Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil What's in Rio de Janeiro

The place given to Rio de Janeiro on the world map is, frankly speaking, a gift of fate. The subequatorial climate with uniform precipitation throughout the year and virtually unchanged air temperature creates the conditions of a paradise on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. now this favorite place the most discerning tourists and everyone who wants to enjoy the combination of sun, water, light sand, lush greenery and small rocky mountains.

From the history

“January River” - this is translated from Portuguese Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro). It was in January (January 1, 1502) that the Portuguese navigator Gaspar de Lemos discovered, in his opinion, the mouth of the river. In reality it was Guanabara Bay.

However, the reclaimed place still retained its current name, which became known throughout the world as a holiday paradise. A little over 50 years after Lemos discovered this land (in 1555), the French occupied it, but not for long - the Portuguese defended their territory and 10 years later (March 1, 1565) founded the port city of San Sebastian de Rio de Janeiro . The name of the Portuguese king San Sebastian I was directly related to this name of the city.

The city developed from the Portuguese colonists who formed the population of Rio from the 16th century. Gradually, news of a paradise on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean reached Europe. This led to the fact that in the middle of the 20th century, three quarters of the population of the state of Rio de Janeiro were Europeans. This influx of European emigrants subsequently decreased - Europe made a leap in its development. And Brazilian northerners – blacks and mulattoes – flocked to Rio in search of a better life. The well-known current crime situation in densely populated Rio de Janeiro is due precisely to this spontaneous internal migration.

After the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro is the second largest populated area. In 2010, the state's population was estimated at 16 million people, of which 56% were of European origin; the residents of the city of Rio were over six million people.

In the state of the same name, Rio de Janeiro is the administrative center, which was the capital of Brazil for almost 200 years - until 1960, losing this status to the city of Brasilia. Now the city of Rio de Janeiro is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro, which was united in 1975 with the state of Guanabara.

Why Rio de Janeiro is attractive

Local residents of Rio de Janeiro like to call themselves “Cariocas” (those living in the state - “fluminense”), and their city is semi-officially called “Amazing City”. This nickname has not yet been refuted; rather, on the contrary, it is confirmed by every traveler or tourist who arrives from anywhere in the world at any of the three airports in Rio. At the entrance of Guanabara Bay rises "Sugarloaf" - mountain, which became business card cities. Everyone who is in Rio for the first time wants to climb it, especially since it is not difficult to do - there is a funicular railway here.

The view of the ocean and the city that opens from the “Sugar Loaf”, glowing with different lights in the evening, is a sight unique in any part of the world.

On another mountain - Corcovado - another well-known attraction - gigantic size Statue of Christ the Redeemer, which was erected on the basis of a competition to create a symbol of the nation.

If you get to the statue by car, you will inevitably plunge into a real jungle within the city. This is the Tijuca State Reserve.

A stream of people rushes towards the statue. Observation deck at its foot is the best point to get acquainted with the most beautiful city peace.

A special tram stops 40 meters before the statue, from where you have to climb 200 steps of stairs (or take a lift). There is an opinion that some positive changes are taking place in the lives of those who have visited the foot of the 38-meter statue.

When talking about Rio de Janeiro, one cannot fail to mention its beaches.

Firstly, because there are a lot of them here, and secondly, because they suit every taste: for swimming, for swimming, for surfing and sailing lovers, for contemplating the rocky coast, for getting to know the national flavor, for enjoying the sunset. The length of all sandy beaches reaches 90 kilometers. The names of Rio de Janeiro beaches all over the world are associated with associations about the best holiday by the water. Washed by warm ocean water, kilometers of sandy coastline, bathed in sunlight, strewn with many bars, cafes and sports grounds - the very cocktail that has the power to stop time. The most famous of the beaches is Copacabana.

Since the 19th century, famous Brazilian carnivals and New Year's celebrations on the ocean have been held here, attracting up to 100 thousand spectators.

Anyone present will enjoy the combination of music, water and lights in dark time days, and sun rays, ocean waters with warm beach sand - in the daytime.

People come to Rio not only for tourism purposes or the desire to plunge into the waters of the ocean. Here, 22 years ago (1992), representatives of many countries of the world, concerned about the state of our planet, discussed issues of environmental conservation and overall development at the UN conference.

International winter games could also be held here. After all, where Rio de Janeiro is located, the ambient temperature will not force athletes to get used to local conditions. It is noteworthy that slight fluctuations in air temperature in the city throughout the year cause slight surprise to residents of other latitudes only because in July it is somewhat cooler than in January.

Landscapes of the most beautiful bay in the world, kilometers long beaches, picturesque granite rocks with lush greenery, not only colonial architecture, but also the most modern buildings in design, exotic plants and animals on the city streets, beautiful girls, bright temperament of the residents, and, of course , His Majesty the ocean - all this is where Rio de Janeiro is located.

In addition to developed industry (there are even diamond processing factories), the city has a large sea ​​port, three railway stations, airports. The National Library stores two million books, including the rarest ancient manuscripts. Theaters and drama schools, conservatories and museums confirm the high cultural level of the townspeople. And, of course, sports. Another Brazilian religion, according to Brazilians, is football. Brazilians are busy with it not only at the world’s largest football stadium, the Maracanã for 200 thousand people, created in 1960 specifically for the World Cup, but also on every beach, where, along with volleyball and tennis, footvolley is especially popular - a mixture of football and beach volleyball.

The energy of the city attracts anyone who wants to appreciate the uniqueness of the great Rio. It is not in vain that they say that you can only get to know and appreciate the “showcase of the country”, the “city of wonders” on the ocean shore if you stay here forever.

Interactive map of Rio de Janeiro:

Video

Time-lapse footage of the beautiful city of Rio:

An interesting video about a trip to Rio de Janeiro from the series of programs “Heads and Tails”:

I always pronounce the name of this city with a smile - it’s as if you can hear the fluttering of a thousand colorful butterflies, who can’t wait to fly out and spin to the rhythms of bossa nova (“bossa nova” is a special style of Brazilian music, which is a mixture of jazz and samba).

Rio de Janeiro is amazing!

Passions rage in the hearts of people here no more quietly than in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It seemed to me that the city lives according to the yin-yang principle, without realizing it. All extremes coexist harmoniously here: poverty and prosperity, beauty and ugliness, spiritual kindness with blatant aggression. Next to elite very green and beautiful areas cities are always adjacent to poor people's neighborhoods - favelas, with sun-scorched exteriors, graffiti and endless poverty. One townsman will happily change his route to show you the way if you get lost, while another will steal your bag and threaten you with a gun. Just like in the movies, honestly. And all this to the rhythms of bossa nova.

And by the way, don’t forget to take a phrasebook with you. Because everyone here speaks Portuguese. And there is no more beautiful, completely incomprehensible, waffle-crunching language in the world.

Short video about Rio de Janeiro

How to get there

How to get to Rio de Janeiro if you, like me, live in Moscow? This sunny metropolis is located in South America, and it is very far away. The words “very far” mean the figure 11,543 km - this is exactly the distance from Moscow to Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, the main way to get to Rio is by plane.

But there is another option - to go on a cruise and arrive in Rio on a multi-deck white ship. This is exactly how my idol Ostap Bender dreamed of being in the sultry city of happiness.

And if you are already in South America, then there is nothing easier than getting to former capital Brazil by bus. In general, bus service is very developed in South American cities; they are quite comfortable and allow you to save money and sometimes time.

By plane

There are no direct flights from Moscow to Rio. You need to fly with a transfer. The minimum duration of the entire flight is usually 16 hours or more, depending on the chosen connection.

Having monitored the proposals various airlines(Lufthansa, KLM, Emirates, Etihad, Delta participated in the tender), I came to the conclusion that plane tickets to Rio de Janeiro must be purchased from the airline Air France connecting in Paris.

1. Firstly, this is the most a budget option flight (my boyfriend paid for the trip, and this point was the most important for him :-)).
2. Secondly, a convenient connection at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

If you attend an airline promotion, the ticket will cost you 38,000 rubles (round trip).

Air France flies daily to Rio de Janeiro. I advise you to choose flight AF 1745 from Moscow with an arrival in Charles de Gaulle at 21:45 and then departure from Paris at 23:35 and arrival in Rio de Janeiro at 05:40 in the morning. Choose a return flight depending on price and preferences. There are 1 or sometimes 2 flights a day from Rio de Janeiro (the schedule is constantly changing). There are morning flights and evening flights.

You can view flight schedules, connection times, and air ticket prices.

Arrival airport for international flights ()

All international flights head to Rio de Janeiro airport Galeão Rio De Janeiro. At the airport you will find exchange offices, taxis and everything you need. The center is 20 km away.
At the airport, many employees speak English, so you definitely won’t be lost here :-)

Airport of arrival for domestic flights ()

A charming airport with a runway directly along the Atlantic Ocean. Located in the historical center of the city.

By bus

In Brazil, as in many other countries in South America, bus services between cities are very well developed. Traveling by bus in Rio de Janeiro is a smart alternative to renting a car if, for example, you are afraid to drive one exotic country.

The main cities of keen interest to the traveler, from which you can get to Rio by regular buses:

• Sao Paulo.
• Florianapolis.
• Belo Horizonte.
• Arraial do Cabo.
• Buzios.
• Iguazu.

And even from neighboring countries such as Paraguay you can come to Rio by bus. But it’s very far away, about 2 days on the road.

Major bus companies

The bus service in Rio (as in Brazil in general) is organized super competently, and I envied it, to be honest (I wish it were like that here!). There are several large bus companies, each with its own website with an English version, and on the website you can easily get directions from point A to point B.

