Must-see attractions in Rio de Janeiro

  • The sunset with Christ The Redeemer on the Corcovado Hill viewed from Paineiras Road at Tijuca Forest with the Atlantic Ocean in the distance.

    Parque Nacional da Tijuca

    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…

  • Sugar Loaf cable car

    Pão de Açúcar

    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…

  • "Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, View of Copacabana beach at sunset"

    Copacabana Beach

    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…

  • Maracanã Football Stadium

    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…

  • MAR - Rio Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro

    Museu de Arte do Rio

    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…

  • Museu Histórico Nacional

    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…

  • Centro Cultural Correios

    Rio de Janeiro

    In a grand edifice dating from the 1920s, this cultural center houses three spacious floors that host a creative lineup of changing exhibitions, mostly…

  • MOSTEIRO DE S. BENTO - OLINDA

    Mosteiro de São Bento

    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, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South America

    Sambódromo

    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…

  • Rio De Janeiro, Brazil - September 5 2013: A girl looking at the books in the library Real Cabinete Portugues De Leitura, in the old city center; Shutterstock ID 267301388; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; Project no. or GL code: 56530; Network activity no. or Cost Centre: Online-Design; Product or Project: 65050/7529/Josh Vogel/LP.com Destination Galleries

    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, BRAZIL - JULY 04:  Work continues at Olympic Park in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games on July 4, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

    Parque Olímpico

    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…

  • Cais do Valongo

    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…

  • Museu da Imagem e Som

    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…

  • Ilha de Paquetá

    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…

  • Boulevard Olímpico

    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…

  • Palácio Tiradentes

    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…

  • 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…

  • Sítio Burle Marx

    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…

  • Museu de Arte Moderna

    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…

  • Museu do Índio

    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…

  • Feira Nordestina

    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…

  • Theatro Municipal

    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…

  • Forte de Copacabana

    Rio de Janeiro

    Built in 1914 on the promontory of the old Our Lady of Copacabana chapel, the fort of Copacabana was one of Rio's premier defenses against attack. You can…

  • Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro

    Rio de Janeiro

    The first residents on this historic site were Carmelite fathers who built a convent here in 1590. It later came under the property of the Portuguese…

  • AquaRio

    Rio de Janeiro

    The largest aquarium in South America is Rio's newest major downtown attraction. You can get an up-close look at some 350 different species (there are…

  • Morro da Conceição

    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…

  • Praia da Barra da Tijuca

    Rio de Janeiro

    The best thing about Barra is the beach. It stretches for 18km, with the blue sea lapping at the shore. The first few kilometers of its eastern end are…

  • Quinta da Boa Vista

    Rio de Janeiro

    Quinta da Boa Vista was the estate of the Portuguese imperial family until the Republic was proclaimed. Today it’s a large and busy park with gardens and…

  • Ilha Fiscal

    Rio de Janeiro

    This eye-catching lime-green neo-Gothic palace sitting in Baía de Guanabara looks like something out of a child's fairy-tale book. It was designed by…

  • Bairro Peixoto

    Rio de Janeiro

    A world away from the bustle of Copacabana's busy avenues, the Bairro Peixoto is a peaceful enclave centered on the leafy Praça Edmundo Bittencourt. Here…

  • Rio Zoo

    Rio de Janeiro

    Covering over 12 hectares, the zoo at Quinta da Boa Vista has a wide variety of reptiles, mammals and birds, mostly indigenous to Brazil. Special…

  • Passeio Público

    Rio de Janeiro

    The oldest park in Rio, the Passeio Público was built in 1783 by Mestre Valentim, a famous Brazilian sculptor, who designed it after Lisbon's botanical…

  • Museu Nacional de Belas Artes

    Rio de Janeiro

    Rio's fine-arts museum houses more than 18,000 original paintings and sculptures, some of which date back to works brought over from Portugal by Dom João…

  • Paço Imperial

    Rio de Janeiro

    The former imperial palace was originally built in 1743 as a governor's residence. Later it became the home of Dom João and his family when the Portuguese…

  • Travessa do Comércio

    Rio de Janeiro

    Beautiful two-story colonial town houses line this narrow cobblestone street leading off Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro. The archway (Arco de Teles)…

  • Fábrica Bhering

    Rio de Janeiro

    Inaugurated in 1880, Fábrica Bhering was the first chocolate factory in Brazil. It is now a stunning multistory, multipurpose art space and cultural…

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