Rio de Janeiro: Don’t Miss the Best of the City in this 3-Day Itinerary

A trip to Rio de Janeiro is definitely one for the books. Famous for its world wonders (two!), beaches, culture, and architecture, you can easily spend 3 days or even 2 weeks in this city. The city has much to offer, but there is so much to know in advance to make the trip easier. Read more to learn from our mistakes and be fully prepared for your next trip!

Planning Your Trip to Rio de Janeiro

We highly recommend putting in some thought to planning your trip to Rio de Janeiro – do not wing it! Rio is known for pick pocketers, so as a tourist you need to be prepared with known, safe destinations and accommodations.

How Much Time to Spend in Rio de Janeiro

Depending on how you like to travel, we recommend 3-5 days for Rio. Here is how we would break it down:

• 1 day for the major sites (Chris the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain)
• 1 day for the city center
• 1 day for Santa Theresa
• 1 day (or more) for beaches
• 1 day for additional destinations such as excursions into Tijuca forest, museums, etc

If you want to see the highlights of the city, we recommend budgeting 3 days to see the major sites, city center, and Santa Theresa (with some beach mixed in).

Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro

With regards to weather, the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro is in January or February, during the driest of the summer season. You may not realize it, but Rio de Janeiro is on the outskirts of the Tijuca Rainforest, which means it rains, a lot. Even in December, we had 2 days of downpour. We personally visited at the end of December 2022, which is also a great time to go, but very expensive with the holidays.

For cost and culture, January and February are also two great months to go. Post-holidays, travel costs are known to go down. That being said, if you don’t mind paying a little extra for cultural experience, Carnival and New Years Eve are the two biggest celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, and definitely make the trip special. Accommodations and flights, however, might be a little pricier or difficult to find. Shoulder seasons of April/May or October/November are also an option, but make a rain plan.

Where to Stay in Rio

There are three main areas we recommend for staying in Rio:

• Copacabana: for partying, proximity to the beach, and being centered relative to all the top destinations
• Ipanema: for a safer, nicer (some might call it bougier), beach stay
• Santa Theresa: for the BEST cultural experience, safety, but a little farther from the beaches

The standard hotels (Marriot, Hilton, etc) will be found closer to the coast and Copacabana and Ipanema beach. But, keep in mind they can get very pricy around peak travel seasons or during events. In Santa Theresa, we paid around $100 USD/night for a 3 star hotel that was comfortable, quiet, and safe. It would’ve cost us $300+ USD/night to stay in Copacabana or Ipanema around New Years.

If staying on the beach is not a priority, we highly recommend staying in Santa Theresa. The neighborhood is very cute to explore during the day, and at night it has plenty of nightlife and even Samba performances, without the touristy crowds of Copacabana and Ipanema. The food and evening views along the cliffside are also fantastic. On the downside, the neighborhood sits on a hill, which means some Ubers aren’t willing to drive to it. We had a few Ubers cancel on us, but always managed to make it to our destinations (even the airport) in a timely manner.

How to Get Around in Rio

There are two main modes of transportation we recommend:

• Uber! Uber is actually very safe and super affordable (relative to the USD).
• Metro/Subway: it takes a lot longer than an Uber, but it’s a life saver when roads are shut down for New Years or Carnival. On big events, the Subway is a must and tickets must be purchased in advance.
• Tram: this is more of a joke, but there is a historic tram you can take to Santa Theresa for the tourist experience. But we wouldn’t consider this a main mode of transportation. More on this below!

Surprisingly, we actually used Uber for 95% of our transportation. Typically when we visit a big city, we do a lot of walking. In this case, Rio is situated around some hills, so there isn’t really a city center you can walk to/from or around. However, our average Uber price was $3-5 USD/trip. Split amongst two people, that’s cheaper than the Chicago Transport Authority!

Top Things to Do in Rio de Janeiro

Google Map of Rio de Janeiro

For every trip we plan, we like to bookmark everything in Google Maps to help with our planning. And, we share these maps with our readers. For a complete list of everything we’ve found to do in Rio, check out our interactive map below!

PSSS… the logistics points bookmarked are good points to know for tram rides that we’ll talk about below!

Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado)

• Hours: 8AM – 7PM
• Admission: R$32 (~$6 USD)
• How to get there: Tram, guided tour, hike
• Website: https://cristoredentoroficial.com.br/ (currently broken last time we checked)

Corcovado, or Christ the Redeemer, is one of the most iconic monuments in Rio, and maybe in all of South of America. It is a must-see on any trip to Rio. That being said, there are a few ways of seeing it:

• Guided tour: a van drives you up the hill and tour guide brings you around the statue.
• Inclined tram: bookmarked on our Google Map above, or on our Travel Maps page.
• Hike: there’s a super adventurous and cool hike you can take up, down, or out and pack from Parque Lage. Check it out on AllTrails.

Whichever method you choose for visiting Christ the Redeemer, we recommend blocking off a half day for the adventure. The tram ride takes a bit of time (there’s a line to go up, and a line to come back down).

Admission to the statue varies in price, but its about R$32 (~$6 USD) per adult. The tram is about R$60 (~$12 USD) per adult per direction. The area is open 8AM – 7PM. Tram tickets can be purchased in advance here.

Hiking to Christ the Redeemer

In our opinion, and our friends who recommended, this is the best way to experience Corcovado. For time budgeting, if you’re hiking, it’s about 2 hours up and 2 hours down. Plus, you’ll want to spend 30min – 1 hour at the actual statue. If you’re hiking, note that you need to enter Parque Lage (the park, not the school), to start the hike. The park opens at 9am every day.

When we were researching the hike, we noticed that many reviews mentioned safety on the trail. Rio, and Brazil, is notorious for pick pocketers. We didn’t have any issues on the trail, and there were at least 5 groups ahead/behind us at all times. There’s also a security guard at the beginning having every party sign in. We will warn you, this hike is NOT easy. There’s a portion where you are crawling on your hands and knees holding on to some metal supports in rock to get up some steep inclines.

Protip: If you’re hiking, consider hiking up OR down, and taking the inclined tram for the rest.

Sugarloaf Mountain

• Hours: 8:30AM – 8:00PM (last cable car at 6:30 PM)
• Admission: R$150 (~$30 USD)
• How to get there: Cable car (you can hike to the first mountain but not the second)
• Website: https://bondinho.com.br/

Tied or second to Chris the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain is another iconic part of Rio de Janeiro. There are two little hills or mountains to visit, each connected by a cable car system.

Protip: Purchase your cable car tickets in advance! It can save you 45min+ waiting in line (skip to the online ticket line which is MUCH shorter).

The hours to visit Sugarloaf varies by season/holiday, but it’s typically open 8:30AM – 6:30AM (for last boarding). The actual park closes around 8PM. You can purchase tickets from their official website. However, we had troubles actually purchasing, so we went through a third party such as GetYourGuide.

Plan on spending at least 3 hours on Sugarloaf (if you’re fast), or another half day if you want to be thorough. There are a ton of spots around the hillside to take beautiful pictures, there’s a section of the rainforest to explore and see animals, restaurants, etc.

If we were to do Sugarloaf again, we would go for sunset! The Harbor of Rio is a 7 Wonder, definitely take your time checking it out!

Your cable car tickets will get you out to the mountains and back – don’t lose them! We ended up taking the cable car back to the first mountain, and hiking down for the rest (don’t recommend doing this after sunset). It’s about a 30-45 minute hike down. A bit muddy, so don’t do it when raining.

Beaches

Rio de Janeiro is famous for its beaches. You may have heard of Copacabana, from the famous song. Further west, you’ll find Ipanema beach and Leblon. Between Copacabana and Ipanema, Arporador is famous for sunset views.

If you’re a beach person, you can stay at hotel (or hostel, your choice), by any of these beaches. These areas are dense with restaurants and things to do. Depending on your preferences, you can spend a day or more at any or all of these beaches.

Keep your belongings close to you and hard to access – pick pocketers are bold in Rio.

Parque Lage

• Hours: 9AM – 5PM
• Admission: Free for the park, free with timed-entry ticket to enter the school (image above), R$10 to enter top floor
• How to get there: Uber/subway
• Website: https://eavparquelage.rj.gov.br/escola

When we pictured Rio, Parque Lage wasn’t top of mind, but if you check Instagram lately, Parque Lage is all the rage. Unfortunately, the school has become so popular for Instagram, there’s a photo line immediately as you walk into the school.

Regardless, we think it’s worth a visit – just don’t wait in line for the picture. Go off to the side and take a picture there, or buy something from the gift shop for admission upstairs.

