While in Rio stayed in Ipanema - skip that beach, dirty/litter but more 'happening'. Much prefer a…read morequick Uber ride over to Leblon, clean and less hagglers on the beach. Great eats beachside - with prime shaded spots for plenty of people watching.

I was staying in Copacabana, but had been on the other end of RJ earlier that day and ended up in…read moreLeblon and worked my way up. I think this is my favorite out of the three and where I spent most of my beach time at. While I hadn't tried to go to Copacabana or Ipanema during the same hours, I found Leblon to be less crowded which I personally liked. It felt calmer, more relaxing here. You can rent a chair and umbrella for a day R$20 or R$40 (forgot) at the one I rented from. They help you set everything up and ask you where you would like to sit. You'll also have the chance to order a drink from their stand and they'll bring it out to you. I've paid both in the beginning and at the end - not sure what is the usual. They will usually come to check up on you I think or at least mine did. If you had agua de coco, they say you can leave it on the beach and there will be a team of people with a truck to pick them up at some point throughout the day (yes, I saw them). You'll see and get approached by many walking vendors on the beach. At first I was weary of some trying to sell me things I didn't want, but really I think it's great and I like how they're there. I've been told that these are all side hustlers trying to make an extra buck, but there are some that actually have good stuff. For example, I had bought sterling silver jewelry two separate times from the same artists, different days on Leblon Beach. I have tried some of the food / snacks and the Yerba mate tea. I wish I had tried all or more of the food vendors. I think I was hesitant b/c I wasn't sure how the food would be ok if they'd been walking all day with it, but hot food really does stay hot cause they carry them in insulated bags. You'll see vendors carrying swimwear, towels, sunscreen, sunglasses, macrame jewelry and accessories, and food of all kinds (burgers, shrimp, corn, salgados, e doces). Always be cognizant of your belongings and those who are around you. I never had any issues, but I've heard stories of people getting robbed before - they either work in teams of two or more sometimes and might try to distract you while the other tries to pickpocket you or steal your stuff. Never leave your valuables unattended if you plan to go into the water. When you're ready to leave, just leave everything where it was. The crew picks everything up throughout / towards the end of the day. If you need to use the restroom, there are public restrooms available for a fee. The one I went to was R$5 I think. There are areas to clean off the ocean water and sand - outdoor showers (they usually keep running all day) and then smaller ones by the steps to the sidewalk for your feet, etc. If you're into volleyball, you can also join a group to play for a fee. If you workout, there are various workout bars (not sure what to call them) spaced amongst the sidewalks of the beach and of course, you will see joggers / runners on the road along with cyclists and people riding Itaú bikes along the path. I rented the Itaú bikes a couple times and one day I road it from Copacabana to Leblon and back. Use your app to locate the many bike docking stations. People usually start filtering out around 7pm. There's a good view of Dois Irmãos. Be sure you have sunscreen and sun protection cause even on cloudy days could you possibly get a bad sun tan (I sure did, lol and I still have an outline from the top I was wearing *crying emoji face*).

The monument was incredible - the views from the top were absolutely amazing!…read more The lack of organization and zero crowd control was very frustrating. There were no queues for the train, nor for the entrance into the statue making it a total free for all.

During our visit to Brazil this of course was on our list of something we needed to see…read more We had a tour nice & early, getting in we took the elevator up so it doesn't take long once u are up there it's just simply .. WOW! The views from up here are insane, we had the lovely surprised of seeing monkey which was fun. The worse part is the crowds, we were here early morning like 8am & it was unfortunately crazy jammed packed so many people it's annoying & u pretty much just kinda deal with it. There's a gift shop, bathrooms & area for drinks. This was amazing to see in person, the crist statue, the insane views it really gives u such perspective at the beauty around u. Definitely worth the visit & one of those things that I would say are a must see.

It's a very beautiful area. Feels like the heart of Rio. Must ride the train. Very cool. Stayed…read morehere for only 4 night and man, it's abundant of mosquitos and the air bnb we stayed in was a older house, 1900s (like most houses in Santa Teresa) and the mosquitos would slip in through all the doors and windows. I was trying to avoid them but it was a remarkable city. Has a lot of little monkeys and cool shops and the pubs are great!

Really pretty neighborhood with net architecture. They have a lot of little spots for food too.read more

The museum is at the southern end of the Copacabana, and where the Colombo is. I think most people…read moregoing there is for the cafes and meals.  The Fort charges a nominal fee to get in and they don't take credit card. When we asked if USD would do, the guard kindly let us in. Thank you. The ground is neatly kept. We walked around briefly after lunch. It's scene.

Fort of Copacabana offers a beautiful view of Copacabana and the ocean and with it's spectacular 14…read morein guns it offered adequate protection as well This museum is free to all military personnel from around the world which is a nice touch for military travelers

One of the most popular landmarks in Brazil, the Selaron Steps are a highlight of the Lapa…read moreneighborhood. we were lucky to be able to stop by twice first time at night which was great because there were not that many people around & the next time during the day so glad we came before just way too many people during the day hard to really enjoy the area. The steps are a fun colorful display of different countries, art, bright colors & traditions infused together to make these crazy colorful steps. This was a nice stop for sure & definitely worth the look.

This is one of the major tourist spots (after Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mt) in Rio. It's…read morejust as crowded but not as much? Maybe I'm used to the chaos of Rio by now haha. It's mainly crowded at the bottom of the steps (duh, you have to walk up the steps). I think it's actually better at the top with the Brazil flag. Also, it's fun to find the tiles with the different cities from all over the world. I loved the Paris ones. You have to go to the other sites early in the morning but this one is fine if you can just walk to the top.

Yelp Review 2025 #187:…read more Arcos do Lapa also known as Carioca Aqueduct because that was the original function of this structure when it was built in the 17th-18th century. It brought fresh water from Carioca River. But because of technical and financial issues, the project was put to a halt. By the 19th century, it served as a bridge for Santa Teresa tram I was walking around Lapa on my first day in Rio at 9am and 6am the next day. Of course, you can take better pictures at 6am while the city is still asleep. No cars, only a handful of people. There's a lot of homeless people in this area. Watch your step because there's plenty of poop here both from dogs and humans - not something you'd read on travel blogs and travel guides. The aqueduct is in between the cathedral and Escadaria Selaron. Check it out at night too when it's lit up.

I went here pretty quickly thanks to a friend I knew and met up with on another trip so I didn't…read morespend that much time here but there's a bunch of bars and things around here which we did have a beer at but these arches are famous here It's cool to see this kind of tech because you mainly see it in Europe so to see it so far away in Brazil is cool

Take a moment to stop in to this cathedral- it's stunning. No entrance fee, just take off your hat…read moreand follow the rules. Our guide said this cathedral can hold 21,000 people standing and they fill it to capacity when the pope visits. Absolutely stunning architecture!!

I did not have any expectations for this place and it really exceeded my non-existent expectations…read more It's free entry and easy to find (totally sticks out in Centro). It looks like a spaceship from the outside and definitely does not look like a church. The stained glass windows were huge and it's a sight to see. I think it's worth a visit if you have time, definitely a unique sight in Rio.