What should my friend and I do in Rio De Janiero, Brazil?

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jpaulorb

Here' some basic information that I hope will help making your trip to Brazil even more enjoyable.
Here's a little summary:

Note: Brazil's currency is the Real (he-all) symbol R$. Exchange rate is around $1USD = R$2.35

Corcovado (Christ Statue): Get there by taxi - The tram up costs around R$36 for roundtrip up to Cristo Redentor, and it is definetly worth the view.
Pão de Açúcar - the Sugar Loaf mountains (one taller, the other shorter), Brazil's top landmark, with an aerial tramway to the top; unmissable. A ticket up is R$ 35. The buses number 591 and 592 bring you to the base station. You may want to take a helicopter ride ($150 US) it's worth every penny.
Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas - a large lagoon in the middle of South Zone, with great views to Corcovado and Ipanema and Leblon beaches; there are skating and jogging fields all around it

If you're up for a great adventure...try hang gliding from the top of Rio's mountains...it's awesome !! (or go there just for the view...)

http://www.hiltonflyrio.com/tandem_in.ht...
http://www.riohanggliding.com/

Go to the Beaches: (MUST)
You may drive, bike or walk along the shore and stop anytime you want visiting these beaches:
Copacabana
Arpoador
Ipanema - The girls of Ipanema, tall, tanned and waiting for you...
Leblon
São Conrado
Barra da Tijuca

What to Eat/Drink:

In Rio you can easily find something to eat. I prefer the neighborhoods(bairros) of Leblon and Ipanema. A good approach to local food is "comida por kilo" - buffet style restaurants where you pay by the weight of the food on your plate.

Don't miss our national dish, feijoada (fay-zho-AH-da). It is typically served city-wide on Saturdays. For a taste of great meat, nothing beats a good rodízio (all-you-can-eat steak houses). Porcão (Big Pork- Porkaum) has 5 restaurants around Rio. Go to the one in the "Aterro do Flamengo" is the BEST.

In most lanchonetes (lun-sho-NETCHs) you can have a pastel (pahs-TELL) or salgado (saw-GAH-do; local pastry) for less than R$2. Typical pastries are coxinha (ko-SHEEN-ya; chicken nugget shaped like a chicken leg). Don't forget to try pão de queijo (pawn-deh-KAY-zho; also try a typical brazilian breakfast called Media (Meh-dia): pao na chapa e cafe com leite, at any padaria (bakery) at the corner of any street(simple and delicious).
- Sorry no moose, goose or any other Canadian delicacies ;)

For drinking, ask for guaraná (gwa-ra-NAH; soda made of an Amazon seed), mate (MAHTCH; sweet ice tea), água de coco (ah-gwa-djee-KOH-ku; natural coconut water) by the beach or caldo de cana (caw-do-djee-KAH-na; sugarcane juice). There is also a common fruit called açaí (ah-sah-EEH), with a dark-purple pulp out of which are made juices, and ice-creams. Typical cariocas eat it like cream in cups or glasses, mixed with granola, oats or other flakes. There are many specialized juice shops that sell açaí, fruit juices (they make it as you ask, they don't store it ready, so you can ask them which fruit they have and may create a mix if you like) and some make sandwiches and other simple things to eat. These shops usually are cheap and hang fruits and the entrance or somewhere visible.
You MUST have a Real CAIPIRINHA (Kay-pee-ree-nya) made with first grade "Cachaca" (Ka-chah-ssa).

What to Buy
Daily after 7pm there's a crafts market on along Copacabana. It's very nice to walk around and get good deals on crafts, necklaces, t-shirts and other cool stuff. Don't forget to bargain, do not accept the 1st price you get...they want all the money they can get from gringos like you!!

NightClubs
The nightlife starts between 11:00 pm and midnight and the best nights to go out in Rio are Wednesday - Sunday. There's no closing time so people stay out late – usually until about 5 in the morning.

Melt (pronounced meelch by locals) - Leblon, Rua Rita Ludolf 47A - Thursdays - this 2-story club sports an upscale bar downstairs and a dance club upstairs.
Fosfobox Copacabana - Rua Siqueira Campos, 143. "Fosfo" as it's nicknamed by the goers has a strong saturday rock-oriented party. Young, trendy crowd with djs playing mostly indie rock, discopunk and electro-rock. After 4 am it has a more electronic after-party. Different parties happen on fridays, but it's usually electronic, with favorite genres being electro, house and minimal. Other nights are usually more electronic also, but has had Rock parties also on thursdays. On Tuesdays there's a dub/reggaeton party.
Bunker 94
Rua Raul Pompeia 94, Copacabana
Telephone - 2521 0367
With three rooms and two dance floors, there’s no excuse for sitting out the eclectic tunes that bounce around the walls including 80s rock, R&B and Brazilian pop.

