beaches, shoppings and points of interest. There is also a Tourist Bus with 1,2 or 3-day passes with a pre-established routes between Barra de Tijucas and downtown Rio (see Map of Rio de Janeiro) where you can get on and off at any point.

Tourist Information in Rio de Janeiro

Tourists that come to Rio looking for clear waters and white beaches soon face a different reality: polluted waters, traffic lines and crowds. If you want a quiet place, look elsewhere. Rio de Janeiro has a variety of activities: trekking, cultural tours, antiques, sail and water sports, and off course a busy nightlife.

Rio de Janeiro is also a city of paradoxes: expensive resorts share spaces with favelas (shantytowns) and imported cars drive around homeless living on the streets. Even though the security has improved in the last couple of years, we recommend you to be careful and follow the rules of any big city. Leblon and Ipanema are safest areas, especially near the beach.

Another highlight of Rio de Janeiro is "life on the beach". Locals virtually spend the day on the beach and on weekends it becomes a full-scale social event with table games, sports, parties and even birthdays. Coastal Avenues are closed to the traffic on weekends and holidays from 9am to 10pm. On Sundays there is a huge flea market with souvenirs, paintings and handcrafts in Copacabana. The small shops by the beach also have live music

Rio de Janeiro´s Secretariat of Tourism offers information in booths located at most shopping centers. The price level compared to other cities in Brazil is high, especially at high season and Carnival. There are many options for dinning: fast food, French and Japanese restaurants and buffet restaurants where you can get excellent local food. Do not miss caipirinha or coconut water at the small kiosks by the beach.