Rio beachcombing

Description:

One of the best surfing beaches in the area, even at night, with clean, almost transparent water. Locals come from all over to sunbathe on this small stretch of sand between Copacabana and Ipanema. It is also popular with elderly people who gather to play checkers every morning and families who are content to simply watch the surfers have a go at the waves. This beach gets crowded on weekends. The Arpoador rock offers a great view of both Copacabana and Ipanema and the sunset is absolutely astonishing.

Our Local Expert Says:

A popular place with surfers taking advantage of the great waves at Arproador. The beach is lit and relatively safe at night, allowing 'surfistas' to carry on well past sunset.

Description:

With a great location right on the beach at popular surf spot Arpoador, this small hotel offers fantastic value for money. Arpoador lies between the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, so beach bunnies will be spoilt for choice. The road in front of the hotel is completely closed to traffic, and guests eating at the hotel restaurant can enjoy their meals and drinks right on the sands.

Description:

Located to the West of Rio de Janeiro, Barra da Tijuca feels like another city altogether. The modern high rise apartment blocks and wide avenues have been modelled on Miami, and it is with good reason that many Rio locals refer to the neighborhood as the United States of Barra.
But while some may mock the faux-Western attitude, it's hard to find fault with the 17km beach, whose sands rarely get as crowded as the tourist Meccas of Ipanema and Copacabana. Meanwhile, shopaholics will be in seventh Heaven - Barra is awash with vast US-style Malls, including Barra Shopping, the largest mall in Rio de Janeiro.
Be prepared for a bone-rattling white knuckle ride of a bus trip out here (or, during rush hour, be prepared to spend hours staring idly out of the window).

Description:

Barril 1800 sits directly opposite Ipanema beach, serves some of the best draught beer in Rio, and its Saturday feijoada (bean and meat feast) is the stuff of legend. The barbequed meats are also excellent, as is the seafood. The service here is formal but the atmosphere very relaxed - you won't look or feel out of place here in your shorts and flip flops. And don't feel you have to eat - this is also a lovely spot to just kick back and relax with a cold beer or caipirinha cocktail.

Description:

Possibly the most famous stretch of sand in the world, Copacabana beach is synonymous with the hedonistic side of Rio – with sun, sea, beautiful bodies and New Year celebrations on the beach. Stretching for around five kilometers (the beach is called Leme at its northern end), Copacabana boasts soft white sand that is crammed with locals in tiny bikinis and shorts. Stalls selling ice-cold beers and caipirinhas line the beachfront, and joggers run along the pavements – famous for their distinctive wave-patterned black and white tiling. Copacabana beach is overlooked by the attractive, jungle covered hill of Morro do Leme, and Sugar Loaf mountain is resplendent in the background. Avenida Atlantica is the busy road running along the beachfront, and across from the sands the road is lined with towering high rise hotels and apartment blocks, as well as any number of places to eat and drink. Be warned, however, that while a visit here is a must, Copacabana is not the best place to sunbathe. The water is too dirty for swimming, the beach is rife with pickpockets, and vendors selling tourist tat are annoyingly relentless in their drive to relieve you of your tourist dollar.

Description:

The name given to the stretch of sand at the far end of Copacabana beach, Leme is quieter and less packed with tourists than the centre of the beach and the end that borders Aproador and Ipanema. Here you'll find some good-value hotels as well as decent seafood restaurants, and a beach scene dominated by families and sports-lovers. You'll need to take a bus or taxi if you want to visit Ipanema or Leblon at night, but there are some decent nightlife options nearby. Until midnight, Leme is handy for the Metro station at Cardeal Arcoverde, which runs into Centro, the Northzone, and the other end of Copacabana beach.

Description:

In a prime Ipanema location, Choperia Torre do Barão is a bar and restaurant that serves up great value meals and snacks, with some delicious fresh fruit juices. Pizzas here are particularly good.

Our Local Expert Says:

You have a choice of eating in or take away ('para viagem'), and there's a great health food store tagged onto the side of this restaurant.

Description:

New Natural is a fantastic health food buffet. It's largely veggie-friendly, with a lot of soy dishes, although chicken and fish do make an appearance. The nourishing and delicious soups, pastries and hot dishes are popular with Ipanema's health-conscious beachgoers, as well as with travelers staying at 'Hostel Alley', the strip of backpacker accommodation next door to the restaurant.

Description:

With an emphasis on fresh, natural ingredients, Celeiro has established itself as a firm favorite among models, soap opera stars and other body-conscious cariocas. The sheer range of salads - more than 40 each day - is astonishing, and the hot dishes are often veggie-friendly. Celeiro also serves low-cal versions of favorite desserts, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth without too much guilt! The food is served buffet-style and charged by weight while soups are charged separately. Perfect for a light lunch, but don't head here when you're dying of hunger or you could end up paying more than you expect!

Our Local Expert Says:

Families with kids should be sure to take the short stroll (around 20 minutes each way) around the base of the mountain, and keep a particular eye out for the tiny monkeys in the trees overhead. Pieces of fruit will tempt them from the trees!

Description:

At just over 210 meters, Morro da Urca is the first stop for sightseers making the dramatic ascent to the top of Sugar Loaf mountain. While most people arrive here by the cable car that soars high above Praia Vermelha beach, taking in staggering views of the city, others choose the DIY approach. Seasoned climbers can frequently be seen scaling the sheer granite front of the mini-mountain, while others take the gentler option by taking the marked paths that lead from the ground up. If you choose to take this route, wear good walking shoes or sandals (flip flops are not recommended), and be prepared to sweat somewhat if you're making the ascent during the heat of the early afternoon.

Description:

One of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Rio, Leblon sits at the far end of Ipanema beach, with the sands separated by a small canal. This largely residential area has only a few hotels (among them the super-chic Marina All Suites), but it is home to many of the city's top end restaurants, and plenty of pricey nightspots catering to Rio's gente bonita (beautiful people). The waves at this end of the beach are generally less extreme than those of Ipanema itself, making this stretch of sand very popular with families.

Description:

A sprawling metropolis of about half a million people, Niterói has been largely neglected by visitors of Rio. This shouldn't be the case and if you have some time to spare, this will make a good day trip. Besides having its own beautiful beaches and park areas, there is also a very good contemporary-art museum designed by Oscar Niemeyer. The view of Rio from the building is breathtaking.

Our Local Expert Says:

A popular place with surfers taking advantage of the great waves at Arproador. The beach is lit and relatively safe at night, allowing 'surfistas' to carry on well past sunset.

Description:

With a great location right on the beach at popular surf spot Arpoador, this small hotel offers fantastic value for money. Arpoador lies between the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, so beach bunnies will be spoilt for choice. The road in front of the hotel is completely closed to traffic, and guests eating at the hotel restaurant can enjoy their meals and drinks right on the sands.