Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
With the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony airing on TV tonight, I thought a post on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil would be perfect. I was fortunate enough to be in Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympics and it was a wonderful experience. Even without the Olympic events taking place, Rio is definitely a must visit destination!
Since we were there for the Opening Ceremony and a couple of other events, our free time was spent seeing all of the tourist "must see" spots. I'll cover each of those here. Rio is an incredible scenic city with both mountains and beautiful beaches. There is so much to do and see, so plan your time wisely!
Things to See
1. Beaches - There are quite a few beaches to see in Rio, but the two most popular beaches are Copacabana Beach and Ipanema Beach (both located in the South Zone of Rio). We stayed at a hotel for the first part of our trip that was right on Copacabana Beach and the views were stunning! The beach is filled with soft white sand, turquoise water, palm trees, and so many sandcastles. I'm not talking kids building sandcastles though. I'm talking professional, truly amazing pieces of art. We spent a good part of the first day just walking along the beach admiring all of the sandcastles. There are quite a few restaurants on the beach right in the sand. We ate dinner on the beach one night and the food was so good! We had probably one of the biggest fish I've ever seen and delicious Caipirinhas (a Brazilian cocktail made of cachaça (sugarcane hard liquor), sugar and lime). To top off a wonderful meal, there was also live music being played and locals dancing along. With the cool breeze coming from the sea, it was such a lovely experience.
Ipanema Beach is not too far from Copacabana, but it definitely offers a different feel. Here, we saw a ton of people on the beach playing soccer (football), volleyball, and a hybrid of the two created by locals called "footvolley." We also saw a lot of surfers on this beach, so if you're a surfer this is the place to go! In addition to the recreational activities, Ipanema Beach was lined with food stalls, bars, coco verde coconut kiosks, and a plethora of art & souvenir stands. The crowd at Ipanema was a bit younger and there were a lot more locals.
2. Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) - When most people think of Rio, the first thing they think of is the Christ the Redeemer statue. Depending on where you are in the city, you're most likely in view of the statue. It truly is a sight to see and obviously a "must" on any visit to Rio. Christ the Redeemer is located at the top of the Corcovado mountain. In order to get to the top and visit the statue, there are a few options. You can take a train, a van, or if you're really adventurous you can hike! We chose the train option and while it may have taken longer than the van, it was a really cool trolley-like train that took you through the scenic forest of the Tijuca National Park. It was a fun experience to be in the forest since all of our other experiences in Rio were city and beach. The trains depart every half hour from the Cosme Velho station and the journey up to the top takes just about 20 minutes. The price per ticket is R$ 75.00, which is about $23 US Dollars. Once you're at the top, you will exit and take an escalator up to the statue. You can now take all of the photos your heart desires, but beware there will be lots of other people (and selfie sticks) doing the same. In addition to the photos of the statue itself, be sure to walk all around the platform and take in the amazing views of the city. Here, you can see everything from Copacabana Beach to Sugarloaf Mountain and more.
3. Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açucar) - Sugarloaf Mountain is located at the mouth of Guanabara Bay. Why you should visit, is because there is a cable car that takes you to the top of the Mountain and offers incredible views of Rio. Plus, riding a cable car is always a fun idea! To reach the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, you will actually take two cable car rides (each lasting three minutes). The first ride ascends to the top of the first peak - Morro da Urca, which is 722 feet high. You then get on a second car which ascends to the higher peak - Pão de Açúcar, which is 1,299 feet high. On both peaks, there are shops and restaurants. We each bought an açaí na tigela (açaí bowl) and then found a seat where we watched planes landing and taking off from Santos Dumont Airport. From the top of the peaks you can see so much of Rio, including Copacabana, Ipanema, the Corcovado Mountain, and Guanabara Bay. Absolutely worth the visit for the views alone.
*NOTE: For both Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain, time your visit accordingly. If you don't want sun in all of your pictures ruining your shots, I suggest an early morning visit so the sun will be behind you.
4. Escadaria Selaron - Escadaria Selaron or the "Selaron Steps" is a set of stairs designed by Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón running between the Lapa and Santa Teresa neighborhoods. There are 215 steps covered in over 2000 tiles collected from over 60 countries around the world. The height from the base to the top of the stairs is about 410 feet. You could spend hours here just looking at all of the different tiles. It is one of the most colorful places I've ever been. We found tiles with US states, politicians, MLK, The Simpsons, and many more. There are ledges you can sit on or you can sit right on the stairs for a great photo. There are a lot of shops and restaurants nearby as well, so you can make a day of visiting this area of Rio.
5. The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian - Not far from the Selaron Steps you will find the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian. The church was built in the style of Mayan architectural pyramids. It is an extremely unique church with stained glass lining the four corners of the church. These windows span over 200 feet form top to bottom and are a beautiful visual from inside. The outside is quite a sight to see as well given the pyramid-like design. You can enter the church to take photos and there is also a gift shop inside selling rosaries, post cards, and other religious gifts.
