Rio de Janeiro
The Tijuca is all that's left of the Atlantic rainforest that once surrounded Rio de Janeiro. This 39-sq-km tropical-jungle preserve is an exuberant green…
Must-see attractions in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Seen from the peak of Pão de Açúcar, Rio is undoubtedly a Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). There are many good times to make the ascent, but sunset on…
Rio de Janeiro
A magnificent confluence of land and sea, the long, scalloped beach of Copacabana extends for some 4km, with a flurry of activity along its length: over…
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Rio de Janeiro
Rio’s Maracanã stadium is hallowed ground among football lovers. The massive arena has been the site of legendary victories and crushing defeats. Maracanã…
Rio de Janeiro
Looming large over Praça Mauá, the MAR is an icon for the rebirth of Rio's once derelict port. The huge museum hosts wide-ranging exhibitions that focus…
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Rio de Janeiro
Housed in the colonial arsenal, which dates from 1764, the impressive Museu Histórico Nacional contains relics relating to the history of Brazil from its…
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Rio de Janeiro
One of Rio's oldest neighborhoods, this pretty area feels like a tiny slice of Portugal, with its old shuttered houses, quiet cobblestone streets and…
Rio de Janeiro
This is one of the finest colonial churches in Brazil. It was built between 1617 and 1641 on Morro de São Bento, and has an excellent view over the city…
Rio de Janeiro
The epicenter of Rio’s Carnaval, the Sambódromo was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1984. During big parades, come here for fantastic views…
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
Rio de Janeiro
Housed in a beautifully restored 1906 building, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil hosts some of Rio's top exhibitions. Facilities include a cinema, two…
Real Gabinete Português de Leitura
Rio de Janeiro
Built in the Portuguese Manueline style in 1837, the gorgeous Portuguese Reading Room houses more than 350,000 works, many dating from the 16th, 17th and…
Rio de Janeiro
This was the epicenter of the 2016 Summer Olympics and the Paralympic Games. Sadly, the facilities now sit largely abandoned and are not open to the…
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Rio de Janeiro
Unearthed in 2011, the Valongo Wharf was the first arrival point for an estimated 900,000 enslaved peoples brought to Brazil after long, harrowing voyages…
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Rio de Janeiro
If work on this new museum is ever complete, Copacabana will finally have an outstanding rainy-day attraction. The building, designed by celebrated New…
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Rio de Janeiro
Ilha de Paquetá, in the Baía de Guanabara, was once a popular tourist spot and remains a pleasant escape from the city’s bustle. There are no cars on the…
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Igreja São Francisco da Penitência & Convento de Santo Antônio
Rio de Janeiro
Overlooking the Largo da Carioca is the baroque Igreja São Francisco da Penitência, dating from 1726. The restored church's sacristy, which dates from…
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Rio de Janeiro
Rio's formerly derelict port district has been reborn as a wide promenade lined with massive street art. A handful of renowned artists have painted…
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Rio de Janeiro
The stately Tiradentes Palace houses the seat of the legislative assembly. Exhibits on the 1st and 2nd floors relate the events that have taken place here…
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Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Candelária
Rio de Janeiro
Built between 1775 and 1894, NS de Candelária was the largest and wealthiest church of imperial Brazil. The interior is a combination of baroque and…
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Rio de Janeiro
This 35-hectare estate was once the home of Brazil's most famous landscape architect, Roberto Burle Marx. The estate's lush vegetation includes thousands…
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Rio de Janeiro
At the northern end of Parque do Flamengo, the Museu de Arte Moderna is immediately recognizable by its striking postmodern edifice designed by Affonso…
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Rio de Janeiro
Though closed for renovations at the time of research, the small Museu do Índio features multimedia exhibitions on Brazil’s northern tribes and provides…
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Rio de Janeiro
This enormous fair (32,000 sq meters, with over 600 stalls) is not to be missed. It showcases the culture of the Northeast of Brazil, with barracas (food…
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Rio de Janeiro
Built in 1905 in the style of the Paris Opera, the magnificent Municipal Theater is the home of Rio's opera, orchestra and ballet. Its lavish interior…
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Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito
Rio de Janeiro
Dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary as well as the black St Benedict, this church has been an important icon for Afro-Brazilians, serving a congregation…
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Rio de Janeiro
Built in 1914 on the promontory of the old Our Lady of Copacabana chapel, the fort of Copacabana was one of Rio's premier defenses against attack. You can…
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Rio de Janeiro
The first residents on this historic site were Carmelite fathers who built a convent here in 1590. It later came under the property of the Portuguese…
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Rio de Janeiro
The largest aquarium in South America is Rio's newest major downtown attraction. You can get an up-close look at some 350 different species (there are…
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Rio de Janeiro
The best thing about Barra is the beach. It stretches for 18km, with the blue sea lapping at the shore. The first few kilometers of its eastern end are…
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Rio de Janeiro
Quinta da Boa Vista was the estate of the Portuguese imperial family until the Republic was proclaimed. Today it’s a large and busy park with gardens and…
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Rio de Janeiro
This eye-catching lime-green neo-Gothic palace sitting in Baía de Guanabara looks like something out of a child's fairy-tale book. It was designed by…
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Instituto de Pesquisa e Memória Presto Novos
Rio de Janeiro
When Mercedes Guimarães was doing construction work on her house in 1996, workers uncovered huge quantities of human fragments. After discussions with a…
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Rio de Janeiro
A world away from the bustle of Copacabana's busy avenues, the Bairro Peixoto is a peaceful enclave centered on the leafy Praça Edmundo Bittencourt. Here…
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Rio de Janeiro
Covering over 12 hectares, the zoo at Quinta da Boa Vista has a wide variety of reptiles, mammals and birds, mostly indigenous to Brazil. Special…
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Rio de Janeiro
The oldest park in Rio, the Passeio Público was built in 1783 by Mestre Valentim, a famous Brazilian sculptor, who designed it after Lisbon's botanical…
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Rio de Janeiro
Rio's fine-arts museum houses more than 18,000 original paintings and sculptures, some of which date back to works brought over from Portugal by Dom João…
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Rio de Janeiro
The former imperial palace was originally built in 1743 as a governor's residence. Later it became the home of Dom João and his family when the Portuguese…
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Rio de Janeiro
Beautiful two-story colonial town houses line this narrow cobblestone street leading off Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro. The archway (Arco de Teles)…
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Rio de Janeiro
Inaugurated in 1880, Fábrica Bhering was the first chocolate factory in Brazil. It is now a stunning multistory, multipurpose art space and cultural…
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Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Antiga Sé
Rio de Janeiro
This beautifully restored church and former cathedral dates back to the 1770s, and it played an important role in the imperial days of Rio. The…
