There is nothing in the world like the Rio Carnival. Madre Gras of New Orleans is fun but not even…read morea "carnival," more like drunken brawl. Beware of their drink, the "hurricane." It will blow you away. The same pretty much goes for the one in Sydney and the one in Munich too. And yes, I've been to them all. Rio Carnival has samba like no other place. Samba is its heart and its soul. The Schools of Samba work hard and long all year long perfecting their customs and their samba dance. The schools range from the up to date modern glittering of light 14 time winner, Beija-Flor (my favorite) to the deep African rooted traditionalists of Manguaria. IMPORTANT: don't wear fancy watches, jewelry or carry anything loose. There are thieves all over Rio and they are very good at what they do. And don't bother whining to the police.

The Rio Carnival is very very intense but worth the effort…read more My review below is based on my trip to Carnival 2020 and recommends how I traveled and changes I would make. Please note I didn't travel as part of a Tour group. Instead I went with Dancers for the International Samba Congress so this was not a trip for everyone- but its perfect if you want to be in a carnival parade. 1) learn some Portuguese. Only 5% of the people speak English and while I know some Spanish, it was not nearly enough. You really need to learn basic manners, numbers up to 20 and basic questions like "where is the bathroom, excuse me, sorry and may I have this one or that one..." 2) flying to Rio I recommend Copa Airline. Comfortable seats and very good meals with an entree like chicken and rice and a snack like an empanada. And personal entertainment consoles and nice staff. 3) Rent an apartment in Ipanema, Copacabana or Flamingo close to a Metro Station. They have doormen and usually there restaurants and markets within a block or two. 4) eat at little fast food cafes for breakfast and lunch for croquettes, empanadas, kibe or bread and egg sandwiches. Go to a buffet for dinner and you can keep your food cost to $15-$20 a day easily. 4) use Uber - or if you know Portuguese or Spanish take Metro and you will be safe. 5)Go to at least 1 Samba school rehearsal like Mangueira's, the week before Carnival. The rehearsals are going to be at the base of a favela so don't go by yourself, don't walk around- go right in - then at the end get a snack- call uber get in the ride after matching the license plate and go right home. The ticket will be about $8.00 in US dollars. The energy, music and show will be fantastic. Be prepared to be there for 2-3 hours. You will either stand or dance the whole time and you can be there until the sun rises. 6) get VIP tickets for Sunday or Monday night to see the Parades at the Sambadrome, if you are a party animal and want a wild night with all you can eat food and drink. Tickets are expensive like $500+ USA. Or 7) Get covered box tickets for Sunday or Monday if you want an experience more like a great box for 12 at the Hollywood Bowl- guaranteed seats with great views and lines for bathrooms and concessions. Tickets are expensive $400+. 8) order stadium reserved seat tickets ( Section 9) to be with the crowd but have a designated place to sit (remember this Parade goes tor 8 hours) 10) take in the tourist sites- they are all beautiful and well worth it! 11) I would not recommend going to a Favela. Yes I went to a conference in Canta Gallo which is a favela above Copacabana/Ipanema Communities. It was organized by fantastic talented people who grew up in Canta Gallo. My experience was wonderful- But- We accessed our conference location via elevator which closed down at night time. Because of this we had to walk out of the community which is a really steep long trek. And it was really uncomfortable! Do not go as a lark. Sure most people are perfectly fine but, we saw police with guns and residents with their guns. This is not a place after nightfall to play with. There are daytime Favela tours- maybe it's a way to support the local businesses and if so- go but keep your eyes open and be aware.

Big place!!! Very easy to get lost cause a lot of it looks the same. Monkeys are seen throughout…read more Look at all the colorful birds as well. Its 80 reais (about $16 USD). Worth every dollar as i would be okay with getting charged more. If you get lost just open your phones map and you can find your way to the exit.

I loved this huge botanical garden, which was like a beautiful tropical paradise. It was my first…read morestop after checking my luggage at the hotel. The cost was around $15 for US residents (less for locals) and only cash is accepted. Upon entering, I noticed black monkeys walking around the rainforest-esque environment, as well as climbing trees. There were palm trees, bright and colorful flowers, bodies of water, lovely little bridges, gorgeous fountain, yellow and green state house, greenhouses with rare and award winning orchids, a wonderful cafe serving fancy coffee & beverages, playground, and more. There were plenty of breathtaking views of the many natural wonders. I really enjoyed my time exploring the vast expanse of the garden. The place was sprawling and easy to get lost in. It tops the list as one of my favorite botanical gardens that I have visited.

What a wonderful place! I've been coming here for almost 30 years, and it never gets old. This is a…read moreclassic Rio golf club, and has retained all of the things I loved about this place as a young kid. The pool and clubhouse have been remodeled (for the better), but the course itself seems as pristine and enjoyable as ever. The views are amazing, and the people throughout are friendly. If you have the chance to come here on your visit to Rio, do not miss the opportunity!

The Antiques Fair Gavea began in the 90's sometimes, coordinated by Brazilian antique dealers. The…read moreFair is every Sunday from 9h to 17h. It is located at Praça Santos Dumont, in Gávea. The Fair is lined with carpets and sells objects, silverware, china, paintings and clothes.

Yelp Review 2025 #179:…read more I originally wanted to visit this museum because of its architecture. It reminds me of Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias in Valencia, Spain. Museu do Amanha or Museum of Tomorrow is a nice museum in the Centro area of Rio focusing on visually presenting in a scientific method how our current affects our future. During my visit, the exhibits had climate crisis (no longer climate change) as the theme. Full-price tickets are 40 Brazilian Reais or under $8 which is not bad at all. If you want to check out specific exhibits, it's extra. The goal is to hopefully, open up our eyes as to how our actions or lack thereof affect our future in 50 years time or future generations. And bring awareness so we can make better choices. The resources we enjoy now may not be around in the future - nothing lasts forever unless, we do better. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and this museum was packed! I would've picked a different day and time but that's just how my itinerary worked. I only did a quick walk until I got overwhelmed by the crowd and I left. You can take pictures without flash/ annoying selfie sticks and short video clips in all areas of the museum except for Cosmos. There's a shop and a cafe. There are also vendors outside the museum selling popcorn, churros and açaí bowls. It turns out the architecture looked familiar because Museum do Amanha and Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias were designed by the same Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava.

An unexpected treat! We decided to check out this museum when someone suggested it to us. The…read morecurrent exhibition focuses on sustainability and climate change. There was a series of amazing pieces, installations, interactive artworks, amd digital pieces throughout the entire 2nd floor. The architecture of the museum itself is a marvelous work of art. Highly recommend.

We came with our amazing tour guide who had this location selected as our lunch spot during our…read morewalking tour. We learned the beautiful story of the lesbian wives who invested and created the restaurant together and were present as we patronized. We were upstairs of the restaurant as the carnival celebrations were happening below with booming music and street caipirinhas were being served. The meal was a traditional Brazilian meal that was very similar to my favorite Jamaican dish, stewed peas. Great times, experience, and food!

Service is very good and prompt. We had chicken and rib meat croquetas. Very, very good!!!!read more

Beautiful! Simply Beautiful! Huge place! Its 80 reais for travelers. You go inside and a bit…read morefurther theres a ticket booth. The place is big and its easy to get lost. Sometimes theres no signs in certain spots. So just pull up your maps on your phone and you can find yourself to the exit. Very green! Monkeys and beautiful birds everywhere!

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.