THE MOST FUN PLACES
IN RIO DE JANEIRO
A friend texted me last week asking if I had any tips for Rio, as he was about to book a ticket there. “Of course!” I exclaimed immediately, and then realized that I had never shared my Rio tips here on Amayzine. So for anyone who has a ticket to Brazil or plans to get one soon, definitely don't miss the places below.. Since I stayed there.
during New Year's Eve I booked a hostel in Copacabana, the mecca during New Year's Eve. Rio is large and the different neighborhoods are often quite far apart, making each area very different. Copacabana is quite touristy and 'flat', but if you don't mind that, you're in a good place. The hostel I booked was called Chill on the Beach and I initially planned to stay just five nights, but I found it so cozy that I ended up staying the full four weeks. A recommendation, then. Next to Copacabana is Ipanema. They don't differ that much from each other, but this area is a bit fancier and slightly less flat. If you have a lot of money to spend, book a room at Hotel Fasano, the place where among others Mario Testino stays when he's in town. Beautiful rooms and a ridiculously sexy rooftop terrace included. The advantage of these places is that you're practically within walking distance of the beach, which was worth a lot to me. Furthermore, I heard many people who had booked an Airbnb, preferably with people in their home. There are even some favelas where you can sleep, and that is a whole new experience. In terms of neighborhood, Santa Teresa is the nicest. A bit artist-ish, with small cute houses and a tram that takes you through it. The downside is that it's relatively far from the beach, but that just depends on where your priorities lie.
Yes, that beach is a thing. Brazilians are known for their amazing bodies and they love to show them off. What I was amazed by for days is that people don't lie down on the beach like we do, but stand. Not everyone, of course, but many do. Literally standing: they walk up, lay down their things, take off their clothes, and stand chatting for hours. This way they get beautifully tanned, I was told later. Anyway, the most popular beach spots are Ipanema, Copacabana, and Leblon. While the beach for us is just a beach, in Rio it's a bit more complicated.
The beaches are divided by numbered lifeguard towers, called 'postos'. Rio is full of subcultures and each culture has its own spot on the beach, its own posto. Copacabana is located between posto 2 and 6 and used to be hip and happening, now it's mainly for families, tourists, and retirees. Fine, the sun and sea are the same, but in terms of surroundings, you can better walk a few postos further. It really gets hip from posto 7, where Ipanema begins. Between 8 and 9 is the domain of the LGBTQ+ community, lesbians, and everything in between. Then, at 9, the real spectacle begins. As mentioned, Rio is known for its well-shaped inhabitants and they pass by here in full glory. At posto 9 are the bodybuilders, models, and frequent visitors of plastic surgeons. Finally, you have posto 10, where the youth hang out. So: pick your place.
By the postos of Ipanema, there is actually wi-fi on the beach, although it's not advisable to take your expensive belongings to the beach. And if you do, be extremely careful and never go into the sea all together, but make sure there is always one person watching the belongings. There is quite a bit of theft. Oh, and keep this in mind, do NOT go to the beach at night when it's dark. If you do, you can bet that you'll get rolled or worse.
Anyone who is done with the hustle and bustle of Copacabana or Ipanema can take a taxi to Prainha Beach, an hour outside the city. You'll find a small quiet beach where you can rent surfboards and get a decent coffee at the little stand.
I haven't really become a fan of Brazilian cuisine. It's quite fatty, often fried, full of sugar, and if it's not sugar, they have thrown a whole lot of cheese on it. Since I was on a pretty low budget, I rarely went out to eat, but what I can definitely recommend is Aprazível. I think that's one of the most popular restaurants in the city and everyone will recommend it to you, but it's also particularly amazing. Furthermore, just as a tip: on every corner of the street, there are juice bars, but not the healthy ones that Jet loves so much, more like snack bars. They all sell delicious smoothies and shakes, but they standardly put a kilo of sugar in them. So explicitly ask for one without sugar. You'll get some strange looks, but who cares.
Well, the Brazilians can do that. Wherever you walk, you hear music coming from everywhere. The largest and most famous nightlife area is Lapa. Here there are dozens of street parties, you can buy a new caipirinha at every meter from another stall, and you stumble over drunk Brazilians and tourists. Most of it happens on the street, but there are also plenty of indoor parties. I can't recommend that; they don't know much about air conditioning, and it's so hot everywhere that the sweat flows down from head to toe within a minute. But Lapa is a spectacle that you definitely have to see. Or better: you must have 'done' it.
What my favorite dance spot was, was Pedro do Sal, a street party held every Monday and Friday night. From Copacabana, it's best to take a taxi, which will cost you about €10. Here, hundreds of people are singing, dancing, and drinking in the street, and unlike Lapa, most of the people actually come from Rio. The caipirinhas cost a euro and are incredibly strong, everyone is willing to teach you samba (although they all do it a bit differently), and the people are incredibly nice and cheerful. They sit around tables playing guitar and performing traditional Brazilian songs, it's all so heartwarming.
Check here for a video. . Really, go here.. That you have to go to Cristo and Sugarloaf Mountain is pretty obvious, so I don't need to tell you that. A bit less obvious is the favela Rocinha, an area that has been significantly improved by the government and is now relatively safe. There are thousands of tours to book and the guides can tell wonderfully about the history and rise of the neighborhood. But, Rocinha has now become quite a theme park. The favela I found the most fun was Vidigal, near Leblon. Here you can get a local to take you up on a scooter for a few cents and then get lost in the small streets for hours. Don't be mistaken, favelas are still not completely safe and there is still plenty of misery, but the view here is so beautiful and if you don't go alone, you can go here just fine. There is a hostel called Casa Alto Vidigal where you can drink beers with the most beautiful view over the city ever. A recommendation, then.
Terribly touristy but also terribly beautiful is watching the sunset from Arpoador, a gigantic rock between Copacabana and Ipanema. It gets incredibly crowded, but if you're on time and have a good spot, you'll know exactly why and it won't matter to you at all. You look out over Ipanema and Leblon and see the most beautiful sunset you've ever seen.
Anyone who is done with Rio (which I can't imagine but anyway) can go for a few days to Paraty or Ilha Grande. To start with the latter, that's an island about three hours' drive from Rio. There are several buses every day and there are plenty of tour operators offering a trip. The island is small, there are only a few hostels (I stayed in Biergarten, very pleasant and good) and it's so serene and beautiful. Book a boat tour that takes you around the island and surrounding islands in a day and you won't know what you see. Then Paraty, which is a small colonial village about 4 to 5 hours south of Rio. The city center is car-free, it's incredibly picturesque, and you completely forget the hustle and bustle of Rio. Do keep in mind, if you go in December or January, it's almost impossible to do, as hot as it is here. But wonderful for those who want something different.
Still more time over. ? Go further down to Ubatuba, very popular with surfers.So. That was it. Will you send me a postcard when you're there?.
A friend texted me last week asking if I had any tips for Rio, as he was about to book a ticket there. ‘Of course!"...
