If you are planning to visit Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, listing down the best things to do is a daunting task. Tourists visiting Rio can find over a thousand activities which are available to explore. This Brazilian city will give you contrasting travel experiences. Do you know that Rio is the birthplace of the Unique dance called Samba? If you remember about the Summer Olympics in 2016 and the world cup matches held in 2014, you will definitely get a flashback about Rio. This beautiful city has amazing gastronomy of nightlife, food and stunning culture. There are tons of natural attractions to explore in Rio. From beautiful coastlines to gorgeous mountains like Sugarloaf, the list is long.
The city also houses some of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Cristo Redentor, stunning art galleries, gardens and other beautiful places to explore. It is a city for everyone to visit and enjoy. However, you need to prepare the travel itinerary carefully as the list of things to do are too many. Simultaneously, there is also a large list of over thousands of tours and activities to explore in Rio. Thus to cover the city’s major attractions advance planning and correct selection of tours is important. We are here to help you with a list of the ten best things to do in Rio. We are also advising the best tours and activities that you should book while exploring Rio’s unique attractions. Let’s jumpstart and learn about these attractions in details.
The bucket list of the ten amazing things to do in Rio de Janeiro
1. Visit to see the Christ the Redeemer
The iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer stands tall on the Corcovado mountain in Rio. To visit this place, you need to take an adventure hike through the mountain. Alternatively, you can also take a scenic train ride to visit this popular tourist spot in Rio. The best time to visit is either early morning or in the late evening to watch sunrise or sunset. This is a ninety-two-feet tall statue of Christ overlooking the beautiful city of Rio. It is also referred to as Brazil’s iconic symbol and the city’s most photographed attraction. Don’t forget booking a guided tour as the local guide will provide you with detail information about this popular attraction.
2. Copacabana Beach
Copacabana Beach is ranked among the top beaches in the world. Although Rio is not a popular place for beaches, Copacabana Beach is an exception. If you are visiting Rio, you cannot miss visiting this beautiful beach. The long beach area spreads across over four kilometres. You can find many vendor shops and restaurants on the beachside. This beach is so beautiful, that you will love walking over the sands endlessly.
3. Visit the Sugarloaf Mountain
The Sugarloaf Mountain is one of Rio’s most famous tourist landmark that you cannot miss. This mountain symbolizes the city’s natural beauty. It is situated at a height of around 400 m above sea level. Once you reach the top of this mountain, enjoy breathtaking panoramic views over the city’s skyline. This is also an excellent spot to enjoy an evening sunset. The mountain looks like a packed bunch of sugar which is why it is named as Sugarloaf Mountain. To get to the top of the mountain, you need riding two cable cars. This cable car ride is absolutely thrilling because you hang over the city as you travel between the two mountains.
4. Stroll around Ipanema beach
Rio has a handful of beautiful beaches, and Ipanema beach is one of them. This beach is located adjacent to the Copacabana beach. This is an amazing place to stroll around for the entire day, walk on the golden sand bed, play beach volleyball and enjoy sunbathing. You can also spend time sitting under the sun umbrellas and enjoying the surrounding natural beauty. This is a residential area, so hotels are less. So, visit this beach and spend a great time with your family.
5. Lapa steps
The Lapa steps are another popular attraction in Rio which you cannot miss. This is a great place for tourists to visit and marvel around. Once you reach this site you can climb over 200 colored tiles steps. These are spread across from the Lapa neighborhood to Santa Theresa district. Chilean Artist Escadaria Selarón started laying these colorful tiles until he died date backed in 2013. These beautiful tiles were collected by the passionate artist from all over the world which turned into a modern day’s masterpiece.
6. Helicopter scenic flight
There is no doubt that Rio has a spectacular landscape full of natural wonders. A great way to explore this natural beauty is to see them from the top. The Helicopter scenic flight tour is, therefore, a popular tour among tourists visiting Rio. Enjoy a glance of the colorful hillside, white sandy beaches and huge mountains as you fly over the city. This helicopter scenic flight tour will definitely make your visit to Rio memorable.
7. Explore Downtown Rio
The city tour is the best way to explore all the attractions in Downtown Rio. You can spend an entire day marveling around the city’s beautiful alleyways filled with vibrant cafes. You can also visit stunning museums, cathedrals and monasteries spread all over the city.
8. Museum of tomorrow
Just in front of Downtown Rio’s waterfront area, you can find the Museum of tomorrow. If you are exploring the city, you must make a stop and visit this beautiful museum. The museum architectural design is stunning and will definitely surprise you. It is a crowded attraction, but with the city tour, you get advanced group tickets.
9. Parque Lage
There is a beautiful public park in Parque Lage which attracts tourists and locals alike. You will find a cafe located in the centre of this park from where you get stunning views of Christ the Redeemer. This park is a nice spot to visit with family, enjoy a picnic and spend time strolling around.
10. Botanical gardens
If you are looking for a nice and well-maintained large green space in Rio, visit the Botanical Gardens. This garden spreads across an area of over 130 acres. It houses over 8,000 varieties of plant species, ponds and trees. The entire garden offers a stunning picturesque setting and a great place to marvel around.
Final Verdict
The list of attractions to explore in Rio is long. Over here we highlighted the major tourist’s attractions which you cannot miss. We have also suggested the ideal tours and activities that you can book to explore these attractions. However, the list of available tour and activities to explore are over 1,000. Want to explore all of them? Click Here!