Is the wonderful city your dream destination? Discover the 10 places you can’t miss on your trip to Rio de Janeiro. Sugar Loaf The gateway to Guanabara Bay, one of the symbols of Rio de Janeiro, the overlap of the Urca and Sugar Loaf hills is a natural monument, and visiting it in person is almost obligatory when you come to the city. From the top of its peaks, surrounded by waters, some of the most beautiful views of Rio. Opened in 1912, its cable car is among the first three cable cars in the world. It is also possible to climb Morro da Urca, the first of the two hills, on foot, through an easy-to-do and well-signposted trail. When you go down, take the opportunity to get to know the neighborhood of Urca with all its charm: walk along Praia Vermelha, at the foot of sugar loaf, and maybe you will spot a sea turtle bordering the coast; follow the famous mureta da Urca, inside Guanabara Bay, facing botafogo cove, it is surrounded by traditional bars and happy and relaxed people, having a beer in the beautiful carioca sunset. It’s a program not to be missed!

Corcovado/Christ the Redeemer Rio’s (or rather Brazil’s) number one postcard and one of the seven wonders of the world, the iconic Corcovado mountain and its exuberant nature, whose summit is inhabited by the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer and his open arms, is undoubtedly the first image that comes to mind when talking about Rio de Janeiro. The view from above is fantastic, you have the whole city and its surroundings within your field of view. The statue, given by the French in 1931, is 38 meters high and can be captured at incredible angles for special photos. To access the top of Corcovado, there is the option of the little train, based on the same route Cosme since 1884. There is also the possibility of climbing by car or on foot, by the road of Paineiras. Cliché or not, it doesn’t matter: it’s worth going up to see Christ up close and the city from above, at least once.

Tijuca Forest In the heart of the city, amidst the chaos of Rio de Janeiro, peace and hope coexist in harmony with the exuberant nature of the Tijuca Forest, living proof that it is possible to recover devastated areas: its forest is the result of the first major reforestation project in the world, which began in 1861, after the springs and rivers had almost dried up due to deforestation. Today, the Tijuca Forest is home to numerous species of plants and animals, several rivers and waterfalls, lookouts and peaks, forming tijuca national park, one of the most important urban forests in the world. There are several accesses to tijuca national park. However, be sure to do at least the main tour, with access to Alto da Boa Vista, passing through some of the main waterfalls of the park and the Visitor Center. It’s a great place to make a pic-nic, but please don’t feed the quatis and take your trash to be disposed of in the appropriate place. Don’t forget repellent, water and a camera to record unforgettable memories of this magical moment in this very special forest! Copacabana, Arpoador & Ipanema The city’s most beloved beaches should not be left out of your itinerary! When mentioning their names, it seems that time for and that one hears in the background a bossa nova meek to play … Yes, even as time goes by, they still deserve your visit! Being one very close to the other, how about meeting all three at once? Starting with Copacabana, the city’s most famous beach, in its half moon shape and its unmistakable boardwalk, with waves designed that give balance to your walk, post six is where the sea water is quieter to bathe, and is very close to Fort Copacabana, where you find charming cafes and beautiful places for photos. Heading west, one of the hottest beaches and neighborhoods in Rio: Ipanema. In its sands, from post 8 to 10, you see everything: people from all over the world, from the most diverse backgrounds, varied trade and unusual merchants, sports (many sports), families, finally, life happening right there, next to you, on top of the sand, under the sun and in front of the sea, all this with the hill Two Brothers as a perfect background, Contrasting with the colors of the sky, wonderful photos can appear! Is it late afternoon? Then run to the Arpoador Stone! Follow the countdown of the stations, it’s that rock at the end of the curve of the beach. The sea over there is also a success for bathing, and it usually gets very pale, but watch out for surfers. Is it time? Climb the stone and watch the sun set, fantastic, after an unforgettable day! You can applaud – in fact, this practice is super welcome and well seen among cariocas. After all, a beautiful and privileged place like this deserves all the honors!

