I'm an expat who's been living in Rio for the past year. I tried out several gyms before joining…read moreone and I believe this is the nicest gym in the zona sul (although you pay for it! It's not cheap). They have a wide range of classes and I regularly go to spinning, functional training, and some of the many abs/glutes focused classes. The only one I haven't liked is yoga because I thought it was boring. I also use the pool which is clean - only complaint is it's a little small (2 wide lanes) and the hours for open swim are limited due to classes going on. Another nice feature is that there are always trainers in the weights areas who you can meet with in the beginning without extra cost to get started on a training plan, and ask advice from anytime about your form or new exercises. I pre-paid for a year membership since I knew I was staying, but the gym also offers shorter-term options if you're only in Rio for a little while, and they're willing to negotiate on those.

I've been a member at this gym since age 12 - needless to say, I'm a big fan. Though I now live…read moreabroad, Bodytech is one of the places I love to go to the most when I'm back in Rio. It is very well equipped (the best, according to personal experience), and the instructors are all very well qualified. Most importantly, both staff and members are overall very nice and helpful. It's just a great place to stay fit, and stay happy.

So I was looking for a place to work out in Copacabana and I tried smart fit first. The system…read morethere doesn't allow foreigners without a Brazilian social security number to join and nobody there spoke English. I made my way over to Body tech and they were much friendlier and spoke English. I had no problem joining for a month with just my drivers license. The place is very clean and has very up to date equipment. I highly recommend this place for anybody.

Great gym. Cost 65 US dollars per week to join. Some of the staff speak English. If you are a…read moregym rat, this place will keep you happy while you are on vacation.

Ambiance: 10 out of 10; Staff: 4 out of 5;…read more Price: $ out of $$$$. Gorgeous place, the views were amazing and the people were just as exceptional. We were literally in the clouds but they didn't prevent the spectacular view. The food and drink pricing were affordable as well.

Handsdown the best views of the city will be from here; YOU NEED TO COME HERE - and a little early…read more I came here early afternoon on a cloudy day and was so mesmerised by the views that i stayed here till after sunset. The views and the location could not be beat. You buy the ticket from the counter and then head on inside to take the cable car which takes you up first to Morro de Urca and then Pao de Azuca (Sugarloaf mountain). You literally can choose to spend however much time you want at either spot although i think most people stay at Urca longer because the view is clearer and its more spacious. The first stop lets you take in the beautiful city views and the second stop is literally in the skies so you will see the misty skies and take in the whole city from the top while admiring nature at its best. I also had the best chocolate churro here so that added to the sweetness of the spot. My favorite spot in Rio and i cant wait to go back one day.

This trail is amazing. You get a wonderful view plus the monkeys are the most adorable things on…read moreearth.

This is the best place in the world to train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Ari Galo is a very well respected…read moreProfessor and he has dedicated his whole life to teaching the art. The team is very strong, supportive, and very attentive to technical details. You will immediately feel like part of the Carlson Gracie family from the first day of training. If you are in Rio de Janeiro, this is definitely worth a visit. The gym is also connected to Walk On The Favela Hostel and has a rooftop with the most amazing view of Copacabana. They hold 2 camps every year, one in the winter season and one in the summer season, where you can eat, sleep, and train all under one roof.

Yelp Review 2025 #193:…read more Between Copacabana, Botafogo and Ipanema - I still can't decide which neighborhood I like most. Each place has its own character and charm. I started my day on the beach in Copacabana and I took a leisurely walk to Ipanema which took under 45 minutes. What a pleasant walk that was. People watching, sightseeing and just enjoying a beautiful day by the beach. There's a reason why there are songs about Copacabana and Ipanema. They're both beautiful places and the Cariocas are very proud of them. Copacabana has more beach activities: volleyball, pickleball, futebol, surfing, swimming, and any water sport you can think of. Ipanema is more chill with people sunbathing, walking and playing with their dogs. In short, if you want less people and chill vibes, go to Ipanema.

