Rio de Janeiro - attractions, recreation, sea, Christ statue, population, beaches, how to get to Rio de Janeiro

I always pronounce the name of this city with a smile - it seems to hear the fluttering of a thousand colorful butterflies that are eager to fly out and spin to the rhythms of Bosanova ("bossa nova" - a special style of Brazilian music, representing a mixture of jazz and samba).

Rio de Janeiro is amazing!

Passions are raging in people's hearts no more quietly than in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It seemed to me that the city lives on the principle of yin-yang, without realizing it. All extremes harmoniously coexist here: poverty and prosperity, beauty and ugliness, kindness with blatant aggression. Near elite, very green and beautiful areas of the city, neighborhoods of the poor - favelas, with sun-scorched exteriors, graffiti and endless poverty - are always adjacent. One citizen will happily change his route to show you the way if you stray, and another steals your bag and threatens with a “trunk." Like in the movie, honestly. And all this to the rhythms of Bosanov.

And by the way, do not forget to bring a phrasebook with you. Because everyone here speaks Portuguese. And there is no more beautiful, completely incomprehensible, crunch-like wafer tongue in the world.

A short video about Rio de Janeiro

How to get there

How to get to Rio de Janeiro if you, like me, live in Moscow? This sunny metropolis is located in South America, and it is very far away. The words "very far" means the figure 11 543 km - this is the distance from Moscow to Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, the main way to get to Rio is by plane.

But there is another option - to go on a cruise and arrive in Rio on a multi-decked white ship. That is how my idol Ostap Bender dreamed of being in the sultry city of happiness.

And if you are already in South America, then there is nothing easier than to get to the former capital of Brazil by bus. In general, bus service is very developed in South American cities, they are quite comfortable and can save money, sometimes time.

By plane

There are no direct flights from Moscow to Rio. Need to fly with a change. The minimum duration of the entire flight is usually 16 hours or more, depending on the chosen connection.

Having monitored the offers of various airlines (Lufthansa, KLM, Emirates, Etihad, Delta participated in the tender), I came to the conclusion that tickets for the Moscow – Rio de Janeiro plane should be taken from the airline Air France with a dock in Paris.

Firstly, this is the most low-cost flight option (my guy paid for the trip, and this item was the most important for him :-)).
Secondly, convenient docking at the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

If you get to the share of the airline, then the ticket will cost you 38,000 rubles (round-trip).

Air France operates daily flights to Rio de Janeiro. I advise you from Moscow to choose flight AF 1745, arriving at Charles de Gaulle at 21:45, and then departing from Paris at 23:35 and arriving at Rio de Janeiro at 05:40 in the morning. Choose a return flight depending on price and preferences. From Rio de Janeiro to Paris flies 1 or sometimes 2 flights per day (the schedule is constantly changing). There are morning flights, there are evening flights.

View flight schedules, connecting times, airfare prices here.

International flights arrival airport (Galeão Rio De Janeiro)

All international flights make their way to Rale de Janeiro Galeão Rio De Janeiro Airport. At the airport you will find exchangers, taxis and anything else. The center is 20 km.
At the airport, many employees speak English, so here you will definitely not be lost :-)

Domestic Arrivals Airport (Santos Dumont)

A charming airport with a runway right along the Atlantic Ocean. Located in the historic city center.

By bus

In Brazil, as in many other countries in South America, bus services between cities are very well developed. Traveling by bus in Rio de Janeiro is a reasonable alternative to renting a car if, for example, you are afraid to drive it in such an exotic country.

The main cities of vital interest to the traveler, from which you can get to Rio by regular buses:

Sao Paulo.
Florianapolis.
Salvador.
Belo Horizonte.
Arraial do Cabo.
Buzios.
Iguazu

And even from neighboring countries such as Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, you can come to Rio by bus. Only this is very far, about 2 days on the road.

Major bus companies

The bus service to Rio (as well as to Brazil as a whole) was super competently organized, and I envied this, to be honest (that’s how it is with us!). There are several large bus companies, each has its own website with the English version, and on the site you can easily get directions from point A to point B.

For myself, I highlighted these bus companies (their sites seem to be created for non-Portuguese-speaking tourists :-))

Onibus.
1001.
Costa Verde Rio.

And at this link you will find a complete list of bus companies running through Rio.

Logistics Bus Travel

The logistics of your bus trip will be like this. Go to the site, choose the direction you need, buy a ticket, come to the station and pick up your tickets. Understanding where to pick up tickets is very simple: at the station you are looking for a stall with the name of the bus company, which will be indicated in large letters on the booking sheet.

I advise you to buy tickets themselves on the site also because promotional rates are published there, of which cashiers often do not know anything. Well, besides, it will be difficult to explain to cashiers if you do not speak Portuguese.

Bus stations

Now for the bus stations themselves. There are several in Rio. The main - Rodoviario Novo Rio.
The station is located in the city center at: Av. Francisco Bicalho, 1, Santo Cristo.
I advise you to get here by taxi. Although it is located in the center, this part of the city is not safe. The bus stop is far enough from the station, and you have to go to it on foot. Judging by the faces that I saw on the street at the entrance to the station, I would not go on foot.

And the station building itself is beautiful - very clean, comfortable, lots of shops, in the air there is the smell of cheese pies (Pão de queijo) and freshly brewed coffee. And yes, there are charging stations for all gadgets. By the way, this service is free, not like at Moscow stations. As I remember now, I arrived by morning train from St. Petersburg to Moscow, got a phone, and recharged - 100 rubles. Phi.

About buses

The buses themselves are very comfortable. When booking tickets, you can choose a bus class:

VIP which means this bus is air-conditioned.
STANDARD. There will be no air conditioning.

By the way, the climate of Antarctica prevails in buses. I strongly advise you to have warm clothes with you.

By car

In general, in Brazil, everything is in order with the roads. Theoretically, motorists can get to Rio de Janeiro by car from any Brazilian city. And even from other countries of South America, subject to successful passage through customs points.
Personally, I am sure that traveling by car through the “deaf” places of the country may not have the most favorable consequences, after all, the country is not very rich, they can easily rob you. Well, there’s especially no one to ask for advice on the road - no one "speaks" in English.
If you are a fan of road travel, then try to build a route that runs along safe and modern highways.
So, in Rio de Janeiro, you can come from Sao Paulo along the largest highway BR-116

By ferry

With its stunning scenery, Rio owes much to its amazing geographical position. The city stretched along the southeast coast of Brazil and appeared to be squeezed between the mountains on one side and the Gulf of Guanabara (the most beautiful bay in Rio de Janeiro) - on the other. Such a good location suggests that you can get to the city by water - on a gorgeous white ship, if you want to realize the dream of Ostap Bender, or on a small cozy ferry.

By the way, the first sailors sailed to Rio by ship and thought that the bay was the January river in Rio de Janeiro, in whose honor the city was named.

The ferry connects Rio with other Brazilian cities and islands - Niteroi, Kokota, Mangaratiba, Angra dos Reis, Paketa island, Ilya Grande island. These ferries approach the seaport in Rio (depart, by the way, from there). This station is called Estação das barca and it is located in the city center near Praça XV near Carioca / Cinelandia metro station.

Travel time, schedule and cost can be found on the carrier’s website. As a bonus, everyone traveling by ferry is offered a gorgeous view of the city and the great statue of Christ from Guanabara Bay.

Cruise ships

If we talk about cruise ships, they sail from various cities of the world to a huge and significant port for the whole country - Port of rio de janeiro, at the terminal Pier Mauá. The port is located not very far from the city center, at Av. Rodrigues Alves, 10 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20081-250. The nearest metro station is Retiro. Here is the terminal site.