If you want to go upstairs to the balcony, you need to purchase something for R$10 from the gift shop per person. It’s worth it!

Santa Theresa

Santa Theresa is the art and cultural center of Rio de Janeiro and is worth a full afternoon/evening to visit. If you’ve been to Portugal, the little neighborhood is also known as “Little Lisbon.” The neighborhood is filled with murals and artwork, and each restaurant is uniquely decorated to match the vibe. The tiles decorating building walls are definitely giving Portugal vibes. The neighborhood sits on top of a hill, which means beautiful, sweeping views of the city and, it’s a little difficult to get to.

There are 3 ways of getting to Santa Theresa:

• Take an Uber: just realize it may take longer than usual to get one, as many drivers don’t enjoy driving up the steep hills and cobblestone streets.
• Take the subway and walk up the hill: you can get off at the Gloria station and walk 15 minutes (it’s exhausting, would not recommend in the heat)
• Take the historic tram!

Historical Santa Theresa Tram Ride

• Hours: 8AM – 5PM weekdays, 9AM – 4PM weekends, runs every 20 minutes
• Admission: R$20 for a roundtrip ticket
• How to get there: You must buy a ticket from Estação de Bondes de Santa Teresa
• Website: http://www.bondesdesantateresa.rj.gov.br/

For the full experience in Santa Theresa, take the tram from Estação de Bondes de Santa Teresa and get off at Largo dos Guimarães (the neighborhood center). Explore the neighborhood, and when you’re ready, get back on the tram to complete the round trip back down to the station.

Centro of Rio de Janeiro

The city center, or “Centro” of Rio de Janeiro, though a bit north of the famous beaches, has plenty to explore. You definitely want to block off a day or so to visit Centro, as it is relatively removed from the rest of the top destinations. We recommend working your way north through Centro, starting at the famous staircases shown below.

Escadaria Selaron

We will let the pictures speak for themselves, Escadaria Selaron is definitely a hotspot in Rio. Though not technically in Centro (it borders Santa Theresa and Lapa neighborhoods), we recommend putting it on your itinerary for your day walking through Centro. There aren’t really opening/closing hours for the stairs, but please go during daylight! Budget 30 minutes – 1 hour (depending on how many pictures you want to take).

Carioca Aqueduct

If you’re interested in learning more about the history and architecture of Rio de Janeiro, we would recommend getting a free or paid walking tour, because there’s plenty to see and learn about in Centro. For anyone doing a DIY tour of the city, the Carioca Aqueduct was built in the 18th century to bring fresh water from the Carioca river to the rest of Rio. You don’t need a long time to visit it, maybe 5-10 minutes, plus walking time to and from.

Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião

• Hours: 7AM – 5PM
• Admission: Free
• Website: https://catedral.com.br/

Maybe 10-15 minutes walking from the aqueduct, you’ll find one of the most unique churches we have ever seen. The church is shaped almost like a pyramid (check out the shape behind the aqueduct above). The inside is glowing with stained glass windows. Again, quick stop where you can spend 30 minutes up to 1 hour admiring the architecture.

Real Gabinete Português de Leitura

• Hours: 10AM – 5PM weekdays
• Admission: Free
• Website: https://www.realgabinete.com.br/

The Royal Portuguese Reading Room is the largest collection of books outside of Portugal itself, and the inside is absolutely stunning. You’ll probably find it on a list of top 20 most beautiful libraries in the world. If it’s busy, you’ll have to wait in line to get in. So, budget 1 hour or more here.

Confeitaria Colombo

• Hours: 11AM – 6PM except Saturday (10AM – 6PM) and Sundays (closed)
• Admission: You can wait to be seated or take the shorter line for takeout
• Website: http://www.confeitariacolombo.com.br/

This historic café is famous for it’s floor to ceiling mirrors and pastries. It’s famous, so there will likely be a line. The food is delicious. Our waiter recommended getting the cappuccino, and we strongly pass along that recommendation. See the above images for the pastries we recommend getting. If you’re there for lunch, the sandwiches are delicious (mostly because of the brioche).

