JC. Princen Brazil Travel Guide | Rio de Janeiro is one of the world’s most stunning and fascinating cities, surrounded by rainforests, mountains, beaches, and the ocean.
Arriving
Tom Jobim Airport is 12 miles (20 kilometers) away from downtown. If you’re coming via Sao Paulo, you may be able to land at Santos Dumont Airport. Santos Dumont airfield. Both airports have taxi and bus routes.
Moving On
You can take a flight or a long-distance bus for a tour of Brazil. You can also rent a car and drive along the coast to Sao Paulo.
Day 1 Tour Rio de Janeiro
Morning
Start at the top on Morro do Corcovado, a high point where you can see in the statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). From here, the entirety of Rio is laid out in front of you. Get the cog train from Rua Cosme Velho, and climb to the highest point. For the 17 minutes journey, you’ll pass through portions of Tijuca Forest. You should spend at least one hour on the top.
Returning to the Rua Cosme Velho station, making a stop at the Museum Internacional de Arte Naif (International Naive Art Museum) before taking taxis across town for an exploration of the Estadio do Maracana. This stadium played host in the 1950 and 2014 World Cup finals. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics in 2016.
Nearby is the Engenhao stadium (Estadio Olympico Nilton Santos), which has increased its capacity to accommodate the 2016 Olympic as well as Paralympic athletics programs.
Afternoon
A short taxi or metro ride takes you from the Maracana arena to the city’s historic core, filled with galleries, museums, cultural centers, and historic churches. The city’s center is compact and is easy to stroll around, with lots of places to take an afternoon break, including The Confeitaria Colombo.
In the evening, enjoy an evening show in Theatro Municipal or Circo Voador. Theatro Municipal as well as Circo Voador and enjoy the bohemian atmosphere and nightlife of Lapa.
Day Two Tour Rio De Janeiro
Morning
Relax on the beachfronts at Copacabana, Ipanema, or Leblon and soak up the views and atmosphere. Switch the sand in favor of vegetation, and head towards the Botanical Garden. The closest is Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, where lunch can be enjoyed. Pick a restaurant with a lake view or the more elegant Lagoon center with views of the Lagoa towards Corcovado.
Afternoon
Travel through Botafogo, home to several museums, particularly that of the Museu do Indio, or make a stop at Rio Sul mall. Rio Sul mall for some shopping. In the afternoon, stroll around Sugar Loaf Mountain, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Take your time exploring Morro da Urca and the top.
If you’re in the right place at the right time, you’ll notice a change in lighting as darkness falls over this city beneath. After dinner, you can enjoy music like bossa nova or samba or go back to Lapa.
