Rio De Janeiro Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—sensuous, chaotic, sophisticated, open and friendly—is one of South America's gems. The Cidade Marvilhosa (Marvelous City), as Brazilians call it, displays a unique blend of contrasts: old and new, tremendous wealth amid crushing poverty, an urban metropolis nestled around mountains and a huge forest.

All of Rio de Janeiro is symbolically embraced in the outstretched arms of Cristo Redentor, the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain.

The 2016 Summer Olympics were held in Rio, making it the first South American city to host the Olympic Games, and tourism to Brazil has increased significantly.

Even with financial cutbacks and public skepticism, Rio undertook major infrastructure improvements at a blistering pace in efforts to upgrade its transportation system and adopt environmental initiatives in preparation for the Olympics.

It still has a long way to go, but visitors prior to the Olympics will notice improvements. Hotel capacity has more than doubled, football (soccer) stadiums were rebuilt, world-class sports facilities have been designed, and the historic quarter and port area have been rejuvenated.

Rio de Janeiro plays host to what some call "the biggest party in the world" during the five-day holiday that is Carnival, which takes place just before Lent in February or early March. Street parties take place throughout the city, and the colorful samba schools parade through the city's Sambadrome to the sound of heavy drum beats.

But if the buzz of the city becomes too much—during Carnival or otherwise—there's always an easy escape to the beautiful coast or to the lush Tijuca Forest that surrounds Rio de Janeiro's mountainous slopes, where you can hike, bike or jump under a waterfall.

Must See or Do

Sights—Copacabana and Ipanema beaches; sunset from Arpoador rock; the view from atop Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf) or Corcovado Mountain; nature in Tijuca Forest and Jardim Botanico; a soccer match at the Maracana stadium.

Museums—Museu de Arte Moderna; Instituto Moreira Salles; Museu Chacara do Ceu; Museu de Arte Contemporanea-Niteroi; Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil.

Memorable Meals—An all-you-can-eat barbecue at a churrascaria such as Fogo de Chao or Marius; feijoada (black-bean stew with meat) at the Casa da Feijoada; fresh seafood at Satyricon; coffee and pastries at the belle epoque Confeitaria Colombo; sushi with the celebs at Sushi Leblon; brunch in Parque Lage; a tropical suco at any of the juice stands around the city.

Late Night—The lively bars in Ipanema, Leblon and Copacabana; a quiet drink at one of the outdoor cafes near the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas; live samba in Lapa; a beer at Jobi at Madrugada.

Walks—A Sunday stroll by the beach along Avenida Atlantica in Copacabana or Avenida Vieira Souto in Ipanema; a walk around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas; a leisurely walk around the colonial neighborhood of Santa Teresa.

Especially for Kids—The Gavea Planetarium; tropical birds and monkeys at the RioZoo; the canyons and toboggan runs at Rio Water Planet.

Geography

Rio lies on the southeastern coast of Brazil. The city has everything it could want within arm's reach: ocean, mountains and the world's largest urban forest (in Tijuca National Park). The city is divided into four parts: Zona Sul (South Zone), Zona Oeste (West Zone), Zona Norte (North Zone) and Centro (downtown).

Bordered by Zona Sul, Zona Norte and Guanabara Bay, Centro is the commercial and historic heart of the city. Edging Zona Sul, with beaches fronting the Atlantic and extending southward on the coast, are the famous bairros (neighborhoods) of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. The Barra da Tijuca, with its giant malls and extensive beaches, is farther southwest, in Zona Oeste.

Rio's slums, called favelas, are found throughout the city. Many are in Zona Norte, but the largest in Brazil (and in South America) are in Zona Sul.

History

The name Rio de Janeiro, which means "River of January" in Portuguese, alludes to the fact that Portuguese sailors thought Guanabara Bay was a river delta when they first sailed into it on 1 January 1502. After successfully battling the French for control of the bay, the Portuguese established a fortified city, which in 1568 became the city of Rio. Initially eclipsed by Salvador, Brazil's first colonial capital on the coast to the north, as well as other cities in the gold-rich interior, Rio became the capital of Brazil in 1763.

