Rio de Janeiro is one of the most vibrant cities on earth and unlike any other, with an urban rain forest, abundant wildlife and some fantastic beaches. Here are the top 10 must see Rio de Janeiro attractions that you shouldn’t miss during your time in this amazing Brazilian city.
Top Rio de Janeiro Attractions
Rio de Janeiro isn’t the capital of Brazil, which is actually Brasilia. However, there are lots of things to do in this iconic Latin city. From incredible beaches to world class museums and natural wonders, let’s check out the best Rio de Janeiro sights.
1. Rio de Janeiro Beaches
Rio’s beaches are legendary. In health conscious Rio, there are plenty of places to work out on the beach. Here are the best Rio beaches to visit:
- Copacabana – close to Sugar Loaf Mountain, is world renowned and stretches for four kilometers. The Copacabana Palace Hotel is a great place to sit and watch the sunset here.
- Ipanema – famous thanks to the Girl from Ipanema song, and attracts a trendy, good looking crowd.
- Leblon – adjacent to Ipanema, this upmarket area tends to appeal to families.
- Praia da Barra da Tijuca – in the Barra area, this lesser known Rio beach stretches over 12 glorious kilometers.
- Arpoador is a surfers paradise and another great place to catch the sunset over Ipanema and Leblon from the rocks.
2. Corcovado
You won’t want to miss a trip on the cog train up to Christ the Redeemer or Corcovado. This Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ was created by Paul Landowski and stands 30 metres tall. That is the height without including the 8 metre pedestal. The arms alone stretch 28 metres wide.
Christo Redentor really is an impressive sight and the symbol of Brazil worldwide. The views of the city and Lagoa, Rio’s natural lagoon are fantastic.
You’re never far away from this famous landmark in Rio de Janeiro and it’s lit up at night. The statue was struck by lightning in 2008, suffering damage to the fingers and head, but has been restored since.
A good way to see Corcovado in style is with a private tour. Rio Cultural Secrets offer private tours since 2012 in Rio de Janeiro. This expert Rio tour guide has great reviews on Tripadvisor and are recommended by Fodors and Lufthansa Magazine. Rio Cultural Secrets also have partnerships with many luxury hotels in Rio.
You’ll travel in a comfortable air conditioned vehicle and get lots of insider tips. Before your trip, you can also ask them for advice on things such as what to pack for Rio.
They have many tours in addition to Corcovado, such as a private Pedra Bonita Rio de Janeiro hike, a visit to Santa Teresa Rio de Janeiro, the Selaron Stairs and the Ruins Park or a Botanical Garden and Tijuca Forest Tour.
If you have several days in Brazil, why not try a day trip from Rio de Janeiro to Arraial do Cabo, Buzios, Ilha Grande or Serra dos Orgãos National Park.
3. Sugar Loaf Mountain
Another must-see, Sugar Loaf Mountain is particularly impressive at sunset so make sure to time your trip for a little before then. It’s a picturesque trip up in the two glass-walled cable cars to the top of this peak, 396 metres above the harbour.
The name comes from the 16th century when blocks of sugar were placed in conical moulds of clay to be transported on ships. As these resembled the peak, so the mountain became known as Sugar Loaf.
The panoramic views from here are incredible. See the little white dot slightly to the right of the picture on top of one of the peaks? That’s Christ the Redeemer, still visible from afar.
It’s very easy to spot marmoset monkeys at the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain. They originally lived on the Northeastern coast of Brazil but soon spread to Southeast Brazil and are now considered an invasive species there – cute though. You may also come across an anteater if you’re lucky.
4. Tijuca Forest
Rio is quite unique in that it has an urban rain forest, right in the centre. The Tijuca Forest may well be the world’s largest urban forest, covering 32 square kilometres.
The rainforest is located in the mountainous area known as the Tijuca Massif and is actually a man-made reclamation of land on which coffee and sugar had previously been planted. Created by Major Manuel Gomes Archer in the 19th century to protect Rio’s water supply, it’s now home to hundreds of species of wildlife and plants. It was declared a National Park in 1961.
5. World’s Largest Street Mural
Created by Brazilian graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra for the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, Las Etnias measures 30.ooo square feet. This colorful mural is 15 feet tall and took 2 months to complete.
The Guiness Book of Records confirmed that it is the world’s largest mural completed by a single person. You can find this amazing street art in the port area of Rio. It features 5 faces from the 5 continents, also representing the 5 Olympic gold rings.
6. Rio Lagoa
This stunning lagoon is encircled by a 7.5 kilometre path, popular with cyclists and runners. Lagoa itself is also the name of the neighbourhood, one of the most affluent in Rio and the third most expensive in South America. Nearby there are hiking trails where you can get a far-reaching view over the lagoon.
Or if feeling less sporty, take a duck or swan boat out for a bit of fun.
7. Rio Museums
Rio has many interesting museums that are well worth a visit. These include:
- Museu de Arte do Rio which hosts regular exhibitions in a renovated space.
- Copacabana Fort Museum – still an active military base, it hosted the marathon swimming and triathlon events in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
- The Museum of Tomorrow, or Museu do Amanha in Portugese. This striking building was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and houses a museum of science.
8. Rio Historical Center
Mainly a commercial area, there are some stunning examples of Belle Epoque architecture to be seen here and several museums are close by.
- The Royal Portuguese Reading Room – a Rio de Janeiro hidden gem housing the largest collection of Portugese texts outside of Portugal. More than 350,000 books and manuscripts can be found inside this building, considered to be one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.
- The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – beautiful gold carvings and a Roccoco style interior.
- Travessa do Comercio – a street lined with striking old colonial townhouses, many restaurants and bars, making it popular with locals after work.
9. Lapa
Rio is renowned for its nightlife and Lapa is the place to come if you want to experience Brazilian samba dancing. It can be hard to find a non-touristy place but Carioca da Gema is very authentic and has some excellent musicians performing. Whether a beginner or an expert, don’t hesitate to take to the dance floor.
Lapa is also well known for the Selaron Steps, or Escadaria Selaron in Portugese. This colorful tiled staircase leads from Lapa to Santa Teresa. The famous 125 meter high stairway was created by Chilean born artist Jorge Selaron as a tribute to the Brazilian people.
Carioca Aqueduct is another well known Lapa landmark. Constructed in 1723 to bring fresh water to the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro, the Arcos da Lapa connects the city centre to Santa Teresa.
10. Rio de Janeiro Carnival
We’ve saved one of the most famous Rio attractions until last. Rio Carnival takes place every year before Lent and is the biggest carnival in the world. Over 2 million people attend each year!
Visitors flock to the Sambadrome to see the Samba Parade and the colorful floats during Carnaval de Rio de Janeiro. It’s best to book your accommodation well in advance as it gets booked far ahead.
Food in Rio de Janeiro
If you’re a foodie then you’ve come to the right place. Rio is famous for the high quality of its meats and churrascarias or barbecue restaurants such as Porcao. Here you pay a set rate and they then bring you round meat until you place your red token on the top to say “no”!
Don’t forget to sample a bowl of acai ice cream, made from wild berries and utterly delicious. You can try acai in one of the many sucos or juice bars, on virtually every street corner and with lots of interesting flavours on offer.
A visit to Confeitaria Colombo is a must if you have a sweet tooth. This grand cafe dates from the late 1800s and is a great place to sample a pastel de nata or custard tart whilst admiring the decor of stained glass windows and high ceilings.
