I was fried. I needed a place to visit and relax but I'm not a resort type person. There has to be a little more than just sitting on a beach, my feet in the sand, a beer in my hand. Rio's the perfect city. It's a positive that beyond Christ the Redeemer, the city lacks major cultural, there's no pressure to rush around and see everything then try to balance that with taking an actual vacation - after Christ the Redeemer the entire trip is a relaxing vacation. One bar to the next. One restaurant to the next. It may be the most perfect place to day drink in the world. Time passes slow yet the street watching and people seen is fascinating to watch. Everyone seems to know everyone. You are in a tourist spot but it doesn't feel that way. The neighborhood beach is Los Angeles in vibe vs. the New Jersey Shore. If it was five hours away vs. nine, I'd be down here every two or three years. I hope to return in the next five years for another unwind.
Is there a better day beer drinking city in the world? What Paris is to cafes and cappuccinos, Rio is to botecos (their bar / restaurant mashup) and beer. Rio felt like Paris jammed together with Los Angeles. Replace the cafes with bars. Exchange Paris’s cultural sights with Los Angeles’ weather. Major beach upgrade. So why was I concerned about this trip?
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First a G20-sized detour before Rio exploration. Heads of states from twenty countries were in town to solve all the world’s problems. I saw two Air Force ones at Rio’s international airport. I saw heavy military presence on the ride to the hostel. On my way to Santa Teresa, I thought I missed my metro stop - nope, stations closed for G20. I would never visit Rio during New Year’s or Carnival - too much everything for me. You can add don’t visit during G20 to the list. Instead of taking the metro to the Santa Teresa Tram stop, I took an Uber. Problem solved. Inconveniences. Nothing can diminish Rio’s appeal.
When visiting Rio, start with the obvious, Christ the Redeemer. Basic background to pass along. I found it very, very, very difficult to figure out how to see Christ the Redeemer. I had little luck understanding how to purchase a pass online, struggled with finding a group tour, and wound up getting a private tour for as much to handle this as to be a handler through Rio’s historical zone.
When visiting Rio, start with the obvious, Christ the Redeemer. Basic background to pass along. I found it very, very, very difficult to figure out how to see Christ the Redeemer. I had little luck understanding how to purchase a pass online, struggled with finding a group tour, and wound up getting a private tour for as much to handle this as to be a handler through Rio’s historical zone.
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There’re two options to reach Christ the Redeemer.
- You can take a cog railway all the way up. What’s confusing is you can pick up the cog railway at three stops and it’s not clear there’s a stop close to any tourist zone. Show up at that spot, buy the cog railway ticket and Redeemer ticket and you are good to go although there could be a long wait for the railway. Search for "Cosme Velho" in Google Maps - that's the tram's starting point.
- The express way is to hire a guide to take you to a separate ticket area farther up Corcavado - the mountain the Redeemer stands upon. From there a shuttle bus takes you the rest of the way.
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If you are visiting Rio during their summer, you’ll want flexibility to be sure to visit Christ the Redeemer on a clear day. As unluck would have it, a tree fell on the cog railway the night before I arrived. All mayhem ensued as everyone wanting to see the Redeemer was stuck with option 2. I had a guide that allowed us to purchase my ticket from a Tour Guide window - took thirty seconds vs. Thirty minutes. The ticket line when we left was four to five times the length compared to when I arrived.
I’m a tourist snob. I’m not such of a snob that I wouldn’t visit Christ the Redeemer but I did have low expectations. I hate crowds. I hate people who try to strike perfect poses. Take the perfect shot. I hate the morons who after taking a photo then stand like an idiot doing nothing other than getting in the way of your photo. Christ the Redeemer is that experience. Yet it’s still a cool site. I hated it but I loved it. Glad I went. Would return.
I’m a tourist snob. I’m not such of a snob that I wouldn’t visit Christ the Redeemer but I did have low expectations. I hate crowds. I hate people who try to strike perfect poses. Take the perfect shot. I hate the morons who after taking a photo then stand like an idiot doing nothing other than getting in the way of your photo. Christ the Redeemer is that experience. Yet it’s still a cool site. I hated it but I loved it. Glad I went. Would return.
