What a beauty! Now we understand the passion around this city. A few days here was not nearly enough, so we stayed for 2 weeks! Come explore some of our must-do highlights……
Rio is a city of 13 million people tucked in a stunning mass of land surrounded by mountains, ocean, world class beaches, inland lakes and even rainforests. Think of Vancouver, Sydney or Cape Town. This urban area is densely populated but the air somehow feels fresh and the year round outdoor activities are fantastic with an energy level to match.
Transportation and Safety
Any post about Rio would be remiss in not addressing the elephant in the room….safety. Like any large city, Rio has its challenges. We found the touristy areas to be vibrant and relatively safe. Of course, be sure to buckle up your personal items on your body and be aware.
We love to walk! In Rio, however, we were advised to not aimlessly walk without having an awareness of the neighbourhood we were in. Our walking and touring was always during daylight hours and any longer transportation needs were in very reasonably priced Ubers. They are abundant in Rio! We remained open to the advice of our hoteliers and stayed out of harms way. As always, when travelling, be smart, ask for local advice and definitely listen to your own intuition.
Favelas
Throughout the city there are various areas referred to as favelas. These are often described as slums or impoverished areas. In simplified terms, the economic opportunities of Brazil’s urban areas caused housing crises and forced the urban poor to erect hundreds of shantytowns in the suburbs, eventually moving into the central metropolitan areas to be near transportation and employment opportunities.
Favelas have a reputation of being controlled by organized crime groups. Today they are managed by Pacifying Police Units, known as UPPs. While violence and criminal activities are still prevalent, the UPPs now provide a new paradigm of government presence to assist with managing social and humanitarian issues.
As a tourist, visiting favelas is not recommended. One favela known as Vidigal, is a neighbourhood that we did travel through with a local guide in order to reach the beautiful Dos Hermanos (Two Brothers) hike to a mountain peak overlooking the city. See details of our journey below!
5 of our highlights……..
Read on for a short list of our faves. Rio has so much to offer! Below is a list of 5 activities and sites we loved:
1. Vidigal and Dos Hermanos
For those wanting a moderate level of exercise, fewer crowds, and an “off the beaten path” experience in Rio, this is an absolute must!
Our experience climbing Dos Hermanos far exceeded our expectations! An early morning start with a local guide (recommended by our hotel) lead us to the bottom of the favela where we placed our utmost trust in him! Nervously, we hopped on mototaxis and were driven to the favela’s highest point to begin our trek. The hike is rated as intermediate level and took just over an hour to the top. Terrain was rugged, parts were very steep and the temperature and humidity was HIGH. Remember, this is a rainforest within the city!
2. Beaches, beaches and more beaches!
Even if you don’t consider yourself a “lay-on-the-beach” type of person, try to allocate time to soak up the beach vibe of Rio de Janeiro! Whether it’s the famous Copacabana Beach, Ipamena, Barra, or any other gems along the coast, you’ll not be disappointed. Always alive with music, food, drinks and sunshine as well as numerous sporting events and activities. We enjoyed walking the beautiful boardwalks for miles and miles, people watching was extraordinary, we even spent a few days sunbathing and participating like a local!
Local life along the beaches is vibrant. Soak it in. Find your “place”. Whether it’s directly on the beach or across the wide tree-lined roadways. You can’t go wrong. There’s a place for everyone!
3. Christ the Redeemer Statue
One of the seven wonders of the modern world, Christ the Redeemer statue is stunning. It is awesome in size, location and “aura”. Construction was completed in 1931 and today nearly 2 million people visit it each year!
The most traditional, and safest, way to visit the statue is by train. Tickets for the Trem do Corcovado can be purchased online, at kiosks throughout the city or at the station kiosk itself. We were advised to arrive first thing in the morning and purchase tickets at the station. Our wait was only about 20 minutes, although, it was clear to us the area was getting busier as the day progressed.
Once at the top, you may stay as long as you like prior to descending on the train. It will likely be crowded but try to find a place to pause and breathe in the sheer magnitude of the statue, the views of the entire city, circling helicopters giving airborne tours, and the indescribable magic of Rio.
4. Hippie Market in Ipamena
What a find! Every Sunday this massive outdoor market welcomes locals and tourists alike. The Hippie Fair (feirarteipanema.com), as it’s known, is located a couple of blocks off Ipamena Beach. It has become so much a part of the city’s fabric thais it’s now declared an Intangible Heritage Site of Rio de Janeiro.
Remaining true to its origins, you will find lovely local works in all mediums…..beautiful jewellery, ceramics, straw art, clothing, musical instruments, paintings, and the list goes on…….. It’s a wonderful experience of local cultural discovery.
5. Santa Teresa Neighbourhood, Tram ride and the Selaron Stairs
This is a “must” do! Visit the hilltop neighbourhood of Santa Teresa (or “Santa”, as the locals call it). A formerly upscale neighbourhood, as is evident by the large villas, now home to a gentrified, bohemian set of artistic folks, wonderful little shops and museums, all found along the narrow, winding cobblestone streets.
To access Santa Teresa, be sure to take the historic tram. Original construction began in 1872 as a form of transportation to link the neighbourhood with the city centre. We purchased our tram tickets at the Main Station near the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro. This station is a central point to begin your journey on the tram. The ride takes you over the famous Lapa Aqueduct (“Arcos de Papa“) and to the spectacularly colourful, and not to be missed, Selaron steps (“Escadaria Selaron”).
One more attraction we want to mention……
Sugar Loaf Mountain is a peak rising 396m on a peninsula near the heart of the city. Although we observed it from numerous vantage points around the city, we were remiss in visiting. We heard from other tourists that it was a great experience and definitely worth a visit!
Put Rio on your bucket list!
We almost avoided Rio due to preconceived perceptions. What a mistake that would have been!
This short list of our 5 favourites is just the “tip of the Rio de Janeiro iceberg”. What are your favourite sites or activities in Rio?
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