Littered with world famous landmarks, bursting with music, dance and colour it's easy to see why Rio has long been one of South America's biggest tourist magnets.
Contents
Activities at a glance
Christ the Redeemer
Sugarloaf mountain
Paragliding
Copacabana beach
Activities at a glance
Christ the redeemer
Is any trip to Rio complete without a visit to this iconic statue? Yes you’ll fight the hordes of tourists to get ‘the picture’ but the statue is definitely worth a visit. Seeing this landmark up close was breathtaking and the views are truly spectacular.
Our recommendation: If you are moderately fit and able we highly recommend saving money on the frankly outrageously expensive shuttle bus and hiking up to see the Redeemer. It’s a bit tricky to find the path and it does get sweaty but it makes getting to the top even sweeter! Here’s how we did it.
Worth it? For us yes, to see such a world-famous landmark in the flesh was really special. Plus we loved the adventure of the hike up and the views of Rio from the top but it was on the more expensive side.
Distance and time from city centre | Getting there | Time to allocate | Cost |
10km from Botafogo / Approx. 20 min drive | Either Uber/taxi to the base or get public transport | If hiking approx. 3hrs |
Image
Sugarloaf mountain
Another of Rio’s iconic landmarks, this time a natural beauty rather then a man-made one. This perfect sugar-lump-like rocky peak sits on a peninsula that looks out over Guanabara Bay. The cable car ride and the mountain itself offer wonderful views of Rio and the ocean, also you are sure to see common marmosets (tiny monkeys with fluffy ears) as you walk around the peak.
Worth it? Overall I really loved this experience, the cable car was interesting the views were great but it was expensive! There is no way to walk to the peak (unless you do the guided rock-climbing tour) so you have to take the cable car. If your on a budget you might like to choose either this OR the Christ Redeemer.
Distance and time from city centre | Getting there | Time to allocate | Cost |
5km from Botafogo / approx 12min drive | Either walk or get an Uber/Taxi | Approx. 2hrs | $185pp Brazilian Real ($57pp AUD) |
Image
Hanggliding at
Praia Sao Conrado
Rio is a beautiful city, lush green mountains spotted with houses, diving steeply down to meet sandy beaches and the deep blue ocean. So for thrill-seekers there is no better way to see this incredible city than from gliding over it.
Worth it? If you love adventure or a looking to challenge your courage then this is for you. Not surprisingly it's scary running of the cliff but hang gliding over this beautiful city was so much fun. Also comparatively to the rest of the world the price was fairly inexpensive for an adventure activity like this.
Distance and time from city centre | Getting there | Time to allocate | Cost |
5km/ 12min from Bogafoto | The tour should organise a transfer for you | Approx. 4hrs | We paid $700 Brazilian Real for two people |
Visit the Copacabana beach
Perhaps one of the most famous beaches in the world, this 4km stretch of sand is often packed with sun-bakers, hawkers and beach soccer players. It’s the kind of beach where you can buy anything, we saw people running around with elaborate cocktails, hot food, speakers, shoes and so much more. It is worth a visit to relax, swim, watch the sunset and have a beer or a cocktail.
Worth it? 100% it's a must see when visiting Rio.
Other beaches: Try xx for a slightly quieter experience
Safety Tip: Keep your whits about you, it's a busy beach and there is theft. Don't leave items unattended. A local tip is to dig a hole under your towel for your belonging while you go for a quick dip.
Distance and time from city centre | Getting there | Time to allocate | Cost |
??/ | As much as you like! | Free and whatever you can haggle from the beach vendors |
Go Hiking in
Tijuca National Park
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle, head out of town to this spectacular urban rain forest. It's a wonderful quiet and lush spot, you can go hiking through to see the misty jungle, waterfalls and wildlife. It's your chance to see the natural side of Rio, away from the chaos of downtown.
Worth it? Absolutely, we really enjoyed walking through what is claimed to be the world's largest urban rainforest and seeing the magic within.
Distance and time from city centre | Getting there | Time to allocate | Cost |
?? | Uber or taxi to park entrance | Approx. 3hrs | Free |
Find the Party
Hitting the town in one of the world’s party capitals is a must. On our first day we were swept up in a pre-carnival street party which literally stopped traffic and led to us dancing the night away surrounded by marching bands. The point is there is always something happening in Rio. So pick your own adventure; you might like live music on the beach or a base heavy club there are so many option to choose from and you'll be able to find them from just wandering around and seeing what the crowd is doing.
Some events and destinations to consider:
Pre carnival street parties (from as early as January you can find street parties with performers getting ready for carnival)
Carnival (9th - 17th February)
Lapa is Rio's year round nightlife district
You might like to try one of the pub crawl tours that take you around Lapa