For myself, I highlighted these bus companies (their websites seem to be created for non-Portuguese-speaking tourists :-))

Travel and bus logistics

The logistics of your bus trip will be like this. Go to the website, choose the desired direction, buy a ticket, come to the station and pick up your tickets. It is very easy to understand where to pick up tickets: at the station, look for a kiosk with the name of the bus company, which will be indicated in large letters on the booking sheet.

I advise you to buy the tickets themselves on the website also because promotional rates are published there, which the cashiers often know nothing about. Well, besides, it will be difficult to communicate with the cashiers if you do not speak Portuguese.

Bus stations

Now as for the bus stations themselves. There are several of them in Rio. Foremost - .
The station is located in the city center at: Av. Francisco Bicalho, 1, Santo Cristo.
I recommend getting here by taxi. Although it is located in the center, this part of the city is not safe. The bus stop is quite far from the station, and you will have to walk to it. Judging by the faces that I saw on the street at the entrance to the station, I would not have walked.

And the station building itself is beautiful - very clean, cozy, a lot of shops, the smell of cheese pies (Pão de queijo) and freshly brewed coffee in the air. And yes, there are charging stations for all gadgets. By the way, this service is free, unlike at Moscow train stations. As I remember now, I arrived on the morning train from St. Petersburg to Moscow, the phone rang out, and recharging cost 100 rubles. Fi.

About buses

The buses themselves are very comfortable. When booking tickets, you can choose a bus class:

• VIP, which means this bus is air conditioned.
• STANDARD. There will be no air conditioning.

By the way, the Antarctic climate prevails on buses. I strongly advise you to take the precaution of having warm clothes with you.

By car

In general, in Brazil everything is fine with the roads. In theory, motorists can reach Rio de Janeiro by car from any Brazilian city. And even from other countries in South America, subject to successful passage through customs points.
Personally, I am sure that traveling by car to the “outback” parts of the country may not have the most favorable consequences; after all, the country is not very rich, you can easily be robbed. Well, there’s really no one to ask for advice on the road - no one “speaks” in English.
If you are a fan of road trips, then try to build a route that runs along safe and modern highways.
So, you can come to Rio de Janeiro from Sao Paulo along the largest highway BR-116

By ferry

Rio owes much of its stunning landscapes to the amazing geographical location. The city stretched along the southeastern coast of Brazil and seemed to be squeezed between the mountains on one side and Guanabara Bay (the most beautiful bay in Rio de Janeiro) on the other. This good location says that you can get to the city by water - on a luxurious white ship, if you want to make Ostap Bender’s dream come true, or on a small cozy ferry.

By the way, the first sailors sailed to Rio on ships and thought that the bay was the January river in Rio de Janeiro, after which the city was named.

The ferry connects Rio with other Brazilian cities and islands - Niteroi, Cocota, Mangaratiba, Angra dos Reis, Paqueta Island, Ilha Grande Island. These ferries dock at the sea terminal in Rio (by the way, they depart from there). This station is called Estação das Barca and it is located in the city center close to Praça XV near Carioca/Cinelandia metro station.

Travel time, schedule and cost can be viewed on the carrier. As a bonus, everyone traveling on the ferry is offered a gorgeous view of the city and the great statue of Christ from Guanabara Bay.

Cruise ships

If speak about cruise ships, then they come from the very different cities world to a huge and significant port for the whole country - Port of Rio de Janeiro, to the terminal. The port is located not very far from the city center, at Av. Rodrigues Alves, 10 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20081-250. The nearest metro station is Retiro. Here's the terminal.

In general, the terminal is cool - modern, functional, with all the infrastructure necessary for a traveler. By the way, if you are already in Rio and do not intend to sail anywhere on any ships, there is still a reason to come here - at night, incendiary night parties with samba and caipirinha are often held here. Everything is as it should be.

Private yachts

And, if suddenly you are traveling on your private yacht and don’t know where to drop anchor, then head for the beautiful port. By the way, it was in this harbor that races for yachtsmen from all over the world took place at the 2016 Olympic Games. The Marina da Gloria port is located in the charming Flamengo Park near the city center and, believe me, absolutely fantastic panoramas of Rio open up from here. There are nice restaurants in the harbor, where you can learn sailing, or go diving or fishing with a small group.

Clue:

Rio de Janeiro - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 6

Kazan 6

Samara 7

Ekaterinburg 8

Novosibirsk 10

Vladivostok 13

When is the season? When is the best time to go

Just the name of the city radiates sunlight, right? But it also rains here.

During our Russian summer in Rio, winter brings intermittent rain to the city, and the sunny metropolis is plunged into a haze of gray clouds. At the same time, the air temperature rarely drops below +23, and the rains are most often short-lived and warm. So bad weather in Rio is a relative concept. Another thing is that in the gray haze you can’t see the incredibly bright colors of the city. The clearest days in Rio de Janeiro are between November and March.

When planning our trip, we avoided the New Year period, just as we were afraid of fire in February (carnival takes place in February). These are the most expensive periods; prices for holidays in Rio de Janeiro soar several times. And if we talk about prices, then Rio has never cheap city.

We flew to Rio during the season - March 10, a couple of weeks after the carnival. By the time we arrived, the last carnival decorations had, fortunately, been dismantled and prices returned to normal. The weather was good, hot, +38. Sometimes there were long rains during the day (and we were grateful to them), and in the evening the sun invariably appeared, which, when leaving, gave us incredible sunsets - so many heavenly colors, perhaps, can only be found in Monet’s fictional paintings.

Rio de Janeiro in summer

If we talk about our summer months, in Rio they are considered the rainiest and grayest. The air temperature, however, is not lower than 25 degrees, the water is also warm - 21-23 degrees. When traveling to Rio de Janeiro in the summer, take a windbreaker and an umbrella with you.

Rio de Janeiro in autumn

The season officially begins in November in Rio. In general, the division into seasons here is very arbitrary, because the tourist flow does not stop all year round. But if we talk about the weather, then yes, it becomes less cloudy from November. In the autumn months the air temperature is 27-29 degrees. The advantages are the absence of sweltering heat and a gentle wind.

Rio de Janeiro in spring

In my opinion, spring is the ideal time to visit Rio. At this time, the city becomes calmer; the carnival with its madness and wild prices is behind us. The weather is wonderful. It is very hot, up to 38 degrees, with occasional refreshing rains.

Rio de Janeiro in winter

Our winter in Rio de Janeiro is considered summer. In guidebooks, the months from December to March are designated as the most attractive for visiting the country. During this period, the likelihood of rain is low, the waves in the ocean are quieter, and the sky is mostly cloudless. All this is very good, but the number of tourists in the city is such that you want to leave the metropolis with a mysterious name as soon as possible. The largest influx of tourists occurs in New Year and Carnival, which takes place annually in February.

Clue:

Rio de Janeiro - weather by month

Districts. Where is the best place to live?

As soon as Vadik bought tickets to Rio, we immediately started thinking about where to live, which part of the city to choose. I wanted to be on the sea, and at the same time in the mountains, and to be closer to all the bars and attractions. But when we are talking about such a big city (and Rio is really huge), you need to set priorities :-)

I'll tell you how the city works and what choice we made.

Conventionally, the city is divided into 4 zones:

1. South.
2. Central.
3. Northern.
4. Western.

These zones concentrate certain areas of Rio de Janeiro (on this moment There are 34 districts in the city)

Southern part of the city

These are the legendary beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and Flamengo. Perhaps these areas are the most attractive for tourists, everything here is like in a movie - gorgeous beaches, beautiful houses with fences, like in the series “Tropicana”, all the streets are paved with neat tiles, palm trees, ficuses and eternal trees decorate the entrance to each building.

The areas of this part of the city are considered the safest, everywhere you look - there are only police officers. From the southern regions it is easy to reach the main attractions, some of which are located right here:

• Sugarloaf.
• Mount Corcovado with a statue of Christ.
• Lake Rodrigo de Freitas.

There are also taxis running here around the clock. We chose a hotel 2 steps from Ipanema beach and did not regret it for a minute. The beach in Rio is the main stage of the city, everyone flocks here - both locals and tourists. Want to feel the real atmosphere of Rio? Then you're off to the beach. And I’ll tell you what, living next to the beach in Rio is a must. Early in the morning before long journey in the wilds of a sunny metropolis, you will always have the opportunity to wake up along with the city, run along the embankment, swim in the gentle waves of the Atlantic Ocean, which can only be like this in the morning, drink freshly squeezed mango juice at a fruit bar on the beach. What could be better? This is how a morning in Rio de Janeiro should begin. And in the evening, no matter where you return from, the sunset will await you to the rhythms of bossa nova - the locals really like to come to the beach with a guitar.

Central part of the city

This is the so-called down town, the historical center of Rio de Janeiro. Here are business centers, many historical attractions, including the National Library, Tiradentes Palace, Municipal Theater, National Museum of Fine Arts, Cathedral and Pedro Ernesto Palace.

On weekdays, downtown is very lively, with people in business suits scurrying here and there. But come on a Sunday and you won’t recognize the business district – there’s not a soul in the area. Never in my life have I seen more deserted streets.
What impressed me most was the bohemian neighborhoods of Lapai Santa Teresa. I advise all party-goers who want to fall asleep and wake up to the rhythms of the city to stay in Lapa. Well, Santa Teresa will appeal to those looking for romance and solitude.

Northern part of the city

Football fans often visit the northern part of the city, since this is where the legendary stadium in Rio de Janeiro is located. I highly recommend attending one of the football matches held at this stadium, even if you are not a fan. An exciting game, emotions, tears of victory and loss and incomparable energy await you. Football is an integral part of Brazilian culture and way of life. And you should see it with your own eyes!
There are other, lesser-known stadiums in the northern part of the city. But I wouldn’t recommend walking further than the stadium – there are favelas around, dangerous neighborhoods of bandits and poor people.