In general, the terminal is cool - modern, functional, all the infrastructure necessary for the traveler with it. By the way, if you are not going to sail anywhere in Rio anyway, there is still a reason to look here - at night there are often incendiary night parties with samba and caipirinha. Everything is as it should be.

Private yachts

And, if you suddenly travel on your private yacht and don’t know where to anchor, then head for the beautiful port of Marina da Gloria. By the way, in this harbor at the 2016 Olympics, races of yachtsmen from around the world took place. Marina da Gloria port is located in the charming Flamengo park near the city center and, believe me, it offers absolutely fantastic panoramas of Rio. There are lovely restaurants in the harbor, where you can learn sailing, and also go diving or fishing with a small group.

hint: Rio de Janeiro - time now is 16: 5213 OctoberDifference in hours: Moscow & plus; 6 Kazan & plus; 6 Samara & plus; 7 Yekaterinburg & plus; 8 Novosibirsk & plus; 10 Vladivostok & plus; 13

When is the season. When is the best time to go?

Already the name of the city itself emits sunlight, right? But there are rains here.

During our Russian summer in Rio, winter, which brings short-term rains into the city, and the sunny metropolis is immersed in a haze of gray clouds. At the same time, the air temperature rarely drops below +23, and the rains are most often short-term and warm. So bad weather in Rio is a conditional concept. Another thing is that with gray haze you can not see the incredibly bright colors of the city. The clearest days in Rio de Janeiro are from November to March.

When planning our trip, we avoided the New Year period, just as we feared February (the carnival takes place in February). These are the most expensive periods, vacation prices in Rio de Janeiro soar several times. And speaking of prices, Rio is never a cheap city.

We flew to Rio in the season - March 10, a couple of weeks after the carnival. To our arrival, the last carnival decorations were, fortunately, dismantled and prices returned to normal. The weather was nice, hot, +38. Sometimes during the day there were lingering rains (and we were grateful to them), and in the evening the sun invariably appeared, which, leaving, gave us incredible sunsets - so many heavenly colors can perhaps be found only in fictional canvases by Mone.

Rio de Janeiro in the summer

If we talk about our summer months, then in Rio they are considered the rainiest and grayest. The air temperature, however, is not lower than 25 degrees, the water is also warm - 21-23 degrees. When traveling to Rio de Janeiro in the summer, bring your windbreaker and umbrella.

Rio de Janeiro in the fall

Officially, the season begins in November in Rio. In general, the division into seasons here is very conditional, because the tourist flow does not stop all year round. But if we talk about the weather, then yes, it has become less cloudy since November. In the autumn months, air temperature is 27-29 degrees. Of the benefits - the lack of sweltering heat and gentle wind.

Rio de Janeiro in the spring

In my opinion, spring is the perfect time to visit Rio. At this time, the city becomes calmer, behind the carnival with its craziness and wild prices. The weather is wonderful. It is very hot, up to 38 degrees, sometimes there are refreshing rains.

Rio de Janeiro in winter

Our winter in Rio de Janeiro is considered summer. In the guidebooks, the months from December to March are indicated as the most attractive for visiting the country. During this period, the probability of rain is small, the waves in the ocean are quieter, the sky is mostly cloudless. All this is very good, but the number of tourists in the city is such that you want to leave the metropolis with a mysterious name as soon as possible. The largest influx of tourists falls on the New Year and the Carnival, which takes place annually in February.

Rio de Janeiro - monthly weather

hint: Rio de Janeiro - weather for the months of January January ± 25.7 February ± 25.9 March ± 23.0 April ± 23.1 May ± 21.1 June ± 20.1 July ± 19.5 August ± 20.5 September ± 21.4 October ± 12 November 22.2 ± 23.2 December ± 24.7

Areas. Where is better to live

As soon as Vadik bought tickets to Rio, we immediately thought about where to live, which part of the city to choose. I wanted it at the sea, and at the same time in the mountains, and to get closer to all the bars and attractions. But, when it comes to such a big city (and Rio is really huge), you need to prioritize :-)

I’ll tell you how the city works and what choices we made.

Conventionally, the city is divided into 4 zones:

South.
Central.
North.
Western

Separate areas of Rio de Janeiro are concentrated in these zones (currently there are 34 districts in the city)

Southern part of the city

These are the legendary beaches of "Copacabana", "Ipanema", "Leblon", "Flamengo". Perhaps these areas are the most attractive for tourists, everything is just like in the movies - gorgeous beaches, beautiful houses with fences, like in the series "Tropicanka", neat tiles paved all the streets, palm trees, ficus trees and eternal trees adorn the entrance to each building.

The districts of this part of the city are considered the safest, wherever you look - only policemen. From the southern areas you can easily reach the main attractions, some of which are located right here:

Sugar head.
Mount Corcovado with a statue of Christ.
Lake Rodrigo de Freitas.

And here, taxis run around the clock. We chose a hotel 2 steps from the Ipanema beach and did not regret it for a minute. The beach in Rio is the main scene of the city, everyone here seeks it - both locals and tourists. Want to feel the real atmosphere of Rio? Then you to the beach. And here's what I will say, living near the beach in Rio is a must. Early in the morning before a long trip to the jungle of the sunny metropolis, you will always have the opportunity to wake up with the city, go for a run along the promenade, swim in the gentle waves of the Atlantic Ocean, which can only be like this in the morning, and drink freshly squeezed mango juice in the fruit bar on the beach. What could be better? That is how the morning in Rio de Janeiro should begin. And in the evening, no matter where you come back, a sunset to the rhythms of Bosanov will be waiting for you - the locals really love to come to the beach with a guitar.

The central part of the city

This is the so-called down town, the historical center of Rio de Janeiro. There are business centers, many historical sites, including the National Library, Palazzo Tiradentes, the City Theater, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Cathedral and the Palace of Pedro Ernesto.

On weekdays, the town is very busy, people in business suits scurry back and forth. But you should come on Sunday, and you will not recognize the business district - there is not a soul in the district. Never in my life have I seen more deserted streets.
Most of all I was impressed by the bohemian areas of Lapai Santa Teresa. In Lap, I advise all party people who want to fall asleep and wake up to the rhythms of the city to stay. Well, Santa Teresa will appeal to those who are looking for romance and solitude.

Northern part of the city

Football fans are often in the northern part of the city, since it is here that the legendary Rara de Janeiro Maracana stadium is located. I highly recommend attending one of the football matches taking place at this stadium, even if you are not a fan. An exciting game, experiences, tears of victory and loss and incomparable energy are waiting for you.Football is an invariable component of Brazilian culture and lifestyle. And you must see it with your own eyes!
In the northern part of the city there are other, less well-known stadiums. But beyond the stadium, I would not recommend a walk - around the favela, dangerous neighborhoods of bandits and poor people.

Western part of the city

This area is the most remote from the city center and therefore tourists rarely come here. The poorest quarters of the city here are closely intertwined with areas for the rich, as if proving to the traveler that Rio is a city of contrasts. The pretty area of Barra da Tijuca is located in this part of the city, like the 20-kilometer beach, the longest in the whole of Rio.

What are the prices for vacation

Tours in Rio de Janeiro are expensive. The city of God is not cheap in itself. Like Moscow. But, of course, you can easily save money here if you think about many things in advance. But not at the hotel - accommodation here is expensive at least in a hotel, at least in a hostel.

Rio de Janeiro hotel prices

We rented a double room in a 3 * hotel 2 minutes from Ipanema Beach with spacious rooms in white tones and with a huge window, on the windowsill of which sonorous hummingbirds hung out every morning. Room cost about $ 100 a day with breakfast.

Ipanema is a magical area, like a piece of cozy Europe inside Rio with nice restaurants, beautiful houses and a chic clean beach.

