Where to start describing about Rio de Janeiro? with the beach? the bustling neighbourhoods or the bossa nova cafes? or in the jungles that fringe the city? It’s all Rio and it’s all teeming with life - 24/7. Rio is a fantastic one-stop destination, but it’s also the entry point into Latin America for many, and there’s accommodation to please those who’re having all their eggs in this glorious basket, and those who want to eek out their eggs for as long as humanly possible. The trick is knowing which neighbourhoods to start looking for accommodation in, from bustling Botafogo, to Copacabana’s beaches, or culture-rich Lapa. The surfers stay in Arpoador, Leblon is perfect for high-end shopping beside the beach, and hilltop Santa Teresa has fantastic views, and a bohemian atmosphere.
Neighbourhood map from Miss To
Image by Netto Figueiredo from
Copacabana is a neighbourhood as well as a beach, though the four kilometres of sand that marks the neighbourhood’s Atlantic border is one of its best known assets. Let’s be honest, it’s world famous. Officially, Copacabana stretches from Princess Isabela ave. to the lifeguard tower at Posto Seis. There are small, historic forts at either end - Fort Copacabana at one end, and Fort Duque de Caxias at the other, and a rather beautifully decorated promenade in between. And there are lots of bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels and other accommodation in between. The two smaller beaches beyond the official beach are also often included when people talk about the neighbourhood, and beyond these is the arguably as famous? Ipanema beach and neighbourhood. Behind the beaches, Copacabana is a lively, yet glamorous neighbourhood, and very well connected to other parts of Rio by subway, road, and on foot. Copacabana’s architecture is mid-rise, with not a lot in the way of houses, and a lot in the way of twelve storey apartment blocks, and you’ll find that lots of the hotel and aparthotels are about the same size - though there are some really huge hotels. The Copacabana Palace Hotel is one of the best known, it’s both old and big - with exemplary service. Visitors staying in Copacabana have fantastic beach access, and you’re closes to the historic forts too. And it’s The Place to Be come New Years Eve!
Image by Jose Guertzenstein fr
Was Ipanema one of the best known beaches in Rio before the mid-60s, when the bossa nova song, “The Girl from Ipanema” came out? or did all that happen afterwards? Certainly it would have been a beautifully pale sandy stretch of beach next door to Copacabana and Leblon beaches before, but it may not have ben quite so glamorous. The neighbourhood of Ipanema occupies the beach’s hinterland, a neat grid system of streets all leading towards the beach. On Sunday the road that runs alongside the beach is closed to car traffic, and is taken over by roller skaters, cyclists and skateboarders. And people practicing capoeira. There’s also a local hippie market - that’s what it’s called, the Feira Hippie de Ipanema. On other days expect a lot of surfboards - during the Winter season the surf has been known to swell to three metres Visitors to the beach can also expect to see a lot of beach volleyballers, footballers, and folk playing the local hybrid: footvolley. Ipanema is one of the most expensive parts of Rio to live in, with the correspondingly upmarket cafes bars and restaurants. Ipanema also has its own street parade at carnival! as well as an impressive collection of small museums and galleries, and its own local university. Ipanema is also known for being one of the best places to shop on Rio, on the Visconde de Piraja especially, where there are plenty of high end brands, as well as super trendy ones. And it’s pretty spectacular at sunset. Accommodation in Ipanema does run to the high end, but there are some very wallet-friendly mid-range options too, as well as a few aparthotels.
Image by mariaguppy from Pixab
Leblon is another beach/ neighbourhood combo, on the other side of Ipanema from Copacabana. Like its neighbours it’s affluent and beachy, with great cafes, bars, restaurants and botequim - which is the local version of a pub? and laid out on a neat grid of streets and boulevards. It’s also known for its nightclubs and music venues. Leblon beach is one of the prettiest in Rio, possibly because beyond Leblon along the coastline is a hill called, Dois Irmãos, which translates to “Two Brothers” - a reference to its cleft peak. It’s a dramatic sight at sunset. Sunset is also when Leblon beach starts to liven up, it’s a popular spot for practicing capoeira. The Alto Leblon part of the neighbourhood is almost entirely residential, while Baixo Leblon is where most of the cafes, bars, restaurants and nightclubs are located. Leblon has a farmer’s market once a week - a proper one that starts very early in the morning and is all wound up by about 1400. As with housing, accommodation in Leblon is some of the most desirable in Rio, and there’s not a huge amount of it, but if you enjoy the finer things and you’re happy to pay, then you’ll find some really beautiful hotels and aparthotels here. Leblon is a good place to shop too, though, as you might already have imagined, it can be expensive.