Western part of the city

This area is the farthest from the city center and therefore tourists very rarely come here. The poorest neighborhoods of the city are closely intertwined with areas for the rich, as if proving to the traveler that Rio is a city of contrasts. The pretty district of Barra da Tijuca is located in this part of the city, as is the 20-kilometer beach, the longest in all of Rio.

What are the prices for holidays?

Tours to Rio de Janeiro are expensive. The City of God itself is not cheap. How . But, of course, you can easily save money here if you think about many things in advance. But not at a hotel - accommodation here is expensive, whether in a hotel or a hostel.

Rio de Janeiro hotel prices

We rented a double room in a 3* hotel 2 minutes from Ipanema beach with spacious rooms in white colors and a huge window, on the windowsill of which ringing hummingbirds hung out every morning. The room cost about $100 per night with breakfast.

Ipanema is a magical area, like a piece of cozy Europe inside Rio with the cutest restaurants, beautiful houses and chic clean beach.

For the same money ($100 per day) in the bohemian district of Santa Teresa you can rent a room in a chic boutique hotel. There are many cool boutique hotels in the area. The views from the hotels in Santa Teresa are stunning.

But there is a minus. The area is located on a mountain, and at night taxi drivers refuse to go up here without explanation. Therefore, if night walks are in your plans, this is probably not the most suitable area.

In Copacabana, hotels cost from $150 per night. By the way, Copacabana beach itself is very dirty, and all the restaurants along the beach are terribly tasteless and also expensive.

You can still live on the party Lapa. A bed in a good hostel can be found for $60, and a hotel room can be rented for $80. At night it is very noisy and the crowd in the area is very diverse - here are the glamorous partygoers of Rio, and bandits, and homeless people. My friend Natasha told me that it was here that they were threatened with a pistol. As if as a joke.

I usually monitor prices and book hotels on Booking -, but you can check if there is a more attractive price somewhere.

You can see the prices for renting private apartments using the link.

Taxi, bus and metro prices

Getting around the city is exactly where you can really save money if you use public transport.

So, on average, the cost of a taxi trip in the southern part of the city will be 50-70 reais (15-20 dollars). A bus ticket costs 4 reais (about 2 dollars). Feel the difference. The cost of one metro trip is 3.20 reais (1 dollar), which is more expensive than in Moscow, but still several times cheaper than a taxi.

Prices for restaurants, cafes and bars

Good restaurants are quite expensive. Dinner can cost from 200 reais ($60) for two. Take advantage of the “serving for 2” menu offer. Believe me, this will be a serving for 4 people, but it will be more economical than everyone ordering a whole dish.
There are many restaurants in Rio, and you can find something simpler. But here's my advice to you - never go to restaurants in Copacabana. Everything here is terribly tasteless and expensive.

The cost of a caipirinha in a beach bar is 8-10 reais (about 3-4 dollars), but in a bar the price will be 25 reais (8 dollars).

Freshly squeezed juice in juice bars (such bars are a specialty of Rio, they are scattered throughout the city) - from 5 reais (2 dollars).

To summarize, I will say that both the holiday in Rio de Janeiro and the prices are all at the highest level! :-)

Clue:

Cost of food, accommodation, transportation and other things

Currency: Euro, € US Dollar, $ Russian Ruble, Rub Brazilian Real, R$

Main attractions. What to see

Rio is a real treasure trove of cultural and natural wonders, interesting and unusual city routes.

There is a list of places that are absolutely MUST SEE:

• Statue of Christ the Redeemer.

• Sugar Loaf.
• Botanical Garden.
• Tijuca Forest.
• Maracanã Stadium.
• Art Museum of Art.
• National Library (the largest in all of South America).

By the way, the beaches in Rio are also among the attractions. Be sure to visit the beaches " Ipanema, Copacabana, Leblon, Flamengo» and you will see that each of them has its own unique atmosphere.

Walk through the world's largest urban national park Tijuca Park and you will be pleasantly surprised to meet cute, but very arrogant coatis, impressed by giant eucalyptus trees and signs that warn about dangerous and insidious snakes. By the way, the Statue of Christ - the most legendary monument in Rio de Janeiro - is located at the top of this park, and if you dare to get to it on foot (too long and hot), you will have indescribable emotions and the most beautiful photographs in your arsenal.

Once in the Lapa quarter, be sure to take the Bondinho (an old wooden tram) that will take you up to the area of ​​the rich and mansions - Santa Teresa.
And if you want to experience the real life of the slums, then take a motorcycle taxi and go to the favelas. At one's own risk.

Don't forget to watch the stars of South America through a telescope at the Rio de Janeiro Planetarium. Remember that all museums have free days to visit, which will make your holiday in Rio de Janeiro more budget-friendly.

And you can easily avoid queues at various museums and, most importantly, at the statue of Christ, by using the service fast track, which is offered by several local travel companies, for example, Matuete. The cost of this service is about $40 per person.

Top 5

Statue of Christ the Redeemer

Just as the alphabet begins with the letter “A,” so the top list of Rio attractions begins with the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, which is not only the main symbol of Rio de Janeiro, but also the main identifying sign of Brazil as a whole.

My local friends told me that the monument was erected thanks to the efforts of one very rich man as a sign of his gratitude to the City of God, in which he was able to get rich. The official version says that the Statue was erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Brazil's independence. I trust my friends more, because Rio is a city of miracles.

The statue itself in Rio de Janeiro is located on top national park Tijuca, and its height is about 38 meters. You can get there by special tourist train, minibus, car or on foot. The last option is for the most desperate travelers - you will have to walk for a long time and in the heat, but you will have the most stunning views of the city, plus you will explore the world's largest urban national park.

About fast service track, which I talked about above, we didn’t know, so we spent 4 hours in 3 queues under the scorching sun!!! When, after all this hell, we found ourselves at the statue, I wanted to cry. Such a number of people as there were around the statue could probably only have been in the main Bombay market. It's horrible.

Try to focus on the magnificence of the monument. Because the figure of Christ emits truly powerful energy, which easily spreads to a million Chinese people around. Both this energy and these stunning views justify any torment. It is not for nothing that the monument is included in the list of modern wonders of the world.

• Opening hours: daily from 8:30 – 17:00.
• Price: Admission for adults is 51 reais ($16).

For up-to-date information on opening hours and costs, see the Rio de Janeiro Metro website.

Read more about the Statue of Christ the Redeemer at.

Lapa & Escadaria Selarón

The Lapa district is geographically located in the central part of the city, and despite the fact that there are always a lot of tourists here, it has not lost its very special flavor.

The Lapa quarter is a kind of Parisian Montmartre, an area where artists, poets, dancers and other creative personalities have found refuge. At night on the streets of Lapa everyone dances samba and sings bossa nova. Do you want to go to the carnival? This carnival is here all year round.

In one of the alleys you will find Selarone staircase (EscadariaSelaron) . Just ask any passerby - everyone knows where it is.

In 2013, the artist was found dead on his stairs. They say that one of his own students killed him out of envy. Jorge Selarone is still alive in the hearts of people, and his staircase has become one of the best examples of Brazilian modern art.

Visiting the staircase is free.

Santa Teresa and the Bondinho

Santa Teresa is a district of mansions. Remember the series “Tropicana”, “Wild Rose”? So everything there looks the same - rich houses, rose fences, labyrinthine streets and gorgeous views of Guanabara Bay.

The best time to go to Santa Teresa is after a walk through the Lapa district. From here this can be done in a completely unusual way - using “bondinho”. This is what cariocas (locals) call the old wooden tram, which has been transporting people from one area to another for decades.

In theory, the tram departs every 20 minutes from the Carioca metro station. But this is only in theory. In fact, the tram follows only the schedule known to it. The tram does not have a website, and I generally doubt that this type of transport functions officially. The opening hours are not written at the entrance, but one thing I know for sure is that at exactly 16:00 the tram stops moving (the first time we decided to take a ride at about 5 pm and came to the closed doors of the station). He also does not make routes after rain. We were convinced of this when we came to the station for the second time :-). And only for the third time luck smiled on us.

You sit in one of 5 wooden trailers, the benches are distributed equally between tourists and cariocas. The tram climbs up the hillside, deftly maneuvering between beautiful mansions with colorful fences and ancient buildings, the architectural appearance of which quietly takes us to Rio of past centuries. Winding through the labyrinth of old streets, the tram periodically pampers passengers with views from the cliff of the sea in Rio de Janeiro. Undoubtedly, this was one of the most romantic and extraordinary trips of my life.

Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açúcar)

Sugarloaf is a mountain called Pão de Açúcar, and its height reaches almost 400 m. It is called so because it supposedly looks like a piece of sugar. The essence of the visit is that you take a cable car to the top of this mountain.

During this time, the traveler will have 3 stops at different heights - Praia Vermelha, Urca and the top of the mountain itself.

You definitely need to go here to see the sunset. And if you are lucky and the sky is cloudless, you will fall into a trance from the beauty around you. By the way, there are no crazy crowds of tourists here. You can relax, sit on a chair, drink a can of beer and enjoy your stay in Rio. The views from the top are stunning. Everything is as in the picture, honestly.

• Opening hours: 8:10 – 21:00. Funiculars depart every 20 minutes.
• Cost of the funicular ride: 62 reais (almost 20 dollars). This price includes all 3 ascents and 3 descents.

Favelas (FAVELS)

Favelas are poor people's neighborhoods scattered haphazardly throughout the city. For some reason, the incredible piles of houses on the mountain are fascinating.
Each favela is like a separate state with its own orders, structure, drug lords, schools, hospitals. Have you seen the movie "City of God"? This is exactly how the poor people's neighborhoods here actually work.