With the beginning of the coffee boom in the early 1800s, Rio began to prosper. In 1808, the Portuguese royal family fled from the Napoleonic Wars in Europe and settled in Rio, initiating one of the city's golden ages. For more than 10 years, Rio was the seat of the Portuguese empire, which turned the colonial outpost into a cosmopolitan city.

In 1822, when Portugal granted independence to Brazil, the king's son Pedro stayed in Rio and was crowned emperor of Brazil, making him the only reigning monarch in the Americas. As an imperial capital, Rio had a population of more than 100,000 and was one of South America's busiest ports, shipping Brazil's rubber, coffee and sugar to the rest of the world.

Over the following decades, the government widened avenues, filled in swamps, eradicated yellow fever and even tore down bothersome hills to make space for construction. The formerly bucolic colonial capital of low, tile-roof buildings and dirt streets increasingly resembled a modern metropolis, and by 1920, its population had swollen to 1 million people.

After World War II, the city was further remodeled to make space for the automobile. A growing middle class began to abandon traditional Zona Norte enclaves for Zona Sul neighborhoods—Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon—that were rendered more accessible by buses, cable cars and automobiles. In 1960, Brazil finished the construction of the new inland national capital, Brasilia, and gradually moved most government offices to the planned city. Though some say Rio has never recovered its lost prestige, it remains Brazil's main tourist destination and cultural center.

Potpourri

Legend has it that Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes composed "The Girl from Ipanema" on a bar napkin while sipping a couple of drinks just blocks from the beach at a spot called Bar Veloso, since renamed Garota de Ipanema.

A small lane in Copacabana, Beco das Garrafas, near the luxury hotel Copacabana Palace, is known as the birthplace of bossa nova and used to be frequented by the likes of Sergio Mendes in the 1960s. The name comes from the fact that disgruntled local residents used to throw garrafas (bottles) at the musicians to try to get them to keep the noise down.

During Rio's Carnival, besides the famous procession through the Sambadrome, there are hundreds of blocos (street parties). The Carmelitas bloco in the Santa Teresa neighborhood is based on the order of nuns of the same name who lived in the area (and party attendees dress in appropriate attire).

Gavea Rock, the enormous outcropping in the Zona Sul, resembles a gigantic sculpture and allegedly sports ancient inscriptions on one of its sides (actually caused by erosion). Some believe Gavea Rock is the burial place of a Phoenician king, and others believe it to be one of the 12 vortices on Earth.

The section of the beach in Copacabana in front of the JW Marriott Hotel has long been known for its beach soccer. Nilton Santos, star of the Botafogo club and the national team, who retired in 1964, played regularly on this strip of sand.

Celebrity sightings are common on the beaches of the Zona Sul. Wait long enough and musician Chico Buarque or the hottest telenovela actress will stroll along. Rarely must they dodge autograph seekers or paparazzi; Cariocas tend to be nonchalant about such encounters.

Location

Ships dock at the Pier Maua astride the old downtown at Avenida Rodrigues Alves 10, which meets the beginning of Avenida Rio Branco. Phone 21-3195-8000. https://www.piermaua.rio.

The whole area is undergoing a revitalization that includes the futuristic Museu do Amanha, the beautiful OrlaConde open-air galleria and the Museu de Arte do Rio. Some of the 19th-century warehouses are used to host parties and exhibitions. It's all part of Projeto Porto Maravilha. https://www.portomaravilha.com.br.

The passenger terminal offers public phones, an internet cafe, taxi kiosk, newsstand, snack bar, souvenir shops, first-aid station and immigration desk.

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions—and their prices—vary from cruise line to cruise line. Check with your travel agent or your ship's shore-excursion staff for additional information.

The most popular shore excursions are half-day visits to Corcovado or Sugar Loaf, samba tours of Leblon, and Jeep tours of Tijuca Forest.