Are you planning a trip to Rio de Janeiro? From breathtaking views to vibrant neighbourhoods, this city has a way of captivating every traveler’s heart. From all the cities I’ve travelled to across the world, Rio is by far the most beautiful. These are my top tips after living in the heart of the city for the last 6 months.
1. Visit Christ the Redeemer – A Must-See in Rio de Janeiro
Visiting Christ the Redeemer, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, is a must-do experience when in Rio. This iconic landmark offers an incredible perspective of the city, with sweeping views that are absolutely breathtaking. Standing up close to the statue itself is awe-inspiring, and for me, it’s the most unforgettable view of Rio.
How to get to there
There are two main ways to get to Christ the Redeemer. The most scenic way to reach the statue is by taking the cog train from Cosme Velho Station. The train ride takes about 20 minutes, winding through the lush rainforest of Tijuca National Park. Pre-booking isn’t required, but during busy times, you might have to wait for the next available train. If you want to pre-book you can do it from the official website.
The other way to go is with a bus/van which leaves from various parts of the city. You can buy tickets online here. I’ve gone with both options and I prefer going with the train as the view is nicer. Both options cost around 100R$.
2. Take in Stunning Views from Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro
The Sugarloaf Mountain or Pão de Açucar is another must do when you are in Rio de Janeiro. In 2012, Sugarloaf Mountain became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised as a key element in Rio’s unique cultural landscape. The mountain has even made its mark in pop culture, appearing in movies like the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker.
How to get there
Take a Uber to get there from anywhere in the city. You can buy tickets at the counter or prebook online on the official website. If you are visiting during peak-season I would recommend getting tickets online as it will save you some time in the line.
Tips and tricks
- Arrive early in the morning to avoid crowds
- Buy your ticket online to save time in the line
- It is one of the best places in Rio to see the sunset.
3. Experience the Passion of Football at Maracanã Stadium in Rio
Even as someone who isn’t a huge football fan, watching a match at Maracanã was an unforgettable experience. I watched a a local derby between Flamengo and Fluminense right from the middle of the Flamengo crowd. It was like nothing I’ve seen before, with the whole crowd going crazy and chanting the entire game. I
How to get a ticket for a football game at Maracanã
This shocked me as I thought that it would be more or less straightforward to go to a local football game here. But as a tourist it is not so simple unless you want to spend a lot of money.
The easy way to get a ticket for Maracanã – is to go with a guide. A lot of hotels/hostels sell this service so you can book it once you get here. Or you can book online through companies like GetYourGuide or a local service like Rio de Janeiro By Cariocas. Either way it will cost you around R$500.
The cheap way to get a ticket Maracanã – is to get to know a local that can buy a ticket for you. A member of the club can buy several tickets and the price is around R$60 depending on the section and what game it is.
What football game should I watch while in Rio de Janeiro?
There are three local clubs with Maracanã as their home stadium. Any games with these will have an amazing crowd and you will get the proper Brazilian football experience. If it is possible you should try and go to a derby between these clubs.
Flamengo – The biggest football club in Brazil with almost 50 million fans. For sure this is my personal recommendation as the crowd is said to be the best in the world.
Botafogo – Right now the leader of the Brazilian Serie A (November 2024) and unarguably one of the best teams in Brazil right now.
Fluminense – Usually considered a bit more of a upperclass team and from my understanding does not have as big of a fanbase. However they won the South American Cup Copa Libertadores da América in 2023 and Recopa Sul Americana in 2024
My experience at Maracanã
The game I saw was a bit slow, 0-0 until the 70th minute and then Flamengo scored on a penalty. When the ball hit the net, the crowd erupted in a deafening roar of celebration. People started dancing, crying and screaming. Hundreds of plastic beer cups (some empty, and some not so empty) were thrown in the air. From then on it was just a big party – the rest of the game, outside the stadium, in the metro and then on the streets.
The big take away for me is – Brasilians are crazy about their football, or any sport for that matter. It is not something they take casually, and you will hear more people screaming in Rio de Janeiro over Football then almost anywhere else. One of the most common tattoos here is to get a big logo of your preferred team (I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve seen hundreds of people in Rio de Janeiro with football tattoos). I would absolutely recommend going to a game to get a glimpse of Brazils biggest passion – Football.
4. Relax at Rio’s Best Beaches: Ipanema and Leblon
While Rio is maybe most famous for Copacabana (which is also a really nice beach), I would say that Ipanema and Leblon are slightly nicer. Located next to Copacabana these beaches (and neighbourhoods) are a bit calmer and more fancy then Copacabana.
How to enjoy the beaches in Rio de Janeiro
While the beaches here are very beautiful they can also be a bit hectic for a foreigner unless you know what to expect. Even with perfect Portuguese, locals will likely recognise you as a foreigner (‘Gringo’) and might overcharge you.