Favelas are an acute social phenomenon, which personally does not frighten me so much as makes me empathize with the inhabitants of these neighborhoods. The number of people living in Rio de Janeiro's favelas is alarming! Millions of people. From year to year, the state ignores the problems of communities, and sometimes their very existence, deprives residents of even minimal social support and thereby condemns the poor to earn their bread through crime.

In these areas, poverty, not carnival, rules the roost. Rarely does a tourist get to see this side of the city. Looking into a favela is a dangerous undertaking and can sometimes cost your life. But not looking here means not understanding anything about the city. Because Rio is not only beaches, samba and mansions with beautiful fences. Rio is a city of completely different destinies, a carnival city in which millions of people are doomed to starvation.

Beaches. Which ones are better

The most famous and beautiful beaches of Rio de Janeiro () are Ipanema, Copacabana, Leblon.

• "Ipanema"– in my opinion, this is the most amazing beach in Rio de Janeiro. Azure, turquoise water, view of the Two Brothers rocks, seagulls overhead. The elite crowd of Rio de Janeiro hangs out here, and surprisingly there are not as many tourists as in Copacabana, for example. Cape Aproador, which separates the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, deserves special attention. As soon as the sun begins to sink behind the mountain, all the locals gather on the cape to watch the sunset. Take a bottle of good wine from the nearest store and be sure to come here. I close my eyes and see those sunsets and hear a beautiful cariocas girl singing “Girl from Ipanema” with a guitar. Read more.

• "Copacabana" is a four-kilometer public beach. And there is no such person who would not dream of being in Copacabana. I dreamed too. And what I will say is that Copacabana Beach is beautiful from afar. In fact, it is very dirty, and the waves are so high that every step in the ocean must be carefully thought out, otherwise you simply won’t be able to swim. They say that you can often see celebrities here, but I didn’t meet them, but there are more than enough dubious-looking people on the beach. On the outskirts of the beach is the Copacabana Fortress, which houses the Army Historical Museum, where you can see German submarines from the early 20th century. Details.

• "Leblon» – this beach is a continuation of Ipanema and at the same time is considered the most respectable beach in the city of God. It's good to come here on Sunday, when Copacabana and Ipanema are crowded. After all, all city residents spend their weekends on the beach :-)

If you are a fan of surfing, then go to the beaches " Barra de Tijuca» And " Recreo» . High waves are guaranteed here all year round.

By the way, about the waves. If you want to enjoy their absence and the silence of the sea, then you will like it beach "Urka"» , which is located at the foot of Sugar Loaf.

Churches and temples. Which ones are worth visiting?

In Rio de Janeiro, everyone believes in God; it is not for nothing that this metropolis is called the City of God. Within the city there are a huge number of churches, temples and monasteries. I will highlight the most beautiful and significant for the city residents.

• Temple of Saint Zenaide– it’s gorgeous, incredibly cozy Orthodox church, the history of which begins in the 19th century. After the 1917 revolution, many Russian emigrants found refuge in Rio de Janeiro. Every Russian family invested money in the construction of this church. It is located in the beautiful Santa Teresa area, people come here to rest their souls, pray, and think about the main thing. I highly recommend taking the time to visit this church. On the temple website you can see the opening hours, learn more about the history of its creation and much more.

Museums. Which ones are worth visiting?

There are a lot of museums in the city. To see them all, I advise you to apply for permanent residence in the City of God. I’ll tell you about the most iconic ones and also about the most unusual ones, where tourists usually never set foot. In Rio de Janeiro, attractions can be found where you might not expect them.

Art Museum ()

There are a lot of tourists in this museum. And this is not surprising, because there is a huge collection of works from the greatest masters of this world. Particularly interesting are the exhibitions of African and Brazilian art.

• Address: Av. Rio Branco, 199 - Centro.
• Opening hours: Tue-Fri 10.00 – 17.00. On Sunday admission is free. On other days, 8 reais ($2.30) per person.

Or it is also called “the museum of tomorrow.” The fact that this is a museum of the future is immediately clear; the architect of the building, Santiago Calatrava, seemed to have flown into space and spied how everything worked there. As for the exhibitions, you will find various media panels, interactive things and other high-tech interests. I highly recommend taking a look here.

• Address: Praça Mauá, 1 - Centro.
• Opening hours: Tue-Sun, 10.00 – 17.00. On Saturdays admission is free, on other days 10 reais ($3) per person.

Modern Art Museum ()

Everything here is like in all IOM museums around the world - many exhibits of contemporary art, with preference given to Brazilian creators. This museum was designed by the famous Brazilian architect Afonso Reidy.

• Address: Av. Infante Dom Henrique, 85 - Parque do Flamengo.
• Opening hours: Tue-Fri 12:00-18: 00. Tickets cost 14 reais (5 dollars).

Gallery of Contemporary Carioca Art ()

This is perhaps the most popular gallery in Rio de Janeiro among art lovers. There are very interesting collections of famous and completely unknown local pen artists here.

• Address: Rua Gonçalves Lédo, 11 e 17 - Centro.
• Working hours: Mon-Fri t 12:00-19:00. WITH Ticket prices vary and depend on the specific exhibition. On average it varies from 2 to 12 reais (1-5 dollars).

All the museums listed above are classics of the genre. Everyone knows about them, everyone includes them in the program. Below is a list of places you should definitely check out if you want something like this.

School of the Arts ()

It’s like it’s not really a museum, but a functioning art school. This school is a real palace, already dilapidated for a long time, but not devoid of dignity. It is located on the territory of a real jungle, despite the fact that this jungle is located almost in the middle of the city. You can go inside and walk around the school, this is where you will see real contemporary art, without refined frames and established cliches. But the most important thing is the flocks of divine toucans, who, sitting on the balconies of the palace, protect the young masters from failure.

• Address: R. Jardim Botânico, 414 - Jardim Botânico.
• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 -16:00. Free admission.

Aunt Rose's legendary samba school (Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Unidos de Vila Isabel)

Dona Rosa is an outstanding old lady. We wish all of us girls could be like this old lady. There is fire in the eyes, a smile on the lips, samba in the movements. Do you want to know where the most incendiary dance in the world begins and how the carnival works? Come to the Vila Isabel school and they will show and tell you everything. True, the conversation will be in Portuguese. But don’t let this scare you, I assure you, everything will be clear, because samba knows no language barriers. If you're lucky, you'll catch Rosa, whose team, by the way, regularly wins the carnival.

• Address: Boulevard 28 de Setembro.
• Opening hours: no set opening hours. Try coming on a weekday afternoon. Admission is free, but tips for the development of the school are welcome :-)

Parks

Residents of Rio de Janeiro love to spend time outdoors - on the beach or in parks. Where you need to go for local flavor is in city parks, each of them has a special atmosphere, because citizens come here to take a breath and rest their souls. There are a lot of parks in the city, and they are stunning - with eucalyptus trees, bamboos, birds, butterflies and toucans.

The most famous, but without losing their charm:

• Flamengo Park. This park seems to reflect the serene Brazilian soul. The aroma of grilled meat is in the air (Cariocas often host barbecue parties), single visitors hum bossa nova to themselves, they play football on the grass, and build castles on the sand. Admission is free, it is better not to walk at night. Address: Rua Brigadeiro, Eduardo Gomes, Flamengo. Metro: Largo de Machado or Catete.

• Park near Lake Rodrigo de Freitas. Here you can not only enjoy romantic walks along the alleys, but also take a boat or catamaran ride on the lake. It is especially pleasant to glide along the surface of the water in the evening, when the heat subsides; you can watch how the city smoothly plunges into twilight and the illumination washes over the river, as if in a wave. The boat will cost you 15 reals ($4.5) for 30 minutes. You can rent it at the Tretbootverleih Pier. Admission is free, boat rental is open from 10:00 to 20:00. Address: Avenida Epitacio Pessoa, Parque do Cantagalo, quiosque 20. Metro: Gal.Osorio.
• Botanical Garden . An absolute MUST SEE in Rio de Janeiro. Think for yourself where else you will see alleys of giant palm trees, a lake with delightful giant water lilies and white lilies, bamboo labyrinths and dozens of other exotic plants. By the way, the garden contains not only Brazilian vegetation, but also completely non-local vegetation, brought here from all over the world by Prince João VI, who in 1800 turned this garden into a royal park.
  A very important point - do not forget to take all available repellents with you, there are many more mosquitoes here than there are visitors. Opening hours: daily from 8 to 18, admission costs 6 reais (1.55 dollars) Address: R. Jardim Botânico, 1008 - Jardim Botânico. Metro: Botafogo + bus 170/172/176.

Tourist streets

The most important tourist streets in Rio are considered beaches “Ipanema”, “Copacabana”, “Leblon”» and their embankments with millions of boutiques, juice bars, beach markets and cozy restaurants. On such streets, the wind from the Atlantic always blows towards you, and passers-by compete for the most fashionable outfit, which here is, of course, a bikini.

Once in the city center, be sure to take a walk around the Cinelandia quarter. At the beginning of the 20th century, the mayor of the city, Pereire Passuso, demolished more than 700 residential buildings to create a “little Paris” in the city center. So come here and take a look at this one. It’s convenient to start your walk from the Cinelandia metro station in Floriano Square, surrounded by beautiful ancient palaces; the world famous Rio de Janeiro Theater is located next to the same square. The central streets of Rio de Janeiro are beautiful.

