Rio de Janeiro Things to Do : Tours, Top Attractions & Local Recommendations

May 11, 2012

Exploring Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro

While Rio de Janeiro is growing rapidly—the metropolitan area now clocks in at some 6.3 million inhabitants—it has preserved, at its heart, one of the largest and loveliest urban greenspaces in the world. This gentle swath of Atlantic rainforest, one of the last remaining tracts in the state, is well worth exploring, particularly if you won’t get a chance to visit rural Brazil on your trip.

May 7, 2012

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[CONTEST] Win 2 tickets to a Corcovado Mountain and Christ Redeemer Tour!

Visit Corcovado Mountain and get close to Christ the Redeemer – a must when in Rio – on the Corcovado Mountain and Christ Redeemer Statue Half-Day Tour! And this month, one lucky winner will get to do it for free! Find out below how to win 2 tickets for this incredible tour.

April 27, 2012

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Bicycling in Rio de Janiero

Bike in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo courtesy of Rodrigo_Soldon via Flickr.

Though Rio is one of Latin America’s largest cities, with some 6.3 million people in the city proper, and (in)famous for its security problems, it also happens to be outstandingly bicycle friendly. The Cidade Maravilhosa now has more than 160km (99mi) of paved bicycle paths, second in Latin America and set to double this year.

April 20, 2012

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Paragliding in Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio’s world-famous landscape is a vision to fly above, though most of us will see it only from the famous cable car up to Sugar Loaf Mountain and the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer. More adventurous travelers seeking to slip the surly bonds of earth, however, have another option.

March 16, 2012

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Rio 2016 Olympic Committee Chooses Gil Hanse to Design Golf Course

Rio de Janeiro will soon be home to a new world-class golf course, a term that’s bandied around a bit too often in the tourism industry, but which is in this case quite literally true. While Rio is already home to at least three courses, this is a whole new ballgame. Brazil’s newest greens will be the first course constructed for Olympic competition since the 1904 games in Saint Louis, Missouri, the sport’s last appearance on that most prestigious of world stages.

After more than a century out of Olympic competition, golf was finally reinstated in 2009—along with rugby and women’s boxing. Already guaranteed a trial spot at the 2016 and 2020 summer games, the decision to include golf in subsequent Olympics will be made in 2017, depending primarily on its success here in Rio.

March 2, 2012

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Unidos da Tijuca Samba School Takes Home Top Prize at Carnival

The (official) highlight of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival, the “Biggest Party on Earth,” is the glittering competition between Rio’s famed Samba Schools. Bedazzled in beads and sequins, feathers and flowers, the fabulous dancers and outrageous floats swirl and sparkle their way through the Sambadromo at the heart of the Marvelous City. This storied stretch of Rio de Janeiro’s streets, transformed into a 90,000 capacity parade area, is the hottest ticket on the planet just prior to Fat Tuesday.