Best things to see and do in Rio de Janeiro to make the most of your trip
As someone who was born and raised in Rio, I know how overwhelming it can be to plan a proper itinerary through the city.
Unfortunately, most of the guides I see online are very shallow and superficial. So, I decided to write this list to share my local perspective on the best things to do in Rio de Janeiro.
I added the main tourist spots and also some local gems that most travelers would miss. With this balance, I am confident you will have the best time in Rio!
1. Christ the Redeemer
Let’s start by crossing off the main spot on the list: Christ the Redeemer.
It is literally impossible to talk about the best places to visit in Rio without talking about the Christ statue.
Christ the Redeemer is the biggest symbol of the city, also considered one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World.
The statue is nestled on the top of Corcovado Hill and it’s an incredible viewpoint. The best way to visit it is using a traditional cog train for the full experience.
I took Edo there during our last visit to Rio and we booked everything through this link. I highly recommend buying your tickets upfront because the ticket line on the spot is often really long.
2. Sugar Loaf Mountain
Next on the list of the best spots in Rio is the Sugar Loaf Mountain, another icon of the city.
You can visit Sugar Loaf Mountain by cable car, through a hike, or with a tour. Hiking to Sugar Loaf Mountain is quite a fun and alternative way of exploring, so I recommend doing that if you are up for the exercise.
The cable car ride to Sugar Loaf Mountain is extremely scenic! From the top, you will have panoramic views of the city and Guanabara Bay.
Pro tip: I recommend going up Sugar Loaf Mountain for sunset! It’s the time with the most incredible views, you will see!
2.1 Bonus tip: Go for a beer at Bar Urca
The Sugar Loaf might be a tourist spot, but you can make this a local experience by following up your visit with a beer and snack at Bar Urca.
Bar Urca is located in the Urca neighborhood and it’s a truly authentic spot in Rio. We cariocas always go to Mureta da Urca for a beer after a sunny beach day during the weekends.
In true Rio fashion, this is a very casual spot. The bar has no tables or chairs (they do have a restaurant upstairs but that’s not where the fun is). Everyone grabs what they want and just stands and sits around the sidewalk and the little wall, as you can see in the pictures above.
They serve very typical snacks of Rio here, like pastels and empanadas. I highly recommend it!
3. Dona Marta Viewpoint
This is a spot a lot of tourists overlook, but it’s very well known amongst the locals.
Dona Marta is a viewpoint located on the top of Dona Marta Hill, which is just below Corcovado and the Christ.
This makes it super special because you can have almost the same views as the Christ but for free!
Pro tip: If you have time, go watch the sunrise from Dona Marta Viewpoint. It’s one of the most special sunrise spots in Rio!
Read also: The best viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro
4. Santa Teresa neighborhood
Santa Teresa is one of the most traditional neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro.
It feels like one of the few places in the city that was stuck in time, so you can catch a glimpse of what Rio used to look like back in the day.
Santa Teresa is located on top of a hill, so it is not very easy to access – but it’s worth the effort!
Nowadays, Santa Teresa is known as an alternative neighborhood with a lot of art galleries, young bars, and beautiful villas and hotels.
Here are some of the things to do in Santa Teresa:
- Walk along the alleys
- Explore the local art galleries
- Visit Parque das Ruínas
- Take the iconic yellow tram
- Eat incredible local food in one of the restaurants
5. Selaron Steps and Lapa
Lapa is considered one of the most bohemian neighborhoods in Rio. Amongst locals, it is known for street parties and samba.
It’s a great place to experience authentic nightlife in Rio.
The most iconic feature of Lapa is the historic white aqueduct that crosses the neighborhood. The yellow tram still passes in the aqueduct on the way to Santa Teresa.
Right next to Lapa, you will find the Selaron Steps. This is one of the most unique art installations in Rio, and a spot you should definitely visit!
The Selaron Steps were built by a Chilean artist as a tribute to the Brazilian People. The long staircase forms a huge colorful mosaic. It’s a really unique spot in Rio.