Sélaron Staircase The staircase between Santa Teresa and Lapa, named after the artist who immortalized it, is, according to Jorge Sélaron himself, “a tribute to the Brazilian people”. It began as an attempt to disguise the poor state of conservation of the staircase in front of your house and ended up as one of the most beautiful and most visited spots in the city. There are 215 steps covered by more than 2,000 tiles collected among more than 60 countries around the world. Many of these tiles were hand painted by Sélaron himself. Unmissable visit!

Santa Teresa Walking through this neighborhood is like traveling back in time. A stronghold of artists and bohemians, the neighborhood holds all the charm of small town, right in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The cable car that circulates is very similar to the one that circulated in the middle of the nineteenth century. The old mansions, the nature, the cobblestones, the lookouts, the beauty in the details, the international accent of those who frequent there, Santa Teresa inspires art. It is not by chance that it has several Cultural Centers, cinema, art galleries and museums. Other than that, it has restaurants, bars and mouth-watering bistros. There’s still movement at night, with lots of live music and samba wheels on weekends. Santa Teresa has to be on your list of things to see in Rio de Janeiro!

Lapa Lapa is definitely the home of Rio’s bohemian scene. All styles are there! With a wide diversity of nightclubs, bars, restaurants, concert halls and shows in the same neighborhood, what is not lacking is an entertainment option during all days of the week! Even if it’s in the open air, under the iconic Arcos da Lapa, you’ll find people having fun, lots of music and lots to see. As with all crowds, it’s important to take extra care with your personal belongings, and always make sure you eat from reliable places.
Other than that, crack a smile and have fun in Rio de Janeiro’s busiest neighborhood! Olympic Boulevard The city’s Port Zone, once gloomy, dirty, crossed by a gray viaduct, is now an almost 4km-long promenade, full of art, modernity and people-oriented, as a legacy of the 2016 Olympic Games. In it, you will find AquaRio, the Museum of Tomorrow, the Mural Ethnicities of the artist Kobra (largest open-air graffiti panel in the world), several warehouses where there are often several cultural programs, Praça Mauá with its frequent fairs of small producers, and much more. One of the ways to access the Olympic Boulevard is by VLT, but a bike ride through the Port Zone, from Praça XV, can also be very cool!

Aterro do Flamengo Aterro do Flamengo is a leisure complex built on top of various landfills made in the region during the 20th century. It goes from Santos Dummont airport, in the city center, to Botafogo Cove, in the South Zone, passing through several formidable points such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Pracinhas Monument, the Marina da Glória, Flamengo Beach, for example. The diversity of the flora, formed mainly by native species selected by Burle Marx, is impressive. Plant wealth attracts many birds. For the crossing towards Flamengo Beach, walkways were built with gentle curvatures on the express lanes and also some underground passages. The lanes are closed to cars on Sundays and holidays, from 7am to 6pm, prioritizing the use of space by park goers. Occasionally, the tracks are used for athletics and cycling competitions, and daily a lot of sport is practiced there. During carnival, this is one of the main road blocks. All this with a breathtaking view! Maracanã The Mario Filho stadium, known as Maracanã, is considered the temple of Brazilian soccer. In the heart of the city’s North Zone, this stadium has once been the scene of historic clashes and unforgettable scenes of world football. It has hosted the Brazilian Championship, Carioca Football Championship, Copa Libertadores of America, FIFA Club World Championship, Pan American Games, Olympic Games, Confederations Cup and FIFA World Cup, as well as opening and closing ceremonies of these events, as well as concerts and other shows. Pelé’s thousandth goal was there. Watching the strength of the fans is sound that echoes and we never forget. Once the largest stadium in the world, today it is undoubtedly the most beloved and well worth a visit!

Pedra Bonita One of the peaks of the Tijuca Forest, Pedra Bonita stands out for being a light and relatively easy trail, with no major obstacles, and which as a reward gives you a breathtaking view! Even if you are not an athlete’s size, this trail can be accomplished without fear. Although steep in some stretches, it is very quiet, has good circulation and good conservation. From the top, people often practice yoga, meditation or simply contemplate the beauty of the city from a spectacular angle! All this, right in front of the face of the Stone Giant of Pedra da Gávea, which makes this tour that much more special.