Copacabana is not far from Rio de Janeiro due to one single reason — Copacabana is in Rio! Copacabana is the name of the most famous and popular neighborhood in Brazil. It is one of the nicest areas in the country for vacationers.
This 150.000-inhabitant area has a great and fine white sand beach (3.2-km/2-mile long), residential apartment buildings, hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, ATMs, drugstores, travel agencies, exchange bureaus, boutiques, parks, post-office — you name it — it is all there for locals and travelers alike in the lively and noisy Copacabana. Copacabana is almost a city within Rio de Janeiro.
Most hotels and fully-furnished vacation rental apartments are in Copacabana, a few minutes walking from Copacabana Beach, if not on Copacabana Beach. Some tourists even don’t leave Copacabana until two or three days later after their arrival, usually to visit Sugar Loaf, Christ the Redeemer Statue on Corcovado Mountain, and other attractions in the city, or to go to nightlife in Lapa.
Bear in mind the most people hanging out in Copacabana are Cariocas (natives of Rio). Most tourists stay in Copacabana because the greatest number of accommodations for them are there, and also because Copacabana is slightly cheaper than other districts such as Ipanema and Leblon which are not even far from it (by the way, the latter has the most expensive square meter in Brazil, and increasing!)
Copacabana is not far from the airport
To get to Copacabana is piece of cake. You just need to land on the Rio de Janeiro International Airport (GIG), which is 24 km (16 miles) from Copacabana. The travel time by taxi takes about 25 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the time of the day).
Some visitors on business in Sao Paulo may land on Santos Dumont Airport (the Downtown airport), which is even closer to Copacabana. The cruise ship port is also right next to Downtown Rio, roughly 20-minute drive to Copacabana.
Rio de Janeiro City and Rio de Janeiro State has a lot to offer that goes beyond Copacabana. Learn all you need in My Rio Travel Guide, the mos updated and informative travel guidebook to Rio de Janeiro.
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My Rio Travel Guide presents map, tips, and other important insider’s information about Copacabana. Check it out!