Rio de Janeiro was the final stop on our ten week backpacking adventure through South America. Staying with some amazing family friends we spent five days exploring what Rio has to offer.
Safe to say it offers lots: backdropped by rainforest with fab beaches, iconic attractions (Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer), tasty food, samba, football…the list goes on…
Read on for 9 fab things to see and do in Rio de Janeiro…
#1 See Christ the Redeemer
Standing 30 metres tall on the peak of Mount Corcovado overlooking Rio de Janeiro is Christ the Redeemer or Cristo Redentor. This gigantic statue of Jesus Christ is the world’s largest Art Deco sculpture and one of Rio’s most recognisable landmarks.
A visit to Rio isn’t complete without seeing this statue up close. Being one of Rio’s mega attractions, expect lots of visitors and not much space. It was heaving with people when we went which I didn’t much enjoy.
To get to Christ the Redeemer there are two main options: the cog train or the minivan. The cog train leaves from Cosme Velho station and takes 20 minutes to get to the top. For the best views sit on the right hand side! This option is a bit more expensive than the minivans, costing between R$55-70 depending on season.
Minivans depart from Largo do Marchado and Copacabana. There are plenty of tour agencies selling a Christ the Redeemer package outside the Largo do Marchado station. We were quite confused by it all. Continue walking past the sellers to the other end of the square and you’ll see official ticket offices for the minivans. We bought our tickets there (for around R$40 if my memory serves me correctly) and then hopped straight into a minivan for the drive up.
A third lesser known option is to walk up through the Tijuca forest. It’s an uphill sweaty walk that takes around 2-3 hours so if you walk it it’s best to go in the morning before it’s too hot.
You’ll want to visit the statue on a sunny day as it does get lost in the clouds and fog on overcast days.
#2 Sugarloaf
Sugarloaf mountain or Pão de Açúcar is another one of Rio’s iconic attractions. It is located in the Urca neighbourhood and accessed via cable car. It is possible to walk the first part, up to Urca hill, and get the cable car to the second hill, Pão de Açúcar. On both hills there are several restaurants, cafes, bathrooms and souvenir shops.
The views over the city are amazing and you can easily spend more time up there than you’d think. We spent most of the afternoon sat on a bench on Sugar Loaf mountain taking in the panoramic views and relaxing. We stayed to watch the sunset which was beautiful and I’d recommend it.
#3 Hike Dois Irmãos mountain
Dois Irmãos are a permanent feature of Rio’s landscape. Known as Irmão Maior (big brother) and Irmão Menor (little brother), these two hills lie at the end of Leblon beach. For fantastic views over Rio you can hike to the top of Irmão Maior.
To get to the start of the trail, you need to go to Vidigal favela. Taxis don’t normally drive around Vidigal so you will be dropped off at the entrance. At the entrance you’ll see a moto-taxi stand. Catch a moto-taxi up to the football field to the trail start point. Having never been on the back of a motorbike before, it was an experience for sure during which I refused to loosen my grip on my driver, tightly hugging him throughout! Be sure to wear a helmet!
From the start point, it’s less than an hour walk uphill to the top. The views were great and it wasn’t busy. The motorbikes will pick you up again from the football field and they’re happy to drop you off somewhere else in Rio. We got dropped off at Leblon beach, rather than back at the moto-taxi stand.
#4 Visit Escadaria Selarón
The Escadaria Selarón staircase is located in the Lapa neighbourhood and connects Lapa to Santa Teresa. The stairs are made up of colourful mosaic tiles from all around the world and was created by Chilean born Jorge Selarón.
#5 Chill on Rio’s beaches
Rio is home to one of the most famous beaches in the world: Copacabana. When in Rio, a stroll along Copacabana’s shore is a must. Although the most famous, Copacabana isn’t Rio’s only beach. Ipanema and Leblon beaches also line Rio’s shore. On a sunny day head to Rio’s stretches of sand for a spot of sunbathing and chilling. As you can see we missed out on the sunshine!
#6 Go to a football game
Football and Brazil go hand in hand. When in Rio head to the Maracanã stadium, host of the 2016 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup, to watch a football game. Soak up the atmosphere and the enthusiasm Brazilians have for the sport.
Ticket prices will depend on the importance of the game, we paid R$20 (£5) for tickets to a local match at the end of the season. Even if you’re not a football fan, like us, it’s still worth it and an enjoyable event.
Getting to the Maracanã stadium is easily done by metro on its green line 2.
#7 Eat Feijoada
Considered a Brazilian national dish, Feijoada is a black bean and pork meat stew served with rice and farofa, often with kale and orange slices on the side.
During our three weeks travelling up Brazil’s coast we’d tried a handful of Brazilian dishes and desserts. When we got to Rio, we’d still got Feijoada left to try.
One lunchtime in Rio we went to the restaurant, Casa del Feijoada, to try it and it was delicious. Whilst not the cheapest restaurant, the food was so so good and they kept bringing us more and more. Definite value for money!
Address: Rua Prudente de Moraes, 10, Ipanema
#8 Samba in Lapa
The Lapa neighbourhood in Rio is known for its nightlife, live music and samba bars. Lapa comes alive in the evenings. Head there to see the locals samba away and even give it a go yourself!
#9 Hang Glide over Rio
Beautiful beaches, lush forest and a wonderful cityscape make Rio a really photogenic city. Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf and the Dois Irmaos mountain offer spectacular views over Rio, but what if you could get a birds eye view from even higher?
Would you hang glide over Rio? I really really really wanted to and was prepared to splash out on doing it. Remember it won’t be cheap, but it’s an activity you won’t want to scrimp on.
Sadly since the weather was mainly cloudy or rainy during our time in Rio, I decided the weather conditions weren’t worth it and also many operators wouldn’t be running.
If I return to Rio one day, I would love to do it!
How to get to Rio
By plane
International flights arrive to Rio’s Galeão airport and domestic ones to its Santos Dumont airport.
By bus
Terminal Rodoviário Novo Rio is the city’s main bus station. We arrived on a bus from Angra dos Reis.
Getting around Rio
Rio has a metro, bus and BRT system. The BRT is a Bus Rapid Transit which has three lines and connects Rio’s city centre with the suburbs. BRT buses drive on separate lanes which shortens journey time as they don’t get stuck in traffic. They are much faster than normal city buses.
You can get the BRT to Galeão airport from Alvorada bus station or from Vicente de Carvalho metro station which has a BRT stop. Vicente de Carvalho is Line 2 on the metro and takes you into downtown Rio.
Like Oyster cards in London, Rio has its own card system for paying for public transport: the RioCard. You can buy a card for R$3 and top it up with funds to pay your travel fares around Rio.
Final thoughts on Rio
Rio is frequently described as a dangerous city and I think guidebooks exagerate this aspect. The result is that many people are scared of going to Rio. Don’t let the ‘danger’ factor put you off. Every city in the world has crime, Rio perhaps more than others but I didn’t feel unsafe or in danger during our time there.
Like visiting any new place, use your common sense, keep your wits about you, be sensible, don’t take silly risks and listen to advice from the locals.
I thought it was a wonderfully vibrant city with loads to offer and well worth the visit. I loved watching the sunset from the top of sugarloaf, climbing Dois Irmaos for panoramic views and wandering the city’s beaches.
It was a fantastic destination to end our ten week South America trip through Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. When the time came to fly home, we reluctantly caught the bus to Rio’s airport – I really really didn’t want to leave! Emotions were definitely high for that journey home!
Have you been to Rio? Did you enjoy it?
P.S. See the rest of my blog if you’re interested in what I got up to on the rest of my trip through Peru, Bolivia and Brazil.
