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Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with a long coastline surrounded by mountains and countless breathtaking viewpoints. The city itself is very diverse, with different areas where you can find almost everything—from extreme poverty to unimaginable wealth, perfect street food alongside some of the best luxury restaurants in the world.
For me, it wasn’t love at first sight. I had heard a lot about the city before arriving, especially about its high crime rates. I received plenty of warnings not to walk around with phones in hand, bags on my back, and about areas to avoid at night. I’ll summarize by saying that I didn’t encounter any of these issues during the five days I spent exploring the city. Everyone I met was kind and courteous. However, I did remain cautious, choosing taxis over public transportation and avoiding walking in dark streets. So, the tip is to use common sense, which I believe is wise to do in any place you travel to.
Accommodation
The recommended areas to stay in the city are Copacabana, Ipanema, and Arpoador, which is located between the two. More details about these areas will follow. My visit to Rio was split into two parts. During the first stay, we stayed in the Arpoador neighborhood at the Hotel Arpoador — a small and highly recommended hotel, located right on the Arpoador promenade, with an excellent breakfast and great service.
The second time we returned to the city, we stayed at the Miramar Hotel by Windsor.. It’s a large, luxurious hotel in a great location right next to the Copacabana promenade.
Transportation
Rio is a large city, you could even say enormous. This isn’t a small European capital with a compact center you can walk through in a day or two. It’s a huge metropolis, and its key spots are fairly spread out on the map. Once you start thinking about where you want to visit, you'll quickly realize that walking won’t be a practical option. We got around the city entirely by taxis using Uber. It’s also the safest, most recommended, and relatively affordable way to travel.
Areas and Points of Interest
Copacabana
Perhaps the most well-known neighborhood in the city and definitely the most touristy. Most of the hotels are located here. The neighborhood, situated by the sea, boasts a long and beautiful promenade that's filled with tourists and locals for most of the day, as well as countless souvenir stands and street food vendors.
Favela Tour
A "favela" is the term for a slum neighborhood in Brazil. Favelas were created as a result of illegal construction around or within the big cities. These are shanty neighborhoods that illustrate the widespread poverty in Brazil, and they are sometimes located just tens of meters away from luxury housing in the heart of the cities. Favelas are often run by local leaders, and the residents tend to follow their own laws rather than those of the country. A tour of Rio’s favelas has long become a tourist attraction, and almost every visitor to Rio includes a visit to the favelas.
The most well-known tours are those tailored for tourists, conducted in a fairly organized manner and can be found on various tourism websites and blogs. We took our tour in a slightly different way, with a local guide named Fernando, who speaks Hebrew and used to live in Israel as part of a South American dance troupe. Today, he lives in the Copacabana favela and is considered one of its top commanders. His name is passed by word of mouth among Israeli travelers, and he offers what might be the most authentic experience you can have in a local favela. We contacted him via WhatsApp (+5521993893844) and scheduled for the next morning.
The tour with Fernando was completely unfiltered and uncensored; he showed us the favela as it truly is. During the tour, we were exposed to harsh sights of poverty, drugs, and crime, and there's no doubt this is not an experience suited for everyone. The scenes were sometimes quite tough, not for the faint of heart. I highly recommend it, but keep in mind that this is not your typical "tourist" experience.
Arpoador
This spot connects the Copacabana neighborhood to Ipanema, lying between the two beachfronts of these areas. It’s a trendy and touristy area with a variety of restaurants, cafés, a surf club, and a beach. Arpoador Rock is a highly recommended spot for watching the sunset, and every evening it fills up with many tourists and locals who come to enjoy the view.
Ipanema
West of Arpoador lies the Ipanema neighborhood. It also stretches along the coastline and boasts a long promenade. This neighborhood is somewhat calmer compared to Copacabana, and you can find beachfront hotels at lower prices here.
Leblon
West of Ipanema is the upscale neighborhood of Leblon. It is favored by locals for entertainment, and you’ll find countless top-tier restaurants here. Additionally, it's a recommended shopping area with a long avenue parallel to the coastline, filled with clothing and shoe stores.
Boulevard Olímpico
Located in the city’s old port, this large boulevard is adorned with massive graffiti murals, the largest I’ve ever seen. The boulevard was designed for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading
Ranked by *Time* magazine as the fourth most beautiful library in the world, this library is located in the heart of Rio and is a national heritage site. It’s mainly a point of interest worth a short visit if you’re in the area. Entrance is free of charge.