Rio de Janeiro Botanical Gardens

• Hours: 8AM – 5 PM
• Admission: R$67 (~$13 USD) – non Brazil citizens must pay in cash
• Website: https://www.gov.br/jbrj/pt-br/assuntos/visitacao/ingressos

The botanical gardens are, in our opinion, and underrated destination in Rio. Likely because of admission, there are less people in the botanical gardens than in neighboring Parque Lage. The gardens are huge, so you could easily spend a whole afternoon here. For us, a couple of hours was enough.

Bring cash to the ticket office, they only accept Brazilian credit cards online.

3+ Day Itinerary for Rio de Janeiro

Day 1: See the Top Spots

To make sure you have enough time for the top destinations in Rio, we recommend seeing them first.

Morning: Christ the Redeemer

Start your morning at Christ the Redeemer. Whether you’re taking the tram, hiking, or a guided tour, long lines could impact how much time you spend here, so we’re leaving this day light in activities so you can pivot if necessary.

Afternoon: Beach Time

If you’re visiting in Brazil summer, you’ll likely be sweating by now. So, we recommend cooling off at the beach. Pick a beach: Ipanema or Copacabana and find a nice restaurant in the streets or on the beach. Enjoy a caipirinha and lunch, and spend a few hours at the beach.

Sunset: Sugarloaf Mountain

Once you’ve had your fill of the beach (and before sunset!), grab an uber to Sugarloaf Mountain. Make sure you booked your cable car tickets in advance, and skip straight to the online tickets line. Enjoy the evening on Sugarloaf Mountain. Have another caipirinha or two at one of the restaurants, walk around the rainforest, and enjoy dinner with a sunset view of a 7 wonder.

Not done with your evening? You can probably find a party or fun vibe in Copacabana.

Day 2: Tijuca Rainforest and Santa Theresa

Day 2 is a little more packed, so plan accordingly (or give yourself an extra day if you prefer a relaxed pace).

Morning: Botanical Gardens

Start right at open (8 AM) at the botanical gardens. The gardens are hot in the summer, so you’ll appreciate the early-morning climate. Spend 1-2 hours in the gardens, but don’t spend too long if you want to fit the rest of the day in.

Mid-day: Parque Lage

Walk or catch an Uber over to Parque Lage. Make sure you got a timed-entry ticket in advance. Go straight to the school and explore it for an hour or so. Enjoy a light lunch at the café, and don’t forget to buy something at the gift shop to get you admission to the top floor.

Afternoon to Evening: Santa Theresa

Catch an Uber straight to Largo dos Guimarães if you’re short on time, or to Estação de Bondes de Santa Teresa if you want to take the tram (if you get there closer to 4pm on weekend or holiday in peak season, tickets can sell out). Spend the afternoon walking around Santa Theresa and exploring the neighborhood. We recommend staying for dinner at Bar do Mineiro. However, this means you can’t take the tram back down.

If you’re up to it, enjoy a night out in Santa Theresa. We tried all the main restaurants (saved on our Travel Map). The neighborhood is buzzing with nightlife and you’ll see people crowding the streets drinking.

Day 3: Centro

Your third day in Rio will be back-to-back adventure from south to north through Centro and the surrounding neighborhoods. Hit these destinations, in this order, to make sure you get to each one before closing time:

Morning

• Escadaria Selaron
• Carioca Aqueduct
• Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião
• Real Gabinete Português de Leitura

Lunch and Afternoon

• Confeitaria Colombo – for lunch
• Praça Quinze de Novembro – historic square
• Museu do Amanhã (if time, closed Mondays) – Museum of the future, scientific museum exploring future issues of humanity
• Mosteiro de São Bento – beautiful church with heavy Portuguese influence (lots of gold and lavish decoration)
• Etnias – Mural de Graffiti (Estúdio Kobra) – open 24/7 so leave this for last

Evening

If you’re up to it, and you dare, on Monday nights in Pedro do Sal, at the heart of Centro, are live Samba celebrations around 7pm through the night. We went, and unfortunately, we were miserable. There were so many people you couldn’t see the Samba performers (just drummers from what we could tell, no room for dancing).

Extra Time

If you have extra time, check out our Travel Map for more things to do in Rio de Janeiro. There are hikes you can do in the Tijuca forest, more restaurants to explore, and plenty of beaches to spend an afternoon lounging on. You could also spend another afternoon or evening in Santa Theresa, ejnoy the sunset on Pedra do Arpoador, or explore the Vidigal neighborhood and enjoy drinks with sweeping views of the city at Alto Vidigal Brasil.

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