6. Explore the City Center with a Free Walking Tour
The city center of Rio is the most historic part of town. We consider it the business neighborhood of Rio because it is full of corporate buildings and offices, with very few residential areas.
The city center holds a lot of history if you know where to look. I personally recommend taking the Free Walking Tour so you can have a guide walking you through the area.
The historic buildings and gems are nestled in between the corporate buildings, so it’s easy to miss them if you don’t know where to look.
Make sure you visit the Olympic Boulevard and the enormous graffiti mural painted by the Brazilian artist Kobra. It’s a really nice part of the center!
Local tip: The city center is considered one of the most dangerous parts of town, especially at night. I recommend taking a tour during the day, making sure you watch your belongings at all times.
Want to have a full guide on what to visit in the city center of Rio? I prepared a Map of Rio with all my personal tips for the best places to visit, restaurants to eat, and much more. I also added a detailed schedule for a day trip in the city center of Rio during the 5-day itinerary. Check it out here!
7. Botanical Garden and Parque Lage
The Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro is one of my favorite places in the city.
Known for the diversity of plants, the Botanical Garden is a massive area where you can get lost exploring. Its most famous feature is the main walking path lined with palm trees.
Close by, you can find Parque Lage, which is a public park with free entrance and great views.
The most famous part of Parque Lage is the main mansion which hosts a café inside and the view to Christ the Redeemer in the background. It is also a very artistic spot that hosts the Visual Arts School of Parque Lage.
Having brunch at Parque Lage is one of my favorite things to do in Rio.
8. Explore the Tijuca National Park
One of the most special things about Rio de Janeiro is that it is a massive city where you can have beaches, forests, and mountains coexisting in the same environment.
Almost all the forest area you see within the city is part of the Tijuca National Park.
During the imperial times, a lot of the native forest was destroyed to give place for coffee plantations. But thankfully, they quickly realized this was a big mistake and the original forest was replanted again.
So, it is very special for us locals to have this protected area nowadays.
The Tijuca National Park hosts countless viewpoints, waterfalls, and local secrets. I highly recommend taking a tour through the park so you can experience this part of town.
Pro tip: There is no public transport within most of the park, so the best way to explore is by booking a tour – like this one!
9. Rocinha
Due to international media, a lot of people associate the image of Rio with favelas.
Even though there is so much more about the city than that, Rocinha stands out as the most iconic favela because it was considered the largest one in Rio for many years.
It has since been overruled in this ranking by other favelas that grew in the suburbs, but since Rocinha is located next to the ocean and the tourist area of town, it is still the most famous one.
If you want to experience a real favela in Rio, I highly recommend taking a tour of Rocinha. With the tour, a local will guide you around the alleys, explain a bit about life in the favela, and you’ll go all the way to the Rocinha Viewpoint.
10. Have brunch at Copacabana Fort
Copacabana Fort is located at the start of Copacabana Beach and it has views of the entire neighborhood.
One of my favorite things to do in Rio is have a Sunday brunch at the fort. There is a very special bakery inside called Confeitaria Colombo that serves the most incredible brunch menu.
Confeitaria Colombo is one of the oldest cafes in Rio de Janeiro, dating back to imperial times. They have two establishments in Rio, one in the city center (which is the original one) and one in the Copacabana Fort.
11. Watch the sunset at Arpoador
Arpoador is the name of the rock located at the very end of Ipanema Beach, and it is known as the best sunset spot in Rio de Janeiro.
During the summer, Arpoador gets really busy during sunset as all of us – locals and tourists – head there for this natural show.
From Arpoador, you’ll have the best view of the sun setting behind the Dois Irmãos Mountain. It’s stunning!
Local tip: Get ready to applaud when the sun goes down! We all do it!
12. Enjoy a beach day in Ipanema
It may seem obvious that one of the best things to do in Rio is to enjoy the beaches, but this is actually true!
Rio is a coastal town, so it has a lot of different beaches you can choose from.
Ipanema Beach is one of my favorites. It faces the open ocean, which means it is usually great for surfing. I also like that it is a bit less crowded than Copacabana and with a more local attendance.