For the same money ($ 100 per day) in the bohemian area of Santa Teresa, you can rent a room in a luxury boutique hotel. There are many cool boutique hotels in the area. The views that open from the Santa Teresa hotels are stunning.

But there is a minus. The area is located on a mountain, and at night taxi drivers refuse to climb here without explanation. Therefore, if night walks are part of your plans, this is probably not the most suitable area.

On Copacaban hotels cost from $ 150 per day. By the way, the beach of Copacabana itself is very dirty, and all the restaurants along the beach are terribly tasteless and also expensive.

You can still live on a party paw. A bed in a good hostel can be found for $ 60, and a hotel room for $ 80. It is very noisy there at night and the audience in the area is very different - here are the glamorous party-goers of Rio, and bandits, and homeless people. My friend Natasha told me that it was here that they threatened them with a gun. As if in jest.

I usually monitor prices and book hotels on Booking - here, and you can check if there is a more attractive price somewhere here.

See prices for renting private apartments here.

Taxi, bus and metro prices

Moving around the city - this is exactly the article where you can really save money if you use public transport.

So, on average, the cost of a taxi ride in the southern part of the city will be 50-70 reais (15-20 dollars). A bus ticket costs 4 reais (about $ 2). Feel the difference. The cost of one trip by metro is 3.20 reais ($ 1), which is more expensive than in Moscow, but still many times cheaper than a taxi.

Prices for restaurants, cafes and bars

Good restaurants are quite expensive. Dinner can cost from 200 reais (60 dollars) for two. Use the offer in the menu "portion for 2". Believe me, it will be a portion for 4, but it will be more economical than everyone ordering a whole dish.
There are many restaurants in Rio and you can find something simpler. But here is my advice to you - never go to restaurants on Copacabana. Everything here is terribly tasteless and expensive.

The cost of caipirinha in a beach bar is 8-10 reais (about 3-4 dollars), but in the bar the price will already be 25 reais (8 dollars).

Freshly squeezed juice in juice bars (such bars are the "chip" of Rio, they are scattered throughout the city) - from 5 reais (2 dollars).

To summarize, I will say that the rest in Rio de Janeiro and the prices are all at the highest level! :-)

hint: Cost of food, accommodation, transport and other currency: Euro, € US dollar, $ Russian ruble, rub Brazilian real, R $ Prices in restaurants and cafes

Eating (lunch / dinner) in a reasonably priced restaurant	431 rub
Lunch / dinner for two, 3 course, middle class restaurant	1 917 rub
McMill at McDonald's or similar combo lunch	399 rub

More details

The main attractions. What to watch

Rio is a real treasury of cultural and natural wonders, interesting and unusual city routes.

There is a list of places that are absolutely MUST SEE:

Statue of Christ the Redeemer.

Sugar Loaf.
Botanical Garden.
Tijuc forest.
The stadium "Maracana".
Art Museum of the Arts.
National Library (the largest in all of South America).

By the way, the beaches in Rio are also attractions. Be sure to visit the beaches "Ipanema "," Copacabana "," Leblon "," Flamengo" and you will see that each of them has its own unique atmosphere.

Take a walk on the world's largest city national Tizhuk park and you will be pleasantly surprised to meet cute, but very arrogant coats, impressed by giant eucalyptus trees and signs that warn of dangerous and treacherous snakes. By the way, the Statue of Christ - the least legendary monument in Rio de Janeiro - is located at the top of this park, and if you dare to reach it on foot (too long and hot), you will have indescribable emotions and the most beautiful photographs in your arsenal.

Once in the Lapa quarter, be sure to take the Bondinho (an old wooden tram) that will take you upstairs to the area of the rich and mansions - Santo Teresa.
And if you want to know the real life of slums, then take a motorcycle taxi and go to the favelas. At one's own risk.

Do not forget to watch the stars of South America through a telescope in the Rio de Janeiro planetarium. Remember that all museums have free days to visit that will make your stay in Rio de Janeiro more budget.

And you can easily avoid the queues in various museums and, most importantly, on the statue of Christ, using the service fast track, which offers several local travel companies, for example, Matuete. The cost of such a service is about $ 40 per person.

Top 5

Statue of Christ the Redeemer (Statue Christ Reemeder)

As the alphabet starts with the letter “A”, the top list of Rio's attractions begins with the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, which is not only the main symbol of Rio de Janeiro, but also the main identification mark of Brazil as a whole.

My local friends said that the monument was erected due to the efforts of one very rich man as a sign of his gratitude to the City of God, in which he was able to get rich. The official version says that the statue was erected to mark the 100th anniversary of Brazil's independence. I trust friends more, because Rio is a city of miracles.

The statue itself in Rio de Janeiro is located on top of the Tijuca National Park, and its height is about 38 meters. You can get on a special tourist train, by minibus, car or on foot. The last way for the most desperate travelers is to go for a long time and in the heat, but the most amazing views of the city will be yours, plus you will explore the world's largest city national park.

We did not know about the fast track service, which I talked about above, so we spent 4 hours in 3 lines under the scorching sun !!! When after all this hell we were at the statue, I wanted to cry. As many people as there were around the statue could probably only be on the main bombing market. This is terrible.

Try to focus on the grandeur of the monument. Because the figure of Christ radiates a really powerful energy, which easily spreads to a million Chinese around. And this energy, and these stunning views justify any torment. No wonder the monument is on the list of modern wonders of the world.

Opening hours: daily from 8:30 - 17:00.
Cost: entrance ticket for an adult - 51 real (16 dollars).

For current information on opening hours and costs, see the Rio de Janeiro Metro website.

Read more about the Statue of Christ the Redeemer at the link.

Paw and stairs Selarone (Lapa & Escadaria Selarón)

Lapa district is geographically located in the central part of the city, and despite the fact that there are always many tourists here, it has not lost its very special flavor.

The Lapa quarter is a kind of Parisian Montmartre, the area where artists, poets, dancers and other creative personalities found refuge. At night, on the streets of Lapa, everyone samba dances, Bosanova sings. Want to go to the carnival? You here, here this carnival is all year round.

In one of the lanes you will find staircase Celarone (Escadaria Selaron). Just ask any passerby - everyone knows where she is.

In 2013, the artist was found dead on his stairs. It is said that one of his students also killed him out of envy. Jorge Selarone is still alive in the hearts of people, and his staircase has become one of the best examples of Brazilian contemporary art.

Access to the stairs is free.

Santa Teresa and the Bondinho (Bondinho de Santa Teresa)

Santa Teresa is a neighborhood of mansions. Remember the series "Tropicana", "Wild Rose"? So everything looks the same there - rich houses, fences of roses, mazes of streets and gorgeous views of Guanabara Bay.

Going to Santa Teresa is best after walking through the Lapa quarter. From here it can be done in a completely unusual way - using the "Bondinho". So kariokas (locals) call an old wooden tram, which has been transporting people from one region to another for decades.

In theory, a tram leaves every 20 minutes from the Carioca metro station. But this is just the idea. In fact, the tram follows only his well-known schedule. The tram does not have a site, and in general I doubt that this type of transport is functioning officially. Hours of operation at the entrance are not written, but I know one thing for sure, at exactly 4:00 p.m. the tram stops moving (for the first time we were going to take a ride at 5 p.m. and came to the closed doors of the station). Also, he does not make routes after rain. We were convinced of this when we arrived at the station for the second time :-). And only the third time, luck smiled at us.

You sit in one of 5 wooden wagons, the shops are distributed equally between tourists and kariokas. A tram scrambles up a hill, deftly tacking between beautiful mansions with colorful fencing and old buildings, whose architectural appearance imperceptibly takes us to Rio of past centuries. Winding along the maze of old streets, the tram periodically pampers passengers with views from the cliff to the sea in Rio de Janeiro. Undoubtedly, this was one of the most romantic and extraordinary trips in my life.

Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açúcar)

The sugar head is the mountain of Pão de Açúcar, and its height reaches almost 400 m. It is called so because it supposedly looks like a piece of sugar. The essence of the visit is that you take the funicular to the top of this mountain.

At this time, the traveler will find 3 stops at different heights - Praia Vermella, Urka and the top of the mountain itself.

Definitely need to go here to see the sunset. And if you are lucky and the sky will be cloudless, you will fall into a trance from the beauty around. Here, by the way, there are no crazy crowds of tourists. You can relax, sit on a high chair, have a can of beer and enjoy your stay in Rio. The views from the top are stunning. Everything is as in the picture, honestly.

Opening hours: 8:10 - 21:00. Funiculars leave every 20 minutes.
Cable car ride: 62 real (almost $ 20). This price includes all 3 ascents and 3 descents.

Favelas (FAVELS)

Favelas are neighborhoods of the poor, scattered randomly around the city. The unlikely piles of houses on the mountain for some reason fascinate.
Each favela is like a separate state with its own order, system, drug lords, schools, hospitals. Have you watched the movie "City of God"? This is exactly how the local neighborhoods of the poor are organized.

Favelas are an acute social phenomenon that personally frightens me not so much as makes me empathize with the inhabitants of these quarters. The population of Rio de Janeiro living in the favelas is scary! Millions of people. From year to year, the state ignores the problems of communities, and sometimes their very existence, deprives the inhabitants of even minimal social support, and thereby dooms the poor to earn their bread through crime.

In these areas, poverty rules the carnival. A rare tourist can see this side of the city. To look into the favela is a dangerous event, sometimes it can cost a life. But not to look here means nothing to understand about the city. Because Rio is not only beaches, samba and mansions with beautiful fences. Rio is a city of completely different destinies, a carnival city in which millions of people are doomed to starvation.

Look here for details.

Beaches. Which are better

The most famous and beautiful beaches of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) are Ipanema, Copacabana, Leblon.

Ipanema - in my opinion, this is the most amazing beach in Rio de Janeiro. Azure, turquoise water, view of the rocks of the Two Brothers, seagulls overhead. Here the elite audience of Rio de Janeiro hangs out, and surprisingly there are not many tourists like on Copacabana, for example. Cape Aproador, which separates the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, deserves special attention. As soon as the sun begins to go downhill, all the locals gather on the cape to spend the sunset. In the nearest store, take a bottle of good wine and be sure to come here. I close my eyes and see those sunsets and hear how a beautiful karyokas girl sings to the "Girl from Ipanema" guitar. Read more here.

"Copacabana" - This is a four-kilometer public beach. And there is no such person who would not dream of being on Copacabana. I also dreamed. And here's what I will say - Copacabana beach is beautiful from afar. In fact, it is very dirty, and the waves are so high that every step in the ocean needs to be carefully thought out, otherwise you just won’t be able to swim. They say that you can often see celebrities here, but I have not met them, but there are more than enough dubious people on the beach. On the outskirts of the beach is the fortress of Copacabana (Forte de Copacabana), in the territory of which is the Historical Museum of the Army, where you can see German submarines of the early 20th century. Details here.

Leblon" - This beach is a continuation of Ipanema and at the same time is considered the most respectable beach of the city of God. It's nice to come here on Sunday when Copacabana and Ipanema are crowded. After all, all residents of the city spend the weekend on the beach :-)

If you're a fan of surfing then head to the beaches. "Barra de Tijuca" and "Recreo". High waves are guaranteed year round.

Speaking of waves. If you want to enjoy their absence and the silence of the sea, then you will like it beach "Urka"located at the foot of the Sugarloaf.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

In Rio de Janeiro, everyone believes in God, for a reason this metropolis is called the City of God. In the city there is a huge number of churches, temples and monasteries. I will single out the most beautiful and significant for city residents.

Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Carmel (Igreja Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo) - A very beautiful active cathedral in the city center. It was built in the 18th century. The interior and exterior are made in a bewitching Gothic style (baroque with rococo elements). Interestingly, it is here that the remains of the discoverer of Brazil, Pedro Cabral, are stored. Here is the official site of the cathedral.

Candelaria Church in Rio de Janeiro (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Candelária) - This church is considered one of the main religious centers in the City of God. The temple began in the 17th century, when the Spanish ship "Candelaria" fell into a fierce sea storm. The sailors vowed that if they survive, they will daily pray to God. The ship was saved, and the Spaniards built a chapel, which over time was transformed into a large temple, where millions of locals come for an outlet. All the necessary details for visiting can be found on the church website.

Cathedral of St. Sebastian (Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião) - The exterior of the cathedral is very unusual. Officially, it is made in the style of modernism, but it looks exactly like the Mayan pyramid. The temple is located in the city center and is our contemporary (construction was completed in the 60s of the 20th century). It was created in honor of the patron saint of the city - St. Sebastian. The site of the temple is here.

Temple of St. Zinaida (Paróquia Santa Zenáide) - This is a magnificent, incredibly cozy Orthodox church, the history of which begins in the 19th century. After the 1917 revolution, many Russian emigrants took refuge in Rio de Janeiro. Each Russian family invested in the construction of this church.It is located in the beautiful area of Santa Teresa, people come here to relax with their souls, pray, and think about the main thing. I strongly advise you to find time and visit this church. On the temple’s website you can see opening hours, learn more about the history of creation and much more.

Museums Which are worth a visit

There are a lot of museums in the city. To see them all, I advise you to apply for permanent residence in the City of God. I’ll tell you about the most iconic and even the most unusual, where usually the tourist’s foot doesn’t step. In Rio de Janeiro, sights can be found where you do not expect at all.

Museum of Fine Arts (Museu Nacional de Belas Artes)

There are many tourists in this museum. And this is not surprising, because there is a huge collection of works from the greatest masters of this world. Expositions of African and Brazilian art are especially interesting.

Address: Av. Rio Branco, 199 - Centro.
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 10.00 - 17.00. Entrance is free on Sunday. On other days, 8 reais ($ 2.30) per person.

Museum of the Future (Museu do Amanhã)

Or it’s also called the “Museum of Tomorrow”. The fact that this is a museum of the future is immediately clear, the architect of the Santiago Calatrava building seemed to fly into space and spied on how everything was arranged there. As for the expositions, various media panels, interactive pieces and other high-tech intricacies are waiting for you. I strongly advise you to look here.

Address: Praça Mauá, 1 - Centro.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. On Saturdays, admission is free, on the remaining days 10 reais (3 dollars) per person.

Museum of Modern Art (MAM)

Here everything is like in all MOM museums around the world - there are many exhibits of modern art, the priority is given to Brazilian creators. This museum was designed by the famous architect in Brazilian architect Afonso Reidi.

Address: Av. Infante Dom Henrique, 85 - Parque do Flamengo.
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 12: 00-18:00. The cost of tickets is 14 reais (5 dollars).

Carioca Gallery of Contemporary Art (Galeria de Artes A Gentil Carioca)

This is perhaps the most popular art gallery in Rio de Janeiro. Here are collected very interesting collections of famous and completely unknown local masters of the pen.

Address: Rua Gonçalves Lédo, 11 e 17 - Centro.
Operating Mode: Mon-Frit 12: 00-19: 00. FROMthe cost of tickets is different and depends on the particular exhibition. On average, varies from 2 to 12 reais (1-5 dollars).

All the museums listed above are classics of the genre. Everyone knows about them, all of them are included in the program. Below is a list of places where you definitely need to look, if you want something like that.