The beach is full of stands where they sell rent umbrellas and beach chairs and sell snacks and drinks. Each stand has a number and that is usually how you refer to locations on the long beaches. To enjoy the beach like a local, make sure to get both. The cost of a chair should be 8-12R$ and an umbrella around 15R$ for as long as you want, this can vary on the day and the weather so make sure to ask before.Treating yourself with some snacks is a must as they are simply delicious and should be really cheap.
Best snacks at the beach in Rio De Janeiro
- Cold coconut (Água de Coco) – 10R$
- Grilled cheese skewer (Queijo) -10-12R$
- Grilled or Boled Corn (Milho) – 10R$
- Caipirinha – 15-25R$
- Argentinan Empanada – 12R$
- Açai 300ml 12-16R$
Stay safe
- To keep your stomach safe I would avoid the Grilled shrimps and the hamburgers that are carried all day in the sun.
- Never buy weed on the beach, this is illegal in Brazil and you are likely to be scammed or get a bad product.
- Don’t leave your stuff unattended – if you are alone be sure to give your bag to one of your neighbours on the beach that will look after it for you while you cool down in the crystal clear water.
- Buying something without asking for the price – keep your money safe, always ask first to avoid paying tripple price or having to argue.
5. Enjoy a Brazilian Samba Night Out
No matter what day of the week there is always a samba somewhere with live music and a crowd of Brazilians that are dancing, singing and enjoying life. A Samba is basically like a bar experience with live music and most people don’t dance like you might imagine from videos from the Carneval. A samba here is more about then enjoying the vibe, the music and spending time with old or new friends.
Find the best sambas in Rio de Janeiro
Where to find the samba varies depending on the day of week, the season and what events that are currently being hosted. I like to check this instagram page that posts stories where to find the current week’s best events. These are my personal highlights:
Espaço Corcovado – A samba on the fancier end of the scale and my personal choice. Go here to dress up nice and enjoy a really nice party right below the hill of Christ the Redeemer. I would go here if you are a person that likes things a to be a bit more organised. Whenever I have been there, the vibe has been really good and it has been full of people and good live music. There is a really genuine place with almost no tourists and you are unlikely to find it in your normal guide.
Pedra do Sal – The most famous samba in the city – popular both with locals and tourists. This place is great if you want a big night out and see the street style Brazilian Samba. This will be more intense then the experience at Espaço Corcovado. The Samba is at a small square at the end of a long narrow street. The street itself is another type of party of bars selling caipirinhas with various types of music including some Brazilian Funk. It is currently (November 2024) running events Mondays and Fridays.
Capiberibe 27 – is a mix of the two options above. This a club located in the city center that has that trendy industrial building vibe that is getting more and more common across bars. It has several rooms with music and also some chic clothing shops inside. This is definitely a good option for both a big or small samba night out in Rio de Janeiro. This place has mostly locals but also some foreigners here and there. Make sure to go early to avoid waiting in the line and prepare to have a good time.
Stay safe
There has been a lot of tourists lately (2024) getting drugged and robbed, especially at Pedra do Sal. The people get drugged by girls at the party that then go home with you and then take everything from your apartment.
- Never accept drinks from strangers
- Don’t leave your drink unattended
- Go with some friends or people at the hostel and make sure to decide that you will go home together
- Keep your phone in a zipped bag or pocket
- Avoid to get black out drunk as this puts a target on your back
6. Hike Dois Irmãos and Explore Vidigal Favela in Rio
This is in my opinion the best hike to do in Rio if you are here for a short time. This awesome hike comes with the bonus of being at the top of one of the safest favelas – Vidigal in Rio de Janeiro. You can do it without a guide and it you can be back in the city before lunch if you go in the morning. See my complete guide on how to do the hike without a guide here.
7. Savor a Traditional Brazilian Barbecue at Rio best Steakhouses
In my opinion the best barbecues are the ones that you have at home of your house or with your friends. If you don’t however have the opportunity of this I would highly recommend going to one of Rio de Janeiros meat restaurants.
What is special about Brazilian barbecues?
Brazilians eat a lot of meat, and when I say a lot I mean A LOT! If you go to a Barbecue in Brazil, whether it is at home or at a restaurant, 90% of the food is meat. So in other words, it is not a place for vegetarians. However if you do love meat, it’s one of the best and cheapest places to eat steak in the world.
The best steakhouses in Rio de Janeiro
There is a huge selection of restaurants in Rio to get a good Churrasco and almost anywhere you go you will get really good meat. From my point of view it is worth it to spend a bit more than usual to get a really good experience even if you are on a budget. See some of the best Steakhouses in Rio below (prices were updated at November 2024).