But if you are still on the fence about which beach to go to, check out my list of the best beaches in Rio and pick your favorite!
Read also: Comparing Ipanema to Copacabana
13. Explore Rio’s wild beaches
Besides the most known spots like Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon, you can also find a lot of lesser-known beaches in Rio.
We call these the wild beaches in Rio because they are located further away from the residential areas.
Some of the beaches I highly recommend visiting are:
- Prainha – considered the best surfing spot in Rio
- Grumari – one of the most isolated beaches (it doesn’t even feel like you are still in a massive city like Rio)
- Secreto Beach
- Joatinga Beach (this is not officially a wild beach but it’s a nice one to check out!)
Local tip: These beaches are located very off-the-beaten path which means the best way to get there is with a car.
Do you need to rent a car for your trip?
We always use DiscoverCars to rent our car. So far it has proved to be not only the cheapest option but also the most reliable one. We used DiscoverCars to rent our car for our trips through Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Italy, and so many other countries, and we never had any issues. We even convinced all of our friends and family to use it. So that’s why we are also recommending it to you!
14. Pedra da Gávea
If you are looking for active experiences, we have the perfect recommendation for you: the Pedra da Gávea hike.
Pedra da Gávea is the mountain that marks the separation between the neighborhoods of Barra da Tijuca and São Conrado. It is also part of the Tijuca National Park I mentioned above.
The Pedra da Gávea hike is considered one of the hardest ones in Rio because you have to go through a very exposed section where you are essentially climbing directly on the rock.
I highly recommend booking a tour with a guide for this hike. Even for locals like myself, a guide is super important because he will know the best paths to take and he’ll bring ropes to help you on the exposed sections.
This is the exact tour we booked for hiking Pedra da Gávea. Once you get to the top, you will have some of the best views over the city! It will make it 100% worth the effort.
15. Hang gliding from Pedra Bonita
Now, let’s take the activity recommendations up a notch!
One of the coolest things you can do in Rio is to go hang gliding or paragliding.
If you made it this far on the list, you’ve already realized that Rio is a very scenic city. There is no better way to experience it than from the sky!
Pedra Bonita is the most famous hang gliding spot in Rio. You will have an extremely scenic flight over the city and land on São Conrado beach.
16. Take an open-door helicopter ride
Speaking about unique angles, another really special thing to do in Rio is take a helicopter flight.
I know this may sound fancy but it is a really popular activity in Rio. Once you go to Christ the Redeemer, you will see a lot of helicopters flying around and most of them are tourist flights.
The helicopter flights usually take 30 min and you will fly above the most iconic landmarks in Rio, such as the Christ, Sugar Loaf, and Arpoador!
I do recognize this activity is not for everyone because of the price tag, but if you can afford it, I guarantee it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
There is only one company I recommend for open-door helicopter rides in Rio, and that’s Vertical Rio. They are the best in business.
17. Dois Irmãos Hike
Another extremely popular hike in Rio de Janeiro is the Dois Irmãos Peak.
This is a much easier hike than Pedra da Gávea and you will have panoramic views of the South Zone of Rio (Leblon, Ipanema, Lagoa, Copacabana, etc).
To get to the hike, you first need to go up through Vidigal Favela. This is a popular hike so most moto-taxis will quickly take you to the trailhead.
This is a hike you can do on your own, but if you don’t feel comfortable, you can also hire a guide.
Pro tip: To make things even more special, you can do the Dois Irmãos Hike during sunrise and watch as the sun goes up on the horizon, overlooking the city. I recommend this tour for sunrise.
Want to have a full guide on what to visit in the city center of Rio? I prepared a Map of Rio with all my personal tips for the best places to visit, restaurants to eat, and much more. Check it out here!
18. Watch a soccer game at Maracana Stadium
Soccer is a big part of our culture here in Brazil (and in Rio de Janeiro).
We have two main stadiums in Rio: Maracana and Engenhão.
