rio diaries ✦

your insider guide to Rio

Beaches, sunsets, bachelorettes and where to eat, from a girl who lives here.

Turquoise water and green hills on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, seen from above
The Best Day Trips from Rio de Janeiro
Rio is hard to leave, but the state around it is full of places that are worth the trip: mountain towns, turquoise water, car-free islands and colonial streets. Some are... Read more...
A yellow Brazilian bikini
Brazilian Bikini Cuts Explained: Fio Dental, Asa Delta and More
Walk onto any beach in Rio and you'll notice it straight away: the bikinis are smaller, brighter and worn with total confidence by everyone, whatever their age or body. Brazilian... Read more...
Beachgoers relaxing under colorful umbrellas on a Rio beach
How to Do the Beach Like a Carioca
In Rio, the beach isn't somewhere you go on holiday. It's the city's living room. People meet friends there, play sport, eat lunch, close business deals and watch the sunset... Read more...
Custom bikinis with flower, starfish, palm and shell prints, made at a bikini workshop in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro in December: Weather, Events and What to Do
December is when Rio switches into summer. The days get long and hot, the sea warms up, the Christmas tree lights up on the Lagoa, and the whole month builds... Read more...
Fireworks bursting over the sea at night on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve in Rio (Réveillon): A First-Timer's Guide
There are big New Year's Eve parties, and then there is Réveillon in Rio. On the night of 31 December, millions of people dressed in white pour onto Copacabana beach,... Read more...
Golden sunset over the sea with Dois Irmãos mountain in Rio de Janeiro
The Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Rio de Janeiro
Rio takes its sunsets seriously. Every evening, people stop what they're doing, find a spot facing west, and watch the sky turn orange and pink behind the mountains. On a... Read more...
A Long Weekend in Rio: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary
A Long Weekend in Rio: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary
Three days in Rio de Janeiro is not enough — but then, no amount of time in Rio is ever enough, so you may as well stop worrying about it... Read more...
Ipanema vs Copacabana: Which Rio Beach Neighborhood Is Right for You?
Ipanema vs Copacabana: Which Rio Beach Neighborhood Is Right for You?
Ask ten people where to stay in Rio de Janeiro and you'll get two answers, repeated with total conviction: Ipanema or Copacabana. They sit side by side along the same... Read more...
The Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro: A Season-by-Season Guide
The Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro: A Season-by-Season Guide
There's no single best time to visit Rio de Janeiro — there's only the best time for the trip you want. Rio in the height of summer is a completely... Read more...
What to Pack for Rio de Janeiro: A Complete Packing List
What to Pack for Rio de Janeiro: A Complete Packing List
There is a specific kind of over-packing that happens before a trip to Rio de Janeiro. You picture the city, you picture yourself in it, and somehow you end up... Read more...
Christ the Redeemer statue with arms outstretched against a bright blue sky in Rio de Janeiro
First Time in Rio de Janeiro: Everything You Need to Know Before You Arrive
Rio de Janeiro has a reputation that arrives well before you do. You've probably heard the warnings — from friends, from travel forums, from that one person at work who... Read more...
A group of friends raising their glasses for a toast
Rio de Janeiro Bachelorette Itinerary: A Day-by-Day Plan for 5 Days
There are cities you go to for a bachelorette. And then there's Rio de Janeiro — a city that seems to have been specifically designed for a group of women... Read more...
A quiet beach backed by green, forested hills on the coast of Rio de Janeiro
Best Beaches in Rio de Janeiro: The Full Guide Beyond Copacabana
Everyone says Copacabana and Ipanema. And yes — they're beautiful, they're iconic, and you should absolutely go. But Rio has a coastline that stretches for miles in both directions, and... Read more...
A sunny beachfront avenue in Rio de Janeiro with palm trees and Dois Irmãos in the distance
Is Rio de Janeiro Safe? An Honest Safety Guide for Visitors
Before almost every trip to Rio, there's a moment where someone — a parent, a well-meaning friend, a coworker — sends you an article with a headline that makes the... Read more...
The Sugarloaf cable car above Rio de Janeiro and the bay
The Most Instagrammable Experiences in Rio That Are Also Actually Worth It
Let's be honest about Instagram travel. Sometimes a place is photogenic and worth visiting. Sometimes it's photogenic and empty. And sometimes the most photographable moment of your trip turns out... Read more...
A group of friends jumping on the beach at sunset
Girls' Trip to Rio: What to Do, Where to Eat, How to Make It Unforgettable
A girls' trip to Rio de Janeiro sounds like a lot. And it is — in the best possible way. Rio is loud, warm, excessive, and absolutely alive. It has... Read more...
Guest adding beads to the straps of a pale yellow bikini at the Carioca Bikini Co workshop
Creative Bachelorette Ideas That Aren't a Bar Crawl
The bar crawl bachelorette has its place. Nobody's saying don't go out. But when you ask women what they remember most from bachelorette trips years later, it's almost never "that... Read more...
Feet in white flip-flops with a small Brazilian flag on the straps
The Best Souvenirs in Rio de Janeiro (That Aren't Fridge Magnets)
There is a specific kind of sadness that happens in the airport on the way home from a trip when you look at what you bought and realise none of... Read more...
Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado seen from Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro
Botafogo, Rio: The Neighborhood You're Probably Not Staying In (But Should Be)
Most visitors to Rio de Janeiro stay in Ipanema or Copacabana. And honestly, fair enough — the beach is right there, the vibe is electric, and it all makes sense... Read more...
Aerial view of Rio de Janeiro with Sugarloaf Mountain and the bay
One Week in Rio de Janeiro: An Itinerary for First-Timers
Seven days is the sweet spot for Rio de Janeiro. Enough time to see the big sights without rushing, enough time to wander without a plan, and enough time to... Read more...
A woman traveling alone, looking out over a city from a hilltop
Rio de Janeiro for Solo Female Travelers: What to Actually Know Before You Go
Let's be honest about something: when you tell people you're going to Rio de Janeiro alone, at least one of them will look worried. Rio has a reputation. Some of... Read more...
Four women holding up the custom bikinis they made at the Carioca Bikini Co workshop in Rio
Make Your Own Bikini in Rio: What to Expect at a Bikini-Making Workshop
There is a version of the classic Rio de Janeiro souvenir that involves a fridge magnet and a receipt you've already lost. And there is a version that involves spending... Read more...
Rose gold BRIDE letter balloons hanging in a window for a bachelorette party
The Ultimate Rio de Janeiro Bachelorette Party Guide
Rio de Janeiro is one of those destinations that sounds almost too glamorous for a bachelorette party — until you actually plan one there and realise it was made for... Read more...
The courtyard of Parque Lage in Rio de Janeiro, with Corcovado mountain above
10 Unique Things to Do in Rio de Janeiro Beyond the Tourist Traps
Everyone goes to Rio with the same list. Sugarloaf. Christ the Redeemer. Copacabana beach. A caipirinha somewhere. And look — those things are famous for a reason. But if you've... Read more...
Boats on Botafogo bay at sunset, with Corcovado and Christ the Redeemer in the background
Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most vibrant cities in the world — and while most visitors stick to the postcard highlights, there's so much more to discover beyond... Read more...

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