There are many non-touristy things to do in Rio de Janeiro. Regrettably, most tourists miss those things and end up doing what the majority does: touring the famous attractions and then proceeding to another city in Brazil, another country in Latin America, or back home.
That’s a pity because Rio de Janeiro is one of the nicest cities to be on vacation in Latin America, precisely because there is plenty of non-touristy things to do. However, either because of unnecessary fear to stay longer in Rio (due to Rio’s former reputation for being unsafe) or due to a desire to visit Brazil in record time, many tourists allocate very little time to Rio and miss great non-touristy things that could have been done.
Here are some of the non-touristy things Cariocas (residents of Rio) do, and that you, too, can do when visiting Rio de Janeiro:
Jog, walk or bicycle around Lagoa
Lagoa is one of the most beautiful districts in Rio, with spectacular views to Corcovado Mountain. Lots of locals jog, walk and cycle around Lagoa every day. On weekends, locals rent paddle boats to tour in the lagoon. You, too, can join them and pretend you are a local instead of a tourist.
Have breakfast/brunch at Parque Laje
Parque Laje is a beautiful park, with a magnificent colonial building in its center, where locals have breakfast in an open-air area by a swimming pool. This is one of the most off-the-beaten-path and non-touristy things do to in Rio de Janeiro, especially on weekends when Cariocas pack breakfast places.
Go to Prainha Beach
Non-touristy, secluded beach in Rio de Janeiro, rather far for most tourists — 50 minutes drive from Copacabana Beach. As Rio’s residents sometimes are a bit tired (and spoiled) of going to the same beaches, many head to Prainha, for a change. The beach is the paradise for surfers.
Go for lunch at noon or have a drink early evening at Arcos do Teles
One of the most popular and lively corners for lunch in downtown Rio, and without a doubt, it is one of the cheapest, nicest and non-touristy things to do in Rio de Janeiro on weekdays. There are several places to eat local, homemade, delicious Brazilian food.
These things are only a fraction of all the non-touristy things you can do when visiting Rio de Janeiro. Read in My Rio Travel Guide all the other cool things to do in Rio as well as how to visit the touristy landmarks by beating the crowd of tourists when doing tourism in Rio.
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