If you know a thing or two about soccer, then you’ve definitely heard about Maracana Stadium. It is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world, having hosted world cups, local championships, and also massive concerts!
During the days when there aren’t any games happening, Maracana has a museum dedicated to soccer. The ticket also gives you the right to visit the pitch, which is a super cool experience.
But if you want to have the true experience, you’ll want to attend a game at Maracana. During the local championships, we normally have games in Maracana twice a week.
I grew up going to soccer matches in Maracana and last year, I was able to take Edo for his first game… I cannot describe the emotion he felt! He still says it is his favorite experience in Rio (even though we did quite a lot already!).
19. Rent a bike and cycle around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
Around the city, you will spot the orange bikes from Itaú. These are public bikes, you can rent them by the hour through the Itaú app.
One of the things we always do when the weather is nice is go cycling or running around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.
This lagoon has a 7km track around it, where you have amazing views along the way. There are always a lot of people working out and spending time outdoors around here.
You can also find some nice bars and restaurants around the lagoon, or you can go paddling for a more unique view!
20. Check out Rio’s flea markets
Speaking of local activities in Rio, we have a few local flea markets that are true gems!
Feira do Lavradio is one of the best ones. It’s located in the city center and happens every first Saturday of the month. This flea market is known for its amazing selection of antiques.
You can check more about them and their events on their Instagram page.
Another quite popular street market is the Feira Hippie that happens in Ipanema, at the General Osório Square. It has happened every Sunday since 1968 and you can find some different and unique handicraft items around here.
21. Eat traditional Brazilian food
I cannot write a guide about the best things to do in Rio without including food.
Whether you will be visiting other destinations in Brazil or not, you should definitely take some time to try some local Brazilian food during your trip.
Here are a few typical foods from Rio you shouldn’t miss:
- Barbecue (obviously hahahah)
- Feijoada
- Pastel (it’s more of an appetizer or finger food)
- Açaí (originally from the northeast of Brazil but it’s super popular in Rio)
If you want my recommendations on where to eat in Rio, check my Map of Rio. I have added my favorite restaurants around the city, where you can find truly local, authentic cuisine. These are the places where we locals go, not the tourist traps!
22. Take a boat trip around Guanabara Bay
Since Rio is a coastal town, most people immediately assume that one of the best things to do is take a boat trip.
Even though I am a fan of boat trips, there are only a few of them that are really worth your money and time, in my opinion. This is because the water around Rio is very deep and there is actually not a lot to see. You would have a much nicer experience doing a boat trip in Arraial do Cabo or Angra dos Reis.
However, there is one exception… a sunset boat trip in Guanabara Bay is definitely worth the money!
During this boat trip, you will have the best view of the skyline of Rio, which becomes even more special with the sunset glow. I have done several boat trips like this and it still remains one of my favorite activities in Rio.
23. Enjoy a samba night in Rio
Samba is another cultural aspect that is within our nature in Rio.
There are a lot of bars around town that will have live samba music on the weekends or evenings, which is very nice!
One place where you can have some really authentic experience is in Lapa, the neighborhood I mentioned above. Pedra do Sal is another traditional samba spot in Rio, famous for their Monday nights.
If you will be visiting Rio in the months leading up to Carnival, you can also visit one of the Samba schools which is a really fun thing to do! They have rehearsals every week – which is just another excuse for hosting weekly parties.
The events will vary based on when you will be visiting, so I recommend asking around when you get to Rio to discover the best place to go on the exact dates of your trip.
Need help planning your trip to Rio?
After going through this list, I can guarantee that you are now equipped with some of the best recommendations for things to do in Rio.
But, if you are still feeling puzzled or overwhelmed, I can help you out! I can prepare a fully personalized itinerary for your trip, where I’ll take in your wishes and combine with my local expertise to craft the perfect travel plan for you.
Send us a message and let me help you plan your trip to Rio!
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Brazil, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Brazil on Skyscanner.com.
- Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad.
- Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals.
- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
- Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
- Personalized itinerary: We can create a travel plan tailored to your wishes!
- Rio de Janeiro map: All of our favorite places on one map.
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