Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil, on the South Atlantic coast. Rio is famous for its breathtaking landscape, its laidback beach culture and its annual carnival. Its Districts:
Centro including Santa Teresa. The city's financial and business center also has many
historic buildings from its early days. Zona Sul (South Zone) including
Copacabana and Ipanema. Contains some of the more upscale neighborhoods and
concentrates the largest part of the city's tourist activity. It is the safetest
part of RIO. Zona Norte (North Zone). The Maracanã stadium and more.
Zona Oeste (West Zone), a suburban area including primarily the districts of
Jacarepaguá and Barra da Tijuca, popular for its beaches.
From the Airport: Galeão - Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport
Tel: +55 21 3398-5050 (fax 3393-2288). This airport is 20 km away from the
city center and main hotels. Santos Dumont Airport: Tel. +55-21-3814-7070
(fax. 2533-2218). Flights only from São Paulo and a few other domestic
destinations. Located in the city center, by the Guanabara Bay. Airlines that
service Santos Dumont are: GOL, Varig, TAM, OceanAir, and Team.
Air-conditioned bus service operated by Real departs every 20-30 minutes
from 05h30 to 22h00 and runs between both airports, the main bus terminal and
further along the beachfront in Botafogo, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon, and
has its terminus at the Alvorada terminal near Barra Shopping in Barra da
Tijuca. The full run takes at least 60 minutes, often double. Single ticket
costs R$ 6.50. A smaller bus, also by Real, same price, runs
directly every 30 minutes from Alvorada to Galeão by Linha Amarela in 35
minutes, traffic allowing. Taxis, though considerably more expensive (ex:
Galeão - Copacabana R$ 70), are also a convenient way to reach the tourist
areas.
By bus: The long-distance bus depot, Rodoviária Novo Rio
is located in the North Zone's Santo Cristo neighborhood. Taxis and coach buses
can get you to the South Zone in about fifteen minutes; local buses take a bit
longer. Frescão air-conditioned coaches can be caught just off the bus
station. The coaches connect the station to the city center and main hotel areas
of Copacabana and Ipanema. Bus companies include: Itapemirim, Penha, Cometa,
1001, Expresso Brasileiro.
By car: Rio is connected by many roads to neighboring cities and states,
but access can be confusing as there are insufficient traffic signs or
indications of how to get downtown. The main interstate highways passing through
Rio are: BR-116, which connects the city to the southern region of
Brazil. Also known as Rodovia Presidente Dutra; BR-101, which leads to
the north and northwest; BR-040, which will take you in the central and
western areas.
Carnival: Still the greatest reason for visiting Rio seems to be the
Carnaval (http://www.rio-carnival.net/).
This highly-advertised party lasts for almost two weeks and it is well known for
the escolas de samba (samba schools) that parade in Centro, on a gigantic
structure called Sambódromo (Sambadrome). During Carnaval, Rio has much
more to offer though, with the blocos de rua, that parade on the streets. There
are now hundreds of these streets "samba blocks", that parade almost in every
neighborhood, especially in Centro and the South Zone, gathering thousands of
people. Some are very famous, and there are few cariocas that have not heard of
"Carmelitas", "Suvaco de Cristo", "Escravos da Mauá" or "Simpatia É Quase Amor".
Beaches: Ramos (in-bay) , Flamengo (in-bay), Botafogo (in-bay), Urca
(in-bay), Vermelha (in-bay) , Leme (oceanic), Copacabana (oceanic), Arpoador
(oceanic), Ipanema (oceanic), Leblon (oceanic), São Conrado (oceanic), Barra da
Tijuca (oceanic), Recreio dos Bandeirantes (oceanic), Grumari (oceanic). It is
also worth visiting the beaches in Paqueta.
Sights: Corcovado: The tram up costs R$36 for a round trip up to Cristo
Redentor, and it is definitely worth the view. Pão de Açúcar: The Sugar
Loaf mountains (one taller, the other shorter), Brazil's top landmark, with an
aerial tramway to the top; a definite must see. A ticket up is R$ 44. The buses
number 511, 512, 591 and 592 and the subway buses bring you to the base station.
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. Maracanã:The largest football/soccer
stadium in Rio and once the largest on Earth. Parque Lage: A small park,
once a private mansion, where now a school of fine arts works. Jardim
Botanico: The Botanical Garden, planted up in the 1800s. It is both a park
and a scientific laboratory. If you take the bus note that Jardim Botanico is
also the name of a neighborhood so make sure you take the right one to the
entrance. The admission is $4. The gardens are well kept and very lush. Not far
from the cafe, first you hear swooshing sounds. Look up and you can see small
monkeys swinging from tree to tree.