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Christ the Redeemer isn’t the Taj Mahal or the Great Wall of China in terms of scale. It is still an awe-inspiring site. This site is probably on the list of anyone with a travel bucket-list and visiting here feels like a travel accomplishment of sorts. An interesting fact is that the Redeemer’s tiles are individual triangles with the names of those who donate to the project written on the back. There’s also a tiny chapel behind the base - a wedding was held that morning.
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You can see Christ the Redeemer from just about everywhere in the city including my hostel's roof deck - conversely when you are at Christ the Redeemer, you can see the entire city - from the Centro area to Botafogo and Sugarloaf to Ipanema.
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After Christ the Redeemer, it’s all about the beach life. It’s fascinating to be riding a subway and 25% of the riders are wearing swimsuits and Havaianas. Groups of young people, and all ages for that matter, going to the beach, at 2:30 on a Monday afternoon, like it’s nothing. School? Work? Beach. Start with world-famous Copacabana.
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Although Copacabana is just ok. It’s tough to know what to expect with Copacabana. I’ve seen photos of the beach. It’s iconic tiled walkway. I’ve never seen what the area looks like off the beach and was initially taken aback when I emerged from the metro. Copacabana is not some sleepy beach neighborhood. It is not Bondi Beach. It is not Manhattan Beach. It is not Santa Monica. It’s busy like Center City Philadelphia was on a pre-COVID workday. It’s a loud four block walk to the beach. But it is a tree lined walk. There’s homeless but on this factor it’s not as bad as Santa Monica or Center City Philadelphia.
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Copacabana is as I expected - stunningly beautiful, a fun time, lot of crowds. The beach "hustlers" were not nearly as bad I expected. In five days, I was offered marijuana, and nothing heavier than that or other services, twice. As a single male I’m typically hounded. Not the case here. No reason to over think the experience. No reason to try and not be touristy. Grab a seat at one of the bars and order a chopp. Or walk along the beach drinking a caipirinha. I thought the caipirinhas were a bit strong, so my decision was even easier.
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I traced Anthony Bourdain’s footsteps to Gelato Sat’s for one of the best chicken meals ever. Juicy. Two sauces. Proof that you don’t always need to eat the local, regional fare. Go with the good stuff.
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To the south of Copacabana lies Ipanema and Leblon, which combine to make an even more stunningly beautiful view bookended by Arpoador and Morro Dois Irmãos. Ipanema is quieter than Copacabana but given what I wrote about Copacabana, that’s not saying much. Ipanema is more built up than Santa Monica but it feels slower. It has significantly less traffic than Copacabana. It’s fewer blocks from the metro to the beach. Like Copacabana there’re bars along the walkway and one the beach. You are never searching for a place to drink with a view. In the morning order a cappuccino.
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The day I switched hotels to Ipanema was also a national holiday, Black Awareness Day. The beaches were maxed out with revelers. The only time I didn't feel completely safe in Brazil was at the end of this day when there were packs of drunk teenagers coming off the Ipanema beaches - that youth and drunken combo isn't great anywhere.
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The Arpoador end, which is where I was staying in a beachfront hotel, has a muscle beach area.
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Similar to Copacabana, Ipanema is built up - if not for the beach a few blocks away, it'd feel like you were in the middle of a city - a city with tree-lined streets but a city none-the-less. Sitting and drinking at a boteco is truly one of the greatest time-consuming activities one can pursue.
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There are Havaianas stores all over Rio. It's not an exaggeration to say that a quarter of the population is walking around in Havaianas, whether at the beach or not. The Havaianas store at Rua Garcia d'Avila, 124 in Ipanema bills itself as a "concept" store, probably the best one to visit in Rio, although for the impressive exterior, fancy sandal covered walls, the store had no more of a selection, and actually not many sandals in stock. Perhaps everyone shops here. If you can't find the size you are looking for here, move on to the next store.