School of Art (Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage)

This is not like a museum, but a functioning art school. This school is a real palace, long since dilapidated, but not without dignity. It is located on the territory of the real jungle, despite the fact that these jungles are located almost in the middle of the city. You can go inside and take a walk around the school, that's where you will see real contemporary art, without refined frames and established stamps. But the most important thing is the flocks of divine toucans who, sitting on the balconies of the palace, protect the young masters from failures.

Address: R. Jardim Botânico, 414 - Jardim Botânico.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 -16: 00. Free admission.

The legendary aunt Rosa samba school (Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Unidos de Vila Isabel)

Don Rose is an outstanding old woman. All of us girls should be like this old woman. There is fire in the eyes, a smile on the lips, in samba movements. Want to know how the most fiery dance in the world begins and how the carnival works? Come to Vila Isabel School and they will show and tell you everything. True, the conversation will be in Portuguese. But let it not scare you, I assure you, everything will be clear, because samba does not know language barriers. If you are lucky, you will find Rosa, whose team, by the way, regularly wins the carnival.

Address: Boulevard 28 de Setembro.
Operating mode: there are no established working hours. Try to come on a weekday afternoon.Admission is free, but tips on school development are welcome :-)

Parks

Residents of Rio de Janeiro love to spend time outdoors - on the beach or in parks. That's where you need to go for the local color, so it's in city parks, each of them has a special atmosphere, because the townspeople come here to take a breath and relax in their souls. There are a lot of parks in the city, and they are amazing - with eucalyptus trees, bamboos, birds, butterflies and toucans.

The most famous, but that does not lose their charm:

Flamengo Park. In this park, as if reflecting the serene Brazilian soul. The aroma of fried meat is floating in the air (karyokas often have barbecue parties), single visitors sing a bosan under their breath, play football on the grass, and build castles on the sand. Entrance is free, it’s better not to go out at night. Address: Rua Brigadeiro, Eduardo Gomes, Flamengo. Metro: Largo de Machado or Catete.

Park by the Rodrigo de Freitas Lake. Here you can not only enjoy romantic walks along the alleys, but also ride a boat or a catamaran on the lake. Impressive gliding over the water surface is especially pleasant in the evening, when the heat subsides, you can watch the city smoothly plunging into twilight and Ri, as if a wave envelops illumination. The boat will cost you 15 reais (4.5 dollars) in 30 minutes. You can rent on the pier Tretbootverleih Pier. Admission is free, boat rental is open from 10:00 to 20:00. Address: Avenida Epitacio Pessoa, Parque do Cantagalo, quiosque 20. Metro: Gal.Osorio.
Botanical Garden. Absolute MUST SEE in Rio de Janeiro. Think for yourself where you will still see alleys of giant palm trees, a lake with amazing giant water lilies and white lilies, bamboo mazes and dozens of other exotic plants. By the way, not only Brazilian vegetation is collected in the garden, but also completely non-native, brought here from around the world by Prince Joao VI, who in 1800 turned this garden into a royal park.
A very important point - do not forget to bring all available repellents with you, there are many more mosquitoes than visitors. Opening hours: daily from 8 to 18, the entrance costs 6 reais ($ 1.55) Address: R. Jardim Botânico, 1008 - Jardim Botânico. Metro: Botafogo + bus 170/172/176.

Tizhuk park. Tijuka Foresta is the largest urban park in the world. The road here is very intriguing - the serpentine, along which the mansions are small and large, poor and very rich. All with fences, as in the series "Wild Rose". Needless to say, I was already impressed on the way to the park. The park itself is really huge and is divided into 4 sectors - Tijuca Forest, Carioca Land, Pedra Bonita Land, Black Forest. I highly recommend taking a jeep tour that will cost you 80 (25 dollars) reals per person. Accompanied by a guide, you will be taken to the most interesting places with stops at viewing platforms. We went on foot. The walk was beautiful (though my legs don’t think so), but in places it’s terrible - there’s not a soul around, everywhere signs about two-meter boas are set. But what beautiful giant trees - eucalyptus trees, bamboos, palm trees and hundreds of others whose names are difficult to operate if you are not a biologist. Almost every species has informational plates. There is also a small waterfall and a chapel on the territory. I was still waiting for a meeting with Coati, but in vain. Not a single living creature at all (including the promised snakes) was encountered. Opening hours: 8:00 - 18:00. The cost of admission is about 5 reais ($ 1.55). Address: ESTRADA DA CASCATINHA, 850 - ALTO DA BOA VISTA. Metro: Saens Peca + bus 221.

Tourist streets

The most important tourist streets in Rio are beaches "Ipanema", "Copacabana", "Leblon" and their promenades with millions of boutiques, juice bars, beach markets and cozy restaurants. On these streets, the wind from the Atlantic always blows towards you, and passers-by compete for the most fashionable outfit, which, of course, is a bikini here.

Once in the city center, be sure to take a walk Cineland quarter. At the beginning of the 20th century, the mayor of Pereira Passusu demolished more than 700 residential buildings in order to arrange a "little Paris" in the city center. So come here to stare at this very Paris. It is convenient to start the walk from the Cinelandia metro station on Piazza Floriano, surrounded by beautiful old palaces, and the world famous Rio de Janeiro theater is located next to the same square. The central streets of Rio de Janeiro are beautiful.

Fans of night hangouts recommend flying to the street Avenida mem de saalong which there are dozens of bars where they play Bosanova and dance samba until the morning.

What to see in 1 day

It is very sad if you have only one day in Rio, because in such a city and a whole life is not enough. Well, there's nothing to be done, 24 hours in the City of God I would have planned like this:

Morning (8-10 am). Go to Ipanema and watch the city wake up. The most pleasant way to watch is from a cozy cafe where you will be brought coffee and signature cheese rolls. At your disposal 2 hours for breakfast, the ocean and bikini.
Late morning (10-12 a.m.) After leaving the beach, do not cry, because you have a whole day ahead, filled with searches for interesting things in Rio de Janeiro. The closest metro station to Ipanema is Gal. Osorio. Dive on the subway, you need to be at the Cinelandia station. And here you are in the historical center of the city, take a walk around the Cinelandia quarter and the nearby streets - you will find colonial houses, architectural monuments, beautiful churches, in general, everything that the city center usually attracts.
Lunch (12: 00-13: 00) Dine at one of Lapa's restaurants. Feel free to order meat and beer!
After lunch (13: 00-15: 00) From the restaurant, walk to the Carioca metro station. There is a stop of the local old-fashioned Bondinho tram, which with a slight rattle will take you to the bohemian area of Santa Teresa mansions. Great views of Guanabara Bay await you along the way.
Day (15: 00-18: 00) After you leave the tram, rather go to the Sugarloaf (metro Botafogo), where you must certainly catch the start of sunset. If the sky is cloudless, then I guarantee that it will be the most incredible sunset in your life.
Evening (18: 00-22: 00) If you have time, and especially if you are a fan of football, I advise you to buy tickets for the match, which takes place at the stadium "Maracana". You will find an amazing game of Brazilian teams, tears, joy, a thousand emotions in one bottle. Tickets are inexpensive, the schedule of games can be found on the stadium website.

What to see in the surroundings

Even if the maximum program in Rio itself has not yet been completed, I highly recommend looking at what is going on around and sharpening your skis to cities such as Petropolis, Niterói, Arraial do Cabo. Each of them is associated with the dramatic history of the great Brazil, and in combination with stunning landscapes, they will become a worthy decoration of your piggy bank traveling around the country.

Petropolis

The charming town of the great drama of the century before last and palaces is located 65 km from Rio de Janeiro and was once considered the official summer residence of Emperor Pedro 2, whose reign was in the second half of the 19th century. It was this fact that predetermined the appearance of the city - the Brazilian nobility wanted to be closer to the emperor, because they set up beautiful mansions here.

