Río, la cidade maravilhosa
Rio de Janeiro is one of those cities that have its magic, I visited it about 6 times I think and I never tire of discovering it every time I visit Brazil. Perhaps the dazzling landscape and the cultural power of its people led it to have the title of Cidade Maravilhosa. Beaches, mountains, nature, culture, joy … so many qualifications I can put on this city !!
The best time to go
Rio’s climate is subtropical, with a warm climate all year round, which becomes particularly hot and humid between November and March. The season with the most trips is summer (December and January) and during Carnival (February to March, depending on the year).
Below I will make a list of sites and activities that cannot be missed if you visit Rio de Janeiro, are there more? Of course there are more, but I will put those that for me are the main ones, so that when they return they say, I met a large part.
If we talk about the city of Rio de Janeiro, the Christ who is the undisputed icon of the city and one of the 7 Wonders of the modern world automatically comes to mind (In my opinion it does not deserve it, but good) The sculpture reflects Jesus Christ welcoming with open arms, looking towards the city. It is visible from many points in the city. At 710 meters above sea level, with its 30 meters high and on an 8-meter pedestal at the top of Cerro del Corcovado, it could not be otherwise.
How to get?:
Take the “trem do Corcovado”. It takes about 20 minutes, and it is the most traditional way that exists, the frequency is quite good and the tour is very pleasant. In high season there can be a long line to go up. Tickets include the entrance to Christ, and the way to acquire them is through the official website TRENDO CORCOVADO the values are:
VALUE TICKET
Adult - Low season R $ 67.00
Adult - High Season R $ 82.00
Children (from 5 to 11 years old) - Both seasons R $ 52.00
Elderly (over 60 years of age residing in Brazil) R $ 26.00
In official vans: There are several van services throughout the city, but the official ones are called Paineiras Corcovado. It leaves from different points of the city such as Largo do Machado, Copacabana, Barra da Tijuca and Estrada das Paineiras. On their website they can reserve a day and time.
By car: If they rented a car, it is only possible to make the journey to Estrada das Paineiras. From there, they have to take a combi that leaves the Visitor Center.
MaxTip 1: I will not get tired of saying it, and this applies to all the cities in the world, go in the morning and as early as possible since there will be less people and the position of the sun at that time favors to take good photos.
MaxTip 2: Be careful, if the day is cloudy, rainy or foggy, don’t go up !! Unfortunately they will not be able to see anything. There is a way to check this and it is seeing the live images of the Christ the Redeemer entering the NEXT LINK
Another unmissable activity to do in Rio de Janeiro, is the visit to the Sugar Loaf, a hill 400 meters high, famous both for its beautiful tropical forest landscapes and for the fascinating panoramic views obtained from its summit.
It is ascended by a cable car called Bondinho that starts from Vermelha beach making a first stop in the lower Morro de Urca. The hours to go up to the Sugar Loaf are quite long. From Monday to Sunday from 08:00 to 19:50. The cable cars always leave every 20 minutes or when a minimum of 65 people join.
Tickets can be purchased through its official website Bondinho.com.br
MaxTip 1: Being one of the best panoramic views, find out what time the sun goes down and go a few hours before, this way you will be able to appreciate one of the most beautiful sunsets in the city.
MaxTip 2: If you get the ticket online, not only do you save having to wait in a long line, but you also get a 10% discount
Framed between mountains covered with green vegetation, delimited by the Forts of Leme and Copacabana, Copacabana beach is undoubtedly the most famous beach in Rio de Janeiro and in all of Brazil and one of its major tourist attractions. The image of its famous promenade is recognizable anywhere in the world and possibly there is no place in the whole city with more atmosphere and animation than on its promenade. No one visits Rio without visiting its famous beach. Famous for its extensive white sand beach in the shape of a half moon, where you can enjoy a caipirinha or natural juices. The neighborhood that surrounds the beach has many restaurants, hotels, shops and theaters. When they get to Copacabana, it is much better to walk, not only because it is busier, but because it is a good way to feel all its vibes.
On weekends, they usually close the traffic and everything turns into a large pedestrian. Although it is not my favorite beach, it is a place where I always walk, and contemplate the beauty of walking its streets.
