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 structure is everything that you think it should be. The views are breath taking…read more The train ride up is interesting. Catching the from the left side going up the mountain is beautiful. There are 80 steps to the top from the elevator drop off. Be prepared to hike up. They do have ways to transport people who are unable to walk. Trust your own risk. Two people in my group suffered injuries. The staff was very attentive in addressing the medical needs. Go early!!! It can get very crowded after 12.

I waited all week hoping that the low cloud cover would finally clear but ended up taking the…read moretrain up anyways on my last day in Rio. Since the escalators were being repaired it was a nice climb up all the flights of stairs to reach the base of the statue. There was one functional elevator but limited to those requiring assistance only. No views were available so will have to return for the panoramas of Rio. The fog unfortunately was thick so couldn't see the details but there was an ethereal appearance. I also joined a mass in the chapel at the base of the statue and that was a unique experience. It was conducted in both Portuguese and Spanish when the father found out there was a majority of Spanish speaking visitors. Will be returning to revisit in better weather next time.

Best way to experience it is to take the tram near the Cathedral all the way up for just BR20 both…read moreways, and then walk down to Guimaraes, where you get great views of the northern part of the city as you stroll down the hill, but beware of your surroundings as the cars here go around the bends like maniacs and you are in a favela after all, even though they are mostly harmless, just get down to Centro or Guimaraes before dark.

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!

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

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.

Walk up the steps to be able to view all the tiles. Walking down the steps you won't see all the…read moretiles. Have a drink at the top at a rooftop bar.

I weaved around the huge crowds to climb the Selaron steps all the way to the top…read more There were too many people but if you got lucky then there was a break where one could take an almost clean photo without too many bodies in the way. It seemed like most people gathered on the bottom half of the stairs and less so near the top. The steps were colorful and tiles even made their way onto the concrete walls along the stairs. There even were a few bathtubs thrown into the mix. The most popular photo spots that day were the labeled Escaderia Selaron and Rio De Janiero steps, the podium like Brasil Eu Te Amo and closer to the top was the Brasil 2010 wall. Food and drinks were being sold all the way up to the top. I found the Bay Area tiles (cable car, Alcatraz and Golden Gate Bridge) but just one of the thousands sent over from around the world. If you have time then also check out Jorge Selaron's fancy final resting spot in the Cemitério de São João Batista. Two very dedicated fans who met him helped drive the effort to make his spot very similar in style here. Next time I'd come back earlier in the day to avoid the crowds.

You have to try stop by Lapa during your trip to Rio. We got there a bit early at 8pm as we were…read morehungry and planned to just grab a bite there. We were surprised to see so many food stalls there which was great as we love street food. After walking up and down the street and looking at all the vendors we stopped by a pasta joint just west of the aqueduct. To our surprise the owner spoke perfect English. He was very helpful in telling us about the area and where we needed to go. The pasta was really good too so be sure to stop by and try it. We then hit up a few bars street vendors. They had the cheapest drinks we've seen anywhere and they were very stiff. Get a fresh fruit caipirinha as they're incredibly tasty and the blend it with whole fruit right in front of you and they were only about $5 US. The bars are really cool around the area and they have plenty of samba, reggae, hip hop and all types of music. Again, a stop in this are is a MUST. Regarding safety, I never once felt threatened here even though we went to about 10 bars in the area. Just be smart and not have jewelry and keep your wallet in your front pocket and you'll do just fine. Also, avoid dark alleys but I shouldn't have to tell you that. Don't pay attention to the rumors. This area is safe.

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.

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!!

We visited this amazing cathedral as part of a city tour in Rio and were amazed!…read more From the exterior you might never guess it's a cathedral based on its unique pyramid shape. We learned the architect was a fan of the Mayan pyramid temples and wanted to build a similarly shaped cathedral. The inside is spacious and massive with so many amazing design details. There is a wonder peaceful and cool stillness inside as well which makes it a great place to sit and collect your thoughts for a little while. We really enjoyed strolling around inside and being in awe of this amazing structure!