Rio de Janeiro
The Tijuca is all that's left of the Atlantic rainforest that once surrounded Rio de Janeiro. This 39-sq-km tropical-jungle preserve is an exuberant green…
Must-see attractions in Rio de Janeiro State
Rio de Janeiro
Seen from the peak of Pão de Açúcar, Rio is undoubtedly a Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). There are many good times to make the ascent, but sunset on…
Rio de Janeiro
A magnificent confluence of land and sea, the long, scalloped beach of Copacabana extends for some 4km, with a flurry of activity along its length: over…
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Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos – Teresópolis Entrance
Rio de Janeiro State
About 6km south of Teresópolis, off the BR-116 Rio–Teresópolis highway, you'll find the main (and most accessible) entrance to magnificent Parque Nacional…
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Rio de Janeiro
Rio’s Maracanã stadium is hallowed ground among football lovers. The massive arena has been the site of legendary victories and crushing defeats. Maracanã…
Rio de Janeiro State
Brazil’s oldest national park, Itatiaia shelters a stunning variety of landscapes, from dense rainforests to spare and rugged upland peaks. Most visitors…
Rio de Janeiro
Looming large over Praça Mauá, the MAR is an icon for the rebirth of Rio's once derelict port. The huge museum hosts wide-ranging exhibitions that focus…
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Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgãos
Rio de Janeiro State
Created in 1939, this high country park straddling the Serra dos Órgãos (Organ Pipe Range) just north of Rio is best known for its spectacular mountain…
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Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos – Vale do Bonfim Entrance
Rio de Janeiro State
Up a dirt road in the foothills 20km northeast of Petrópolis, this remote entrance to Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos grants immediate access to a…
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Paraty
About 25km south of Paraty, Trindade occupies a long sweep of stunningly beautiful coastline. Here you can lounge or hike along four of Brazil’s most…
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Rio de Janeiro
Housed in the colonial arsenal, which dates from 1764, the impressive Museu Histórico Nacional contains relics relating to the history of Brazil from its…
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Ilha Grande & Vila do Abraão
Facing the Atlantic, this seemingly endless beach with good surfing waves (shortboard/longboard rentals available on-site) is considered by some the most…
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Rio de Janeiro State
For spectacular views all the way to Rio and the Baía de Guanabara, climb Pico da Caledônia (2310m), a popular local launching site for hang gliders. It’s…
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Arraial do Cabo
This stunning island, accessed by boat from Praia dos Anjos, is Arraial do Cabo's top day-trip destination. Praia do Farol, on the protected side of the…
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Rio de Janeiro State
Petrópolis’ top draw is this impeccably preserved 19th-century palace. Felt slippers provided at the entrance help protect the fine wood floors – great…
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Rio de Janeiro State
Don't miss the engaging 1½-hour tour (half self-guided, half guided) at Brazil's oldest brewery, where interactive exhibits trace beer-making history and…
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Paraty
This gorgeous fjord-shaped inlet cuts a narrow 7km channel into the mountains southeast of Paraty. Various Paraty-based tour companies offer boat trips…
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Rio de Janeiro State
About 3km east of town is Praia Itaúna, Saquarema's most beautiful beach and one of the best surf spots in Brazil. National and international surfing…
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Rio de Janeiro
One of Rio's oldest neighborhoods, this pretty area feels like a tiny slice of Portugal, with its old shuttered houses, quiet cobblestone streets and…
Rio de Janeiro
This is one of the finest colonial churches in Brazil. It was built between 1617 and 1641 on Morro de São Bento, and has an excellent view over the city…
Rio de Janeiro
The epicenter of Rio’s Carnaval, the Sambódromo was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1984. During big parades, come here for fantastic views…
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
Rio de Janeiro
Housed in a beautifully restored 1906 building, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil hosts some of Rio's top exhibitions. Facilities include a cinema, two…
Real Gabinete Português de Leitura
Rio de Janeiro
Built in the Portuguese Manueline style in 1837, the gorgeous Portuguese Reading Room houses more than 350,000 works, many dating from the 16th, 17th and…
Rio de Janeiro
This was the epicenter of the 2016 Summer Olympics and the Paralympic Games. Sadly, the facilities now sit largely abandoned and are not open to the…
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Rio de Janeiro
Unearthed in 2011, the Valongo Wharf was the first arrival point for an estimated 900,000 enslaved peoples brought to Brazil after long, harrowing voyages…
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Rio de Janeiro
If work on this new museum is ever complete, Copacabana will finally have an outstanding rainy-day attraction. The building, designed by celebrated New…
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Rio de Janeiro State
Only 80km from Rio's Galeão airport, Nicholas and Raquel Locke have created this nonprofit nature reserve, dedicated to restoring native ecosystems within…
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Rio de Janeiro
Ilha de Paquetá, in the Baía de Guanabara, was once a popular tourist spot and remains a pleasant escape from the city’s bustle. There are no cars on the…
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Igreja São Francisco da Penitência & Convento de Santo Antônio
Rio de Janeiro
Overlooking the Largo da Carioca is the baroque Igreja São Francisco da Penitência, dating from 1726. The restored church's sacristy, which dates from…
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Rio de Janeiro
Rio's formerly derelict port district has been reborn as a wide promenade lined with massive street art. A handful of renowned artists have painted…
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Rio de Janeiro
The stately Tiradentes Palace houses the seat of the legislative assembly. Exhibits on the 1st and 2nd floors relate the events that have taken place here…
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Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Candelária
Rio de Janeiro
Built between 1775 and 1894, NS de Candelária was the largest and wealthiest church of imperial Brazil. The interior is a combination of baroque and…
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Rio de Janeiro
This 35-hectare estate was once the home of Brazil's most famous landscape architect, Roberto Burle Marx. The estate's lush vegetation includes thousands…
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Rio de Janeiro
At the northern end of Parque do Flamengo, the Museu de Arte Moderna is immediately recognizable by its striking postmodern edifice designed by Affonso…
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Rio de Janeiro
Though closed for renovations at the time of research, the small Museu do Índio features multimedia exhibitions on Brazil’s northern tribes and provides…
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Rio de Janeiro
This enormous fair (32,000 sq meters, with over 600 stalls) is not to be missed. It showcases the culture of the Northeast of Brazil, with barracas (food…
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Paraty
Opened in 2017, this unique park is part nature reserve, part historic site. The grounds shelter 260 species of birds, walking trails, a mini-farm where…
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Rio de Janeiro
Built in 1905 in the style of the Paris Opera, the magnificent Municipal Theater is the home of Rio's opera, orchestra and ballet. Its lavish interior…
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Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito
Rio de Janeiro
Dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary as well as the black St Benedict, this church has been an important icon for Afro-Brazilians, serving a congregation…
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Búzios
Orla Bardot, the eastward continuation of Rua das Pedras, is a delightful winding oceanfront promenade linking the two oldest and most picturesque…