Famous for her song “Garota de Ipanema” is one of my favorites. Its two kilometers of coastline and soft white sand make Ipanema beach one of those chosen by Cariocas and one of the most attractive tourist sites in Rio. A perfect place to sunbathe and enjoy the sea, but also to play sports or just watch.
When the sun is about to fall, go find some Arpoador rock, which is the beach that separates Ipanema from Copacabana. It is THE PLACE to see the great sunset, a show every afternoon of good sun, people rave in applause as they hide behind Cerro Dos Hermanos, in Ipanema. The view from here is the best and you can experience it as you want: with coconut water, with a caipirinha or a liter beer, very cold.
The Ipanema neighborhood is an important gay meeting point. And they will realize on the beach that it is delimited by multicolored flags in the tents on the sand, the well-known Farme de Amoedo street with some establishments oriented to this type of public and the Banda de Ipanema, the bloco preferred by gays and lesbians in Carnival.
There are many things to do in Ipanema because it is a neighborhood with a lot of life and history. Every Sunday, there is a hippie fair, I was surprised to know that since 1968, they have never been missing since then they are in the General Osorio square. It is a fair where you can buy traditional Brazilian handicrafts, paintings, sculptures, clothes, souvenirs, etc. And also a place to taste typical Brazilian food like that of Bahia.
It was created by the Chilean Jorge Selarón who lived in Rio de Janeiro and found no other way to honor the city, in 1994 on the occasion of the Soccer World Cup. It is a staircase that is located between the neighborhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa; It consists of 215 steps and has more than 60 tiles from around the world. It was declared a Historical Monument of Rio de Janeiro.
It is a colorful, beautiful and free ride, it is usually full of tourists, making it difficult to have a good photo here. It has become a symbol of the creativity and bohemia of a vibrant neighborhood, full of music and color. A definitely unmissable place. I went up all the stairs, then I walked a few blocks and I took the bondinho, which I talk about next.
The bondinho is a small yellow tram that goes through the Lapa neighborhood and goes up to Santa Teresa. The times I went to Rio, I couldn’t go up because of time, but a few months ago I went up to live this experience. Formerly it was used by the locals as a means of transport, but after an accident it was removed from circulation and now it functions only as a tourist walk.
For just about 20 reais (round trip) we can get on and take a beautiful tour with the only electric train left in Brazil. The initial station is located on Lélio Gama street, near the Carioca metro station. Departures are every 30 minutes. In Santa Teresa you will find a lot of urban art, restaurants and bars. They can do it before or after passing through Lapa, they are close and thus the experience is much more complete. The tour ends near the Metropolitan Cathedral.
It is actually called the São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, the Metropolitan Cathedral, it is a monumental construction that surprises a lot. On the outside, its peculiar conical pyramidal shape makes it unique and, inside, its impressive stained glass windows produce a truly fascinating light effect. And if it is at sunset, much better, because the sunlight enters in a unique way through its four stained glass windows that go from the floor to the ceiling. Located in the financial heart of the city and easy to distinguish from all its viewpoints. It never hurts to visit a cathedral in the city where we are.
The Sambadrome is one of the excursions that I did the first times that I went, it corresponds to the place that every year the different parades that are part of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, being one of the largest spaces for outdoor events in the city. I still did not have the opportunity to visit Rio in the middle of the carnival, because it must be crazy, but this place is recommended to visit during the Carnival itself or the week before the festival, when the various samba schools perform their rehearsals in the facilities and space is open to the public.
Escolas de samba prepare to parade and win, the streets are dressed in color and costumes and Cariocas cross out the days on the calendar for this celebration. Everyone is waiting for you, big and small, like carnival a little or are fans. The city stops for a week, everything becomes joy … and a little bit of lack of control too.
This is another site that I visited on an excursion, considered the largest stadium in Brazil, it corresponds to an emblematic sports venue opened in 1950, world famous for having hosted two world cups and other important sporting events. In June 2017, the tour of the stadium was re-enabled and you can visit the locker room, press room and, of course, the playing field, among others. There are also different projections and a souvenir shop.
