We took uber there, it is not in a walking distance from every tourist place you might be. We…read morechecked before that Sunday's and Holidays was old anyway. It wasn't today. Llegamos en uber aqui, no es una distancia para caminar de los tipicos lugares turisticos que uno puede estar. Chequeamos antes de ese domingo horarios y feriados. Estaba cerrado. No era hoy!

For R$14, the museum is a fairly decent value. That said, today we were a little unlucky because…read morenearly half of the museum seemed to be closed off for a private event. What we did see was nice though, featuring a variety of sculptures, photographs, and paintings. One of the signs also mentioned that the museum is the best collection of Brazilian artists (up to interpretation I suppose). The area around the museum does leave a little to be desired, with a lot of trash and homeless people, but it is still situated in a pretty park that overlooks the bay. It's also a close walk to the WWII memorial, which is also worth a visit if you're in the area.

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.

The Museu da República is housed within the Palácio do Catete and was Brazil's presidential palace…read morefrom 1894 to 1960. It was turned into a museum after the capital of Brazil was moved from Rio to Brasília. The outside is very unassuming and not well-marked, so you could easily walk right past it. But the inside is nothing short of amazing. Most of the rooms have been preserved with original furniture and the paintings, statues, and frescos have been kept in excellent condition as well. Honestly, I'm having a hard time describing what the rooms look like, and I'm not sure words can do them justice. This is an important part of Brazil's history and I can't recommend a visit highly enough (come here instead of seeing the painted stairs). You can tour the old ballrooms, the dining area, the meeting area, see the former Presidential Office, and many other rooms. There is a third floor where President Getúlio Vargas killed himself (the Presidential Bedroom), but it's closed for renovations/preservation. Well worth the visit - take exit B from the Catete Metro Station and you're right there. The entrance fee was R$6, and there are lockers where you can leave your bag or coat.