So in rio there are two big famous beaches One is…read moreCopacabana which is the main tourist beach and you see cariocas and vendors hustling And mainly for young folks or singles or partying This one is Ipanema which is next door and this is where all the locals come to and it's packed and more family oriented and relaxed It's a nice vibe

Copacabana is a bairro (neighborhood) in Rio de Janeiro: in the South Zone of the city. Its 4 km…read more(2.5 miles) beach is the most famous. I'm impressed by how clean the beach is when we get there in the morning! ... evening is another story. Of course, there is this statue of their famed son Ayrton Senna (1960-94), who died on the race track ...our first stop in Rio is to visit him.

We stayed at the hotel across the street (Rio Othon) which was nice since we had a designated area…read moreof the beach to use, this was helpful because the beach gets crowded very quickly. The most annoying thing here is all the vendors constantly coming around a little hard to relax U can grab anything from drinks, we tried one not terrible just too sweet for my taste. Food & snacks to bathing suits, bags & shirts helpful for the vendors. If you don't get anything from the vendors there are plenty of places to eat & drink along the beach. My only complain for the beach was that the water it is very rough, crazy strong current u can feel the pull just standing in the sand. We got to see beautiful sunsets, sunrise & were even lucky enough to be here when Lady Gaga played, crazy crowd by her hotel, rehearsal was a mini concert definitely a very cool experience. Nice stretch of beach, scenery is lovely & it's a great way to spend any time during your visit in Brazil.

For many the main postcard of Rio de Janeiro, ahead of any beach landscape, Lagoa Rodrigo de…read moreFreitas, or only the lagoon, is a breathtaking scenery from anywhere around it. There is a shared cycle and walking path which is encrusted with restaurants and also pertain some seats for contemplating the view or just to rest. You also have a pedaloo spot, where you can hire them to have a more inner experience at the venue, literally, and several sports courts, ranging to skating and tennis to basketball and baseball. There are many popular spots where people traditionally organize their own picnics for free. You can have the Corcovado view holding the Christ monument, the Dois irmãos (two brothers) mountains, which are equally beautiful and also the Pedra da Gávea (Gávea rock), a breathtaking huge flat rock where people do paragliding. You can also check my Yelp review on the lagoon complex, where you can find several eating options and a cinema with several exhibiting rooms. The stands for the rowing competitors held at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas are can also be found at this very complex.

Rodrigo de Freitas is a huge lake that is in the middle of Rio surrounded by Copacabana, Ipanema,…read moreand Leblon. The surrounding paths around the lake are much quieter than the beach areas of the city. It is a good area to go jogging, bike riding, and there are swan pedal boats for rental too. I also noticed a few restaurants and food carts along the lakefront as well. I wouldn't call this place a must see for visitors, but you should pass by in a car to see what it looks like. The lake is also supposedly very polluted however, so it would be advisable to avoid swimming or jumping in.

This is the perfect area to watch the sunset along the Rio de Janeiro shore line. You can sit up on…read morethe rocks and watch the sun go down while admiring the waves and sounds of the ocean. You can find this area right in the middle of Ipanema and copacabana beach. Honestly if you're a sunset person Ipanema and Praia so Arpoador is where you need to be because the buildings on copacabana beach will disappoint you. Don't worry about bringing a cooler filled with drinks because you can find sellers up along the rocks. Although, I would recommend bringing a towel to sit on for sure and maybe a radio with tunes of your choice. This could legit be a perfect area to take your date and guess what? It's free! So definitely add this to your itinerary whenever you're in Rio de Janeiro .

This is actually a small beach that is nestled between Copacabana and Ipanema. The people hanging…read moreout there were mostly locals when I was there. As a beach, this spot is nothing special. However, the Arpoador rock formation is the reason to stop by. Climb to the edge of this rock and you will get amazing views of the sunset or sunrise. It's a great place to just sit and relax.