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Easygoing in Rio de JaneiroThings to do in Rio
Rio de Janeiro generally brings to mind exciting images of carnival and festive crowds. During your trip to Rio, you’ll probably want to spend as much time outdoors as possible. This isn’t the place for browsing around museums and monuments! You can walk along the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema or climb Corcovodo Mountain. Much like New York, Rio de Janeiro is a city that you simply must visit at least once in a lifetime. There are plenty of things to do in Rio, but above all it's the life on the streets of Rio and the people that make the city so immensely popular. Rich or poor, the Cariocas, as the inhabitants of Rio are known, exude a lust for life. Whether your visit to Rio is short or long, you'll find the Brazilian's sense of passion, energy and their easygoing lifestyles contagious.
One of our local agent's English-speaking representatives will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall. He/she will have sign with your name on it and will take you straight to your hotel.
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Duration:
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3 days/ 2 nights
Departs daily
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Accommodation:
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2 nights in a city hotel (see our photos here). Accommodation category 3
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Price:
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£215 per person - based on 2 people sharing a room.
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Includes:
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Transport, accommodation for 2 nights with breakfast
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Transport:
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Private transfer with local representative from airport to hotel
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Excludes:
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Other meals, excursions, entrance fees
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Copacabana or Ipanema?
Rio de Janeiro has a total of 80km of sandy beaches, of which Ipanema and Copacabana are the two most famous ones. Visiting these beaches is just one of the many things to do in Rio. The most lively hotel area can be found along the Copacabana. The vast majority of travellers visiting the area choose to stay here. There are accommodation options right on the boulevard, but most people stay at an accommodation in the streets right behind the boulevard.
Even though the Copacabana is the number one beach in Rio de Janeiro, the beach at Ipanema is considered to be more 'up-market'. The beach is lined with luxury apartments and 5-star hotels. It's seems that the average Carioca living in Ipanema is more affluent than those in other parts of Rio. Copacabana is just a taxi ride away.
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Hotel Copacabana
Our most frequently booked hotel in Copacabana is centrally located at just 200m from the famous Copacabana Beach. The hotel has a reception area, bar/ restaurant and all rooms have modern en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning, telephone, mini-bar and TV. This hotel offers great quality for the price of your stay. The beach, shops, a supermarket and a cash machine are all nearby. The metro station is also close to the hotel, so you can also visit downtown Rio in a flash. Ask your hotel's reception desk staff for tips on things to do in Rio during your stay.
If you stay at this hotel you can take the elevator to the roof of the hotel for a panoramic view of your surroundings. You'll see the bay, the beaches, the skyscrapers and the slums of the city with the green hills of Tijuca National Park winding through it all.
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Premier Hotel - hotel with a view
In 1995, The Premier Hotel opened its doors just a few blocks away from Copacabana Beach. Its rooms have en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning, a telephone, a mini-bar, a safe and a remote control TV. This is an upper middle-class hotel and therefore it's slightly more expensive than other Copacabana hotels.
One of this hotel's special features is its' rooftop swimming pool. From here you'll have a sprawling view of the city, the beach and the statue of Christ on a hilltop overlooking the city. Don't miss a visit to here, its just one of the many things to do in Rio de Janeiro. The hotel also has a bar and a gym with sauna. A breakfast buffet is included during your stay.
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Hotel Orla - right by the Copacabana
If you want to get as close to Copacabana beach as possible we can make reservations for you at Hotel Orla. This sleek, modern hotel is situated at the end of the Copacabana, towards Ipanema. Each of the rooms has a modern interior and is nicely decorated with fine materials. The rooms have air conditioning, a mini-bar, a safe and a TV. As with all hotels on the Copacabana, the rooms are not very large but big enough. There's a rooftop swimming pool overlooking the beach and the boulevard and a sauna/ gym. As you step out of your hotel in the morning looking for things to do in Rio de Janeiro, you'll walk straight onto the boulevard and Copacabana Beach. You will be amazed at how active the Cariocas, as the people of Rio are known, are. You'll see them jogging, surfing, skating and of course playing football. Why not join them? In the evening you can buy bikinis, wood carvings and Brazil-brand clothing for reasonable prices at street stalls on the boulevard.
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Hotel Mar Ipanema
Hotel Mar Ipanema is a popular and affordable hotel for those who want to stay in the Ipanema district. This is another must on your list of things to do in Rio de Janeiro. It's just two blocks or about 100m away from Ipanema Beach. The hotel has a reception area and a bar/ restaurant overlooking a street lined with shops. The hotel rooms are comfortable and have air conditioning, a mini-bar, a radio, a telephone, a TV and a safe.
The hotel is surrounded by boutiques, modern shopping malls, excellent restaurants and trendy bars that serve delicious Sucos, fruit juices, and shakes. A breakfast buffet is included during your stay.
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Rio de Janeiro excursions
Rio de Janeiro is not the kind of city to tour through in a crowded coach filled with tourists. Equipped with private transport and your own guide, you'll only get the information you want and need. You can decide on things to do in Rio de Janeiro and what to see with the help of your guide. This is the most efficient way to spend your time in Rio.
We've created a selection of the following excursions that are worth booking in advance.
