Río de Janeiro | optimiza tu viaje

Rio de Janeiro

Municipality Brazilian and capital of namesake state , located in the southeast of the country. It is the second most populous city in Brazil after São Paulo .

It was the capital of Kingdom of Portugal between 1808 and 1822 and the capital of the empire of brazil since 1822, when the nation declared its independence from Portuguese country and retained that rank until the inauguration of Brasília , in 1960.

It is one of the main economic, cultural and financial resource centers in Brazil.

It is known worldwide among other things for its beaches, for the carnival, the statue of Christ the Redeemer and for its tropical climate throughout the year.

How to get to Rio de Janeiro

Plane: the city has the following airports:

Tom Jobim International Airport (Galeao) : located to 20 km from the city center, it receives national and international flights. It has taxi and bus services, which connect the area with the main tourist centers of the city.

Santos-Dumont Airport , Much more central, you get off in the city center, but it is basically restricted to domestic flights.

Ship: ocean liners arriving at its port from anywhere in the world.

Train: makes transport between the Grande Rio and cities like Duke of Caxias and Nilopolis .

The Central do Brasil station is located in the center of the city of Rio. From that point you can take the subway or the bus to other places.

Bus: Rodoviária Novo Rio is the terminal where they arrive from other Brazilian cities. There are regular lines to all the capitals, such as assumption , Buenos Aires , and Santiago .

How to get around the city of Rio de Janeiro

Train/subway: Metro Rio, Subway concessionaire that owns 2 lines and Supervia, train concessionaire, which makes the connection between the city center (Central do Brasil) to the North and West Zones and other cities of the Grande Rio.

There are transport integrations between Metro Rio and Supervia.

The subway network has wide coverage and is the fastest way to move

Bus: It is the most widespread means of transport in the city.

Boat: You can go by boat to travel to other cities, such as Niteroi and Paqueta Island (Paqueta Island).

The Aerobarco and the Catamaran are the fastest river transports.

Car: you can rent a car, come in your own or take a taxi. The problem with renting a car or coming by your own is that it is not an easy task to find parking in the city. Especially in Copacabana, where many buildings do not have a garage.

What to see in Rio de Janeiro

Christ redeemer

The gigantic sculpture of 30 meters high and weighing 1,200 tons is not only the monument most famous in the world, but since 2007 it is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, a title that it very much deserves. At 709 meters above sea level Christ the Redeemer controls the city of Rio from the top of the mountain Corcovado and It welcomes with open arms welcoming the thousands of tourists who go up to the viewpoint at its feet every day to enjoy the 360-degree view of the city of Rio de Janeiro. You can take a taxi or a funicular and when you arrive you have to climb about 250 steps to get there.

Sugarloaf Mountain

This spectacular granite peak of more than 350 meters high with virtually no vegetation, rising directly above the sea, at the entrance to Guanabara Bay, it has impressive views of the Bay and the entire River. from almost anywhere in the city. To climb to the top you have to use a Cableway called Bondinho leaving every 20 minutes and covering the 1,400 meters that separate the hills of Babilonia and Urca.

Downtown Rio de Janeiro

The best way to get to the center is by metro. Descending at the Cinelandia station you will find the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro Inspired by the Paris Opera. The National Library of Brazil, in the same square as the theater, is the largest library in Latin America. Another point of interest in the same place is the National Museum of Fine Arts and the Royal Portuguese Reading Cabinet, founded by the Portuguese at the beginning of the 19th century. Then the Saara Fair, with hundreds of shops where you can buy all kinds of products at lower prices. On Plaza XV you will find the Palace of Tiradentes, the Imperial Palace and the Church of San Jose.

National historical museum

located in full city center, The National Historical Museum was founded in 1922 and houses one of the most important collections in all of Brazil, with more than 287,000 pieces that go from the time before the arrival of the Portuguese, to the beginning of the Republic. An essential visit to better understand the history of rio de janeiro and the entire country.

museu-historico-nacional de rio de janeiro

Metropolitan Cathedral

Called São Sebastião Cathedral, patron saint of Rio de Janeiro, it is a monumental modern religious building, which breaks with the standards of religious buildings built between 1964 and 1976. On the outside, its peculiar conical pyramidal shape makes it unique and inside it stands out its four huge stained glass windows arranged from floor to ceiling, allowing natural light to enter. Located in the financial heart of the city, it is easy to see from all sides.

