Rio Unraveled: Exploring the Marvels of Rio de Janeiro in Three Days

Rio de Janeiro is one of the premier tourist destinations in the world. The city boasts of vibrant culture and music and is home to some of the best tourist attractions in the world.

· Christ the Redeemer- one of the seven wonders of the modern world

· Biggest Carnival in the world

· And Spectacular beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema

Impressive huh? Arilene is from Brazil and we took a 3 day trip to Rio this summer. Since we visited in summer, we couldn't witness the enigma that is Carnival, but that is something we intend to do soon. Rio is a dream destination all year round due to its tropical climate, delectable cuisine, and amazing nightlife. Sip your coffee, get comfortable on the couch, and keep reading to find out all you need to check this incredible destination off your bucket list.

PARTIU RIO

Portuguese is the official language in Brazil. Very few people speak English, so it is important to learn a few words in Portuguese such as: -

• Hello – olá

• Hi – Oi

• All well - tudo bem

• I am good. What about you? - eu estou bem. E você?

• Thank you – obrigada

• You are welcome – de nada

• No Thank you - Não, obrigado

• Do you speak English? - Você fala inglês?

• Nice to meet you – Prazer

• Pleasure is mine - prazer é meu

These phrases will help you to have a basic conversation with anyone. I am from India and my Portuguese vocabulary is limited to the phrases listed above. If you are like me, you’d greatly appreciate the Google translate application on your phone that helps to translate full-length sentences and you can have a normal conversation with anyone. I used the Google translate app while we attended a Brazilian wedding. Arilene was busy being the bridesmaid, so Google translate was my only friend. And it was awesome. I even learned some local slang words by the end of the night (but that is another story).

We took a United Airlines flight from Dulles Airport, Washington DC to Houston and Houston to Galeão International Airport, which is the main airport serving Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After baggage claim, when you walk towards the exit, you’ll be greeted by a small group of taxi drivers eagerly waiting inside the arrival lounge competing for your business. Unless you are a local, we highly recommend booking a cab or renting a car on or before your arrival for a hassle-free experience.

As soon as we landed, Arilene taught me how to say “Não, Obrigado”, which means “No, thank you!” to any stranger who wanted to sell something, including those taxi drivers. Responding in Portuguese sends a signal that you might be local, and they stop bothering you. However, if you respond in English, you are considered a Gringo which means foreigner, and you might as well look like the Golden Goose.

I became a pro at saying, ‘Não, Obrigado to anyone who approached me on the street. That led to another funny story. While strolling the streets of Rio, we were approached by a guy who said something in Portuguese. Arilene chose to ignore him, and we kept walking. He didn’t give up, so I decide to respond by saying, ‘Não, Obrigado. This made Arilene burst into laughter. I got confused. I looked at the guy who looked at me with the expression, ‘Really bro?’. Arilene said something in Portuguese and he walked away. I asked her, ‘what did I say wrong?’ She responded that the guy wasn’t selling something. He was asking for money, and I replied to him, Não, Obrigado! Funny right?

DURMA BEM

Arilene had already booked an Uber cab for us to go to the hotel. Arilene did most of the talking and she also translated for me in English. No wonder she was always thirsty. On our way to the hotel, I caught a glimpse of the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Drop dead gorgeous. We checked into the hotel and relaxed for the day. Our hotel was The Atlantis Copacabana Hotel, a budget 3-star hotel located between Copacabana and Ipanema, the most famous neighborhood of Rio. It had excellent reviews on booking.com and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It was perfectly located within walking distance from Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, as well as local supermarkets and restaurants. The hotel specialized in receiving international tourists and executives, hence, the staff spoke English. The rooms were nice and cozy, and the staff was polite and friendly. Rio is also home to some of the best luxury hotels that offer magnificent views of the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches such as Copacabana Palace, Miramar Hotel, and Fairmont Copacabana.

CONHECENDO O RIO

Uber is an excellent option to explore the city. It is cheap and convenient. We recommend booking either Uber Black or Uber Comfort from the Uber app. Also, always choose to pay with an international credit card. You can also just walk to the beaches, supermarkets, and restaurants. We do not recommend using public transport because of safety issues unless you speak the local language.

COMES E BEBES

We loved the local Brazilian street food that Rio had to offer. Snacks like pastel, coxinha, and x-tudo are mouth-watering appetizers that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. We found local bakeries with outdoor seating to enjoy these snacks with the beverage of your choice such as a hot Brazilian coffee, and a beautiful view of the beach and the city. To enjoy the Rio nightlife, we highly recommend the Belmonte Bar and Bar da Laje. While the Belmonte Bar is located close to the beach, Bar da Laje is a rooftop bar located on top of a hill with magnificent views of the ocean. Both the bars serve wide range range of Brazilian dishes alongside Caipirinhas and a wide selection of local and international beers.

BAR DA LAJE

We didn't go to the Belmonte bar due to time constraints but Bar da Laje was one of the most unique bars I have been to. It features live music, Samba, and serves excellent food such as pastel, feijoada, and refreshing Caipirinhas. It is located on top of Vidigal hill, in the Vidigal favela, offering breathtaking views of the Ipanema beach and the ocean. Although most favelas in Brazil are dangerous and to be avoided at all times, Vidigal begs to differ. Since its pacification in 2011, Vidigal has flourished to become one of the coolest places in Rio, famous for vibrant bars and restaurants, a growing art scene, and memorable nightlife. Vidigal is one of the first favelas to become a tourist attraction considered to be more of a community with the roots of a favela.