Interesting that myself imperial palace (Palacio Imperial de Petropolis) simple and democratic enough and as if lost in the chic of the surrounding houses. In this city, only stories about Pedra 2, the emperor was loved and respected. Indeed, it was he who abolished slavery, for which he was expelled with his family to Europe. In general, if you want to plunge into the past of Brazil, take a walk along the old streets, admire the crystal palaces (there are several in the city), eat the most delicious feijoada in all of Brazil, come to Petropolis.

How to get there

You can get from Rio by car or by bus. Use the bus company UNICA, on the site you will find the schedule and cost of tickets. Approximately, 25 flights per day between cities. Travel time: 1.30. The ticket price is about 18 reais (6 dollars) in one direction.

Niteroi (Niteroi)

To whom it seemed that in Rio de Janeiro there are not so many cultural values, then such travelers need to go to Niteroi. This satellite city is a storehouse for art-seekers. Firstly, the great Oscar Nimeira, an architect, artist and just insanely nice people, worked on the architectural appearance of the city.

Secondly, in Niteroi there is a museum of modern art, the building of which, by the way, was built exactly by Oscar Nimeira. By itself, it is a giant flying saucer. Can you imagine? Museum galleries are spiral-shaped and feature masterpieces of conceptual art.

In addition to the Museum of Modern Art, it is worth visiting the fortress Fortaleza de Santa Cruz, and just taking a walk through the labyrinth of streets of the city between the colonial mansions of the 16-18 centuries.

How to get there

On a ferryboat. The journey from Rio to Niteroi itself is already a pleasant experience. It is best to sail here by ferry, which leaves every 30 minutes from the Praca XV terminal from Estacao das Barcas. Ferries run from 5:30 a.m. to 23 p.m. Ticket price from 3 to 12 reais (1-4 dollars) - depends on the departure time and the type of ferry. Travel time: about 30 minutes. Stunning views of Rio's panoramas await you along the way, and by the way, according to many, the most advantageous view of Christ the Redeemer’s Statue.

By bus. You can also take a bus or taxi. In this case, you will pass along the longest 14-kilometer bridge in South America. Chances are good that you will get stuck in traffic jams.

Arraial do Cabo

There are no foreign tourists in the city, only Brazilians themselves come here for the weekend. NO ONE speaks English. All 3 days we trusted the taste of the waiter from the cafe opposite the hotel, which fed us with barracuda, cooked in different ways, or risotto with "lula" (that is, with squid). Everything was always very tasty, only very large portions. A skirmish is inevitable :-)

Be careful when choosing a hotel - they are very simple and very expensive here (although cheaper than in neighboring Buzios, advertised in all guides). It is better to book with a free cancellation, so that if something moves. We had the strictest cancellation policy and we had to live in a closet with ugly green walls, sparkling electrodes in the shower and justifying everything with the sound of the Atlantic Ocean.

The program of stay here is simple - the beach and cruises to dolphins. On the boat, crowds of Brazilian girls all drink beer, eat chicken skewers and dance samba. My Vadik was in seventh heaven :-)

How to get there

You need to buy tickets on the website of the bus company 1001, arrive at the Rodoviaria Novo Rio station, pick up tickets at the ticket office and take seats on the bus. Just a day 6-7 flights.
Travel time is about 3-4 hours. Ticket price from 40 reais (13 dollars), depending on the class of the bus.

Hint: Routes to neighboring cities Rio de Janeiro - Niterói 6 km Janeiro - Marika 36 km

Nearby islands

In 120 km from Rio lost an amazing tropical Ilya Grande Island. This is a real green patch of Amazon in the middle of the ocean and one of the most beautiful places in Brazil, and maybe throughout South America.

Ilya Grande is like an island from the books of Jules Verne. Once upon a time, the Tupinamba Indians lived here, and the paths laid by them can still be used for walking.

The main attraction of Ilya Grande is the wildlife and beautiful beaches. Take a water taxi (it costs a penny here) and go on a tour of Ilya Grande Bay with its many islands, wild beaches, waterfalls and other natural wonders. In the village of Abrau, located in the middle of virgin forests, you can rent a room in a small house, and in the evenings enjoy the sunset in one of the local restaurants. By the way, there are no ATMs on the island and only accept cash. Do not forget about it.

How to get there

From Rio de Janeiro you need to take a bus from the station to the Rodoviaria Novo Rio station (Costa Verde bus company) to the Conceicao de Jacarei stop, and then by ferry. Ferries depart daily (about 5 flights per day). Mono tickets are bought directly on the spot, costing about 15 reais (5 dollars) per person.

Food. What to try

Rio never claimed to be the country's exquisite gastronomic capital. I would not be surprised if in Brazil there is none at all. Everything is simple, satisfying, sometimes tasty, sometimes not.
In this city you need to eat meat. It is right, juicy, awesome.My friend, a vegetarian, once admitted with a glass of burgundy that she doesn’t eat meat anywhere except Brazil and Argentina. You can eat meat in a variety of variations, but in order not to be mistaken, I advise you to take just a steak. As a rule, it is served with vegetables and french fries.
Street food deserves special attention in Rio. I still remember the scent Pão de queijo de tapioca (round cheese buns), which in Rio just soars in the air. Every morning I ate them in an amount of at least 7 pieces. By the way, balls are still fish. And they are also very tasty. Called "Bolinhos de bacalhau".
Even in Rio, a popular dish with the eastern name "feijoada" is popular. This is generally considered a traditional Brazilian treat, and previously it was the food of slaves. The following ingredients - beans, meat and everything that comes to hand. You will find this dish in restaurants and in street stalls. I would not say that it is very tasty, but, no doubt, interesting :-)
In downtown, near the Carioca station, very colorful Brazilian women lure all passersby with shrimp sandwiches. It looks very tasty, but Vadik did not allow me to try because of a suspicious green sauce. This empad sandwich is called. Will you be in Rio - eat 2! :-)

Drinks deserve special attention in Rio de Janeiro. I think everyone knows about caipirinho. The local alcohol, which is sold at every turn, is a mixture of cachashas (Brazilian vodka), lime, cane sugar and sometimes mint. Very tasty and very drunk. After 3 days it is impossible to watch this cocktail. Another thing - tangerine caipirinha. In one of the bars in Lapa, I met a resident of Sao Paulo, and she advised her to order it. As a rule, tangerine caipirinha is not on the menu and bartenders make this drink at the request of the knowledgeable. Try it for sure - it's a terrific cocktail that never bothers.
I would classify the juice bars of Rio de Janeiro as the wonders of gastronomy. They are scattered throughout the city and offer visitors to try a variety of exotic juices. Where else will you have the opportunity to enjoy drinks from acerola, graviola and acai?

Recommended Places

Delicious restaurants in Rio are very difficult. Everyone is not taking a steam bath here. But personally, I am very worried about food, so by trial and error I still found those in which you can eat deliciously. I disclose attendance and passwords for TravelAsk readers.

Market Ipanema. Address: R. Visc. de Pirajá, 452, tel. +55 21 3283-1438. The restaurant will delight lovers of healthy food, rice, smoothies. Great place for lunch. The average bill is 70 reais ($ 20) for lunch with a drink per person.
Pergula. Address: Av. Atlântica, 1702 - Copacabana, tel. +55 21 2548-7070. Of course, this is the best restaurant in the city where you can try traditional Brazilian cuisine. It is located in the most luxurious and legendary hotel Copacabana Palace. Here is the real and delicious food, prepared according to recipes of Brazilian housewives, collected from all the depths of the country. I advise you to try the Brazilian shrimp vatali soup and fajoadu, of course. The average bill for lunch is 120-150 reais per person (40-60 dollars) with a glass of wine.
Lasai. Address: Rua Conde de Irajá, 191 - Botafogo, tel: +55 21 3449-1854. Do not believe it, this is a restaurant with a Michelin star. It is very expensive and very tasty. He is on the list of the best throughout South America. It serves South American cuisine in a European manner. In season, you can try piranha soup, for example. Generally menu on sets. The cost of a set per person from 300 reais (95 dollars).