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Livraria da Travessa - what a wonderful bookstore. I popped into several of these stores and loved strolling through the selection. Great children's area. Great place to drink a cappuccino. When sipping a cappuccino in a bookstore, you can't help but wonder if Rio is as dangerous as it's portrayed. What dangerous city has cute bookshops like this? What dangerous city has old people and young families alike wandering the streets? There're way too many small dogs, and people walking those small dogs at odd hours of the night for Rio to be surface level dangerous. It's not Mexico City.
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Jobi is an historical, been there for years, boteco in Leblon. Sometimes you need to get off the beach and Jobi's there for you. I had a cod shepherd's pie which was as good and as bad as it sounds. Places like Jobi is where Rio feels the most like Paris.
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After Christ the Redeemer, the only other must see, ticketed site, is Pao Azucar / Sugarloaf, that juts out of the see at Urca between Botafogo and Copacabana. I spent an extra $10 on the fast pass ticket which helped a bit when waiting for the clouds to clear.
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Solid views. Christ the Redeemer is a bit far off. There are quite a few dining and commercial options to keep you occupied while waiting for clear skies. Looking back down into Botafogo and Flemengo.
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Looking into the Centro area - you can see the cross above the Cathedral. Bottom right, Copacabana area.
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Below Sugarloaf is Urca. A neighborhood where people like to gather, drink beer, sit on the sea wall, and watch the sun set - very reminiscent of Parisians sitting at Saule Pleureur de la Pointe. The Cariocas, as those who live in Rio are called, live a tough life.
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On the far end of Urca is a military base that these days primarily serves as a training center for military personnel to transition to physical education instructors once their service period ends. My Redeemer tour guide was ex-military and got me past the gates for this great view of Sugarloaf.
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I started my trip with the Santa Teresa Tram a slow, tourist ride up the hill through the Santa Teresa neighborhood, itself named after the Santa Teresa church. Prepare for a long wait then be pleasantly surprised when you are boarding the tram forty minutes later. The Santa Teresa neighborhood develop as a way for those with means to escape Rio’s historical center - new arrivals brought disease. The neighborhood has a nice collection of old homes, some of which have been converted into hotels. There’re several restaurants although most are closed on Mondays, the day I visited.
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I took the tram to Largo dos Guimarães stop, which is only about midway up the Santa Teresa hill, although this area also has the highest concentration of restaurants and shops.
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I then walked down the tram route to Largo do Curvelo.
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From here I followed other tourists (who knew where they were going) to Parque das Ruínas (which was also closed on Mondays), then a left down Laderia de Santa Teresa (a crazy steep street).
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To the North is the Santa Teresa slum - made famous as the backdrop from Michael Jackson’s “They Don't Care About Us” music video. Dom Toretto called it home but since I’m not part of Dom’s family, these photos from Santa Teresa are as close as I ventured.
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The route eventually leads to the top of Escadaria Selarón. Artist Jorge Selarón placed tile on the stair faces converting concrete into art. The stairs weren’t a tourist attraction until the Snoop Dogg / Pharrell “Beautiful” music video (the video also made the Parque Lage location popular) - in 2024 both are Instagram/Tiktok sites. My quick take - the Stairs are Rio’s version of Beco de Batman.
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From Escadaria Selarón I walked around the corner for lunch at Refettorio Gastromotiva, a super, cool spot. With all the tourists at Escadaria Selarón I would have expected a few to stumble upon Refettorio Gastromotiva as it's close and highly rated, but since it wasn't featured in a Snoop Dogg video, it was quiet.
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The Lapa Aqueduct is a short walk from the Escadaria Selarón. The aqueduct carried water from Santa Teresa to Rio’s original settlement area. Long since out of use, someone had the brilliant idea to extend the Santa Teresa tram line across the aqueduct. Brilliant idea. Such a cool feature of the city to see the tram travel across the aqueduct.
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Behind the aqueduct is the Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro. Built in the 1970s many guess that the church's unique design borrows inspiration from Mayan pyramids. It was actually a contemporary inspiration - the US space race capsules. The Church is a giant Mercury capsule. Behind the Church is an office building with a hollow top that forms a cross that can be seen from the top of Sugarloaf (photo above in the Sugarloaf section).
