You can find Internet cafes, travel agencies and post offices in the main Rio de Janeiro neighborhoods such as Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Leme, Urca, Santa Teresa and Downtown. The Rio de Janeiro neighborhood maps found in My Rio Travel Guide gives you detailed location where to find these services at walking distance from your hotel. Internet Café (Also called Cyber Café or Lan House). Most of these places offer the following services: Internet (R$6; US$3; €2.60 per hour), Wi-Fi, scanning,…read more
A map of Rio de Janeiro neighborhoods is a must-have, so is a map of each famous tourist neighborhood such as Copacabana and Ipanema. A few hours after you check in your hotel in Rio de Janeiro you may find yourself with many question marks in your head: Where can I find a post office, a subway station or a place for dinner (where locals eat) next to my hotel? Where can I exchange dollars or euros? Where can I…read more
The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden (“Jardim Botânico” in Brazilian Portuguese) is a worth-visiting magnificent 137-hec (338-acre) garden over 200 years old featuring a 750-meter (half-mile) avenue of 134 impressive royal palms. There are also orchids, bromeliads, cacti, huge bamboos, and carnivorous plants, among many others. The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden is lushly green but not exceedingly floral. Monkeys are sometimes visible during the visit, and there are always plenty of birds flying over the trees (the more recognizable ones are…read more
Vista Chinesa (Chinese Overlook) in Rio de Janeiro is a 380-meter (1,247-foot) high view surrounded by lush vegetation. This is one of the few perspectives in Rio from where you can have both Corcovado Mountain, the Christ statue and Sugar Loaf in one single photo. The overlook features a Chinese-style pagoda, which was built in the early 20th Century. History records confirm that Chinese immigrants came to Brazil and settled in Rio de Janeiro in the 19th Century to start…read more
Floresta da Tijuca (Tijuca Forest) is located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, and it is the world’s largest urban forest, covering 32 square km (12.4 square miles). The highlight is the 35-meter (115-foot) high Taunay’s Waterfall. Although it was originally a primary forest, for the last 150 years Tijuca Forest has been a secondary forest (meaning it was hand-planted after being a coffee plantation for a long period of time). Tijuca Forest Opening Hours Every day, 8 a.m.…read more
You can safely visit Favela Santa Marta (Santa Marta shantytown/slum) in Rio de Janeiro on your trip to Brazil. The peaceful Favela Santa Marta has a population of 8,000 residents, and offers views to Sugar Loaf, the Christ Statue, and part of Rio de Janeiro. The favelas are where 20 percent of Rio’s population lives, and there are hundreds of these, located on the hills surrounding the city. The Favela Santa Marta is the first slum to be purged by the government (the…read more
Bairro de Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa Neighborhood) is a charming district dating from the 18th Century, with a small-town feel, and different from any other neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. The best part to visit is the area around Largo dos Guimarães (Guimarães Square), in the heart of the Santa Teresa district. Located on a hill and home to many artists, Santa Teresa is frequently called by French people the Montmartre of Rio, an allusion to the artistic neighborhood of…read more
Confeitairia Colombo (Colombo Café) is an exceptionally beautiful Victorian café, inaugurated in 1894. Inspired by the magnificent European cafés, it was the place to be in the early 20th Century. This is one of the must-visit sites in Rio de Janeiro, and you should definitely include it in your itinerary when touring around Rio. It is located in downtown (Rua Gonçalves Dias, 32), close to others attractions such as the Metropolitan Cathedral. Opening Hours of Colombo Café Mon. through Fri.,…read more
The cost of a taxi ride from the Rio de Janeiro International Airport Galeao/Antonio Carlos Jobim (GIG) to Barra da Tijuca is approximately R$ 70 (US$35; €28) one-way, and the cab ride time is estimated in 30 to 60 minutes depending on time of the day and day of the week. Barra da Tijuca is a bit out of the way compared to Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Downtown and even to the Rio de Janeiro international airport (GIG) or to Santos…read more
The Selaron famous tiled staircase in Lapa District in Rio de Janeiro has 215 steps covered in mosaics from over 148 countries. Each tile was put in place by Jorge Sélaron, a Chilean-born painter who lives in a small room halfway up the Staircase. It is a work of art he started in 1990 that he says will only end with his death. Since Selaron keeps adding tiles tourists give him, you can become a part of the staircase’s history by…read more