Lapa neighborhood
Considered the epicenter of Rio's nightlife, it brings together countless bars, restaurants and nightclubs, especially on Fridays when the main street becomes a pedestrian street, giving rise to a true open-air party. Its entrance door is the well-known Arcos de Lapa, old colonial aqueduct from 1774 built to supply the entire city with water, a use that culminated in the mid-19th century when it became a viaduct for trams, circulating on its structure the electric train known as bondinho.

Colombo Confectionery

Located downtown and founded in 1919, it is one of the greatest expressions of the Rio de Janeiro Belle Époque and considered one of the most beautiful cafes in the world. Its spacious rooms are decorated with huge mirrors brought from Belgium framed in carved wood and with precious cabinets, tables and bars made of Carrara marble, Portuguese floors, French furniture. It was the first business to have electricity in the city. Set in a very classic style, it is similar to bars in Argentina.

Church of Our Lady of Outeiro

You can get there by going up the small path that starts behind the Gloria metro station at the very top of the Gloria hill, which makes it visible from the Flamengo Park . It is unique for its peculiar octagonal shape that makes it have a unique space inside without the classic side chapels, with Portuguese-style painted tiles that cover part of the white walls. Since its construction, it has been a point of reference for sailors arriving in Rio de Janeiro.

Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon

It is a huge mirror of salt water connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Jardim de Alha canal, which also serves as a boundary between the elegant neighborhoods and the Leblon beaches and Ipanema . Its perimeter, more than 7.5 kilometers long, offers multiple leisure and sports options at any time of the day, an open-air gastronomic center and live music from dusk, where also the rowing clubs of Botafogo and Flamengo and its fishing center help to reflect the soul of Rio de Janeiro.

Carnival

This festival that lasts four days, from the Saturday to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent and the celebrations invade the neighborhoods with street parties, parades, dances and free concerts throughout the week or even earlier. The main party takes place at the Marquês de Sapucaí Sambadrome, which is an open-air stage through which the Samba Schools parade, which are groups of popular type whose purpose is to participate and compete in the Carnival with their floats. It is a 550 meter long cement track with large stands on both sides where the public sits and has a a capacity for 75,000 spectators.

Tijuca National Park

With 28 square kilometers of extension that crosses the hills and coastal mountains of Rio, it is one of the largest urban forests in the world between waterfalls, lagoons and forests, being able to appreciate an impressive variety of species of flora and fauna. Inside there are rock formations such as the illustrious Corcovado or Pedra de Gávea. The panorama is exceptional, offering you one of the most beautiful landscapes to see

in the city and its surroundings.

lake park

It's a Park public of the town from Rio de Janeiro , which is located at the foot of the hill from Corcovado . It has an area of more than 52 hectares and was cataloged on June 14, 1957 by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) as historical and cultural heritage of the city of Rio de Janeiro.

with English-style gardens, small lakes and a beautiful mansion that today occupies the School of Visual Arts Since 2004 he has been part of the Tijuca National Park .

Botanical Garden

Located on the borders of Tijuca National Park declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, with 83 hectares of forest and 54 hectares of crops, is home to more than 8,000 species of native and foreign plants.

Home of the famous Imperial Palm, it houses impressive collections of bromeliads, orchids and cacti as well as species of toucans and hummingbirds among many more.

favelas

Favelas are settlements in hillsides where people with low economic resources live. Although for decades the favelas of Rio were a place where visits were discouraged, some are now safe and welcome tourists with a smile. The most famous are Vidigal, considered the top where there are restaurants and hotels; Santa Marta, for having been the scene of a Michael Jackson video clip in the year '90; Rocinha, for being the largest favela in Latin America, housing more than 56,000 inhabitants and Cantagalo. for its great views.

Beaches of the city of Rio de Janeiro

flamingo

It is the first beach in the south of the city, located between the Santos Dumont airport and the Botafogo beach on the banks of the Park or Aterro from Flamenco. As it is located in the innermost part of the Guanabara Bay, its waters are one of the most affected by the pollution that currently invades the bay. This beach is then not recommended for a sea bath, however, its wide strip of white sand of an extension of 1.7 kilometers is one of the preferred by the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro for recreation and practice of sports such as beach soccer, volleyball or beach tennis.

Botafogo

It is located after Flamengo Beach and has the same pollution problem which makes it not recommended for the bathroom where there is also many boats besides being very deep. You can enjoy the sand and the view, given that the Pão de Açúcar is in front, but there are no stalls or street vendors.

It is surrounded by a very careful Bikeway which extends to Flamenco Park .