Different guided tours allow you to visit its facilities and its small museum, the latter with various objects and images of famous footballers. The guided tour of the stadium has different rates, so I recommend you enter this page to see them, where you will also be able to acquire access. If you prefer, you can buy them at the box office of the stadium.
The Botanical Garden and Lage Park are an ideal plan for those who are nature lovers and where you will find a large number of different plant species and waterfalls. In the gardens of Lage Park you can have a picnic and you will find one of the best views of the Christ the Redeemer.
It is very close to the Ipanema beach and we will be able to observe some beautiful orchids (there are more than a thousand species) and if you pay attention and you will be able to see the toucans, or the hummingbirds and more.
Have you seen the famous image where it seems that everyone is holding on to the edge of a rock? It is called the Telegraph Stone at the top of the Morro de Guaratiba hill, which is located in the western area of Rio de Janeiro, at 354 meters. This place has become one of the great attractions of Rio de Janeiro, dozens of people go to this place every day to take pictures hanging on a stone that seems to be on the edge of an abyss.
The place is real and the photos that everyone uploads to social networks are also, but the reality is that the abyss itself does not exist, it is simply an optical effect, and below is the surface, so if they are released it does not happen absolutely nothing, but for the photo that illusion looks good. More dangerous is Pedrá da Gávea, which we will talk about next.
There are two ways to get to Pedra do Telégrafo, they are: the BRT (which is a bus that integrates with some Metro Río stations) and via the Train.
Here if it is difficult to access, it is in the Tijuca National Park. This rock is 842 meters above sea level and is located in the Tijuca National Park, making it an excellent viewpoint with incredible views of the city. It is recommended not to go alone, as I did! Always in a group and having the best of precautions throughout the journey. It is necessary to have an acceptable physical state to be able to climb up there, it costs a lot. I recommend that you take a lot of water and some cereal bars, reaching the top took about 3 hours and going through a rocky forest, there are routes where it is only rock and you have to climb. You have to be very careful, because there were many deaths in these places, a bad step taken, you fall into the void. Wear matching sneakers, light clothing.
From the top you can see the Barra da Tijuca, Jacarepaguá, São Conrado, Zona Sul (Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon), Baia de Guanabara, Região Serrana and Dedo de Deus neighborhoods.
Once you get to the top you can take photos like the ones that I show below.
FLIGHT IN ALA DELTA
Another activity that I did and loved doing. Very close to where Pedra da Gávea is, these flights depart! The most common flight point is the Pedra Bonita peak (507 meters), located in the Tijuca National Park, more specifically between Pedra da Gávea and the São Conrado and Barra da Tijuca neighborhoods.
Takeoffs in hang gliding are made from the runway by wooden boards facing the slope of the hill. After receiving the instructions on the hang glider and how to behave during the flight, it’s time to put on the equipment and wait for the turn. At the time when the adrenaline is almost at its maximum, you have to run along the platform with the instructor to the edge and then just let yourself go. Once you are floating in the air and you feel like a bird, you lose the initial fear of not touching the ground.
The flight lasts approximately 10 minutes and the price is usually between 200 dollars. Including photos and videos with cameras placed on the wings that allow you to save an exciting one.
Favelas are settlements in the hills where people with low economic resources live. There are about 1,000 throughout the city and some are pacified while others are not. The most famous are Vidigal, Santa Marta and Rocinha
There is a meeting of opinions regarding whether to visit them or not, because although it is true that favelas are the most precarious areas of Rio, there are people who are interested in knowing what their reality is, in addition to being built at height They have views to envy. On the other hand, they are still part of the city and are part of the visual vision of Rio de Janeiro.
Rocinha, corresponds to one of the largest favelas in Rio de Janeiro, housing nearly 56,338 inhabitants, a bitter face of the city, which shows the poverty situation in which a large part of its citizens live. Certain tourist agencies manage visits to the favela, working at the same time with the local community, dedicating part of the profits to its social development.
I highly recommend that if you visit the favelas, they do it with a tour of tourism agencies, they will be safe and nothing will happen. Instead visiting it on your own is not recommended, because they are dangerous at times.
I invite you to read my last post:
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Post exciting, exciting! 
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