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| Half day private Rio tour | £85 per person - for 2 people | Transport and driver included, meals and entrance fees excluded |
| Half day Tijuca & Corcovado tour | £68 per person - for 2 people | Transport, guide and Corcovado entrance fee included |
| Half day Rio schooner cruise | £75 per person - for 2 people | Transport included, meals excluded |
| Full day trip to Petropolis | £75 per person - for 2 people | Transport and entrance fees included |
| Maracana Football Stadium | Currently closed for renovation | |
Half day private Rio de Janeiro tour - with driver/ English-speaking guide
During this tour you'll be collected from your hotel and for the next 4 hours you'll have a driver and guide all to yourself. By having your own car and driver, you won't have to tag along to all of the standard sights - you can pick and choose the best things to do in Rio de Janeiro. For instance, you can start out by heading to the gondola station and you can take the gondola up Sugarloaf Mountain (entrance fee £19). Looking out from on top of the mountain you'll have a clear view of the city. Your guide will show you where the airport is and the route you took to Copacabana upon your arrival. He'll also show you where the favelas (slums) are and the Marancaña football stadium. You'll also see where the various beaches are, where the statue of Christ is located and more...
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Afterwards you can go downtown to the historic part of town where you'll find the oldest churches, gold ornaments and Portuguese wealth dating back to the colonisation, or go to Santa Teresa, an art district with art galleries, shops and houses built in traditional Portuguese style. If you have enough time, you can also visit the Sambadrome. This is where the world famous carnival of Rio de Janeiro is held in February. You can discuss which sights you would like to see with your driver and choose from a variety of things to do in Rio de Janeiro. Don't miss out on a visit to Cristo Redentor (entrance fee £10), the 38m high statue of Christ the Redeemer that watches over the city. It's located on a hilltop at 710m. Once again you'll get a chance to look out over the city, but you'll also see Guanabara Bay this time. If you begin the tour around 9:30, you'll be dropped off at your hotel or at another location of your choice in Copacabana at around 12:30.
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| Half day Rio tour with driver | £85 per person - based on 2 people | Entrance fees excluded |
Half day jeep tour - Tijuca & Corcovado experience
You will be collected from your hotel in an open jeep and driven to the statue of Christ at Corcovado. After you enjoy the view, you'll travel along the coastline to the Tijuca National Park. It's a hilly rainforest that seems to push right through Rio de Janeiro. After the crowds in the city and touristy Corcovado you find yourself in a tropical oasis of peace and quiet and chirping birds. You'll go for a walk through the forest to the Cascatinha Waterfalls. This is one of the more relaxing things to do in Rio de Janeiro. The jeep will be waiting for you when you're finished.
Rio de Janeiro is a city of contradictions. On the one hand, you'll see the white sands of Pepino, Sao Conrado and Leblon and on the other hand, you'll see the world's largest slum, the favela Rocinha. Both are very much a part of the image of Rio, but the difference between the two is immense. You'll be back at your hotel around 17:30.
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| Half day Corcovado and Tijuca | £68 per person - for 2 people | Transport, guide and Corcovado entrance fee included |
Rio bay schooner cruise
At around 9:00 in the morning you'll be collected from your hotel for a short ride to the Marinada Gloria harbour. A schooner will be waiting to take you on a cruise of Guanabara Bay. You'll sail right past the Santos Dumont Airport and up to the Rio-Niterói Bridge. On the other side of the bay you'll see the Museu de Arte Contemporanea's 'UFO' building' that was designed by Oscar Niemeyer. As you sail across the water, with Brazilian music playing in the background, you'll see Rio's beaches, Sugarloaf Mountain, Fiscal Island and downtown skyscrapers. After a relaxing 2 hour cruise you'll sail back to the harbour and you can spend the rest of the day as you wish. There are still plenty of things to do in Rio de Janeiro...
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| Morning Guanabara Bay Cruise | £75 per person - based on 2 people | Includes transfer to the harbour, excludes meals and transfer back to hotel |
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During the 19th century, the city of Petropolis was home to the summer residence of Emperor Dom Pedro II. You'll be collected from your hotel sometime in the morning to participate in another one of many interesting things to do in Rio de Janeiro. You'll join a group of international travellers on a 1.5 hour drive past white palm-fringed beaches and green hills to the city of Petropolis. Many buildings in Petropolis were designed by Europeans, which is why the city has such a northern European feel. During the tour you'll visit the Imperial Palace; the most frequently visited museum in the country. You can have lunch on location and then you can wander through the palace gardens and past the residential buildings. You'll find very unique architecture waiting for you around every corner. You'll also see the cathedral with the graves of the Emperor and Empress and the Crystal Palace as well as the French tea room in the palace gardens. At around 17:00 you return to Rio de Janeiro.
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| Full day trip to Petropolis | £75 per person - for 2 people | Includes transport and entrance fees, excludes lunch on location - approximately £9 per person |
You'll never run out of things to do in Rio de Janeiro. However when it's time to leave, it really doesn't matter which part of Brazil you travel to next. For example, you can travel to Sao Paulo by land with our
Ilha Grande beach trip, Island hopping and Paraty.
However you can also hop on a plane and head towards the Argentine border for our
Iguazu Falls tour at Devil's Throat.
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Things to do in Rio de Janeiro - Accommodation (Click to enlarge)
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