6. Favelas - Favelas are the slums of Rio and are considered a tourist attraction for many visitors. However, the crime rate in the favelas is understandably high so it is not recommended to visit alone. There are several tour operators that offer guided tours through a favela. We were fortunate that our hotel in Copacabana gave us a view of one of the largest favelas in Rio. We decided to admire from afar and just take pictures. I have known a few people who have visited them in person though and met locals who were very welcoming. As tourists from first world countries, it is easy to find such places fascinating and want to visit, but I think it is important to understand the economic situation in these areas and be respectful of the conditions in which people in favelas live.
7. Sidewalks - One of my favorite things about Rio was the sidewalks. Whether it be on the beaches or just walking around different parts of the city, the sidewalks were so cool! Most of the sidewalks are made of black and white tiles in different designs, but occasionally you'll see some red tiles as well. Not only are the sidewalks pretty to look at, but there is a deeper meaning behind them. It is said that the black and white tiles represent the White Europeans and the Black African slaves, a major part of the Brazilian history. Though not interwoven, they are intermingled, showing that each influences the other in some way. The red tiles are said to represent the indigenous peoples of Brazil who remained isolated after the White Europeans took over their land, but they are still influenced by the presence of the others. How interesting is that?!
Rio is an absolutely beautiful city and the Brazilian people are extremely friendly and welcoming. Be sure to add this destination to your list!
How To Get There
From the US: If you're using miles, there are several options to get you to Rio. I personally used United miles on Air Canada and flew DC to Toronto, then direct from Toronto to Rio. My parents used Delta miles and flew to Miami, then from Miami to São Paulo (where they took advantage of the layover and spent a couple days exploring São Paulo), then finally from São Paulo to Rio.
While purchasing flights may be a bit more expensive than flights to Europe, you can still find plenty of deals for under $800 if you book in advance and are flexible. Always look into connecting in different countries as a way to bring costs down. Essentially, the more stops you have to make, the less you'll have to pay. If you go this route, take advantage of long layovers and leave the airport to explore (a post of long layovers will follow soon!).
Where To Stay
We actually stayed in both a hotel AND an Airbnb. When we originally booked our trip, because we were going during the Olympics, hotels basically sold out instantly. This left us with either paying an insane amount of money for a the few rooms that were left, or renting an Airbnb. We chose the Airbnb route and picked a great little apartment in the Flamengo neighborhood (close to Guanabara Bay). When it got closer to our trip, because of security fears, more and more people were cancelling their trips to the Olympics which resulted in hotel cancellations. We took advantage of this situation and booked one night in a hotel right on Copacabana Beach and reduced our Airbnb stay by one night. It ended up being a great decision because it gave us two very different experiences while in Rio. At the hotel we had a view of the entire beach and the hotel had a rooftop pool overlooking the water. In our Airbnb, we had a perfect view of Christ the Redeemer and the neighborhood was very cute with walkable shops and restaurants.
The rooftop pool at Hotel Windsor Miramar, Copacabana
The view from our Airbnb balcony
I would highly recommend choosing two different locations when visiting Rio to take in all of the scenic beauty the city has to offer!
Tips
Safety: I can't say this enough, be aware of your surroundings! Prior to our trip I read horror story after horror story about crime in Rio. Muggings seem to be a common occurrence and I was basically convinced we'd be mugged. So much so, that my dad carried a dummy wallet with a small amount of Brazilian cash and an expired credit card in it just in case. I kept all of our actual money and credit cards in a belly band under my jeans. Now lucky for us, because it was the Olympics, there was police and military EVERYWHERE. Not once on our trip did I ever feel unsafe. However, if I were to visit again when an event like the Olympics was not taking place, I'd definitely be more cautious.
As with any big city, just be smart! Don't wear flashy jewelery or flaunt designer sunglasses and purses. Always be aware of your surroundings. Don't go into neighborhoods at night alone. And never get drunk and wander onto the streets unassuming. In countries in which there is a huge discrepancy between the haves and have-nots, it is completely understandable why many resort to crime. For some people, mugging a tourist may mean their family gets to eat that night. If you do find yourself in a situation like that, just calmly hand over your money or phone (whatever they demand) and they will take it and run. Better to be out some cash than your life. Again, just be aware and do your research on areas to avoid.
Food: If you're in Brazil, number one is you have to go to a churrascaria (Brazillian steakhouse) for the all-you-can-eat steak. Their meat is so good and worth eating whatever they bring to your table, even if you're not sure what you're saying yes to! Most meals in Rio are served with rice and beans, so you'll never go hungry. For dessert, be sure to try Pudim de Leite Condensado. This dish is a Brazilian-style flan and it is so tasty!
Drink: On the beach, you will see countless kiosks and vendors selling Coco Verde. It is basically a green coconut with a straw. While I'm not a huge fan of the drink, my mom loved it. Based on the hundreds of other people along the beach drinking it as well, I'd say it's a must try! If nothing else, it's a great photo op :) The one drink I did LOVE however was the Caipirinha. This alcoholic drink is made of cachaça (sugarcane hard liquor), sugar and lime. It is just the right amount of tart and sweet. A must when in Brazil!
boa Viagem!
BONUS: Some pics from the Opening Ceremony because they're just too great not to share :)