What to see in 1 day

It’s very sad if you only have one day in Rio, because in such a city a whole life is not enough. Well, there’s nothing to be done, I would plan 24 hours in the City of God like this:

• Morning (8-10 am). Travel to Ipanema and watch the city awaken. The best way to watch it is from a cozy cafe, where they will serve you coffee and signature cheese buns. You have 2 hours for breakfast, the ocean and a bikini.
• Late morning (10-12 am) When you leave the beach, don’t cry, because you have a whole day ahead of you, filled with searching for interesting things to do in Rio de Janeiro. The closest metro station to Ipanema is Gal. Osorio. Take the metro and you'll end up at Cinelandia station. And now you are in the historical center of the city, take a walk through the Cinelandia quarter and nearby streets - colonial houses, architectural monuments, beautiful churches, in general, everything that usually attracts the city center awaits you.
• Lunch (12:00-13:00) Have lunch at one of Lapa's restaurants. Feel free to order meat and beer!
• Afternoon (13:00-15:00) From the restaurant, walk to Carioca metro station. Here is the stop of the local old Bondinho tram, which with a slight rattle will take you to the bohemian district of Santa Teresa mansions. Along the way you will enjoy magnificent views of Guanabara Bay.
• Day (15:00-18:00) After you leave the tram, quickly go to Sugar Loaf (Botafogo metro), where you should definitely catch the beginning of sunset. If the sky is cloudless, I guarantee it will be the most incredible sunset of your life.
• Evening (18:00-22:00) If you have time, and especially if you are a football fan, I advise you to buy tickets for the match, which takes place at the Maracanã stadium. An amazing game of Brazilian teams, tears, joy, a thousand emotions in one bottle awaits you. Tickets are inexpensive, and the game schedule can be viewed on the stadium's website.

What to see in the area

Nearby Islands

Lost 120 km from Rio is an amazing tropical Ilha Grande island. This is a real green patch of Amazonia in the middle of the ocean and one of the most beautiful places in Brazil, and maybe in all of South America.

Ilya Grande is like an island from the books of Jules Verne. The Tupinamba Indians once lived here, and the paths they laid can still be used for walking.

The main attraction of Ilha Grande is its wild nature and beautiful beaches. Take a water taxi (it costs pennies here) and go on a tour of Ilha Grande Bay with its many islands, wild beaches, waterfalls and other wonders of nature. In the village of Abrau, located in the middle virgin forests, you can rent a room in a small house, and in the evenings enjoy the sunset in one of the local restaurants. By the way, there are no ATMs on the island and only cash is accepted. Don't forget about it.

How to get there

From Rio de Janeiro you need to take a bus from the train station to the Rodoviaria Novo Rio train station ( bus company Costa Verde company) to the Conceicao de Jacarei stop, and then by ferry. Ferries depart daily (about 5 departures per day). Mono tickets can be purchased directly on the spot, costing about 15 reais (5 dollars) per person.

Food. What to try

Rio has never laid claim to being the country's gourmet gastronomic capital. I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t one like this in Brazil at all. Everything here is simple, satisfying, sometimes tasty, sometimes not.
In this city you have to eat meat. It is correct, juicy, awesome. My friend, a vegetarian, once admitted over a glass of Burgundy that she doesn’t eat meat anywhere except Brazil and Argentina. You can eat meat here in a variety of variations, but to avoid mistakes, I advise you to just take steak. As a rule, it is served with vegetables and French fries.
Worth special attention in Rio street food. I still remember the scent Pão de queijo de tapioca(round cheese buns), which is simply in the air in Rio. Every morning I devoured them in quantities of at least 7 pieces. By the way, the balls can also be fish. And they are also very tasty. Are called « Bolinhos de bacalhau» .
A dish with the oriental name “feijoada” is also popular in Rio. It is generally considered a traditional Brazilian treat, and was previously the food of slaves. The ingredients are as follows - beans, meat and whatever comes to hand. You will find this dish in restaurants and street stalls. I wouldn't say it's very tasty, but, without a doubt, interesting :-)
In downtown, next to the Carioca station, very colorful Brazilian women entice all passers-by with shrimp sandwiches. It looks very tasty, but Vadik did not allow me to try it because of the suspicious green sauce. This sandwich is called empada. If you're in Rio, eat 2! :-)

Drinks deserve special attention in Rio de Janeiro. I think everyone knows about caipirinha. Local alcohol, which is sold at every turn, is a mixture of cachaça (Brazilian vodka), lime, cane sugar and sometimes mint. Very tasty and very drunk. After 3 days, this cocktail is impossible to look at. Another thing - tangerine caipirinha. In one of the bars on Lapa, I met a resident of Sao Paulo, and she advised me to order it. As a rule, tangerine caipirinha is not on the menu and bartenders make this drink at the request of those in the know. Be sure to try it - this is an amazing cocktail that never gets boring.
I would classify the juice bars of Rio de Janeiro as gastronomic wonders. They are scattered throughout the city and offer visitors to try a variety of exotic juices. Where else will you have the opportunity to enjoy drinks made from acerola, graviola and acai?

Budget

1. Delírio Tropical, a chain of restaurants around the city.
2. "Baixo Gago", Laranjeiras.
3. "Bar do Adão", a chain of restaurants around the city.
4. "Corujão", Benfica.

Mid-level

1. "Tacacá do Norte", Flamengo.
2. "Botero", Laranjeiras.
3. "Point Lunches", Tabajaras.
4. "Fat Choi", Gloria.

Expensive

1. "Pergula", Copacabana.
2. "Lasai", Botafogo.
3. "Olympe", Lagoa.
4. "Quiteria Restaurante", Ipanema.

Holidays

Most main holiday in Rio de Janeiro it is February.

It is in February that the world-famous carnival in Rio de Janeiro starts annually, photos of which are replete with all the magazines. And this, of course, is a magnificent show with its own traditions, which has no analogues. The essence of the event is that all citizens and guests of the city dress up in bright dance costumes and go out into the street to watch the competition of the best samba dance schools. All groups of speakers move on special platforms; each school is allocated about 80 minutes to perform.

If samba has been tapping out naughty steps in your soul for a long time, then visiting the carnival will become a pearl in your travel treasure. That's where you'll find the mass useful information, life hacks and tips on how to organize your trip to the carnival.

As for me, I adore samba and yet I decided not to go to the carnival! :-) Because it's very expensive. And I also don’t like tourists, and a carnival definitely involves crowds of people. During my stay in Rio, I made local friends, and all of them (being of different age categories, gender and financial status) admitted that they were trying to leave the city during the carnival. In addition to the madness that is happening on the streets, prices increase tenfold, as does the crime rate, unfortunately. My Brazilian friends also reported that the place of a tourist at a carnival is invariably on the side, in a crowd of completely different people, often vulgarly drunk and literally dangerous. So it goes.

The carnival is very beautifully depicted in fantasy, but in reality it can disappoint with its turmoil, as it disappointed many of my friends who nevertheless decided to attend this celebration of life. Therefore, I advise you to weigh the pros and cons of such a trip. And I also want to inform you that the spirit of carnival always reigns in Rio. Only in other months this spirit is not associated with crowds of tourists.

Safety. What to watch out for

Rio is a beautiful city, but dangerous. I advise you to always be alert and, when going on long walks, not to take all your jewelry with you. Your earrings will instantly cease to belong to you - such are the clever street scammers here.

I admit, I looked at Rio through rose-colored glasses and nothing bad happened - no scenes with robbery and shootings. But I assure you, this is not uncommon in Rio, as evidenced by the experience of my fellow travelers and the stories of local friends. Take care of yourself in this city and be attentive to others!

Things to do

When you're in Rio, your soul feels like it's in flight. You feel like a seagull, relaxingly soaring in the streams of a cloudless sky. And it seems to me that not making a real flight in this city is a crime!
And here are a couple of options that will become a unique experience in your life.

• Hang gliding flight. Well, I highly recommend it. You will not just see the city from a bird's eye view, but you will also feel like a real bird. The emotions that such a flight will give you are difficult to describe in words; such adrenaline awaits you that it will be enough for another year without traveling. The stunning views of the City of God will appear in the palm of your hand: the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, and Sugarloaf, and the green peaks of the Tijuca National Park, and, of course, the outlines of all the beaches with the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There are many companies in the city that offer flights. I advise you to contact one of these agencies in advance, because this is a very popular entertainment among tourists and cariocas. I can recommend a local company, Matuete, or ask your hotel concierge.
  WITH The cost of a tandem flight is not small - from $150 per person. True, this price already includes transfers from the hotel to Tijuca Park (it is from here that the flight starts from the Pedro Bonita ramp), entry tickets to the park, insurance and the flight itself (about 12 minutes in the air). Believe me, it's worth it!

Shopping and shops

Along Ipanema and Copacabana there are many boutiques where you can buy beautiful clothes from Brazilian and leading world brands. Everything is VERY expensive. The city also has shopping centers, and if necessary, you can buy any clothes. But Rio, comrades, is not a place to hunt for brands. The only thing worth buying are Havaianas brand slippers, which are sold in shops throughout the city. Well, sneakers from the Rainha brand, which you wear for 10 years.

Pay attention to antique and art stores. Here you can buy truly outlandish and unusual things. I recommend checking out these shops:

1. L.A.VEREDAHANDICRAFTS. A rich selection of paintings by local artists, clay figurines from the state of Pernambuco, bright Bondo-style T-shirts. Address: R. Alm. Alexandrino, 428 - Santa Teresa.Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 20:00. There is no website.
2. PE DE BOI . This seems to be the best store for art lovers. You can even just come here to have a look, the store is like a gallery. Rare works by artists from the Amazon and other regions are collected here. distant corners Brazil. Address: R. Ipiranga, 55 – Laranjeiras.Opening hours: daily except Sunday from 10 to 19.
3. PLANOB. This is the place where you can dig up both old jazz records and modern CDs with the best music of Brazilian musicians. DJ parties are often held on weekends. See the poster on the website. Address: R. Francisco Muratori, 2 - Santa Teresa.Opening hours: check the website, they change all the time.

