We were recommended to eat at MAC by a local while visiting Camino de Neimeyer in Niteroi. What a…read morepleasant experience! It is located below the Museum of Contemporary Art. First of all you will see a breathtaking view of Rio (Sugar Loaf, Christ Redemer). It is an excellent place for pictures and to know Oscar Niemeyer's (architect) work. Once you have finished taken pictures and visiting the museum, step down into the restaurant MAC. Very classy, elegant and also with a view. The menu it is not long and you have variety. We ordered fish, chicken and beef. All flavors were delicious with the perfect side to match. Fish covered with tapioca crust with dark quinoa and steamed veggies. Curry chicken with almond rice and potato balls. Beef bourguignon with linguini. Lemon Pie. All flavors were amazing and we could not choose a favorite! It is pricier compared to previous experiences at other places, but it is definitely worth it!!!

I guess I have an affinity for UFO shaped buildings so the MAC was my second one I visited this…read moresummer. It was located across the Bay in Niterói via a 20 minute ferry and then a 10 minute taxi ride from the ferry building. The façade was very sleek and well placed on a slight outcropping into the bay that could've held a nice view of Rio on a clearer day. The building was designed by Oscar Niemeyer a well regarded Brazilian architect who was responsible for hundreds of projects throughout Brazil. I was nicely greeted upon entering and told that there was free admission that day. He directed us up the ramp to the top floor to walk around and see the panorama views outside while the exhibit floor was empty except for the painters. Unfortunately the museum itself was under renovation (a common theme during this visit to Rio) so there was nothing to see and even the regarded cafe was closed. At least I got to wander through this saucer shaped museum but the views from outside were much better and clearer (maybe until the windows were cleaned after the renovation).

Every time I go to Rio, I love checking out the exhibits here. This July, I got here just in time…read moreto check out the Picasso and Spanish Modern Art exhibit. Pretty awesome. Though the Japanese art exhibit a couple years ago was super cool. Just FYI, they don't let you take photos of the artwork, but will let you take pictures of the placards with descriptions. The top floor has a permanent money and president office exhibit. Don't miss out on that. Price to get in? Free. Dat line tho. It wrapped around the building, and then some. There are lots of street vendors outside selling filled churros and popcorn. But there are also some sweet and savory snacks available inside. There's also a book shop.

Free exhibit of Salvador Dali's work at the cultural center!! What what!!! Great activity (thank…read moreyou random stranger at a bar for telling me) for a rainy day or if you are in the Centro area. It is kind of confusing when you enter so don't think the exhibit is only a tiny showcase of a few paintings and nose/lip sculpture. You'll have to loop around the museum to find the line to the exhibit where you go up to the first floor on an old elevator that is hand cranked by a human (crazy)! Rumor has it going during the week is easier to get in - we went in around 2pm and didn't have to wait in line but when we were done around 330ish, there was a long line. Come early!

Yelp Review 2025 #179:…read more I originally wanted to visit this museum because of its architecture. It reminds me of Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias in Valencia, Spain. Museu do Amanha or Museum of Tomorrow is a nice museum in the Centro area of Rio focusing on visually presenting in a scientific method how our current affects our future. During my visit, the exhibits had climate crisis (no longer climate change) as the theme. Full-price tickets are 40 Brazilian Reais or under $8 which is not bad at all. If you want to check out specific exhibits, it's extra. The goal is to hopefully, open up our eyes as to how our actions or lack thereof affect our future in 50 years time or future generations. And bring awareness so we can make better choices. The resources we enjoy now may not be around in the future - nothing lasts forever unless, we do better. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and this museum was packed! I would've picked a different day and time but that's just how my itinerary worked. I only did a quick walk until I got overwhelmed by the crowd and I left. You can take pictures without flash/ annoying selfie sticks and short video clips in all areas of the museum except for Cosmos. There's a shop and a cafe. There are also vendors outside the museum selling popcorn, churros and açaí bowls. It turns out the architecture looked familiar because Museum do Amanha and Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias were designed by the same Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava.

An unexpected treat! We decided to check out this museum when someone suggested it to us. The…read morecurrent exhibition focuses on sustainability and climate change. There was a series of amazing pieces, installations, interactive artworks, amd digital pieces throughout the entire 2nd floor. The architecture of the museum itself is a marvelous work of art. Highly recommend.

This is a very nice and huge stadium to watch any sports that is played here. I was here for the…read moreNFL Football game between the Cowboys and Ravens. The stadium can fit a bunch of fans and also has an area for pregame celebration. Parking is decent just like any other stadium parking. The lights, audio and overall experience will be great for fans when they come to attend a game.

When in Rio, I had to see where Brazilian soccer greats played especially Pele…read more Having its own metro and station made it simpler to reach and accommodate the throngs of fans on game day. In winter, I could only plan to take the tour of the stadium and the small museum on site. Admission was R94 and I guess I was expecting more from my tour of the largest soccer stadium in the world and a Brazilian institution. After the brief video introduction, we were escorted to the locker room and then left to wander on our own. No guided tour, no explanations posted (except in the museum area) but many opportunities to pay more for photos on the field, holding a replica FIFA trophy, kicking a soccer ball, etc. The locker room showcased every jersey from the Brazilian home teams and was quite popular photo spot to take pics with their favorite team. I sat in the home team bench dugout, climbed the stairs up the seating area to get a higher view of the field and get seated in the media room hot seat. The museum consisted of jerseys, bios on Pele and other famous players, the chairs from Queen Elizabeth's visit, Pope JPII stand, Olympics 2016, FIFA 2026 signed soccer ball by Shakira, COPA and FIFA teams and history. Bathrooms were located by the museum. After exiting the tour, the courtyard contained the gift shop and food court. I think they could do so much more to engage their fans but it seemed like paying for all those photo or video opportunities was the main focus unfortunately. Great for die hard fans or if one timed a visit for an actual game.

Big place!!! Very easy to get lost cause a lot of it looks the same. Monkeys are seen throughout…read more Look at all the colorful birds as well. Its 80 reais (about $16 USD). Worth every dollar as i would be okay with getting charged more. If you get lost just open your phones map and you can find your way to the exit.

I loved this huge botanical garden, which was like a beautiful tropical paradise. It was my first…read morestop after checking my luggage at the hotel. The cost was around $15 for US residents (less for locals) and only cash is accepted. Upon entering, I noticed black monkeys walking around the rainforest-esque environment, as well as climbing trees. There were palm trees, bright and colorful flowers, bodies of water, lovely little bridges, gorgeous fountain, yellow and green state house, greenhouses with rare and award winning orchids, a wonderful cafe serving fancy coffee & beverages, playground, and more. There were plenty of breathtaking views of the many natural wonders. I really enjoyed my time exploring the vast expanse of the garden. The place was sprawling and easy to get lost in. It tops the list as one of my favorite botanical gardens that I have visited.