Vermelha

It is located at the foot of the famous Pão de Açúcar and between it and the Morro da Babilônia, in the southern part of the city. Few come to meet her to rest in this small beach with calm waters, located in a beautiful natural area and with wonderful views. It has few barracks as well as street vendors. On the left side of the beach you can find the track Claudio Coutinho where is the entrance to the trail of Morro da Urca .

leme

Located in the homonymous neighborhood, it is before reaching the famous Copacabana in the stalls 1 and 2. At its beginning is the Forte de Leme where you can fish and there are some places to eat. Is separated from Copacabana beach by Avenida Princesa and It is located on Atlantic Avenue. During the week it is quiet and mostly the cariocas who live in the neighborhood attend. It is one of the widest beaches and with more space of sand between the promenade and the sea.

Copacabana

It is one of the most touristic places in Rio and retains the charm that makes it unique. Located between mountains covered with green vegetation, it is 6 kilometers long and a sea that you can enjoy doing sports, cool off with a good dip in what the Cariocas call the Princesinha do Mar and the many stalls, outlined on the famous promenade, to sit down and enjoy a drink or light meal. That promenade, known as the Orla de Copacabana, with the unmistakable floor with waves in black and white that simulate waves, is recognizable anywhere in the world.

Although the golden age of the neighborhood of Copacabana and its beach was during the 40s and 50s of the 20th century, which was a meeting point for the rich and famous for its elegant clubs, casinos and hotels, it has not gone out of style, far from it.

harpooned r

The peninsula known as Pedra do Arpoador is on the other side of the Copacabana Fort and at the meeting of the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana. Is a rock formation famous for being one of the best places in the city to witness the sunset .

Arpoador Beach is to the right of the stone, being favorite of surfers for its big waves.

The name of the place comes from the fact that it is supposed that in the past they hunted whales with harpoons in the vicinity of the coast.

Ipanema

It stretches between Arpoador beach , which marks the limit with the Copacabana beach and the Jardim de Alah canal, bordering the Leblon beach . It is a pleasure to walk along its 2 kilometers of sand with the silhouettes of Morro Dois Irmãos and Pedra da Gavea imposing on the horizon. Immortalized by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Morais in their song Girl from Ipanema those 2 kilometers of coastline soft white sand and considerable waves for surfing make it one of the favorites for the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro and tourists.

Leblon

Although there is not really a separation between the beaches of Leblon and Ipanema, Leblon with more than a kilometer in length is a quieter beach, located in one of the most elegant neighborhoods and frequented mainly by the residents of the neighborhood and by very few. tourists, especially because in the neighborhood there are not too many hotels .

Walking west, you will find the well-known Mirante de Leblon viewpoint, a place that allows you to contemplate the waterfront in its splendor, the beaches of Leblon and Ipanema, and the Rock of Arpoador.

Sao Conrado

As well Gavea Beach at the foot of Morro Pedra da Gávea, It is located in the southwestern part and extends for almost 2 kilometers from the end of Avenida Niemeyer to the access tunnel to Barra da Tijuca. It is characterized by having very high waves, which makes it one of the best surfing beaches Very popular with lovers of this sport. A few meters from the beach, in Pedra Bonita, is the ramp from where the pilots of hang gliding and paragliding . The Rocinha favela, one of the largest and most well-known favelas in Rio de Janeiro, is located just behind the São Conrado neighborhood.

Tijuca Bar

Located in the western part of the city , within the modern and flourishing Barra da Tijuca neighborhood , the most exclusive and modern residential area in Rio de Janeiro with imposing buildings and condominiums facing the sea. The Tijuca Bar begins in the neighborhood of Jardim Oceánico, passing the Joatinga Bridge, right where Lagoa da Tijuca joins the Atlantic Ocean. T he beach begins at post 2 and stretches about 14 kilometers; It is the largest of all and one of the most chosen by tourists. Its waters are of a beautiful greenish blue color and due to their great length they form excellent waves for the practice of water sports.

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Gastronomy of Rio de Janeiro

Carioca feijoada: It is a stew that mixes black beans (feijão preto) and pork in various presentations such as bacon and sausage. which is served with white rice, farofa (roasted cassava flour), finely cut couve leaves (cabbage or Swiss chard) and orange pieces.

Churrasco: it is a combination of different types of meat prepared on the grill that are usually accompanied with white rice, feijao, farofa, chips and salad. The best way to taste as much of these meats as possible is to visit one of the city's famous rodizio-type steakhouses, where spectacular buffets of various types of meat and sea products are served, cooked on the grill.

Filé Oswaldo Aranha: was born in Rio de Janeiro made to satisfy the appetite of the gaúcho politician Oswaldo Aranha (1894-1960) and created in the Lapa Cosmopolitan Restaurant. Is a high and succulent loin or a good fillet seasoned with garlic, accompanied by Portuguese potatoes, white rice and egg farofa.