Bars. Where to go

One of the best and most atmospheric bars where they play and dance samba is.
It opens at 10 pm, and by this time there is already a line out front to get in. Admission is paid, it costs about $10. At the same time, you will be given a bracelet, and you can enter and exit as often as you like. But you won’t want to go out – such a captivating atmosphere and amazing music. At the same time, there are a lot of people here aged 45+, mostly Brazilians, everyone is dressed very beautifully and tastefully. Address: Av. Mem de Sá, 79 – Centro.

The bar is no less colorful. The regulars are local artists, drinking draft beer and listening to quiet samba. But in the evening the decibel level rises sharply and the bar fills with partygoers of all sorts. Address: R. Áurea, 26 - Santa Teresa.

And here is a list of great places:

1. Lapa 40 Graus(R. Riachuelo, 97 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro).
2. Jazz In(R. Sacadura Cabral, 63).
3. Bar Bukowski(R. Álvaro Ramos, 270 - Botafogo).
4. Bla Bla Champanheria(Av. Érico Veríssimo, 843 - Barra da Tijuca).

Clubs and nightlife

Rio seems to be made for party people. You can trust me in this matter, I am like that myself.

People come to Lapa for non-stop fun, alcohol and samba. In the labyrinth of small streets and dilapidated buildings, bossa nova thunders, and after 12 or more incendiary tunes. The coolest thing is that the music here is live. Dancing in Rio de Janeiro until the morning - in bars, near bars, on the street, in other words, everywhere and absolutely everything.

The party scene in Rio de Janeiro at night is concentrated mainly in bars. But there are also a couple of excellent clubs with parties “for the rich”. Celebrities often come here on vacation; everyone is dressed beautifully and stylishly. And still the main leitmotif is samba until the morning.

And here’s another thing I want to say: during the day there is also a party in Rio de Janeiro. The beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema are at your service.

Extreme Sports

The most extreme species sports in Rio de Janeiro, perhaps hang gliding and surfing.

I have already written in detail about hang gliders in the “What to do” section. As for surfing, it is very popular in Rio. The waves here are year-round, but the structure is quite difficult if you are a beginner.

If you are an experienced surfer, then take a board and go to the beaches of Recreo or Barra de Tijuca. On the beaches you can find equipment rental points, which always have experienced instructors. Lesson cost is negotiable :-)

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

Havaianas slippers

These are the best slippers ever. Already on the second day of my stay in Rio, my legs claimed first-degree disability, such were the consequences of a 30-kilometer walk in the pouring rain in Tijuca. I decided that this was a completely worthy excuse to beg Vadik for new shoes. And so we went to the Havaianas shop (they are everywhere in Rio). Millions of models of beach shoes, sneakers, and slip-ons opened up to my greedy gaze. The prices are super reasonable. Good slip-ons can be purchased for 75 reais ($20). In Brazil, everyone wears these shoes, and this is not surprising, because they will not cause you the slightest discomfort and look bright and stylish.

Musical record by Chico Buarca

Chico Buarqui is a legendary Brazilian singer, actor, public figure and just a handsome man. His music is magical. Buy his CD for yourself and it will remain in your heart forever. The song Bye Bye, Brasil still makes me cry. A wonderful gift for music lover friends. The price of the record is from 50 reais (15 dollars).

Natural cosmetics Granado

The most natural, most Brazilian cosmetics. It is famous primarily for its glycerin soaps. But there are also body lotions and much more. The persistent smell of exotic plants, fruits and freshness will give you a Brazilian mood every day. Prices start from 5 reais (2 dollars). And here are them.

How to get around the city

The cheapest way to get around in Rio is by public transport, the safest way is by taxi, and the most pleasant thing is by bicycle.

A one-way bus ride costs from 2.7 to 5 reais (1-3 dollars), by metro - 4.1 reais (2 dollars).

By the way, the metro has a Subway + MetrôRio bus service ticket, which includes one trip on the metro and one on a special bus. Cost – 4.1 reais (2 dollars).

A taxi ride in the center starts from 30 reais (10 dollars) - this is the basic fare.

And along the city’s beaches I advise you to ride bikes. Bicycle rental for 2 hours is about 15 reais (5 dollars).

Taxi. What features exist

Undoubtedly the safest and comfortable view transport. Cars run throughout the city. You can catch it right on the street or call it through the "easy taxi" app. There are 2 types of taxis – yellow and white. Yellow - you are driving through traffic. White – fixed tariff.

There are also motorcycle taxis in the city, their stations are mainly based at the foot of the favelas.

How to get from Galeo International Airport to the city center by taxi

At the exit of the main terminal you will see a row of white taxis that operate on fixed traffic. All machines will say "100 reais" ($30) or a number similar to this. This is the price of a trip to the city center.

There is also an official city taxi stand at the airport (all cars are yellow). Price is negotiable - you can take a fixed rate or by meter.

How to get from Santos Dumont Airport to the city center by taxi

In the airport building at the exit there are city taxi stands. You go to any one, name the final destination, and they tell you the cost. You pay. The driver will already be waiting for you on the street. The cost of a trip to the center (the airport itself is located in the center) is 70 reais ($20).

Trams

In Rio, I found only one tram - the Bondinho, running from Lapa to Santa Teresa. I talked about him earlier. However! During my stay in the city, rails were laid throughout the center. I assume for the tram. But at the moment there is still no tram service.

Metro

The Rio de Janeiro Metro is convenient, has modern stations, and is very easy to navigate. The metro is divided into 2 lines: orange (Linha 1) and green (Linha 2). I advise you to actively use the metro website, there is interactive map, with which you can understand how to get from point A to point B.

In addition, on the site you will find information about all the main attractions of the city, including descriptions, current entry prices, opening hours and how to get to them by metro.

And one more thing - the metro in Rio is damn cold, take a blouse with you or something.

Buses

There are a lot of buses in the city, especially in the center, and they are all constantly crowded with citizens. However, such invaluable advantages as a dedicated lane and low ticket prices give this mode of transport enormous advantages. By the way, on buses you can watch the locals, believe me, it’s very interesting.

It is almost impossible to understand the numbering of buses and their directions without prior preparation. My advice is to always plan your route to a particular part of the city in advance and find out what bus number you need. A sign to help.

How to get from the international airport to the city center by bus

From Galeão Rio De Janeiro Airport to the city center it is about 14 km.
We arrived at 5:40 am and were in absolutely no hurry. So we decided to go by bus. At the exit terminal 2 yellow buses stop. If you need to go to the city center, follow the sign “CAPACABANA”. This bus travels through the entire center and stops at every stop. Show the driver your address and he will stop as close to the desired address as possible. The fare is about $1.50 per person (4 reais).

In theory, it would take 40 minutes from the airport to the Capacabana stop, but we got stuck in every possible traffic jam and were only there a couple of hours later.

Transport rental

Cars

My opinion is this: it is better to do without a car in Rio and not bother with renting. Traffic in the City of God is intense, the geography of the city is insanely difficult to quickly understand, there is no parking, and the fines are large. Well, there are also a large number of cases of car robbery.

If you still decide to rent a car, then it’s better to rent from local companies, the price will be 10 percent lower. You can look at prices in advance and monitor promotional offers. Don't forget to take your international driver's license and credit card. When you register your car, you will be provided with insurance at the rate of approximately $12 per day. A cash deposit is sometimes required at the discretion of the moving company.

Bicycles

Renting bicycles in Rio is very cool. There are various rental companies located along the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. I advise you to find the points. These bikes are free for the first hour, and if you rent for the whole day you will only pay 5 reais ($1.50).

To rent such a bike, you need to have a mobile phone and 300 reais ($95) on your credit card (will be temporarily blocked as a deposit).

Rio de Janeiro - holidays with children

Rio de Janeiro is a great destination for a holiday with children.

Believe me, your little overlords will be absolutely delighted with the exotic nature of this city. After all, here they will meet toucans, monkeys, coatis, pelicans and other terribly cute animals. I am sure that children will see this sunny metropolis exactly as it is shown in the cartoon Rio!

Still, there are obvious obstacles and difficulties that you need to think about before taking your children to Rio.

• Firstly, a tiring long flight. After all, in total you will spend at least 16 hours on airplanes. Will your fidget survive such an adventure?
• And secondly, do not forget that Rio is a city in the middle of the jungle, where any mosquito bite can have consequences even for an adult. And there are a lot of mosquitoes here, as well as other insects, flying and crawling. Have you heard about the Zico virus? So, it seems that I got sick from it during the trip. He appeared out of nowhere and just as suddenly disappeared. But for 3 days I was in a severe fever, lying with a temperature of +39.

It is known that even before the discovery of South America, close to 2 million redskins lived in this area, which now belongs to Brazil. But these days there are hardly more than 100,000 of them. The vast majority of them were destroyed by the conquerors. In 1970, the country's population was already 92 million. Of these, 10 million are blacks and Indians, and the rest of the inhabitants are mestizos - descendants of Indians, Portuguese and blacks. Because in 1880 the country had its largest emigration.

The inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro are cheerful, friendly people who are constantly smiling. The local population is so responsive and rushes to help at any moment that visitors literally feel at home within the walls of the metropolis. This is explained by the fact that immigrants from a large number of countries live in Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, travelers are greeted as “our own”, cordially and hospitably. After all, in the metropolis there is no clearly expressed racial discrimination. As paradoxical as it may sound, race is one of the taboo topics of the indigenous aborigines. That is, any tactless statement on this topic is automatically perceived as racism. This behavior is even protected at the official level by local authorities. Therefore, it is advisable for tourists to be extremely careful in this matter.