Santa Teresa is a central, but inland neighbourhood, at the top of Santa Teresa Hill, often referred to as Rio’s Montmartre. One of the nicest things about this neighbourhood are the narrow winding streets, and varied architecture - a huge contrast to the neat grids closer to the ocean. There’s also plenty of greenery, established trees and pocket parks. When the villas here were built they were the height of luxury and sophistication, but Santa Teresa is no longer the well-to-do neighbourhood it started out as, and these lovely villas have come into the hands of artists, galleries, art schools, fashion studios and other creatives. One of the neighbourhoods most famous estates has been turned into an art museum, using the works collected by the original inhabitant - it’s called the Museu da Chácara do Céu. One of the neighbourhoods other museums tells the story of the area’s iconic yellow trams - you could go to the museum, or you could just ride the tram and enjoy the wonderful views over the city. The very best views are had from the top of Santa Teresa, just before you start the ascent of Corcovado. Santa Teresa’s food and drink culture is varied, to complement its eclectic population.
Image by danielserrani from Pi
Rio’s Centro neighbourhood is the financial heart of the city, an often surprising mix of historic buildings, residential buildings and commercial buildings. This is where you’ll find Rio’s cathedrals - old and new; the São Bento Monastery; the National Historical Museum; the National Museum of Fine Arts; the Museum of Rio Art; the Theatre Municipal; the main public gardens; the Carioca Aqueduct; the Rio’s oldest sweet shop. You can catch one of the historic trams here, and head up to Santa Teresa, enjoying the views along the way. But the best way to explore Centro is on foot - expect uneven ground and for it to be hotter than the beach, but there’s a lot packed into a small space. Start in the main square, Praça XV de Novembro, and go on from there. The majority of the residential buildings are along Rue do Riachuelo and Castelo, and this is where you’ll find some of the smaller hotels and aparthotels too, though there are also large hotels in the more business-y parts of Centro.
Image by Jose Guertzenstein fr
Lapa is another very central Rio neighbourhood, with some cross over with Centro, and probably best known for its historic landmarks - the Acros da Lapa aqueduct is probably the most famous of them, and for its nightlife, especially Brazilian music venues. If you’re interested in music visit the Museum of Image and Sound, which is a great way into Brazilian culture and music. This has always been the sort of neighbourhood where intellectuals and arty types meet up. There’s lots of variety when it comes to music, food and drink - from chamber music to bossa nova beats, and all the regional foods you can imagine. The most popular clubs, Rio Scenarium, Arco Iris and Asa Branca, are the type of places it’s worth booking in advance. As well as having borders the blur into Centro, Lapa is neighbours with cultural powerhouse Fátima, and beyond that Santa Teresa.
Botafogo is the picturesque neighbourhood on Botafogo Bay, overlooked by Sugarloaf Mountain. Beyond the bay and the mountain, Botafogo’s best known landmark is probably the Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club, which has a huge pier and marina. Dance lovers may recognise the name as a dance move, and Botafogo certainly has some impressive samba schools if you want to learn the Botafogo in Botafogo. This neighbourhood is beach-y and hip, with a collection of quirky new bar openings, and a casual, welcoming vibe. It’s a bit edgy, but not at all spiky! which is probably because of the great transport links, and relatively affordable beachfront prices - when compared to Copacabana or Ipanema. Botafogo has fantastic choice too, with lots of traditional Brazilian options, but also some cool fusion picks. If you’re looking for more formal sights to see, you’ll find a couple of excellent specialist museums, and great viewpoints - where you a photograph the bay, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Christ the Redeemer.
Neighbouring Botafogo, Flamengo is a relaxed neighbourhood with a number of historic landmarks - including churches, while also offering guests great views of Guanabara Bay from its white sandy beach on the bay. Flamengo Park is the other jewel at the centre of this green and historic crown, a huge park, with paths, palm trees and botanical odds and ends - the perfect place for a picnic, slacklining and skateboarding. Rio’s Museum of Modern Art is within the park, a modernist charmer on the outside, with an eleven thousand strong collection of modern art on the inside. If you’re looking for Flamengo’s nightlife head over to Marquês de Abrantes street. This is a fairly well-to-do part of town, with accommodation that varies from the relatively simple to quite grand. It’s a lot quieter and more affordable than Copacabana or Ipanema.
