Ipanema Beach
Ipanema
If Copacabana is the most famous, Ipanema is the sexiest. Immortalised by the Girl of Ipanema song, this stretch of sand is varied and diverse, a reflection of Rio's...
- Natural Attraction
- 5
Christ the Redeemer
Cosme Velho
This iconic statue and city symbol overlooks Rio from the top of Corcovado Mountain. Inaugurated in 1931 and owned by the Catholic Church, the art deco-styled...
- Natural Attraction
- City Tour
- 4
Copacabana Beach
Copacabana
This strip of sand squeezed between high-rise buildings and Baía da Guanabara is one of the most famous beaches on the planet. Curvy girls and their bikinis mingle...
- Public beach
- Water sport & adventure
- Natural Attraction
- 2
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
Centro
The Bank of Brazil Cultural Center is an art museum in downtown Rio housed in an elegant art deco building. In addition to multiple art galleries, this popular...
- Cultural & Historical
- Art
- Museum
- 1
Praia do Abricó
Barra da Tijuca
Nudism is optional on weekdays but obligatory on weekends and public holidays at Praia do Abricó, a naturist destination since the 1940s and the only nudist beach in...
- Nude beach
- 1
Recreio dos Bandeirantes
Recreio dos Bandeirantes
In the West part of town, not far from Barra da Tijuca and about an hour from downtown, Recreio dos Bandeirantes (or Recreio as the locals call it) is a white sand...
- Public beach
- Walking
- Natural Attraction
- 1
Havaianas
Copacabana
After having conquered the world with a simple Brazilian flag, the iconic Havainas brand upped their game by creating hundreds of different flip flop options. In...
- Store
- 1
Praia de São Conrado
São Conrado
Located between Barra da Tijuca and Leblon beaches, São Conrado is a beautiful stretch of beach known for paragliding and hang gliding. Also popular with surfers,...
- Urban beach
- Natural Attraction
- 1
Sugar Loaf
Urca
The huge granite blocks that stick out of Baía da Guanabara provide magnificent views of the city and beaches below. From up there, Rio is beyond question the...
- City Tour
- Natural Attraction
- 1
Corcovado Mountain
Santa Teresa
Corcovado Mountain rises up 2,300 feet (710 meters) in the Tijuaca Forest in central Rio, best known for the 125-foot (28-meter) statue of Christ the Redeemer at its...
- Natural Attraction
- Eco Tourism
- Hiking
Flamengo Park
Flamengo
Built on land reclaimed from the sea, Parque do Flamengo is the busiest in Rio. It stretches from downtown to Botafogo across three different neighbourhoods: Glória,...
- Park
Village Mall
Barra da Tijuca
Village Mall in Barra da Tijuca is the poshest shopping mall in Rio de Janeiro. Opened in 2012, it houses global luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss,...
- Commercial Center
Farme de Amoedo
Ipanema
Farme de Amoedo is Rio's LGBTQ area with a wide selection of restaurants, bars and clubs and a main hub around the corner of Farme and Visconde de Pirajá...
- Neighborhood
- 4
Búzios
Búzios
Two and a half hours north of Rio is the Búzios peninsula, a former fishing village which became fashionable for its rustic charm and incredible natural beauty. With...
- Outdoor Adventure
- Neighborhood
- Excursions
- City Tour
- 3
Arcos da Lapa
Lapa
The Lapa Arches, also known as the Carioca Aqueduct, are an impressive set of 42 arches, built in the Roman style in the mid-1700s. Originally, they transported...
- Cultural & Historical
- Walking
- Architecture
- 2
Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastian
Centro
Dedicated to the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro, Saint Sebastian, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro is hard to miss, designed after a Mayan Pyramid and...
- Cultural & Historical
- 1
Barra Shopping
Barra da Tijuca
An enormous shopping and entertainment complex in Barra da Tijuca, the Barra Shopping has 600 shops, restaurants and cinemas, linked to the business quarter by a
- Commercial Center
- 1
Praia da Reserva
Barra da Tijuca
Between Barra Beach and Recreio Beach in an ecological reserve in Barra da Tijuca, Reserva is a drive from downtown Rio since bus routes don't travel that far. The...
- Public beach
- Water sport & adventure
- Water fun
- 1
Rio Sul
Botafogo
Opened in 1980, Rio Sul is Rio's oldest mall and a mega mall at that. Just north of Copacabana Beach, it's set across eight floors with everything shopping from...
- Commercial Center
- Fun & games
- Food & drink
- Cinema
- 1
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa
The trendy and bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood near the city centre offers a different face of Rio. Artists, writers and musicians moved into dilapidated mansions...
- Neighborhood
- Art
- Architecture
Niterói
NIterói
Founded in in 1573 by the Tupi Amerindians, Niterói is an important commercial and cultural hub, connected to Rio de Janeiro by an eight-mile (13 km) bridge across...
- Excursions
- Neighborhood
- City Tour
Botafogo Praia Shopping
Botafogo
The large shopping mall in Botafogo has hundreds of shops, including Brazilian and international designers, a cinema complex by Cinemark, an extensive choice of food...
- Commercial Center
- 1
Babilônia Feira Hype
Barra da Tijuca
Leblon, Barra da Tijuca and Niteroi take turns hosting this incredibly varied hippie market with stalls selling fashion items, independent food, arts and crafts and
- Market
Praia do Arpoador
Arpoador
Squeezed between Copacabana and Ipanema, Arpoador beach is a short stretch of sand and rocks that draws crowds, particularly at sunrise and sunset to Arpoador Hill....
- Urban beach
- Natural Attraction
- Neighborhood
Bosque da Barra
Barra da Tijuca
The Barra Woods is peaceful escape from the bustling city with a lake, expansive lawns, walking paths, playgrounds and sporting facilities. Located in Barra da...
- Walking
- Playground
- Park
Carmen Miranda Museum
Flamengo
The Carmen Miranda museum in Flamengo Park is dedicated to the iconic 'Brazilian Bombshell' who was once the highest paid woman in the USA. With her...
- Museum
- Cultural & Historical
Dona Coisa
Jardim Botânico
Located on a charming street in Jardim Botânico, Dona Coisa is one of the city's top boutiques. On show is a beautifully curated and constantly evolving...
- Store
Favela da Rocinha
Rocinha
With an estimated 180,000 people, Rocinha is a shanty town near the Ipanema and Leblon beaches, taking a chunk out of the rainforest hillside in the otherwise rich...
- Art
- City Tour
- Architecture
- Cultural & Historical
- Outdoor Adventure
- Neighborhood
Feira da Praça XV
Centro
Located in old town Rio, the Feira da Praça XV hustles a range of antique wares from second-hand clothes to French furniture, in a bustling Saturday market...
- Market
Feira de Arte de Ipanema
Ipanema
Rule number one, never pay the price on the tag. Bargaining is part of the charm in this Hippie Fair, first established by real hippies in the 1960s, with hundreds...
- Market