The indigenous inhabitants love holidays so much that they are always held at such a height that they are considered incredible spectacles. The renowned local carnival attracts visitors from all over the world year after year. You can visit it every year, but the emotions and impressions will be the same as the first time. During the period of folk festivals, travelers have fun along with the residents of the metropolis. It often happens that several tourists vacation in the company of the indigenous population. Everyone laughs and shares their impressions like old acquaintances.

Population of Rio de Janeiro is about 15 million.

Hierarchy of Rio de Janeiro

The inhabitants of the metropolis according to their everyday and social characteristics differ significantly from residents of other cities in the country. This territory is home to the core mass of Brazil's historically formed elite: the richest part of the bourgeoisie and large landowners. There are many colored natives within the city walls. In the past, their ancestors were brought here by slave traders from the African expanses as slaves to work on local plantations. And although a law has been passed prohibiting and punishing manifestations of racism. This does not in the least prevent the white population from treating blacks somewhat arrogantly and with notes of disdain. While racial prejudices are not shown towards mulattoes, Europeans and Asians.

The sidewalks of Rio de Janeiro surprise travelers with their unique mosaic covering. The fact is that it consists of black and white stone slabs. The drawing consists of wavy white and black lines. This city landmark is considered a unique monument to the unity of two races. But in practice, racism continues to “trickle down.” Although mixed marriages are not prohibited in the city, white ladies prefer to choose white men as husbands. And black guys choose girlfriends with black skin. Black and white soldiers march side by side in formation. But in reality the number of black officers is very small. And in the administration, blacks rarely occupy high positions. And they rarely become large successful businessmen and landowners. No matter how hard the government tries to maintain racial equality, the overwhelming majority white work goes to those with light skin, and all the hard work goes to the black population.

The hierarchical division of the inhabitants of the metropolis depends on the place and economic position a person occupies in social and political life. The relationship between layers of society also depends on this.

Although today more than 95% of local population of Rio de Janeiro They profess Catholicism, but the influence of the church is no longer what it was in past times. The wealthy segments of society, mainly for the sake of decency, in order to be perceived as respectable Christians, continue to constantly visit churches and observe all religious rituals.

Life of the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro

Regarding lifestyle features residents of Rio de Janeiro, it is worth noting that the indigenous population of the metropolis are Cariocas, rather carefree individuals. They are not predisposed to burdening their person with any serious relationships or work. At the same time, literally everyone in the city tries to dress well, loves to eat in good restaurants and, most importantly, have fun and have a good rest. The main concern of city residents is to have a pleasant pastime. This explains why carnival celebrations in the metropolis are held on such a grand scale, with rich investments and sincere fun.

Cariocas adore the sea so much that they try to spend every free minute on sunny beaches.

Travel to Rio de Janeiro, video:

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Rio de Janeiro is a splendor of bright colors and an eternal carnival, ocean and endless sun. The city is located on the shores of Guanabara Bay, and is one of the most beautiful in South America. Nature has generously gifted this area; Brazilians believe that God himself granted them such beautiful lands. It seems as if the residents of this city are always having a holiday accompanied by the incessant sounds of samba.

Who hasn’t dreamed of climbing to the top of Mount Corcovado and looking at Christ the Redeemer or plunging into the emerald waters of the Atlantic at the famous Copacabana? In Rio de Janeiro, dreams come true. An elevated state of mind here is mixed with the anticipation of danger emanating from the gloomy favelas, and a slight dizziness from the caipirinha with gentle nights. It's all Rio.

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What to see and where to go in Rio de Janeiro?

The most interesting and Beautiful places for walks. Photos and brief description.

1. Christ the Redeemer Statue

The huge 38-meter monument is the main and most recognizable symbol of Rio de Janeiro. It was installed in the first half of the 20th century on Mount Corcovado, which rises approximately 700 meters above the city. From the observation area of ​​the statue there is a stunning view of the bay indented by green hills. At any time of the year, there is an impressive queue of tourists who want to climb to the statue of Christ the Redeemer with outstretched arms.

2. Sugarloaf

A mountain up to 400 meters high, which is located within Rio de Janeiro. The observation decks and small park located at its top rival in popularity the statue of Christ the Redeemer. You can climb Pao de Ascuar (as the name sounds in Portuguese) using a cable car. The name “Sugar Loaf” was given because of its resemblance to the special container of the same name, in which the Portuguese transported sugar from Brazil.

3. Municipal Theater

The theater was erected at the very beginning of the 20th century and immediately became a decoration of Piazza Floriano. The architecture of the building clearly shows a mixture of styles - eclecticism. During construction, the Paris Opera building was taken as a model. Famous foreign groups often perform on the theater stage; the local choir, symphony orchestra and ballet troupe are no less popular.

4. Portuguese Royal Library

The luxurious building in the Portuguese Manueline style was erected between 1880-1887. The library was founded with the aim of popularizing the culture and values ​​of the metropolis in the territory of the Brazilian Empire. The first foundation stone was laid by Emperor Pedro II. Many architectural elements of the building repeat the outlines of famous Portuguese palaces, monasteries and cathedrals.

5. Tiradentes Palace

A building from the early 20th century, erected for administrative purposes. The Legislative Assembly met there. Previously, on the site of the palace there was a prison where the national hero and fighter for the independence of Brazil, Joaquin José da Silva, died. The interior of the palace is decorated with paintings by Brazilian painters, French mosaics and carved wooden furniture in the Portuguese style.

6. Ilha-Fiscal Castle

The castle is located on an island in Guanabara Bay off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. It was built in 1889 for the needs of the Customs Service, but in appearance it rather resembles a residence royalty. Inside is the historical museum of the Brazilian Navy. The architecture of the castle uses a mixture of styles. Decorative elements were brought from England, Germany and other European countries.

7. Selaron Staircase

A multi-colored 125-meter staircase created by Chilean artist Jorge Selaron. The master created step by step, starting in 1990. Gradually, this small cultural project grew into an obsession, and eventually a long staircase was formed. Several thousand tiles brought from different countries and found in trash cans.

8. Church of Candelaria

It was once the largest and most magnificent temple of the Brazilian Empire. According to one version, it was founded by Spanish travelers in 1609 after they managed to escape a terrible storm. Until the 18th century it was a simple wooden chapel. Then a stone temple was erected in its place under the leadership of F. Joao Rocio. The opening took place in 1811 in the presence of the Portuguese King João VI.

9. Cathedral of St. Sebastian

The main Catholic church of the Brazilian capital, which is located in the historical center of the city. The cathedral was opened in 1979 and was named in honor of the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro - Saint Sebastian. From the outside, the temple resembles an Indian pyramid and at the same time a futuristic structure from science fiction literature. In the underground part of the temple there is a museum and a crypt where famous personalities are buried.

10. Monastery of St. Benedict

Benedictine monastery, founded at the end of the 16th century thanks to petition local residents. The monastery building was erected in the Baroque style. The external façade is distinguished by modest forms and a small number of decorative elements. The interior appearance, on the contrary, is executed with special splendor - burgundy walls, multi-colored mosaic floors, gilded moldings, an abundance of paintings and sculptures decorate the interior.

11. Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro

The garden occupies several hundred hectares of territory and is located in the southern part of the city. It was founded in 1808 at the behest of the royal family. Amazing exotic plants from all over the world were brought to the garden, which quickly adapted to the local climatic conditions. At the moment, more than 7 thousand fauna representatives grow here. The territory has ponds, fountains, palm alleys and themed areas.

12. Flamengo Park

A large green area inside the city, on which landscape designer R. Burle Marx worked (he also worked on the appearance of the Copacabana beach embankment). Various sports competitions are held in the park: bike rides, marathons and others. At any time of the day you can see townspeople playing sports or simply relaxing on the green lawns and benches.

13. Enrique Lage Park

The park is located at the foot of Corcovado on an area of ​​52 hectares. In the central part there is a charming mansion that once belonged to the family of industrialist Enrique Lage. Mine modern look The park and palace were acquired in 1920 thanks to the work of the architect M. Vaudrel. The external walls of the building are lined with Italian marble, specially delivered from overseas, and the walls are decorated with works by Salvador Payals.

14. Carioca Aqueduct

The building is located in the picturesque suburb of Rio de Janeiro, Santa Teresa district. The bridge was built right in the city center at the beginning of the 18th century. The construction was led by Portuguese military engineers. It was assumed that the Carioca Aqueduct could provide water 3 settlements. The running water stopped being used towards the end XIX century, making it a bridge for urban transport. The aqueduct offers quite a picturesque view, which attracts many tourists.

15. Maracana Stadium

The main stadium of Brazil and the symbol of the “most football” country in the world. More than once, Maracana has become the arena for grandiose sporting events. In 2016, the opening and closing of the XXXI Summer Olympic Games took place here. The stadium was built in the middle of the 20th century. At that time it was the largest football arena in the world. After the latest reconstruction, the Maracana can accommodate up to 80 thousand spectators.

16. Favelas

A group of urban slums that occupy an impressive part of Rio de Janeiro and cause a lot of trouble for city authorities. In fact, Brazilian favelas are a whole world, a separate and independent subculture and a “state within a state.” Residents of these areas are practically autonomous. They hardly pay for utilities; many are involved in drug trafficking and other crimes.

17. Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon

A picturesque bay that is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow canal. This is a popular vacation spot for city residents. Families and large groups often come to the lagoon. Unfortunately, the water in the bay is not clean, but you can safely use the developed infrastructure on the shore, go boating or play beach volleyball. Rodrigo de Freitas has free gyms and playgrounds.

