If Rio de Janeiro isn’t on your travel bucket list, it totally should be! Most people will remember seeing the sights of Rio on our television screens during the 2016 Olympics but seeing them in person is, quite simply, even better.
The city may not have the reputation as the safest in the world, but apply a little common sense and you can enjoy everything it has to offer. Right now it’s one of the hottest places to go when backpacking or taking a gap year in South America – and we’re not just speaking literally.
Rio de Janeiro has so much to offer, from unique cultural sights to exciting nightlife – we guarantee you’ll love the vibes. This really is one of the bucket list cities to see in the world!
Need some convincing? Here are our reasons why you should travel to Rio and also some of the essential tourist attractions you must see on any first time trip.
1. Iconic sights
From the famous Copacabana neighbourhood to the chic area of Ipanema, you won’t find yourself with nothing to do or see in Rio.
Christ the Redeemer
Make sure to check out the iconic Christ the Redeemer status on Corcovado Mountain, Rio’s beautiful national park.
A visit to Rio just wouldn’t be the same without a photo of the Christ the Redeemer statue. The Art Deco sculpture was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007 and continues to attract attention and visitors from around the world.
From here, not only will you be blown away by the 100-foot statue, but you’ll see the city from one of the highest peaks of the mountain – a great spot for your Instagram snaps.
Did you know Poland recently unveiled a similarly massive sculpture of Jesus Christ to rival Rio’s?!
Sugar Loaf Mountain
So you hiked Corcovado Mountain to see the Christ the Redeemer statue, you’ve cycled through the rainforest and you relaxed on the beach? What’s next for your visit to Rio but some rock climbing!
Sugarloaf’s monolithic formation of granite and quartz makes it a prime location for rock-climbing. Though if you’re not up for the challenge, there are plenty of ways to watch from a distance—including a cable car up to the top.
From the top of the Sugar Loaf Mountain you can get amazing views of Copacabana beach and Botafogo.
Lapa Selaron Steps
For a less touristy spot, head to the town of Lapa to see the beautiful Selaron Steps, a sight made up of multiple mosaics from the artist Jorge Selaron, who traveled the world to gather unique mosaic tiles.
2. Beautiful beaches
Whether you decide on staying in a Rio de Janeiro apartment on the beach, or one further inland, it’s never hard to find sand (or sun) in Rio.
With almost 80 kilometers of beach along the southern coast, Rio de Janeiro has plenty of beaches worth visiting. The most famous, however, is Copacabana. With three kilometers of pristine, white sand, Copacabana is the place to see and be seen in Rio.
The other famous beach in Rio de Janeiro is Ipanema. This stretch of sand has a little less of the glitz and glamour of Copacabana, with the same amount of interesting people. Long known for its alternative culture, Ipanema is the place of inspiration for the international hit song “The Girl from Ipanema.”
3. The Tijuca Rainforest National Park
Plan a day trip to the Tijuca Rainforest located within Rio’s city limits when the sun and sand get to be too much. Tijuca Rainforest is the world’s largest urban forest and can be a welcome break from the consumer culture in Rio de Janeiro.
After visiting boulevards full of shopping centers and beachside luxury apartments, it helps to get some fresh air in nature. It helps that the Tijuca National Park is free! Consider renting a bicycle to enjoy the many cycle paths that run through the forest.
4. Diversity through art
Rio De Janeiro has an interesting history and you can really experience it throughout the city. One spot for this in particular is the Olympic Boulevard.
While relatively new (built for the Olympic games), you can see a graffiti wall designed by local artist Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kroba, who made a gigantic mural to celebrate Brazil’s culture and people of the world. At 30,000 square foot, the mural depicts five indigenous faces from five different continents.
Another spot that celebrates diversity is in Santa Teresa and Lapa, near the Selaron Steps.
As you make your way to the colorful steps, you’ll also find another graffiti wall that celebrates the local art and culture. One mural celebrates the local bohemian music and another celebrates the numerous travelers that make their way to Rio each year.
5. Delicious food and drinks
There’s plenty of good food to go around in Rio De Janiero.
Whether you like meat or seafood, you simply have to check out one of the many Brazilian steakhouses in Rio. Two popular ones are Fogo De Chao, which sits on the water of Botafogo, and Churrascaria Palace. Here you’ll encounter abundant meat, seafood and vegetables to satisfy any appetite.
In Rio, you can also enjoy classic Brazilian dishes, such as Pao de Queijo (cheese bread), a refreshing açaí bowl, and a boozy Caipirinha drink made with sugarcane liquor (be careful, it’s a strong one!)
6. Healthy and active living
As you’ll quickly notice, everyone is also super healthy in Rio. Every Sunday the city closes the main street, Avenue Atlantica, to allow people to walk, run or bike from Copacabana to Ipanema.
The good news is you don’t have to wait till Sunday to get some activity in – all year-round you will find people enjoying some sort of activity by the water. As you visit the numerous beaches of Rio, you’ll see volleyball courts and gym equipment used up practically 24/7 by locals.
7. Football
In Rio, the locals are HUGE fans of football, so whenever there’s a game you’ll want to head out to a nearby bar and share the enthusiasm with the crowd. You could also get tickets and go see a local team play live, we recommend seeing a Flamengo game which are one of the biggest teams in South America and play at the impressive Maracanã stadium.
8. Great parties
Rio has a lively culture that you can’t help but want to be part of. Each year, Rio hosts the largest carnival in the world bringing in two million people out on the streets to celebrate the life and culture of Brazil. Aside from the biggest party of all there are also plenty of clubs and bars to choose from year-round.
Whether you go to Ipanema, Copacabana or Lapa to party it up, you’ll surely find something to suit your fancy. And whether you choose to go to a low-key samba dance bar or a heart pumping, music-blasting nightclub, Rio is so diverse with options, you’ll have plenty of fun either way.
Plan a Trip to Rio de Janeiro
Brazil attracts millions of tourists every year for a lot of different reasons and since the 2016 Summer Olympic games, Rio de Janeiro has only grown in popularity. This city has it all with beaches, festivals, history, and legends of music all calling Rio home.
Hopefully we have given you ideas for what to do in South America’s third largest city, where are you most excited to see? Check out our guide to gap years in Brazil for more inspiration and trips.