Leão veloso: it is a soup made with shrimp heads, fish, lobster and other shellfish, accompanied by tomato and saffron.

Bolinhos de Bacalhau: Croquettes based on cod meat that demonstrate the great influence of Portugal in Brazilian cuisine. The cod ball is consumed mainly in the end of the year celebrations, but it cannot be denied that it is an essential element in the palate of Rio.

Pao de Queijo: Typically crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. It is often cooked with tapioca, flour, eggs, and grated Minas cheese (or cow's milk cheese from the state of Minas Gerais), with all the ingredients rolled into a very small and delicious little ball.

Coxinha de Galinha: it is a tear-shaped chicken fritter that is breaded before frying. The dish is based on a dough made with flour and chicken broth and sometimes includes mashed potatoes stuffed with shredded chicken meat, onions, parsley, chives and many more spices.

Brigadeiro: This is a hot chocolate cake, a classic Brazilian dessert that you can find at almost every birthday party, family dinner or event.

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Some beaches outside the city

Buzios

190 kilometers east of Rio de Janeiro , this old fishing village today is a tourist destination that attracts tourists every year in search of its beaches and nightlife. Located on a peninsula 8 km long, it has 23 beaches. It is almost 27 km from Cabo Frio , the closest city, on whose municipality it depended administratively until 1995. Some of its beaches are:

Joao Fernandes : Yes . It is a beautiful beach located in the extreme northeast of the Búzios peninsula, in front of the White Island with approximately 800 meters of extension, it forms a semicircle of calm and warm waters, ideal for snorkeling, diving and kayaking. The beach is divided into two parts by a rock formation that is very easy to cross.

Geriba: It is an extensive cove approximately 2 kilometers long. It faces an open sea that offers very good waves and good wind. Therefore, it becomes the ideal place to practice various water sports such as surfing, windsurfing and kite-surfing. It is also an important meeting point for young people attracted not only by water sports but also by volleyball and volleyball soccer

Tartrug: It is a cove with crystal clear and warm waters, ideal for the spawning of 3 different species of sea turtles, which gave the beach its name. It is one of the favorite beaches and offers a wonderful setting. It is located 600 meters from Ribeiro Dantas street.

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Arraial do Cabo

Arraial do Cabo which is located in the region of the lakes 20 minutes from Cabo Frio and one hour from Búzios has several beautiful beaches that are worth knowing. Farol beach is by far the most beautiful where you can enjoy white sand dunes and a sea so crystal clear and calm that You can even see small schools of fish swimming along the shore and even some turtles.

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Angra dos Reis

It is located at a distance of 151 km from the state capital . It has a total area of 816.3 km² with more than 360 islands, the largest of which is Ilha Grande and islets.

The most important economic activities in the city are port activities, commerce and services, some industries, the production of nuclear energy (both Nuclear reactors Brazilians of the Almirante Álvaro Alberto nuclear power plant are located in the municipality) and tourism in its beaches , islands and diving .

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Big Island: It is part of the municipality of Angra dos Reis and of an archipelago of 187 islands, being the largest on the coast of the state. They are 192 km² of exuberant vegetation typical of the Atlantic Forest. Among the main local attractions, one can name the Pico do Papagaio, the Laguna Verde and the Praia de Lopes Mendes , chosen among the 10 most beautiful beaches in Brazil by the Travelers' Choice Praias 2014. Praia do Aventureiro, with 600 m of warm and transparent waters in the open sea, has the largest concentration of campsites on the Island For its part, Vila do Abraão, the main town on the Island, concentrates many inns and restaurants.

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Reservá los mejores Paseos y Tours por Río de Janeiro

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Church of Our Lady of Outeiro

Tijuca National Park

lake park

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favelas

Carioca feijoada: It is a stew that mixes black beans (feijão preto) and pork in various presentations such as bacon and sausage. which is served with white rice, farofa (roasted cassava flour), finely cut couve leaves (cabbage or Swiss chard) and orange pieces.

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Bolinhos de Bacalhau: Croquettes based on cod meat that demonstrate the great influence of Portugal in Brazilian cuisine. The cod ball is consumed mainly in the end of the year celebrations, but it cannot be denied that it is an essential element in the palate of Rio.

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Tartrug: It is a cove with crystal clear and warm waters, ideal for the spawning of 3 different species of sea turtles, which gave the beach its name. It is one of the favorite beaches and offers a wonderful setting. It is located 600 meters from Ribeiro Dantas street.

Arraial do Cabo