Budgetary

"Delírio Tropical", a chain of restaurants in the city.
"Baixo Gago", Laranjeiras.
"Bar do Adão", a chain of restaurants in the city.
"Corujão", Benfica.

Mid level

"Tacacá do Norte", Flamengo.
"Botero", Laranjeiras.
"Point Lanches", Tabajaras.
"Fat Choi", Glória.

Expensive

"Pergula", Copacabana.
"Lasai", Botafogo.
"Olympe", Lagoa.
"Quitéria Restaurante", Ipanema.

Holidays

The most important holiday in Rio de Janeiro is February.

In February, the world-famous carnival in Rio de Janeiro, whose photo is full of all the magazines, starts annually. And this, of course, is a great show with its own traditions, which can not be found. The essence of the event is that all the townspeople and guests of the city dress up in bright dance costumes and go out to watch the competition of the best dance schools in samba. All groups of speakers move on special platforms, about 80 minutes are allocated for the performance of each school.

If samba in your soul has long been tapping mischievous pa, then a visit to the carnival will become a gem in the treasury of travel. Here is a resource where you will find a lot of useful information, life hacks and tips on how to organize your trip to the carnival.

As for me, I love samba and yet I decided not to go to the carnival! :-) Because it is very expensive. And I also do not like tourists, and the carnival definitely involves crowds of people. During my stay in Rio, I made friends from the locals, and all of them (of different age categories, gender and financial situation) admitted that they were trying to leave the city during the carnival. In addition to the craziness that is happening on the streets, prices are rising tens of times, as well as the crime rate, unfortunately. My Brazilian friends also reported that the place of a tourist in the carnival is always on the side, in a crowd of completely different people, often vulgarly drunk and literally dangerous. So it goes.

The carnival is very beautifully drawn in fantasy, but in reality it can disappoint with its bustle, as it disappointed many of my friends who still decided to attend this celebration of life. Therefore, I advise you to weigh the pros and cons of such a trip. And also I want to inform you that the spirit of the carnival in Rio always reigns. Only in other months, this spirit is not associated with crowds of tourists.

Security. What to watch out for

Rio is a beautiful but dangerous city. I advise you to always be on the alert and, going on long walks, not to take all your jewelry with you. Your earrings will instantly cease to belong to you - such clever street scammers here.

I admit, I looked at Rio through pink glasses and nothing bad happened - no scenes with robbery and shootings. But I assure you, this is not uncommon in Rio, this is evidenced by the experience of my fellow travelers and the stories of local friends. Take care of yourself in this city and be attentive to others!

Things to do

When you are in Rio, the soul seems to be in flight. Feel like a seagull, soaring relaxed in the streams of a cloudless sky. And it seems to me that not to make a real flight in this city is a crime!
And here is a couple of options that will become a unique experience in your life.

Hang glider flight. Well, highly recommend. You will not only see the city from a bird's eye view, but also feel like a real bird. The emotions that such a flight will give you are difficult to describe in words, you are waiting for such adrenaline that it will be enough for another year without traveling. The stunning views of the City of God will be in the palm of your hand: the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, and the Sugarloaf, and the green peaks of the Tijuca National Park, and, of course, the outlines of all the beaches with turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There are many companies in the city that offer flights. I advise you to contact one of these agencies in advance, because this is a very popular attraction among tourists and kariokas. I can advise the local company "Matuete" or ask the concierge at the hotel.
FROMthe cost of flying in tandem is not small - from $ 150 per person. True, this price already includes transfers from the hotel to Tijuca Park (it is from here that the flight starts from the Pedro Bonita ramp), entrance fees to the park, insurance and the flight itself (about 12 minutes in the air). Believe me, it's worth it!

Helicopter flight. This is a very cool way to see the whole city in 10 minutes and is surprisingly affordable. Officially, two companies operate helicopter tours in Rio: HeliSul and HeliSight. On the sites you can see the most current price information and book a flight. In total, there are 3 platforms in Rio from where flights are made:
- Sugar Loaf, Mount Urca (Pão de Açucar - Urca).
- Lagoa District, Patins Park (Lagoa - Parque dos Patins).
- Observation deck of the Don Marta (Mirante Dona Marta).
The cost of a 6-minute flight from 210 reais ($ 65) per person. The helicopter is designed for 3 passengers. In general, flights can be very different in duration, program and price. There are plenty to choose from.

Shopping and shops

Along Ipanema and Copacabana there are many boutiques where you can buy beautiful clothes from Brazilian and leading brands. Everything is VERY expensive. The city also has shopping centers, and if necessary, you can buy any clothes. But Rio, comrades, is not a place to hunt for brands. The only thing worth buying is the Havaianas brand slippers, which are sold in shops throughout the city. Well, Rainha brand sneakers, in which you have been going for 10 years.

Pay attention to antique and art shops. Here you can get really outlandish and unusual gizmos. I advise you to look at these shops:

LA VEREDA HANDICRAFTS. A wide selection of paintings by local artists, clay figures from the state of Pernambuco, bright T-shirts in the style of Bondo.Address: R. Alm. Alexandrino, 428 - Santa Teresa.Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 20:00. There is no site.
PE DE BOI . This seems to be the best store for art lovers. Here you can even just go look, the store is like a gallery. Here are rare works of craftsmen from the Amazon and other distant corners of Brazil. Address: R. Ipiranga, 55 - Laranjeiras. Opening hours: daily, except Sunday from 10 to 19.
PLANO B. This is the place where you can dig up old records with jazz records, as well as modern discs with the best music of Brazilian musicians. Often there are DJ parties on weekends. Look at the poster on the site. Address: R. Francisco Muratóri, 2 - Santa Teresa. Opening hours: check on the site, change all the time.

Bars Where to go

One of the best and most atmospheric bars where samba is played and danced is CARIOCA DA JEMA.
It opens at 10 pm, and by this time the entrance is already in line to get there. Entrance is paid, it costs about 10 dollars. At the same time they will give you a bracelet, and you can enter and exit as much as you like. But I don’t want to go out - such a captivating atmosphere and amazing music. At the same time, there are many people aged 45+, mainly Brazilians, all dressed very nicely and tastefully. Address: Av. Mem de Sá, 79 - Centro.

No less colorful is the bar ARMAZEM SAO THIAGO. The regulars are local artists drinking draft beer under a quiet samba. But in the evening, the level of decibels increases sharply and the bar is filled with party people of different varieties. Address: R. Áurea, 26 - Santa Teresa.

And here is a list of great places:

Lapa 40 Graus (R. Riachuelo, 97 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro).
Jazz in (R. Sacadura Cabral, 63).
Bar bukowski (R. Álvaro Ramos, 270 - Botafogo).
Bla Bla Champanheria (Av. Érico Veríssimo, 843 - Barra da Tijuca).

Clubs and nightlife

Rio as if created for party-goers. You can trust me in this matter, I myself am.

For ongoing fun, alcohol and samba go to Lapa. In the maze of small streets and dilapidated buildings, Bossanov rumbles, and after 12 or more incendiary motifs. The coolest thing is that the music is live here. Dancing in Rio de Janeiro until the morning - in bars, near bars, on the street, in other words everywhere and absolutely everything.

