3 Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil and was the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
I wrote an entire blog post on the city itself because there’s just so much to do, and I have so many beautiful memories of Rio.
This is one of the most beautiful cities in not only Latin America but the whole world.
How I Got There
As usual whenever I travel, I either take a United flight or search for the cheapest flight on kayak.com. I wrote an article about how I stick to flying on United as much as possible to cash out big with my miles.
For this trip, I flew on United from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro (with a connection in Houston).
1. Copacabana Beach
I put this on my number 1 because… well, I was there for New Years Eve and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.
Starting around 5pm, the bars and restaurants around Copacabana started closing. Traffic was getting worse by the minute. People were gathering towards the beach for a highly anticipated fireworks show that ended up lasting 15 straight minutes.
New Years in Rio (Fireworks)
I was super paranoid about my belongings getting stolen, and often had both hands in my lone front pocket. Fortunately, everything went fine and took a video of a lifetime along side millions of other people.
Copacabana Beach
Going to the beach is actually a huge part of the culture in Rio. What do you do after work? Go to the beach. What do we do on the weekends? Take our bathing suits with us and go to the beach.
I went during Christmas Break, which is the peak of summertime. Rio is HOT.
There are many other beaches available to the public such as Ipanema and Leblon in Rio, but Copacabana is without a doubt the most famous beach in arguably the whole country.
2. Cristo Redentor
There are two very important pieces to this incredible landmark:
The statue itself
The view of the city.
Cristo Redentor
Sugar Loaf Mountain
There’s a similar statue that I visited in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The difference is that the one in Rio is only about a million times more famous.
3. Morro Dois Irmãos
This is roughly translated: “Two Brothers Lookout”.
The best view of Rio in my opinion isn’t from Sugar Loaf nor from Cristo Redentor, but comes after a somewhat of a strenuous hike.
The hike itself took about 50-60 minutes to get to the top and a few water bottles… because it was HOT.
Morro Dois Irmãos
Morro Dois Irmãos
There were people selling coconut water, water, and gatorade on the way. It was completely worth it.
I ubered to Vidigal, and from there I arrived where there was a soccer field and the sign that said Morro Dois Irmãos.
Honorable Mentions
After my experience in Rio, all I can say about nightlife is this: you cannot experience nightlife in Rio without going to the Lapa district.
Dancing Samba
Dancing Samba was also an interesting Brazilian experience. It’s very different from Salsa – which I learned previously. I could barely keep up, but it was fun.
Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon for gorgeous views of the biggest lake in the city.
Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon
Where I Stayed
I stayed in an Airbnb in Copacabana.
By the way, I wrote a separate article on How I Choose Where I Stay when I Travel.
If I Had More Time, I Would Have…
A quick list to round out things I would have done: Mirante Dona, Centro (for the museums), and Vista Chinesa.
Closing Remarks
I don’t know how else to say it other than the fact that Rio de Janeiro was just so damn fun. I was sick for half of the time I was in the city, but I managed to pull off a memorable experience.
I’m looking forward to the next time I’m in Brazil.