rio diaries ✦

your insider guide to Rio

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

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,... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...
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... Leia mais...

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