FIRST TIME IN RIO DE JANEIRO

 Rio de Janeiro is one of the main tourist destinations in the world, located in the Southeast Region of Brazil and is the second largest city in the country with approximately 6 million people.

Despite the Rio de Janeiro summer being famous, I do not recommend this time to visit. Because the prices are high, the streets are very crowded and the heat is unbearable with high thermal sensation.

Autumn is the best season to travel to Rio de Janeiro. It usually has sunny days and pleasant nights with a mild climate.

Stay in the South Zone of the city, as it has a great tourist infrastructure with many accommodation options such as hotels, hostels and seasonal properties. Choose neighborhoods like Copacabana, Botafogo and Ipanema, in them you will find a wide variety of commerce and public transport.

When traveling around the city, give preference to public transport. Rio has subway, train and bus. The tourist area is served by a subway line that connects important regions of the city.

The city's international airport is close to downtown. However, it doesn't have many transportation options. The best option when disembarking is to take a blue bus that is known as "frescão". There are two lines, one runs through the entire South Zone along the shore. And the other goes straight to Barra da Tijuca, a neighborhood in the West Zone of the city.

For a first trip there are itineraries that are not to be missed. Starting with Cristo Redentor statue, one of the seven wonders of the world. The statue located on top of Corcovado Hill in the middle of Tijuca National Park has a 360° view. 

There are two ways to visit, one is by van with the Paineiras Corcovado concessionaire and the other by train with the Trem do Corcovado concessionaire.

Going by van there are three boarding points, one of them at Copacabana Beach. The train is boarding at the station located in the Cosme Velho neighborhood. You can even go by public transport. Just take the subway and get off at Largo do Machado station and from there take the 580 bus that passes in front of the station.

Pão de Açúcar Mountain is another famous tourist spot that you can visit using public transport. Just take any bus that has Urca as a destination and get off at the bus stop near Praia Vermelha.

The attraction is located in the Urca neighborhood, in the South Zone of Rio, and has the famous cable car that connects the Urca and Sugarloaf Mountains to the Praia Vermelha station.

The beaches of Rio de Janeiro are famous all over the world and besides Copacabana and Ipanema there are beautiful beaches but not very well known among tourists.

Right next to the famous Pão de Açúcar montain is the Praia Vermelha, an artificial beach created in the 18th century. With a narrow strip of sand, it has calm seas and an incredible landscape.

Another beach that I recommend is Praia do Leme, located in the left corner of Copacabana. In reality this is the extension of Copacabana Beach. However, it is usually quieter and empty.

Finally, I present Praia de São Conrado, a beach with two kilometers long and a paradisiacal setting highlighted by Pedra da Gávea, a large stone wall.

Unfortunately, the beach suffers from sewage discharge that is evident on rainy days. In your right corner there is a hang glider landing area and for the comb, pay attention when walking on the sand.

An interesting tourist spot is Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, located in the center of the South Zone between the neighborhoods of Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana.

With seven kilometers of coastline, it offers several leisure options such as sports spaces, places for picnics and lots of shaded areas. Excellent option for a free tour and walking close to famous neighborhoods.

All neighborhoods in the South Zone have good options for nightlife. Bars, restaurants, there are many different options. They tend to get busier from Friday and the weekend but some have good movement even in the middle of the week.

These were some tips for those visiting the city for the first time. I recommend that you see other posts here on the blog talking about other places, feel free to explore.