Complete and
easy to use
Our website caters to the first-time visitor and to residents.
If you are planning a trip, start with practical information!
Favorite areas
and attractions
Virtual city tours feature photos, maps, videos, tips, insights, suggestions
and things to do and see. For Cariocas and visitors.
Where to
stay in Rio.
We have decades of professional experience in the travel business.
Add our expertise about Rio to the power of your favorite booking tools!
Eating out,
shops & night life
We left no stone unturned. This is an authorial website,
meaning we only suggest what we find worth it!
Celebrating 27 years online!
Whether we are talking about beaches, attractions, bars, shopping, or nightclubs, we always have first-hand impressions to share. We are fascinated by Rio, it's our hometown. We try to go a little beyond the obvious when we suggest a museum, a park, or a celebration.
You will find photos, maps, tips, addresses, references, posts from social media, the works! We went online in 1996 when the Internet was a fledgling. We have been adding new features since then - you will notice our commitment. For practical information to plan your trip and figure out what you're getting into explore
Rio for Beginners.
Carnaval 2024 in Rio de Janeiro
It's never too early to start planning Carnaval 2024. It happens in mid-February! Expect awesome street festivities including Cordão da Bola Preta, Simpatia é Quase Amor, Banda de Ipanema, Monobloco, Empolga às 9, Spanta Neném, the best blocos are always the ones that your friends invite you to!
The Samba Parade at Sambódromo will be amazing! Carnaval Balls, off-Carnaval parties with the best DJ's... Our Carnaval Party Planner has all the highlights and links!
Highlights of Carnaval 2024 - Carioca Guide
Getting a good taste of Rio
You can do all the sights in a single day. Corcovado, Sugarloaf, Maracanã Stadium, it's a panoramic tour, and it may make sense. Rio has such a diversity of scenes, make time to pursue your personal interests. This is a city rich in history, with great museums, and structures dating back to the colonial era.
A collection of gorgeous ocean beaches. Small, sophisticated neighborhoods where everything is within walking distance. Historical Centro, with bohemian Lapa. Trails in tropical forests that are rewarded with breath-taking views. The hospitality business in Rio offers a smorgasbord of lovely choices. Take advantage of our professional experience, a few trade secrets, and a genuine interest to help.
Virtual City Tours
Where to Stay in Rio - Carioca Guide
We've launched a completely new and improved version of our celebrated guide to lodging in Rio. The scene has changed for the better. There are a host of new properties, including premium international labels. Traditional hotels changed hands and went through a complete makeover. We used our expertise of decades in the inbound travel business to select the best alternatives.
Choose by area or star rating and use the interactive maps for orientation. Choose your personal favorites by picking out features that make sense to you. From oceanfront to pet-friendly, a luxury spa and pool - or just a basic hotel right next to the action.
Lodging in Rio the Janeiro!Discovering Rio
We listed below a few topics that are popular with our visitors. Explore our menu on top, do a quick search, and check the newsfeed from our pages on social networks.
Where to Start
There is no special order to follow, so here are some popular choices. Rio for Beginners is our introduction to the city. Practical facts to plan your trip, plus info about the culture, people, and history. Enjoy!
Favorite Parts of Rio
You may start with a Rio Quick Tour. From the International Airport past Historical Rio, Guanabara Bay, and ocean beach areas all the way to Barra da Tijuca. Stop whenever you want. Find photos, maps, tips, and curiosities.
Choose special themes like parks, museums and cultural centers, beaches, historical churches. We give you all the tools to make the best of your stay in Rio, at your own pace. You can favorite the maps for future reference. We provide links to official websites, whenever available.
Where to Stay in Rio
The lodging scene in Rio has been upgraded, and there are more hotels and rooms than ever before. New international chains arrived in town. Other properties changed hands and were renovated from scratch - or retrofitted.
Condo hotels that offer apartments with services and a kitchenette are available in some areas and are perfect for families or gourmet cooks. The hostel concept blossomed, and sometimes in addition to dormitories, they may also offer rooms.
Eating Out in Rio
Some travelers are satisfied just to grab something to eat along the way, while others consider eating a part of the whole cultural experience. Maybe it's an ingrained longing to find a dish cooked exactly like home. Or a gourmand urge to sample anything that you will never find elsewhere... Would it surprise you to learn that Rio caters to all tastes?
Style, Cuisine, or Area
You do not have all the time in the world to sample everything, so we took the liberty of picking out favorites that are popular with friends - and specialized critics. The vast majority are located in convenient areas that are easy to reach, and they come in all price ranges. We are not prejudiced.
Nightlife in Rio
When it comes to nightlife possibilities, Rio caters to all tastes. Hanging out with friends at a café is a Carioca past-time. We have favorite bars, usually clustered around the same areas. Samba is alive and sets the beat to the gafieiras and clubs in Lapa. Forró is also popular if you like to dance together.
Dance clubs feature several favorite label parties. There are clubs open all days of the week. They come in all sizes, from cozy and neighborly, to huge. The largest clubs are mostly in Centro. They alternate attractions including live music shows and bigger parties. Rio Nightlife Carioca is updated daily with our hand-picked suggestions. Keep connected!
Carnaval 2024 in Rio
Carnaval is so much part of our culture that it has been celebrated in Rio since the colonial era. In many cases when Cariocas say that the year only starts after the end of Carnaval they are being realistic. Festivities last a month. The city stops to celebrate during the 4 official Carnaval days, February 10th through 13th, 2024. Street Carnaval is much more organized than you would imagine. We are hosting 550 bandas and blocos this year. The largest ones may attract as many as one million people!
The Samba Parade at Sambódromo is spectacular. On Friday and Saturday Group A schools compete to fight their way up. On Sunday and Monday, Special Group Samba Schools perform their magic. If you follow our posts, you know that tickets are priced less with the new exchange rate. Watching at home is not the same thing, but it will be broadcast in real-time. The party scene happens in a big way. Off-Carnaval specials compete for the attention of Cariocas and visitors from Brazil and all around the world. Enjoy!
Carnaval 2024 in Rio
Join us at the most festive Carnaval celebration in the world. Enjoy photo albums, videos, daily updates, and our best suggestions. We hope to see you here!