HOW TO REACH BAR DA LAJE

The journey to Bar da Laje is tricky but it is worth every penny. 3 things to do to reach Bar da Laje- :

• Take an Uber to reach the Vidigal community

• Take a moto-taxi to the top of the hill, which is a motorcycle version of Uber, but exclusively operated by people residing in Vidigal. The moto-taxi costs about 10 reais or $2 per person. It is almost a roller-coaster ride as a pillion on the moto-taxi maneuvering through the narrow twists and turns of the hill while the motorcycle rider negotiates through the oncoming traffic including cars and other motorcycles, and of course, people walking in all directions.

• At the top of the hill, walk up to the BAR DA LAJE. The entry fee per person is about 100 reais per person which is about $20 per person.

O QUE FAZER NO RIO

Here is our 3-day itinerary for Rio de Janeiro-:

Day1 - Copacabana and Ipanema beach

Day 2 - Christ the Redeemer

Day 3 - Itaipu Beach

Copacabana and Ipanema

Every day is a party in Rio. There is never a dull moment. Whenever you are on the street, you'd hear one of the numerous Brazilian musical landscapes playing somewhere

in the background including Brazilian jazz, Samba, Bossa nova, hip-hop, Afro-Caribbean fusion, etc. The Copacabana and Ipanema beaches were within walking distance from our hotel. On our way to the beach, we saw scores of people running or brisk walking on the street. All age groups, from 8 to 80, men and women, children on their bicycles, everybody is on the street. On Sundays, one section of the main street parallel to the beach is blocked from traffic until noon, so that people can run or jog alongside the beach.

Brazilians are truly the definition of people who work hard and party harder. Copacabana and Ipanema beaches are one of the most beautiful and spectacular beaches in the world that offer breathtaking and magnificent views of the ocean. Both the beaches are depicted on many postcards, with their pristine sandy beaches and expansive blue water. The sunset view of the ocean is absolutely stunning. Hundreds of people stroll the beach every day, exploring the food kiosks on the pavements alongside the beach, serving popular local snacks, refreshing caipirinhas, and ice-cold beers. You'd see people walking, running, playing volleyball, soaking in the sun, chilling under umbrellas, and even taking CrossFit classes. Right on the beach. We carried our own umbrellas, snacks, and drinks. But you can rent the umbrellas at the beach, and buy snacks and caipirinhas from the kiosks alongside.

3 Things we recommend while you are on the beach-:

1. Do not leave your personal belongings unattended

2. Do not use your phone or camera to take pictures when you are in a crowded area of the beach. Someone might snatch the phone and run away. Arilene witnessed someone snatching someone's phone and poof! Gone with the wind!

3. Do not buy food, snacks, or souvenirs from people approaching you on the beach. If you look like a Gringo, you will be approached. Just say Não, Obrigado!

Christ the Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer is an absolutely stunning piece of architecture, an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, in collaboration with the French engineer Albert Caquot. It is one of the seven wonders of the modern world. It is a symbol of Christianity across the world and a cultural icon for Rio and Brazil. It is located on the 2300-foot summit of Mount Corcovado and is about 98 feet high.

How to get there

2 ways to reach the top_:

1. By Train - You can buy the train and the entry ticket online at https://www.tremdocorcovado.rio/comochegar.html. Click on the link to find out the address. The website offers a combo ticket of the Corcovado train and entry to the museum and visitor center of the Christ. The Corcovado train rides inside Tijuca National Park, the largest urban forest in the world. This amazing train ride offers magnificent views of Tijuca Forest, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and Guanabara Bay, taking you right to the foot of the statue. The train ticket for adults costs about $17-$20 which includes access to the statue.

2. By Van- Another way to reach the top is to rent a shared van. We took the van since we didn't buy the online train ticket. There are long queues to buy tickets at the train station. We didn't want to wait. That's when the van is the better option. It gives less pretty views, is more expensive than the train, but faster. Shared vans are available to rent from the same spot mentioned in the link above for about 50 reais which is $10 per person. These vans take about 10-12 people at a time so you might as well rent a whole van if you traveling in a large group. The vans do not include the ticket to Christ. They take you to the museum and visitor center where you can purchase the entry ticket to Christ, costing about 55 reais or $11 per person. The museum and visitor center also consists of reasonably priced souvenirs to purchase.

Once you reach the summit, 2300 foot high, you get panoramic views of the whole city of Rio de Janeiro. Absolutely stunning. We highly recommend visiting this iconic structure in the morning hours to avoid the crowds and hot weather.

You can also book a 30 or 60-minute helicopter tour over Rio de Janeiro at https://www.getyourguide.com/rio-de-janeiro-l9/rio-de-janeiro-30-minute-highlights-helicopter-tour-t67381/ to enjoy the bird's eye view of the Christ, the beaches, Sugarloaf mountain, and all the landmarks of this spectacular city. A good deal costs about $600 for 30-minutes and $1100 for 60-minutes for a group of 3 people. It is recommended to book this tour well in advance to get the best deals. We didn't do the helicopter tour due to exorbitantly high prices at the last moment. The prices were well over $1000 for a group of 3-5 for 15 or 30-minutes.

Itaipu beach

Another gem of a beach about 45 km away from Rio de Janeiro is the Itaipu beach, about 1-hour drive by car, home to some of the freshest fish and amazing beachfront restaurants serving local food and drinks. It is a beach lover's paradise away from the hustle and bustle of the city if you love the peace and quiet and want to experience the traditional Brazilian

beach life. You can swim, sunbathe, and paddle boarding is one of the popular activities. We highly recommend trying Moqueca and traditional caipirinhas at one of the beachfront bars. Moqueca is a Brazilian seafood stew, typically made with shrimp or fish as a base with tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime, and coriander.

There you are. Your 3-day itinerary for Rio de Janeiro. Save this article and share it with your friends and family. Please let us know in the comments section what you liked most about this article. Also, if there is a place you'd like to know more about, please comment and let us know. Thank you for reading.

PS-: All pictures clicked on Samsung Galaxy S22.