The Sugarloaf cable car suspended above Rio de Janeiro at sunset, with Corcovado on the skyline and boats scattered across the bay below

south america

Rio de JaneiroTravel Guide

Brazil7 stories

Rio de Janeiro is the world's most theatrically sited city: granite peaks rise straight from the Atlantic, forest spills between neighbourhoods, and life happens on the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Between the cable car up Sugarloaf, the cog train to Christ the Redeemer and the samba of Lapa, Rio delivers spectacle at every altitude.

When to come

December–March (summer); April–May for clearer air and fewer crowds

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a weekend here planned hour by hour.

A weekend, hour by hour

Rio de Janeiro is inEnough for a long weekend

When to go

December–March (summer); April–May for clearer air and fewer crowds

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with

São Paulo360 km
half a day's travel · both good in April, May · a different price level (mid)

Plan itWhere to stay in Rio de Janeiroad · Booking.comTours and tickets

On the map

Finding Rio de Janeiro

Open in Google Maps Larger map

The stories

Reading Rio de Janeiro

Aerial view over Rio de Janeiro with Sugarloaf Mountain rising above Guanabara Bay, Botafogo's boat-dotted cove and the city's white buildings below

The List

The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked

From Christ the Redeemer's summit to a fort at the quiet end of Copacabana, seven lookouts that explain why Rio is the world's most photogenic city — and when to climb each one.

Brazil · 3 min

Slices of flame-grilled picanha beef with a golden fat cap, arranged on a wooden carving board

Food

What to Eat in Rio de Janeiro: The Essential Dishes and Where to Find Them

From weekend feijoada to beach-kiosk snacks and flame-grilled picanha, Rio's food culture is generous, informal and joyfully specific. Here's the eating list.

Brazil · 2 min

Aerial view of the Christ the Redeemer statue on the forested summit of Corcovado, with the Lagoa, Ipanema and the Atlantic haze beyond

Hidden Gems

Rio de Janeiro Beyond the Crowds

Skip the Copacabana crush for an afternoon and find the other Rio: a bohemian hilltop, a jungle-backed mansion, wild western beaches and samba in the old port.

Brazil · 2 min

Planning

Rio de Janeiro, place by place

Everything below is named in one of our own stories about Rio de Janeiro. The line under each is the sentence that recommended it, and the link goes to the piece it came from.

What to see

The things that justify the trip

CLAUDIO MOTA
Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain)
The two-stage cable car from Praia Vermelha rises first to Morro da Urca, then to the 396-metre granite dome of Sugarloaf itself.
The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked See on the map
Simone Dinoia
Pedra do Arpoador
The rocky headland of Arpoador, between Ipanema and Copacabana, is where the city gathers each evening to watch the sun drop behind the Dois Irmãos peaks.
The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked See on the map
Ronaldo Gouvêa
Pedra Bonita
The serious-reward-for-modest-effort option: a forest trail of roughly 40 minutes climbs to a granite summit of around 690 metres above São Conrado.
The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked See on the map
Effie Kimble
Christ the Redeemer
The 38-metre Christ the Redeemer statue stands at around 710 metres on Corcovado, and no photograph prepares you for the panorama: Sugarloaf, Guanabara Bay, the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas and the beaches unrolled in one…
The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked See on the map
Mirante Dona Marta
Rio de Janeiro
A road viewpoint at around 360 metres in Tijuca National Park, Mirante Dona Marta delivers the classic helicopter-shot composition — Sugarloaf, the bay and both zones of the city — without queues or turnstiles.
The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked See on the map
Santa Teresa
Rio de Janeiro
The shell of a ruined mansion in bohemian Santa Teresa, converted into a cultural centre with walkways threaded through its brickwork.
The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked See on the map
Parque Lage
Rio de Janeiro
At the foot of Corcovado, an early-20th-century mansion sits in romantic gardens where the Atlantic forest presses in — pools, grottoes, and the Christ statue floating high above the palm canopy.
Rio de Janeiro Beyond the Crowds See on the map
The Botanical Garden
Rio de Janeiro
Nearby, Rio's Jardim Botânico is a vast, serene collection founded in the early 19th century, famous for its avenue of towering imperial palms.
Rio de Janeiro Beyond the Crowds See on the map

Our picks

What we'd do in Rio de Janeiro

See and do

Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain)
The two-stage cable car from Praia Vermelha rises first to Morro da Urca, then to the 396-metre granite dome of Sugarloaf itself.
Read: The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked
Find tickets
A workable order of operations
Give Rio four days and run them like this.
Read: Rio de Janeiro Season by Season: An Honest Guide to When to Go
Find tickets
Urca and its seawall
The small neighbourhood of Urca curls around the base of Sugarloaf, all quiet streets and fishing boats.
Read: Rio de Janeiro Beyond the Crowds
Find tickets
The whales almost nobody plans around
Here is the part of the off-season case that rarely reaches the guidebooks.
Read: Rio Out of Season: The Months Cariocas Keep to Themselves
Mirante Dona Marta
A road viewpoint at around 360 metres in Tijuca National Park, Mirante Dona Marta delivers the classic helicopter-shot composition — Sugarloaf, the bay and both zones of the city — without queues or turnstiles.
Read: The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked
Find tickets

Eat and drink

Picanha and the churrasco ritual
Brazil's beloved beef cut — the fat-capped top sirloin — is best experienced at a churrascaria, where waiters circulate with skewers until you surrender.
Read: What to Eat in Rio de Janeiro: The Essential Dishes and Where to Find Them
Fruit is the morning show
Rio's produce fairs are an education in Brazilian fruit, and the vendors are generous teachers — most will cut you a piece before you commit.
Read: The Markets of Rio de Janeiro: What to Taste, and When to Go
Botecos
casual open-fronted bars — are the city's true dining rooms
Read: What to Eat in Rio de Janeiro: The Essential Dishes and Where to Find Them
Sunday belongs to Ipanema
The hippie fair at Praça General Osório has run since the 1960s: paintings, leatherwork, hammocks and jewellery filling the square, with the General Osório metro station depositing you at its corner.
Read: The Markets of Rio de Janeiro: What to Taste, and When to Go

Before you go

Practical essentials for Brazil

Money

Brazilian real (BRL)

Language

Portuguese; English is limited outside major hotels and tourist areas, and Spanish is not a substitute

Power

Type C/N, 127V or 220V 60Hz

Getting around

Metro, trains and buses in Sao Paulo and Rio run on local smartcards - the Bilhete Unico in Sao Paulo, the RioCard in Rio - and contactless bank cards work at only a minority of gates, so do not rely on them.

Tipping

A 10% taxa de servico is normally printed on restaurant and bar bills and most people simply pay it; tipping beyond that is uncommon.

Tap water

Treated and legally potable in the big cities, but almost everyone filters it and visitors normally drink filtered or bottled water.

Driving

Right-hand side; a modern photocard licence is accepted for up to 180 days, so no International Driving Permit is normally needed.

Emergency

190 (police), 192 (ambulance), 193 (fire)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

Keep exploring