Fogo de Chão – This might be the most famous steakhouse chains in Brazil. I’ve been there once in Botafogo and it is definitively worth every Real.The restaurants is located in bay of Botafogo with a great view.
The cost for the rodizio (all you can eat) is R$220.
Assador – A local top tier steakhouse experience that I hear from a lot of people is better then Fogo do Chão. However I haven’t yet had the chance/money to go there myself. The restaurant has a wonderful view overlooking the ocean and the beach of Flamengo.
The cost for the rodizio is R$232
Churrascaria Palace – Taking their words for it – The most traditional steakhouse in Rio de Janeiro with 70 years of experience. The venue has a more traditional fine dining style and high quality service. Although the name might suggest otherwise it does not have any connection to the legendary hotel Copacabana Palace.
The cost for the rodizio is R$232
8. Bike Along Rio’s Scenic Coast to Flamengo Beach
Starting from wherever you are in Leblon, Ipanema or Copacabana. Go down to the beach and take on of the orange rental bikes available all over the city. Then just follow the bike path next to the beach until you reach Flamengo beach. This is the most scenic ride I’ve ever taken and it lets you soak in everything from the city. I repeat it about once per month just because it is so nice!
What to expect
How long the ride is depends on where you journey starts and ends. From the middle of Ipanema to the middle of Flamengo is about 10km and takes about 1 hour of easy biking. You will see some of the best views of the city. Especially between Botafogo and Flamengo where you can see the Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer at the same time. Also make sure to keep an eye in the water to spot some turtles that can be seen in the water there.
Note: Take care with other bikers and pedestrians and know that the locals have a different sense of what bicycle safety then you most likely have. Another advice is to avoid using your phone on or next to the bike lane. Hence there is a risk of scooterdrivers snatching the phone from your hand (this almost happened to me).
How to rent a bike
The cheapest option is to buy an Itau card and charge it in a local newspaper store. You can then tap the card to unlock the bike. Otherwise you can unlock the bike through the Uber app which costs R$0.5/min. Make sure to return the bike properly at any Itau-stand in the city, you can see where they are in the Uber app.
9. Catch a Stunning Sunset at Arpoador in Rio de Janeiro
One of the few downsides of Rio de Janeiro is that you cannot see the sun set in the ocean because of the direction of the city. While this is true you can still get a really beautiful view of the red sky, the ocean and the amazing hills around the city.
What to expect
Whenever the weather is good the Arpoador rock is crowded both with tourists and locals. Sit on the rock and enjoy the view of the surfers catching the point break in front. For me the most impressive part is the topography of the city against the red sky, it is truly amazing. There are a lot of people selling drinks and beers so there is no need to bring your own.
Note: Make sure to go back to the city before it gets completely dark or the crowds disappear to be on the safe side.
10. Discover Rio’s History on a Free Walking Tour
There are lots of free walking tours in Rio in the various neighbourhoods. My favourite one is the one in the city center which tells you a lot about the history of the Colonisation of Brazil and the origins of this wonderful city. See these tour operators with 4.8 rating on google maps or better. The stops seem to be more or less the same in all of them. They take you through various points of the center and then ends at the second most visited tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro – The Selaron steps.
Rio free walking tour – Monday to Saturday at 9.30 am.
Tour by foot – Monday to Saturday at 10.30 am and Tuesdays at 3.30pm.
Free walker tours – Monday to Saturday at 10.30 am. This is the tour that I chose and I absolutely recommend it but this is not to say that the other option.
11. Explore the Futuristic Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro
First and foremost the Architecture of this building is astonishing and worth seeing on its own. I really like the futuristic design looking somehow like a spaceship. This isn’t your typical science museum – it’s all about exploring the future and imagining what’s next for our planet. The exhibits blend science with art in a way that feels fresh and interactive, using tech, videos, and even games to bring big ideas to life. Based on research from all over the world, the museum creates an immersive experience that gets you thinking about tomorrow’s possibilities in a fun, hands-on way. It’s a must-visit spot for anyone curious about where we’re headed!
Summary
Rio de Janeiro is a city that captures the imagination and stirs the soul It offers an incredible mix of natural beauty, cultural vibrancy, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re standing in awe at Christ the Redeemer, soaking up the beach vibes in Ipanema, or feeling the pulse of Brazilian football at Maracanã, Rio has something for everyone.
This list highlights just a the tip of the iceberg. If you are planning your trip to Rio don’t worry about spending a few extra days in this marvellous city. I know it is really common to spend just a few days in Rio but I would recommend at least 5 days in the city if you want to get the chance to experience it properly.
Did you have the chance to visit? Leave a comment below and let everyone know what was your favourite experience!