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I visited downtown on an afternoon before a holiday. It was quiet. A few attractions that should have been open were closed. I didn’t realize that one attraction, the Royal Portuguese Reading Room, is only open on Thursdays. I would need to return.
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The streets were quiet because everyone was at Confeitaria Colombo - a century-old pastry cafe with an ornate interior design.
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I returned Thursday morning to see the Royal Portuguese Reading Room. With Rio, my thought going in to visiting a site, is that it’s a little crazy to go outside the tourist zone, then you show up, and it’s busy. Such was the case with the Reading Room. Although I believe everyone, including myself, took an Uber or taxi here.
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From here I walked through the historical area to the metro station. Took a couple of quick photos.
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Parque Lage feels like an Instagram site. People waited in a fifteen-minute line to take a photo. I zoomed through the park and got a coffee at The Coffee, a local chain - I saw more The Coffees than any other coffee shop. Good coffee, wouldn't be surprised to see them in the US in the next five years.
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Two fabulous musical styles/genres were developed in Rio - Samba and Bossa Nova. It’s a bit disappointing you can’t hear the chill Bossa Nova music playing when you are sipping beer on the Copa or Ipanema.
To hear Samba, I took an Uber to the Lapa area - Carioca da Gema. I was a bit nervous about heading to the Lapa area, then I stepped out of the Uber and again wondered why I was nervous - the neighborhood was packed. People of all ages, a lot of people older than me, all out enjoying the Lapa Samba music scene.
To hear Samba, I took an Uber to the Lapa area - Carioca da Gema. I was a bit nervous about heading to the Lapa area, then I stepped out of the Uber and again wondered why I was nervous - the neighborhood was packed. People of all ages, a lot of people older than me, all out enjoying the Lapa Samba music scene.
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For Bossa Nova I went to Restaurante Vinícius e Bossa Nova Bar. Although not the original bar where "The Girl From Ipanema" was written (that's across the street), the current establishment continues to have an individual play Bossa Nova classics at night. Disappointing that you don't hear this music throughout the city.
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I stayed the first two nights in Botafogo, a centrally located neighbor, upscale, outside the primary tourist zones. The bar, restaurant, and dining scene reminded me of other upscale neighborhoods outside of tourist zones. The sort of neighborhood you find in New York City, like say Astoria, after wandering around the city for five days. This pocket that feels like my Rio. I liked the Botafogo scene so much I returned here my last night even though I was then staying in Ipanema.
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I kept my Rio exploration to the main tourist zones with one exception. The Tijuca neighborhood was described as a “bohemian haunt” with lots of college students. The neighborhood is easy to reach via the metro - it’s the last stop on Line 1. I found a popular neighborhood restaurant that had been the area for 30+ years. Glad I came out here because I was curious what Rio looked like outside of the main areas - not much to see here. Decent area. Felt safe. Kids walking to and from school. Not sure the person who described it as bohemian understands the definition of bohemian.
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All the tourists at theEscadaria Selarón had me thinking - there’re more tourists here than I expected. Instead of taking an Uber to Copacabana, I’m going to walk from Lapa to Largo do Machado the first open, non-G20-closed stop. Amazing walk. Fell in love with Rio. What a cool, fun, busy city.
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Feijoada is a Brazilian bean/meat stew dish. I found Brazilian food to be quite heavy - lots of meat and deep fried pastries. Feijoada may have been the heaviest of them all. Not the greatest dish but when in Brazil...
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Tom Jobin (near Arpoador in Ipanema) and Carlos Drummond de Andrade (near Arpoador in Copacabana) statues - one of greatest Bossa Nova musicians and Brazil's best poet, respectively.
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The last two nights I spent at the Hotel Arpoador. Can't beat the location or the views.
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To give a sense of how close the favelas, Rio's slums, are to tourist zones - there's a favela on the hill between Ipanema and Copacabana - you couldn't accidentally walk into the favela, but it's tempting to visit how close you are to them.
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