Side Trips from Rio

Our Local Expert Says:

This is one of the best options in Ipanema for the price - ask for a room with sea view.

Description:

Located on Ipanema beachfront close to Leblon, Praia Ipanema is well-located for the area's upscale restaurants and bars as well as for the beach. All rooms have balconies and all enjoy great views - those at the front look out over the ocean, while those at the back take in a view of the legendary Christ statue. All rooms are well-appointed for the price, and the hotel is well-equipped, with a pool, gym and very good breakfasts.

Description:

Harmonia was the first hostel located in the beautiful beach area of Ipanema - only 200 meters from the beach. The best beaches, bars and nightclubs are located nearby. Ipanema is also one of Rios safest areas. The hostel offers friendly atmosphere and staff that speak Portuguese, English and Swedish. Low price transportation and visits to sights and attractions can be arranged. The Harmonia staff knows what backpackers are looking for and help point out the best Rio hotspots.

Description:

It's a short ferry ride across Guanabara bay to this little island, but it feels like a world away from the big city. There are no cars here, so it's a great place to hire bikes, or you can take to the waters in a peddle boat. Less glamorous than coastal destinations such as Buzios, the island still has a slightly shabby charm, and is a favourite destination among day-tripping Rio locals. Try to catch a ferry (or slightly more expensive catamaran) at the end of the afternoon for dramatic sunset views of Rio.

Description:

Looking rather incongruous on a concrete island in Rio's slightly shabby docklands, Ilha Fiscal is a bright green palace that looks like it has been lifted straight out of a fairy tale. The elaborate neo-gothic construction was built for the less than glamorous purposes of customs verification, but secured its place in history when, in 1889, it was the venue for the Portuguese empire's last ever ball - Brazil was declared a republic just three days later. Beautiful stained glass windows depict Dom Pedro and Princess Isabel, and there are fantastic views over Guanabara Bay from here.

Description:

There's no shortage of pizza restaurants in Rio, but many of them would have the Italians weeping into their mozzarella. Heavy bases, oily cheese and - horror - ketchup squeezed on top of the pizza instead of tomato sauce beneath the cheese are all too commonplace. Luckily, Capricciosa offers a delicious alternative to these substandard offerings. With flour and cheese imported directly from Italy, crisp bases and a wealth of fresh, tasty toppings, these pizzas are made just as the Italians intended. There are several branches of Capricciosa in the city, but the excellent location just a couple of blocks back from the beach makes the Ipanema branch a big hit with Rio's 'gente bonita' (beautiful people). Need further proof that the pizza here is a cut above? The restaurant refuses to serve ketchup.

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:

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.

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.

Description:

The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum presents a frequently changing selection of the best of Brazilian contemporary art, focusing on sculpture, textiles and painting. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer with the assistance of structural engineer Bruno Contarini, who had worked with Niemeyer on earlier projects, the MAC-Niterói is 16 meters high; its cupola has a diameter of 50 meters with three floors. The museum projects itself over Boa Viagem ("Bon Voyage," "Good Journey"), the 817-square meter reflecting pool that surrounds the cylindrical base "like a flower," in the words of Niemeyer. A wide access slope leads to a Hall of Expositions, which has a capacity for sixty people. Two doors lead to the viewing gallery, through which can be seen the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, and Sugarloaf Mountain. The saucer-shaped modernist structure, which has been likened to a UFO, is set on a cliffside, at the bottom of which is a beach. Given the alien quality of Rio's landscape, it seems appropriate that the form of the museum should most obviously suggest a flying saucer, seemingly poised for take-off on the edge of the water. Cantilevered out from a stout central stalk, the saucer-like volume of the... read more

Our Local Expert Says:

Amarelinho is one of the best spots in the city to see cariocas enjoying 'Happy Hour' - the term given to post-work drinks

Description:

Amarelinho sits right by the impressive Theatro Municipal on the flagstones of Cinelandia, a bustling square at the heart of downtown Rio. Always packed at lunchtimes and after work, the bar serves well-kept draught beer and simple but very good Brazilian dishes. Set meals of meat, fish or chicken with rice, black beans and farofa (toasted manioc flour) are very popular, as are the pizzas. Amarelinho's prime location also enjoys a direct view of the Biblioteca Nacional, making this a great place to recharge your batteries during a tour of Centro.

Description:

The crashing waves of Ipanema and Copacabana are all well and good for surfers, but anyone looking for a more relaxing dip will need to head out of town. Happily for swimmers and sunbathers, the city is surrounded by countless Paradise islands washed by clear waters, and there are plenty of tour operators just waiting to whisk sunseekers off on island-hopping adventure. Lying some 150km down the coast from Rio, the pleasant but unassuming town of Angra dos Reis lies at the centre of an archipelago made up of a staggering 300 islands, and little fishing boats are the ideal way to explore them. Most tour operators will set off in the early morning, arriving in Angra dos Reis in time for swimming and a spot of lunch at one of the islands. Daytrippers can expect to visit several more of these tropical beauty spots before heading home in the evening, while those on an overnight trip will stop over at one of the many pousadas (guest houses) in Angra or the nearby island of Ilha Grande. Some tour operators will include lunch and even beers and caipirinhas in the price of your ticket, but do make sure you know what you're paying for - 'lunch' can sometimes amount to little more than a...

Our Local Expert Says:

The bus journey from Rio to Petropolis is a treat in itself - sit on the left hand side of the bus for the best views as you wind through the mountains.

Description:

Petrópolis is a very attractive mountain retreat about 60 kilometers from Rio. Built by German immigrants, it has a distinct European flavor. Petrópolis' main annual event is the Festa do Colono Alemão, which takes place in June. The best way to see Petrópolis' attractions is on foot. It takes about two hours to walk around the city. Buses from Rio to Petrópolis leave daily from 5am every 30 minutes. The trip takes approximately an hour and 30 minutes.

Description:

A beautiful beach resort on a sun-kissed peninsula some two hours' drive from Rio, Buzios was 'discovered' in the 1960s by the equally beautiful model/singer/actress Bridget Bardot. Today it is a favorite weekend getaway of Rio's wealthy elite, and is famous for the good-looking crowd that frequents the bars and beaches. There are beaches here to suit every taste - from secluded spits of sand to packed surf spots. There are abundant guest houses to be found in Buzios, but prices soar during the summer high season and on public holidays. Budget travelers who want to save on accommodation can choose to take a day trip to Buzios, leaving early in the morning and returning to Rio later the same evening.

Description:

The local supermarket might not be the first place you'd think of looking for superior pizza, but that's just what you'll find at several branches of the upmarket chain Zona Sul. Branches in Ipanema, Barra da Tijuca and Copacabana have been fitted out with sit-down pizza restaurants, and local food critics have rated Zona Sul pizzas as delivering the best price:quality ratio anywhere in the city. It might not be the the most sophisticated place to dine in Rio, but if you're looking for high quality pizza at a good price, Zona Sul is the place to come. And what's more, you can stock up on groceries at the same time!