Party in Rio de Janeiro at night concentrated mainly in bars. But there are a couple of great clubs with parties "for the rich." It is often visited by stars on vacation, all are dressed beautifully, stylishly. And still the main leitmotif is samba until the morning.

Sobe. The club is roofless, so a fresh breeze from the Atlantic will keep you toned all night. The dress code seems to be there, but in havaianas slippers they will easily let you in. Gorgeous cocktails, cool DJs. In the afternoon, the institution operates as a restaurant. Address: Rua Pacheco Leão, 724 - Jardim Botânico.
Sub Astor Rio. There is a more "serious" situation. We recommend changing havaianas slippers to branded shoes. There is a dress code. The cocktails are delicious, as are the public at large. Address: 100 Av. Vieira Souto, Ipanema.

And here's what I want to say: in the afternoon in Rio de Janeiro there is also a party. The beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema are at your service.

Extreme sports

The most extreme sports in Rio de Janeiro are perhaps hang gliding and surfing.

About hang gliders, I already wrote in detail in the section "What to do." As for surfing, Rio is very fond of it. The waves here are year-round, but the structure is quite complex if you are a beginner.

If you are an experienced surfer, then take a board and go to the beaches of Recreo or Barra de Tijuca. On the beaches you can find equipment rental points at which there are always experienced instructors. The cost of the lesson is negotiable :-)

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

Slippers Havaianas

These are the best slippers ever. Already on the second day of my stay in Rio, my legs claimed first degree disability, such were the consequences of a 30-kilometer walk in heavy rain in Tijuc. I decided that this was a worthy excuse to beg new shoes from Vadik. And so we went to the Havaianas shop (in Rio they are at every turn). Millions of models of beach shoes, sneakers, slippers opened my eager eyes. Prices are super adequate. Good slippers can be bought for 75 reais ($ 20). In Brazil, everybody wears these shoes, and this is not surprising, because they will not cause you the slightest inconvenience and look bright and stylish.

Musical plate Chicot Bouarki

Chico Bouarki is a legendary Brazilian singer, actor, public figure and just a handsome man. His music is magical. Buy your disk and Brazil will forever remain in your heart. I still cry from Bye Bye, Brasil. A wonderful gift for music lovers. The price of the plate is from 50 reais (15 dollars).

Natural cosmetics Granado

The most natural, most Brazilian cosmetics. It is famous primarily for its glycerin soaps. But there are lotions for the body and much more. The persistent smell of exotic plants, fruits and freshness will give you a Brazilian mood every day. Prices start from 5 real (2 dollars). And here is their site.

How to get around the city

In Rio, the cheapest way to travel is by public transport, the safest thing is by taxi, and the best way is by bike.

A one-way bus ride costs between 2.7 and 5 reais ($ 1-3), a metro ride costs 4.1 reais ($ 2).

By the way, in the subway there is such a ticket Subway + MetrôRio bus service, which includes one trip on the subway and one on a special bus. Cost - 4.1 reais (2 dollars).

A taxi ride in the center starts at 30 reais ($ 10) - this is the basic fare.

And along the beaches of the city, I advise you to move on the greats. Bicycle rental for 2 hours about 15 reais (5 dollars).

Taxi. What features exist

Undoubtedly the safest and most convenient mode of transport. Cars ply throughout the city. You can catch right on the street or call through the easy taxi app. There are 2 types of taxis - yellow and white. Yellow - you drive traffic. White - fixed rate.

Even in the city there are motorcycle taxis, their stations are mainly based at the foot of the favel.

How to get from Galeo International Airport to the city center by taxi

At the exit from the main terminal you will see a row of white taxis that operate on fixed traffic. On all machines will be written "100 reais" ($ 30) or a figure similar to this. This is the price of a trip to the city center.

The airport also has an official city taxi stand (all yellow cars). Price by agreement - you can take a fixed rate or by meter.

How to get from Santos Dumont Airport to the city center by taxi

In the airport building, there are city taxi racks at the exit. You go anywhere, call the destination, you are called the cost. You pay. On the street you will already be waiting for the driver. The cost of a trip to the center (the airport itself is in the center) is 70 reais ($ 20).

Trams

In Rio, I found one single tram - a Bondinho that runs from Lapa to Santa Teresa. I talked about him earlier. However! During my stay in the city, rails were laid all over the center. I guess for the tram. But at the moment, there is still no tram traffic.

Underground

Metro Rio de Janeiro is notable for its convenience, modern stations, it is very easy to understand it. The metro is divided into 2 lines: orange (Linha 1) and green (Linha 2).I advise you to actively use the metro site, there is an interactive map with which you can understand how to get from point A to point B.

In addition, on the site you will find information about all the main attractions of the city, including a description, the current cost of entry, opening hours and how to get to them by metro.

And here's another thing - the metro in Rio hell is cold, take a blouse with you or something.

Buses

There are a lot of buses in the city, especially in the center, and all of them are constantly crowded with citizens. Nevertheless, such invaluable advantages as a dedicated lane and low cost of a ticket give this type of transport huge advantages. By the way, on the buses you can watch the locals, believe me, this is very interesting.

It is almost impossible to understand the numbering of buses and their directions without preliminary preparation. My advice is to always think ahead of your way to one or another part of the city and find out which bus number you need. A sign to help.

How to get from the international airport to the city center by bus

From the Galeão Rio De Janeiro Airport to the city center about 14 km.
We arrived at 5:40 in the morning and were in no hurry. Therefore, we decided to go by bus. At the exit of terminal 2 yellow buses stop. If you need to the city center - be guided by the inscription "CAPACABANA". This bus passes through the entire center and stops at each stop. Show the driver the address, and he will stop as close as possible to the desired address. The fare is about $ 1.50 per person (4 reais).

In theory, from the airport to the Capacabana stop - 40 minutes, but we got into all possible traffic jams and were in place only after a couple of hours.

Vehicle rental

Cars

My opinion is this: it is better to do without a car in Rio and not get involved in renting. Traffic in the City of God is intense, the geography of the city is insanely difficult to quickly understand, there is no parking, large fines. Well, and a large number of cases of robbery of cars.

If you still decide to rent a car, then take it better from local companies, the price will be 10 percent lower. You can see prices in advance and monitor promotional offers here. Remember to get an international driver’s license and credit card. When you make a car, you will get insurance at the rate of approximately $ 12 per day. At the discretion of the transport company, a security deposit is sometimes charged.

Bicycles

Here renting bicycles in Rio is very cool. Along the beaches of "Copacabana" and "Ipanema" are various rental companies. I advise you to find the points of Bike Rio. These bikes are free in the first hour, and when renting for the whole day you will pay only 5 reais (1.50 dollars).

To rent such a bike, you need to have a mobile phone and 300 reais (95 dollars) on your credit card (they will be temporarily blocked as a deposit).

Rio de Janeiro - holidays with children

Rio de Janeiro is a great destination for families with children.

Believe me, your little overlords will be absolutely delighted with the exotic nature of this city. After all, here they are waiting for acquaintance with toucans, monkeys, coatis, pelicans and other terribly cute beasts. I am sure that children will see this sunny metropolis exactly as it is shown in the cartoon of Rio!

And yet, there are obvious obstacles and difficulties that you need to think about before you go with your children to Rio.

Firstly, a tiring long flight. Indeed, in total, you will spend at least 16 hours on airplanes. Will your fidget stand such an adventure?
And secondly, do not forget that Rio is a city in the middle of the jungle, where any mosquito bite can have consequences even for an adult. And there are many mosquitoes, as well as other insects flying and crawling. Have you heard about the Zico virus? So I seem to have been ill with them during the trip. It came out of nowhere and also suddenly disappeared. But for 3 days I was in a severe fever, lying with a temperature of +39.