Travel to Rio de Janeiro

beautiful white sand beaches and a great climate

Set on the Atlantic Coast in the southeast of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro is one of the most iconic cities in South America.

The broad Guanabara Bay, around which Rio is clustered, was first encountered by Portuguese explorers in 1502. The town was established in 1565 and rose to become the capital of their South American empire, after which it served as the capital of the modern state of Brazil, all the way through to 1960 (when it was transferred to Brasilia).

The city is rather reminiscent of Cape Town, in that it is surrounded by mountainous national parks, providing both scenic drama and a constant of relief from the urbanisation.

Combine this with the famous sandy beaches and the local’s famous lust for life (demonstrated through soccer, samba dancing and the famous February carnival) and you have the magical combination that is Rio.

Naturally for a city this old and of this level of geo-political importance, the historic centre is packed with impressive colonial architecture and an array of museums, theatres and galleries.

But for the vast majority of visitors, the main area of interest lies around 10 km to the south, along the famous Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, which are backed by a heady number of high-quality high-rise hotels.

The two main points of interest are the famous hilltop statue of Christ the Redeemer and the cable car ride up Sugar Loaf Mountain. Other interesting diversions include various hiking trails in the adjacent national parks, extensive botanical gardens and the famous Maracanã soccer stadium.

The majority of visitors stay in Rio at the front end of their visit to Brazil, typically for 3-4 nights, to take in the main highlights, before either heading to a more remote beach location along the coast or flying inland to the Amazon, the Pantanal or the Iguacu Falls.

The best time to visit Rio de Janeiro is generally considered to be during the May-Oct cool dry season.

The city is classified as having a tropical savanna climate, with two clearly defined seasons …

May-Oct : winter

During the May-Oct dry season the daytime temperatures are lower than usual at around 25C/77F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 19C/66F. However the rainfall is much lower than usual, dropping to around 50mm (2”) per month. Sunshine is around 6 hours per day (around 60% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are not always as clear as you might expect.

During this period cold fronts can occasionally arrive from the south, causing temperatures to drop below what one might consider to be comfortable beach weather, but which is pleasant for hiking and exploring the city.

Despite the pleasant cooler weather, this period tends to be relatively quiet, with far fewer locals out on the beaches and less visitor traffic at the key sights, which is a big plus.

Nov-Apr : summer

During the Nov-Apr rainy season the daytime temperatures are rather higher at around 31C/88F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up around 23C/73F. The rainfall is relatively high, at around 125mm (5”) per month. Sunshine is around around 7 hours per day (around 60% of the slightly longer daylight hours).

Despite the weather, this period is generally the most busy in Rio and the time that the whole city seems to be out on the popular beaches.

It’s also the time when enormous cruise ships most commonly dock here and spill vast numbers of passengers onto the city’s attractions, meaning that Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain can get very busy indeed.

The famous Rio Carnival takes place during February, so that’s a period that you really need to plan to either coincide with or avoid, depending on how much of a party person you are.

Getting there

There are two main airports in Rio de Janeiro …

Galeao International Airport (GIG) is the main hub for long-haul flights, so the place that you will most likely arrive at the front end of your trip. It’s located on an island in the broad Guanabara Bay, around 10 km north of the city centre and 20 km north of the main beaches. Most of the flights to other countries in South America and many of the domestic flights within Brazil also depart from here.

Santos Dumont Domestic Airport (SDU) is located on a man-made peninsular of land which projects into Guanabara Bay directly in front of the historic centre of town, around 10 km north of the main beaches. These days it tends to be used only for a few domestic connections around Brazil.

Once in Rio de Janeiro you will be met and transferred to your hotel. We do not recommend getting taxis or public transport whilst staying in the city. If you are travelling out without a guide, then we recommend that you only use transport that is recommended by the hotel or other reliable people.

Where to stay

The vast majority of visitors to Brazil choose to stay in Rio de Janeiro at some point during their trip. Usually these stays are relatively short, just 3-4 nights, which provides time to take in the main highlights.

Virtually all of the hotels are clustered in the southern part of the city, close to both the main airport, the famous beaches, Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain. So all you really need to do is choose the highest-rated hotel that suits your style and budget.

often included for 2 to 3 nights