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

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.

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.

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.

This is where you want to be in Ipanema, in Rio, in Brazil, and the world. Go to Barraca do…read moreUruguai (see my review), grab a chair and a Skol or a caipirinha, and you're in for an excellent day. Like Anthony Bourdain said on his No Reservations episode on Rio, "if you don't enjoy being here, there must be something wrong with you, or you're a Republican."

Loved this beach!! If you are up for it, you can walk from Copacabana to Ipanema and then up a…read moresmall mountain where you'll get a great view of both beaches. The beach here is not as crazy as Copacabana, though there are still a million vendors trying to sell you sarongs, food, beer, caipirinhas, bracelets, etc. The only odd thing was that there was a military boat going back and forth scanning for who knows what but probably has something to do with the World Cup safety. Be sure to head into the side streets of Ipanema once you are done with the beach and explore the cute bars/restaurants this neighborhood has to offer. When I come back to Rio, I'll be sure to stay around this beach. Be sure to check out the beaches of leblon too for even less crowds!

My absolute favorite beach in Rio to relax! It's small, intimate & i personally felt like it was…read morethe safest. Not only is the view of the Sugarloaf breathtaking but the sand texture is a little heavier (looks like brown sugar) and it's extremely soft! There were people fishing, kayaking & paddle boarding (they have people renting the equipment). Other locals also rent chairs and can offer food and drinks if you'd like. At one side of the beach you're also able to find a restaurant and a bank.

Out of all beaches of Zona Sula, Ipanema is my preferred one…read more Unlike copacabana, which is overly chaotic, touristy and commercialized and Leblon which is more narrow, Ipanema caters more to local crowd, has a wide sand strip, quite clean and less harassment by vendors. Rent a chair and umbrella for a low price and spend the day with a cold coconut.

Super laid back. Wonderful post or mid beach munchies food. The star of our first visit was the…read moresandwich with Chinichurri and pork belly with honey!!!! IT.IS.CRACK!!!

You must stop here when walking between copacabana and ipanema. Its a surf shop and a restaurant…read more Its literally a hole in the wall, but they have seating outside for great people watching. Server was uber friendly and spoke english which i never expect but am always grateful for. Food was different but good, I dont know how to describe it really, prices are good. Very chill place even if you arent hungry, stop for a drink and relax.

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.

It's not until you're drinking in the view from the top of Corcovado (aka Christ the Redeemer) that…read moreyou take in just how large this lake actually is. From that viewpoint though, you see every step of the 4.5+ miles of flat perimeter trail that surrounds it and you begin to understand how it is that this can be the venue for canoeing and rowing competitions during the 2016 Summer Olympics. Before my trip to Brazil I'd been led to believe that there was danger around every corner but my family walked around this lake late in the day, concluding after dark, without hint of incident. In fact, the scariest thing that happened was suddenly coming upon a giant Capybara mere feet from the footpath. He was not armed. The path around the lake is perfect for walking, jogging or bike riding and is well patrolled by trios of bike-riding police and never for a minute did I fear for my safety. As you make your way around there are numerous opportunities to stop for drinks or food. There's a Cine-plex, a food truck, bars/cafes, and even swan-shaped pedal boats for rent (in the daytime). If you're there in December, the lake sports a giant floating, moving, lit Christmas tree which is quite the attraction. The perimeter path around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is well-lit and well-used and is a great place to get in some non beach-based exercise. The water here is supposedly polluted (something that's being worked on) so contain your swimming to the nearby shores of Ipanema.

I enjoyed morning walk at the beach, and watching beach soccer in the afternoon, even enjoyed…read morewatching it from hotel window.

such a cool experience and sight to see! the process getting up the mountain was so easy and…read moresmooth. I definitely recommend going in the morning before the crowds come in

Our cruise ship offered a tour today to visit Christ the Redeemer via the train up the mountain…read more They have a separate line for cruise groups so you can get on the same train (we estimate about 120 people across three cars in one trip). They will make this line go thru a 'photo opportunity' and they will present you with prints to buy at the departure point up top. Boarding is a little chaotic, it is high season, so it is very busy, so be prepared to stand in throngs of people to get yourself on the train and up to the top. Once you are up top you have two options you can either climb the 210 steps up to the top or you can take one of three elevators that they monitor. Restrooms are available at the train arrival/departure area. If you take the steps, they're actually done quite nicely so you climb some steps and then you have a bit of a break as you walk around the corner and such. There are also a couple benches throughout and they're actually working on a brand new addition that will have a resting contemplation area so that will be really nice when it's completed. When you get to the top, it is very crowded so bring your patience with you as you try to get the perfect shots because that's what everyone else is trying to do, lol There is a small chapel (in the pedestal) at the top as well and it is apparently a very popular thing to have your child baptized here The views are incredible!!