New Year’s Eve celebrations: Rio hosts the country's largest and most
popular New Year’s Eve celebrations. The huge fireworks display and music shows
attract 2 million people to the sands of Copacabana beach every year. People
dress in white for luck and toast the arrival of the New Year. It's usual also
to have some national and international concerts on the beach for free.
EAT:
Brazil is the #1 organic food producer in the world, which accounts for more
than 80% of all food in the country. You will probably notice that most of the
time you will eat more tasteful dishes which are also more easily digested. That
will leave you with an unusuall "light" feeling and many less inches in your
waistline. This abundant healthy food, clean water and frequent practice of
several sports, explains why Brazilians are famous for developing an amazing
shape, outstanding vigor and good humor.
DRINK:
What: Botequim (pronounced 'boo-chi-KEEM') also well known as boteco -
These quite unpretentious bars with simple appetizers and lots of ice-cold chope
(draft beer) are everywhere and are almost inseparable from the carioca
lifestyle. Try Bracarense (85, José Linhares street, Leblon), one of the
most traditional. Juice bars - Of particular note for an often hot and muggy
city are the refreshing juice bars, found on nearly every corner in the
city. Choose from dozens of freshly squeezed fruit juices - mix two or three
fruits together or simply try the freshly squeezed orange juice. For a delicious
Brazilian special try the açaí, a smoothie made from a deep purple fruit from
the Amazon. Caipirinha, a drink made of cachaça (a Brazilian liquor made
of sugarcane juice), lime, sugar and ice cubes.
Where: Kiosks along the boardwalk at Copacabana and Ipanema beach stay
open all night. The Irish Pub, Rua Jangadeiros 14A, Praça General Osório
(Ipanema), (21) 2513-3044. Best on Monday nights. Devassa. Nine locations in Rio
(and one in São Paulo), including Leblon (Rua General San Martin 1241,
021-2540-6087) and Jardim Botânico (Av. Lineu de Paula Machado 696,
021-2294-2915). Well-crafted microbrews, a tropical take of English ale styles.
Shenanigans Irish Pub & Sports Bar, Rua Visconde de Piraja 112A (on the Praça
General Osório, Ipanema). Great any day but best on Wednesdays, this
second-story Irish bar shows only a green awning at street level. Has imported
bee r(bottles and draught), American pool and a variety of sports on the big
screen (NFL, NCAA, NHL, MLB, Football (soccer), Rugby and all local Brazilian
sports. Ipanema - Don’t know how these guys do it, but they brew their beer to
absolute perfection! I saw a bunch of these pubs spread all over town when I was
down in Brazil, and they all seemed to have a pretty faithful clientele. We
ended up hitting the Ipanema spot most the time, and two of those times we
closed the place down! That good!
NIGHTLIFE-Clubbing:
For those who like to go clubbing, Rio has some good options to offers. You'll
be seeing lots of flyers and talk about "raves", but those aren't the same as
European ones. Usually Rio's raves are devoted to trance, which is pretty
popular, especially with the upper-class youngsters, though some electronic
parties do have good djs and live acts from around the world. You'd be expecting
to pay between R$30 and R$50 to get in a club (girls pay less, but all those
clubs will have an f/m proportion around 1/3) and between R$50 and R$100 for a
"rave" or electronic music party being held at spots like the Marina.
Melt Leblon, Rua Rita Ludolf 47A - Thursdays - this 2-story club sports
an upscale bar downstairs and a dance club upstairs.
Bombar Leblon, good club. 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
have hard Rock parties also on Thursdays. On Tuesdays there's a dub/reggaeton
party. Casa da Matriz Botafogo - Rua Henrique Novaes, 126. An 18th
century house turned into a two-floor nightclub. Because the walls of the
original structure are all there, it is regarded as small. It has a weekly
schedule that never changes. On Fridays there's a Brazilian music party
(Brazooka) which is must-go in town. On Saturdays, there's rock on the first
floor, with occasional appearances by local and even foreign bands (Paradiso).
On Mondays has a very indie and prestigious rock party (Maldita), though never a
really crowded one (except on Holidays).
Dama de Ferro Ipanema - Rua Vinicius de Moraes, 288. Electronic-only club, with two floors. Mostly has electro, minimal and house parties, with well-known DJs from Rio, Brazil and foreigners. A "must" with the electronic-loving gay community, located in Gávea.