Rio de Janeiro: a first-timer's guide to the Marvellous City

The neighbourhoods to know

Rio is split into zones, and visitors spend most of their time in the South Zone and the old centre.

• **Copacabana** is the famous four kilometre beach with a wave patterned promenade, kiosks and big hotels. It is lively and central, with good metro links.
• **Ipanema and Leblon** are next door, smarter and calmer, with the city's best beach culture, restaurants and shops. Arpoador rock, between Copacabana and Ipanema, is where crowds clap the sunset.
• **Botafogo and Flamengo** sit on the bay, with a growing bar and restaurant scene and views of Sugarloaf.
• **Santa Teresa** is a hilltop arts quarter of old mansions and studios, reached by the historic tram.
• **Lapa** is the nightlife district under the white arches of an old aqueduct, packed with samba bars on weekends.
• **Centro and the port** hold colonial churches, the Confeitaria Colombo, and the revived waterfront with the Museu do Amanhã.

What to do

Go up Corcovado to Christ the Redeemer early in the morning before the clouds and crowds arrive, and take the cable cars to Sugarloaf for sunset. Spend a slow day on Ipanema beach, renting a chair and umbrella from a barraca and snacking on what the vendors bring by. Hike in the Tijuca National Park, one of the largest urban forests in the world, or climb Morro Dois Irmãos or Pedra da Gávea with a licensed guide. Walk the Escadaria Selarón, ride the Santa Teresa tram and see a samba circle at Pedra do Sal. If you visit in football season, a match at the Maracanã is unforgettable.

Carnival and New Year

Carnival, in February or early March, brings the samba school parades at the Sambódromo and hundreds of free street parties called blocos. New Year's Eve on Copacabana, Réveillon, draws huge crowds dressed in white. Both are spectacular, and both mean higher hotel prices and minimum stays, so book many months ahead.

Getting around

The metro links Ipanema, Copacabana, Botafogo and the centre and is clean and safe by day. Ride apps are widely used and the easiest choice at night. Walking is pleasant along the beachfronts. The VLT tram serves the centre and port.

Staying safe

Rio has real crime problems, but most visits go smoothly with sensible habits. Take only what you need to the beach, keep your phone out of sight on the street and in cars stopped at lights, and avoid empty beaches and streets after dark. Never enter a favela without a reputable licensed guide, and do not follow navigation apps into unfamiliar areas. Read your government's travel advice before you go.

Where to stay

First-timers usually choose Ipanema, Leblon or Copacabana for the beach and the metro. Botafogo suits a more local feel, and Santa Teresa has characterful guesthouses but steep streets and quieter nights. See our places to visit for picks, and use the free trip planner to fit Rio into your route.