18. Copacabana Beach

City beach of Rio de Janeiro, stretching for 4 km. along the coast. From 50-60 Elite residential areas began to be built here, and the place began to be popular among European bohemia. The Avenida Atlantica promenade runs along the beach. Millions of Brazilians and tourists visit Copacabana every year, and many events take place on the beach. public holidays, including New Year's celebrations.

19. Ipanema Beach

Another famous beach of Rio de Janeiro surrounded by prestigious areas. Ipanema neighbors Copacabana, but is considered safer than the latter, as it is located further from the area of ​​disadvantaged slums. Despite the large number of visitors, the water here is considered clean (depending on the season). Also in the Ipanema area there are fewer ocean waves, so it is preferred by families with children and older people.

20. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

An annual holiday, a real extravaganza of colors, feelings, rhythm and all the joys of life. The Brazilian Carnival has long been considered one of the intangible heritage of humanity. Thousands of professionals from various samba schools stage a procession on the sambodrome, a street with stands specially designed for such events. Dancers compete in skill, beauty of costumes and scale of scenery.

From Mount Corcovado to the city where outstanding football players are born and where an enchanting carnival takes place, where the largest shopping, business and cultural centers in Latin America coexist with the poorest criminal neighborhoods, Jesus extends his gentle gaze. Since 1931, this sculpture made of reinforced concrete and soapstone has been a symbol of all of Brazil and the true city of contrasts of Rio de Janeiro.

City `s history

Rio is located in southeast Brazil, on west bank Guanabara Bay, connected to the ocean by a 1.5 km wide strait. Its discovery was a “New Year’s gift” for Gaspar de Lemos, one of the captains of the discoverer of Brazil, Pedro Alvares Cabral (1467/68-ca. 1520). On January 1, 1502, his ship found itself in an unfamiliar bay, which the sailors initially mistook for the mouth of the river. The hero of the novel by Ilf and Petrov, the great schemer Ostap Bender, would be very surprised to learn that the city of his dreams, embodying a carefree life and eternal summer, has a very cool name for our ears: the Portuguese decided to call this place the “January River” (port of Rio de Janeiro). In the middle of the 16th century. French Huguenots tried to settle here, fleeing persecution in their homeland. But by the beginning of 1565, the Portuguese had regained their influence and on March 1 of that year they officially founded the city of San Sebastian de Rio de Janeiro on the shores of the bay. At that time, King Sebastian I (1554-1578) ruled Portugal, so the name of the monarch served for some time as the name for the new settlement.
The port city developed rapidly and for almost two centuries bore the proud title of capital: first of Brazil (from 1763 to 1815), then of the United Kingdom of Brazil, Portugal (from 1815 to 1821). In 1822, Emperor Pedro I of Brazil (1798-1834) declared independence and until 1960 the capital of the country was Rio de Janeiro.
The territory of Brazil in these places, according to conservative estimates, was inhabited approximately 50,000 years before the arrival of the Portuguese. There are different theories on this matter. According to one of the most convincing, those who migrated from Northern Asia through the isthmus that connected Eurasia and America (on the site of the current Bering Strait) could have ended up here. As a result, many Indian tribes emerged, among which representatives of one of the main local ethnic groups, the Tupi, were especially notable for their large numbers. It was they who shared the lands occupied by present-day Rio with some other tribes: Puri, Maxakali and Botocudo (lovers of exotic jewelry made of wooden disks or rings in the ears and lips).
With the arrival of the Portuguese, a slave population from Africa appeared in the country. Gradually, from the gene pool of Europeans, Asians and Africans, a special local nationality began to emerge here with a clear predominance of the dark-skinned population (on average, about 5 million Africans could have been brought to Brazil).
Black slaves were the main labor force needed in huge numbers to clear the land from tropical forest for plantations of sugar cane, tobacco, and a little later coffee, which by the beginning of the 20th century. provided about 80% of national income in Brazil. In the XIX - early XX centuries. Around Rio there were an abundance of private coffee plantations, well known to fans of television series under the sonorous name “hacienda”. The slaves were kept on them for about 10 years, more and more of them were imported, and Europeans were already seriously talking about the Africanization of the country when, finally, in 1888, slavery was officially abolished. However, there is reason to believe that it is still practiced in hidden forms. In 2007, a government commission, as a result of now-traditional raids to combat slavery, freed more than 1,000 sugar plantation workers, whose working and living conditions resembled slaveholding rather than civilized relations.
After the capital was moved to Brasilia in 1960, Rio received the status of a city-state, and in 1975 it was merged with the state of Guanabara and became the administrative center of the state of the same name.
In addition to coffee and sugar cane, the wealth of modern Rio is the Campo Basin, an oil field in coastal waters. Back in the days when Rio was the capital, many state-owned (Petrobras, Elektrobras) and transnational companies opened their head offices here, including Coca-Cola, Praxair, Xerox, BHP Billiton, Shell, Chevron, Halliburton, DSNK, Aker, PSA Peugeot Citroen, BG, IBM, El Paso.
Recently, the city is increasingly transforming from an industrial into a business and financial center, which is reflected in its architecture: Rio is one of the most advanced cities in this regard, providing its spaces to leading craftsmen. Already in the late 1930s - early 1940s. One of the first works of modern Brazilian architecture appeared here: the building of the Ministry of Education and Health, among the authors of which were the French avant-garde artist Le Corbusier (1887-1965), and the pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete, the founder of the school of modern Brazilian architecture, Oscar Niemeyer (b. 1907), and Alphonse Edward Reidy (1909-1964), who skillfully combined expression with laconic forms. Philippe Starck (design of the Fasano Hotel), Christian de Portzamparc (“City of Music”) and many other stars of modern architecture implemented their bold ideas here. By the beginning of the Olympics in 2016, it is planned to build many new, both original (a giant artificial waterfall) and useful objects (new residential areas will appear in place of the terrible favela slums).
A special part of the city is the beaches. They are located in the south and are separated by the Serra do Mar mountains, which are part of the ancient mountain system of the Brazilian Plateau. One of the most famous is in the Copacabana area.
But all issues of business and cultural life matter until the main local holiday comes, which has made Brazil famous throughout the world: carnival. It begins on the Friday before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent). The carnival is a parade of dancers from numerous samba schools; the dances are accompanied by a colorful show and therefore attract tourists. However, for many residents of Rio, this holiday only creates inconvenience due to the influx of tourists, so some prefer to leave the city before the start of Lent.

general information

City in Brazil.
Administrative division: 4 zones (Center, South, North, West).
Language: Portuguese.
Ethnic composition: white population - more than 50%, brown (multiracial) - about 35%, black - about 11%, Asian and indigenous - 4% (2008) - according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
Religion: Catholics - 60.71%, Protestants - 17.65%, without clear religious views - 13.33%, others - 8.3% (2000) - according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
Currency unit: Brazilian real
Highest point: Mount Corcovado, 710 m.
Largest lake: lake Rodrigo de Freitas.
The most important port:
Most important airport: Galean International Airport - Antonio Carlos Jobim, Santos Dumont, Jacarepagua.

Numbers

Area: 1260 km2.
Population: 6,323,037 people (2010), in the agglomeration - 11,563,302 people. (2007)
Population density: 5018.3 people/km 2 .

Climate and weather

Tropical.
From December to March is the rainy season.
Average January temperature:+21ºС.
Average temperature in July:+27ºС.
Average annual precipitation: 1175 mm per year.

Economy

Industry: oil production and oil refining, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, metallurgical, shipbuilding, publishing, textile; construction.
Rio de Janeiro is also one of the largest ports in South America; 1/3 of the country's imports and a significant part of the country's exports pass through it.
Service sector: banking, stock market (up to 65% of GDP); tourism.

Attractions

■ Sugarloaf Mountain;
■ Old Town: Customs, docks, Arsenal, stock exchange, town hall, National Academy of Arts, Largo de Boticario square, quarter and monastery of St. Teresa (1697), Palace-Museum of John VI (XVIII century), Carmen Miranda Museum, Museum of Folk Art, monastery and church of São Bento (XVII century), Church of Our Lady of Candelaria, Church of Nossa Senhora da Gloria do Oteiro, palaces: Tiradentes (restored in 1926), Cinelandia (Palace of Pedro Ernesto, 1923 g.), Quinta da Boa Vista (former imperial residence, palace and park complex of the early 19th century), Carioca aqueduct (otherwise Arcus da Lapa, early 18th century); Monastery of San Antonio (XVIII century).
■ New town: mint, prison, main station, Invalides;
■ Church of Our Lady of Lampedosa (restored in 1929);
■ Botanical Garden (founded 1808);
■ National Park and the Tijuca Forest (urban forest) and Barra da Tijuca area;
■ Mount Corcovado and the statue of Christ the Redeemer (1931);
■ National Historical Museum;
■ Beaches: Ipanema, Copacabana;
■ Flamengo Park;
■ Maracana Stadium;
■ Niteroi Museum of Contemporary Art;
■ International Museum naive art;
■ Indian Museum;
■ Maritime and Oceanographic Museum;
■ Royal Cabinet of Portuguese Literature.

Curious facts

■ Football stadium Maracana is the second largest city in the world (more than 200,000 people). The Big Four popular football teams are based in Rio: Flamengo, Vasco da Gama. Batafogo and Fluminense. In 2016, here, in the homeland of several of the hundred greatest football players in the world - Ronaldo de Lima, Zico, Garrincha, etc. - the summer Olympic Games.
■ Rio gave the world a cult musician, the creator of the bossa nova style, Antonio Cargosa Brasileiro de Almeida Jobin, better known under the pseudonym Tom Jobin. It was he who in 1962, together with the poet Vinicius de Morais, wrote a hit second only to Yesterday in popularity - “The Girl from Ipanema” " Nowadays Galeão Airport bears his name.