During our visit in Brazil we noticed our hotel was advertising the stadium, we looked to see if…read moreanything was happening & to our surprise there was a soccer game playing but not just any game more like the subway series of soccer games as both Brazilian teams were playing against each other.. Flamengo vs Corinthians we figure what a great opportunity to catch a soccer match in Brazil! We booked it of course, our excursion included tickets to the game, VIP entrance to the lounge which was great since they provide food & liquor what a great deal, really decent food, liquor was beer which was good as well. U can stay in the lounge & watch the game there's limited seating inside but there is AC so it's more comfy or outside in the stands we did both, sitting outside in the stands it's quite the experience the energy in the stadium was insane what a game, the home team Flamengo won by a score 4-0. As for the stadium it's a Brazilian landmark were many iconic players have played & on top of that it is one of the largest stadiums being that soccer is like a religion in Brazil, if you get the opportunity to visit, u should! We had a fun time catching a game at the stadium, the energy, the crowd it is really insane, happy we got to experience a soccer match in Brazil.

When in Rio, I had to see where Brazilian soccer greats played especially Pele…read more Having its own metro and station made it simpler to reach and accommodate the throngs of fans on game day. In winter, I could only plan to take the tour of the stadium and the small museum on site. Admission was R94 and I guess I was expecting more from my tour of the largest soccer stadium in the world and a Brazilian institution. After the brief video introduction, we were escorted to the locker room and then left to wander on our own. No guided tour, no explanations posted (except in the museum area) but many opportunities to pay more for photos on the field, holding a replica FIFA trophy, kicking a soccer ball, etc. The locker room showcased every jersey from the Brazilian home teams and was quite popular photo spot to take pics with their favorite team. I sat in the home team bench dugout, climbed the stairs up the seating area to get a higher view of the field and get seated in the media room hot seat. The museum consisted of jerseys, bios on Pele and other famous players, the chairs from Queen Elizabeth's visit, Pope JPII stand, Olympics 2016, FIFA 2026 signed soccer ball by Shakira, COPA and FIFA teams and history. Bathrooms were located by the museum. After exiting the tour, the courtyard contained the gift shop and food court. I think they could do so much more to engage their fans but it seemed like paying for all those photo or video opportunities was the main focus unfortunately. Great for die hard fans or if one timed a visit for an actual game.

It's the closest place to the modern art museum that's actually open on Saturday. We had asked the…read morelady inside of the museum if there was a museum cafe and she suggested a restaurant across the way but it was closed. A security guard directed us to the Vasco de Gama social club. They have a fairly worn down facility. It wasn't the fancy exclusive soccer club I had envisioned, but it was open to public. We tried the feijoada for two people which came with a steel plate of three steaks, a bed of lettuce with a few sliced tomatoes, palm of hearts, a mound of rice with a sprinkling of peas and a sea of fries. We got black beans and farofa to spread on top of it too. The meal was delicious and quite filling. Not bad for a price of R$72 with two soft drinks and a beer. The waiter was very friendly and seemed to know all the regular patrons of the club and their children who were all enjoying the pool. The view of the bay is nice although the waters are not very aromatic. No wonder the pool was the prime choice for swimming. It was a nice was to see a club without committing to a membership.

Three stars here mainly for lack of variety and quality of location, but don't get me wrong, the…read morefood as great. We made a trip to the Modern Art Museum today and because it was a weekend there were few open restaurants. I asked the security guy at the museum if he knew anywhere good to eat and he pointed us just 50 meters or so down the road to the Vasco da Gama social club. It is important to note that this restaurant is more of a place for sócios to get a bite to eat or a drink while hanging out with their friends. Lucky for us though, the restaurant area is also open to the public. There was a menu on a dry erase board out front listing the options for the day and everything else had to be gathered through conversation with the man working inside. We had a 2-person feijoada and it was delicious. Plenty of meat and sides, and the flavor was good throughout. There were moments where it was clear we were in a members only club, but in a good way. The waiter asked other patrons how their families were and the kids running around greeted people. It almost makes me want to join.

Cool venue to watch a volleyball game. There's dancers for entertainment. Some hip loud American…read moremusic to pump things up a bit. It's the Olympics so it's fun just wish my team was playing. Brazilian folks are great hosts. They are very friendly.