If you have time plan to visit Buzios, a small beach town 2hours drive from Rio. I recommend the Glenhaus Hotel:
http://www.portobay.com/ - Select Brazil/ Buzios - It's really nice!

Or in case you have a few more days to spend to go to Angra dos Rei

Randomperson=)

I'd suggest to just walk around the city and visit some interesting places like the Jardim Botânico (Botanical Gardens), if you're interested in a calm (mosquito-filled) afternoon. Just walking around the city can be pretty fun, just steer away from the favelas and DON'T look like an obvious foreigner on the beaches (i.e. don't walk around with a huge camera around your neck, flip-flops with socks, polo shirts (remember, at the beach), etc.)

Also, have fun and don't freak out about the safety stuff - been living in Rio for 10 years and I haven't even WITNESSED a mugging! (just don't do anything stupid and you'll be fine)

dannyelbrazil

After Christ, Sugar loaf, Beaches and Clubs...

You must see:
- Santa Teresa Neighborhood and Selaron Stairway (which is being made in tiles manually by an artist in the last 15 years, he is still decorating the stairway until today, shown in CSI Miami)
- Bothanical Gardens. It was built in 1810s and it has a complete amazon rainforest collection palm trees and trees. It has also a magnificent royal centennial palmtrees walkway. Don't miss it!
- Prainha and Grumari beaches (only accessible by cars or taxis) It worth each minute spent there. They're not urban beaches. It's a little piece of paradise 35Km (22 miles) far from Downtown.
- Maracana Stadium guided tour. Visit the one of most biggest and important soccer stadiuns in the world. There is also a Soccer museum there.
- Copacabana-Cardeal Arcoverde Subway Station, which is one of the most beautiful subway stations in the world. It's also called bat-cave the station was take from the rocks. (Even there is a aluminnium batman logo in one of the tunnels).
- Cinelandia Square, which is placed the City Theater and the huge National Library (the 5th biggest in the world). Those are magnificent buildings in the Rio's downtown. They are together in the same square. (I recommend you to not go there at night).

If you want to get in contact for more tips, please contact me at:
danielguimaraes.tv@gmail.com
It will be a pleasure show you more place to go, to eat and to have fun in this marvellous city.

Ana Paula

I disagree with the other answer: São Paulo has just as much violence and miserable people as Rio de Janeiro. It is just a little less "on your face" because the favelas are not in the middle of the city. And São Paulo might have the bursting night and amazing restaurants, but Rio has the amazing nature and sightseeing and the unmistakable "easy going" way of life.

Copacabana beach is always full of turists. I prefere Ipanema and Leblon beaches. Just as Copacabana, they are divided in "postos" and each has its own tribe.

There is a lot culture and music going on at Lapa, but you would better find some more detail information on where to go. Months before carnaval, you can already find the samba schools busy with "ensaios" where they come dance, learn the new song and get ready for the parade.

Downtown is mostly empty during the evening but you can find very good museums as: Centro cultural Banco do Brasil, Casa França Brasil, Museu do Paço.

Issler

First of all.. be guided by a brazilian friend.
after you can visit there, but... you should try other places in Brazil, kind of:
*Fernando de Noronha
*Salvador
*Morro de São Paulo
*Amazon Forest

Anna M

After all that the others have said, I can only add......TIJUCA!!!

nedvedfreak

IN RIO THERES ONLY REALLY 3 THINGS YOU NEED TO DO
BARE IN MIND IM AN AMERICAN BUT MY WIFE IS FROM BRAZIL

1) go see the big jesus as you so call it, otherwise known as christ the redeemer its ana amazing view my wife tells me. it stands on corcovado mountain

2) go to a rio beach preferably copacobana beach and ipanema beach both world renowned beaches

3) and MOST IMPORTANTLY AND VERY SERIOUS try not to get killed or mugged rio is one of the worlds leaders in murder and crime in general my wife is from brazil a city called sao paulo which is not too far from rip and she is scared to go to rio if at all possible i would switch plans and go to sao paulo instead plenty more to see and about 1000% less likely to get shot or mugged. its also the 5th largest city in the world so im sure theres plenty for you to do. either way i love brazil hope you consider my advice and it wouldnt hurt to learn some portugeuse beautiful language

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