Other places to stay in Rio
Ipanema
Birthplace of ‘Garota de Ipanema’ song, Ipanema has breathtaking Stone of Arpoador with its beach, where people gather every day to watch a stunning sunset. Kiosks on the boardwalk sell caipirinha, a Brazilian beverage and typical snacks. Beach is not everything though: there are museums, as the thought-provoking Favela’ Museum. You can choose among luxury hotels and low-priced hostels in Ipanema, with a great range of price and amenities. It’s easy to move around by subway and by bus. Though it’s not recommended to use expensive stuff, police patrols are constant and there are a police station specialized in tourism.
Hotels in Ipanema
Leblon
Next to Ipanema, Leblon is better know as the celebrities’ neighborhood, the home of famous Brazilians actors and singers. As in Ipanema, you can choose to get a room in an extravagant hotel or in a cozy hostel to stay. The wonderful beach is the main attraction, but you can also go to Leblon Gazebo or experience the Cliff Park Dois Irmãos and get a marvelous sight of beaches in Ipanema, Leblon, the Christ Redeemer and have a picnic. In a rainy day the Leblon Shopping can be a well-coming refuge. Subway and bus are the best to move around.
Hotels in Leblon
Leme
Before anyone get to the famous Copacabana, they must pass through the small Leme. This place has it all: the beach and the . The Leme Gazebo provides a beautiful sightseeing of the place. The mountain, Babilonia Hill, provides culture and entertainment. You can opt between a lavish hotel in front of the beach or a comfortable pension on the hill. Riding a bike is a very good way to move around and you can travel all the way to Copacabana in 20 minutes. There is a shopping mall, named Rio Sul, that can be reached by subway and bus.
Hotels in Leme
Santa Teresa
One of the dearest places in city, the historical Santa Teresa holds the carioca way of life. There are many ways of getting a fine accommodation, from over-the-top hotels to welcoming hostels. Activities for daytime includes the Rato Molhado Gazebo, from where all downtown can be seen, as well the Guanabara Bay, and the Parque das Ruínas, a beloved cultural center. In many studios you can see artists working and buy from them. Night is exciting with bars and live music. The trams that travel the narrow streets are a must, but you can also get a bus from downtown.
Hotels in Santa Teresa
Lapa
Lapa is better known by its vibrant night life with pubs, street parties and all kinds of music and dancing lasting until the dawn. But there are much to do in daytime also. Lapa is a historical spot and Lapa Arches, former aqueduct, are the most notorious site. Hotels and hostels, some of them placed in 19th century buildings, blend the old and the new architecture. There are no shopping malls in the region, but you can visit the downtown popular market Saara and the antiques and street fair of Lavradio Street. Bus lines and bicycles are the best transport.
Hotels in Lapa
Jacarepaguá
Jacarepaguá, in the West Zone of the city, has a lot to offer, mainly if you want to flee from the places that already are full of tourist. All kinds of hotels and hostels are available near the beautiful beaches of the region. One of the highlights for daytime is to go for a walk in Pedra Branca Park, considered one of the biggest urban forest in the world, with beautiful waterfalls and lagoons. At night, bars offer good food and drinks at a low price. Bus lines, and the new BRT system are the main way of public transport.
Hotels in Jacarepaguá
Recreio dos Bandeirantes
Recreio dos Bandeirantes is another neighborhood of West Zone of Rio de Janeiro that can be reached mainly by bus lines and BRT. Though it has a bright night life with bars and live music, Recreio is best known by its beaches, with the spotlight on Recreio Beach, Macumba Beach and Secreto Beach. You can get to them using public transportation but going by car is more comfortable. Hotels and hostels provide fine accommodations near the beaches, so you can rest after one of the hiking trails available around. Remember, though, that you should never go in a trail alone.
Hotels in Recreio dos Bandeirantes
Barra da Tijuca
Barra da Tijuca has amazing ‘hidden’ beaches. You can get to your hotel or hostel by bus, BRT or subway but Grumari Beach, for example, can be reached only by car, and it’s all worthy. Right next, you will find a nudist beach called Abricó – more hidden than Grumari. The neighborhood also has Pedra Bonita, a cliff where you can do hang-gliding while enjoy a spectacular sight. The Brazilian Football Team Museum deserves a visit too. You can finish your night watching a performance of a Brazilian singer in Barra Music, at the mall or in a kiosk on the beach.
Hotels in Barra da Tijuca
Downtown
The downtown area of Rio de Janeiro is full of historic sites and is a good place to hang out in at nights with many things to see and do. Tourist attraction include: Cultural Centre, City Hall, Municipal Theatre, Benedictine Monastery, Carnaval Museum, Museum of Modern Art, National History Museum and palaces like Gustavo Capanem and Ilha Fiscal.
At night, there are millions of places to check out including various bars that play live traditional Brazilian samba music along with traditional dancing and is one of the best areas to try authentic Brazilian food and drinks such as fish dishes and cocktails like Caipirinhas. There are also many nightclubs, where international DJs come to play and you can dance the night away but the only thing the area lacks is the amount of hotels as they are few and far between and rooms can be scarce, especially if there is a concert, festival or carnival on.
Hotels in Downtown
*Safety rules are pretty much the same everywhere:
• Don’t use fancy stuff. Really. Most crimes occurred with tourist in Rio is theft. Thugs prefer distracted people with jewelry, expensive smartphones and iPods. All valuable things must stay in hotel safe with passport, but it’s important to carry always at least one identification document. Avoid empty streets and places. Avoid going out all alone.
• Trails: don’t go alone. Get a guide if possible.
• Beaches: though they are usually calm, they can be dangerous sometimes. People can search on internet if a beach is or not proper to bath or if it is rough. Look if there are any lifeguard men on the beach. When there I a red flag on a beach, that means it is dangerous going into. And sunscreen is a must.
• Police station specialized in Crimes against Tourist address: Leblon: Rua Humberto de Campos, 315. Ipanema: Avenida Afrânio de Melo Franco, 159.
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