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The 19 best things to do in
Rio de Janeiro
Feel the pulse of this thrilling, culturally-rich city
with our list of the very best things to do in Rio de
Janeiro
Written by Estella Shardlow Wednesday June 29 2022
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Rio de Janeiro lives up to its reputation, don’t you
worry. The Miraculous City is a melting pot of
football, samba, carnival, beaches, gigantic
statues of Jesus Christ, and all the rest. The food
is deliciou, and the parties go all night long. Rio
isn’t for the half-hearted.
What are the best things to do in Rio de Janeiro?
We’ve compiled the best of the best below, taking
in everything from gorgeous hikes to
rambunctious street antics, with plenty in between.
The Miraculous City? That feels like something of
an understatement to us.
Best things to do in Rio de
Janeiro
1. Museum of Tomorrow
What is it? One of the 2016 Olympics’ most
successful legacies, this groundbreaking science
museum poses the big questions about the future
inside an extraordinary neo-futurist building.
Why go? Covering everything from geology to
human nervous systems to smart cities, this is as
far from a dusty, dry old museum as it gets.
Immersive exhibits make powerful arguments for
sustainability. Seemingly floating above the
regenerated port zone, even the architecture is
eco: it is powered by solar panels and cooled by
water from the bay.
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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/dany13
2. Christ the Redeemer
What is it? You’ll catch glimpses of this 98-feet-tall
figure all around Rio, but don’t miss out on
ascending Mount Corcovado to admire the iconic
statue up close.
Why go? Standing at the base of this concrete
colossus, it is hard to know what to gawp at first:
the feat of engineering by French sculptor Paul
Landowski and Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva
Costa or the bird’s eye view of the city sprawling
below. Reach the site via a scenic tram ride from
Cosme Velho.
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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Rodrigo Soldon
3. Jardim Botânico
What is it? Not all of Rio’s natural wonders are at
soaring heights – these 140-hectare gardens are a
haven for over 9,000 different plant species,
created by Brazil’s Prince Regent in 1808.
Why go? It’s the perfect paradise to chill out in
after Rio’s more frenetic, hedonistic times. Among
the soaring imperial palm trees, delicate orchids,
and Amazonian lily ponds, resident marsupials
provide entertainment. Keep your eyes peeled for
toucans, tortoises, and sloths, too.
text
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Photograph: Courtesy Yelp/Iuri M.
4. Feira Livre da Glória
What is it? Gloria’s vibrant Sunday morning market
is a magnet for diehard foodies.
Why go? Off the tourist trail, this is the place to
sample fresh Brazilian produce, from exotic fruits
(jabuticaba, anyone?) to fish to artisanal cachaça,
the national spirit. Feeling worse for wear after
Saturday night? The classic market breakfast
of pastels – hot pastries stuffed with meat,
cheese, or heart of palm – and a shot of pure
sugarcane juice is like manna from heaven.
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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Alobos
5. Copacabana Beach
What is it? This world-famous, 2.5-mile stretch of
golden sand is the place for fun in the sun.
Why go? You were hardly going to visit the home
of Havaianas without hitting the beach at some
point, were you? Sun-worshipping locals flock here
to play beach volleyball or football, top up their
enviable tans and catch some waves. Mobile
vendors of everything from grilled cheese to
sardines to caipirinhas provide sustenance while
you’re a beach bum.
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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Rogier Want
6. Sugarloaf Mountain
What is it? Here’s the money shot: this tree-
covered natural dome rising 1,299 ft above the
harbor is one of Rio’s most recognizable symbols.
Why go? The ascent by cable car goes in two
stages – first to neighboring Urca Hill, then
another steep journey up to Sugarloaf – while the
jaw-dropping panoramas of beaches, skyscrapers
and hills unfold beneath you. Glorious at any time
of day, there’s something extra magical about
being there for sunset, as the city lights flicker into
life.
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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Pedro Botton
7. Parque Lage
What is it? A rambling 19th-century estate turned
public park at the foot of Corcovado mountain.
Why go? Music fans may recognize this opulent
mansion, with its exotic jungle and mountain
backdrop, from the Snoop Dogg and Pharrell
Williams video for ‘Beautiful’. Caves, a hidden
aquarium, free art exhibitions (the palace is now
an art school), and palm-shaded pathways await
discovery. Feeling adventurous? Follow the hiking
trail all the way up to the Cristo.
Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Rodrigo Soldon
8. Museum of Modern Art (MAM)
What is it? Poised on the edge of Guanabara Bay,
MAM is a temple to art from the 20th and the 21st
centuries.
Why go? Despite a devastating fire in 1978, the
museum’s permanent collection still dazzles –
you’ll come across paintings by international
modern masters Pollock and Miró, as well as
leading Brazilian artists Tarsila Amaral and Hélio
Oiticica. The modernist gardens by Roberto Burle
Marx and dynamic temporary exhibitions add to
the edifying experience.
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Photograph: Courtesy Yelp/Sheila T.
9. Bip Bip
What is it? A tiny, eccentric Copacabana bar
renowned for its live music.
Why go? If you want silver service and a polite
babble of conversation, keep on walking. But to
hear authentic bossa nova (Brazil’s ‘new wave’
music style, born in the 1950s) or samba among a
carioca crowd, grab a beer from the self-serve
fridge and jostle into a good spot for a memorable
evening. A local band occupies the main table
while photos of musical legends adorn the walls.
Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/.S
10. Real Gabinete Portugues de
Leitura (Royal Portuguese
Reading Room)
What is it? This little-known library in Rio’s city
center is a bookworm’s paradise, home to a vast
array of Portuguese literature.
Why go? The collection is the biggest outside
Portugal; even if you can’t read a word of it, the
sight of three levels of rare manuscripts and
leather-bound novels lining ornately-carved
shelves is pretty spectacular. Constructed in the
1880s, its stained-glass skylight and dramatic
chandelier would be at home in a cathedral – the
library’s façade was even based on a Lisbon
monastery.
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