Lapa
The Lapa neighborhood is famous for its traditional bars, music performance clubs, and open-air samba parties. Near the Selarón Steps, you’ll find antique stores, vintage items, and boutique shops. In the evening, the neighborhood’s streets fill with partygoers, tourists, and locals, with live music pouring out of countless bars, and people dancing on every corner. It’s a highly recommended area for a night out.
Escadaria Selarón
The famous steps of Rio de Janeiro were designed by Jorge Selarón, who was born in Chile. Selarón began creating the stairs in 1990, starting from his home with the colors of the Brazilian flag, and gradually expanded to cover the entire staircase with tiles, mirrors, and vibrant colors. The steps are located in the Lapa neighborhood and are considered a must-visit tourist attraction in Rio.
Jardim Botânico
A massive botanical garden located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, at the foot of Corcovado Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue. Established in 1808, it features around 6,500 plant species. The park is nice for a short morning stroll. Entrance is ticketed.
Christ the Redeemer
The 28-meter-tall statue of Jesus stands atop Corcovado Mountain, which is 710 meters high, in the western part of Rio de Janeiro and can be seen from many points throughout the city. The statue was built between 1922 and 1931, on the mountain summit that is located within a national park, which requires an entrance fee. To reach the summit, you can either hike or take a cable car from the base of the mountain. The view from the top over Rio de Janeiro is simply breathtaking.
Pro Tip - At the top of the statue, there is a camera that broadcasts the visibility conditions at the summit 24/7, so it’s highly recommended to check the cloud cover before making the trip to the viewpoint, even if you’re planning to view it from various points around the city.
Parque Lage
A park located at the foot of Corcovado Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue. It is a public park with free entrance. Originally owned by Henrique Lage and his wife, it became public in the 1960s. The park features a visual arts school and a café in a picturesque setting.
Pedra do Telegrafo
This is one of the most well-known and popular viewpoints in Rio. The rock is located in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, about an hour and a half’s drive from the city center toward the southwest along the coastline. You can take public transportation, although it’s quite complicated and will require at least two buses, or you can take an Uber taxi directly to the point, which will be a bit more expensive but much more convenient.
Reaching the viewpoint itself isn’t easy and involves about an hour of hiking up a steep trail. The trail starts from a yellow church in the Barra de Guaratiba neighborhood (search on Google for: Subida para Trilha Até a Pedra Do Telegrafo), where the white markers leading to the cliff begin. As you ascend, look for the white markings in the shape of arrows or lines. When you reach the rock, don’t be surprised to see a line of people; the spot isn’t large and is very touristy.
At the summit, there is also a local photographer who offers to take various photogenic pictures of you with the famous rock and the stunning view behind it. This makes for a great day hike at a moderate difficulty level. Be sure to bring water for the journey!
Restaurants
Cortes da Casa (All-You-Can-Eat) – For me, an all-you-can-eat restaurant is an attraction in itself in Brazil, and you must dine at one at least once during your trip. The restaurant we chose is one of the highly recommended ones in Rio and operates on a running skewer system. The appetizers, salads, and sides—which, to my surprise, were excellent and included a variety of seafood and fish—are available in an open buffet that you can enjoy freely throughout the meal. Once seated, you receive a sheet with various meat options and can indicate your preferences for what you’d like more or less. Throughout the meal, waiters come to the table every few minutes with skewers of meat, describing the cuts and offering to slice them directly onto your plate. The meats served at this restaurant are of the highest quality. It’s one of the most delicious meals you’ll have, so I recommend arriving hungry.
Oro Michelin-Star Restaurant – Located in the upscale Leblon neighborhood, Oro has held two Michelin stars since 2015. The restaurant serves Brazilian gourmet cuisine made from local ingredients. It is undoubtedly one of the most unique restaurants I’ve dined in. The food is simply amazing. The menu is pre-structured as a regular or expanded tasting menu, with the option to customize some dishes if you don’t want to eat everything.
Nola Restaurant in Leblon – A bar-restaurant featuring a fusion kitchen. The food is of high quality, and they offer an excellent selection of wines from around the world.
Restaurant in Parque Lage – More of a café than a restaurant, it offers nice, relatively simple dishes. It’s a lovely spot for breakfast or brunch.
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