2 days in Rio de Janeiro

Day by day

1. Day 1: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain

   Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana Beach and Ipanema Beach, then Maracanã Stadium in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Christ the Redeemer

      The cog train from Cosme Velho climbs through the Tijuca forest in about 20 minutes, and official vans run from Copacabana and Largo do Machado. From the platform you see Sugarloaf, the Lagoa, the beaches and the Maracanã.

   2. Late morning

      Sugarloaf Mountain

      The views take in Copacabana, Christ the Redeemer and Niterói across the water, and both peaks have paths, cafés and space to wait for sunset.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Feijoada

      Botecos and restaurants traditionally serve it on Saturdays, and in some places on Wednesdays; samba-school and hotel feijoadas with live music are a Saturday institution.

   4. Afternoon

      Copacabana Beach

      Kiosks, volleyball and footvolley courts and rented chairs fill the beach, and the fort at the southern end has a small army museum and a café looking back along the bay.

   5. Late afternoon

      Ipanema Beach

      Vendors walk the sand selling Biscoito Globo, iced mate and grilled cheese, and the Dois Irmãos peaks frame the western end.

   6. Evening

      Maracanã Stadium

      Buy match tickets through the clubs' official sales or a reputable tour operator, and take the Metrô to Maracanã station rather than driving.

2. Day 2: Arpoador Rock and Selarón Steps

   Arpoador Rock, Selarón Steps, Santa Teresa and the bonde tram and Tijuca National Park, then Lapa Arches in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Arpoador Rock

      The small beach below is popular with surfers, and the Parque Garota de Ipanema behind it has shade and a playground.

   2. Late morning

      Selarón Steps

      The red, green, yellow and blue staircase is one of the most photographed spots in the city.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Biscoito Globo and iced mate

      From vendors walking every Zona Sul beach; bakeries and supermarkets also sell the biscuits.

   4. Afternoon

      Santa Teresa and the bonde tram

      Get off near Largo dos Guimarães to explore studios, small museums and bars, and walk to the free Parque das Ruínas, a ruined mansion with a terrace over Guanabara Bay.

   5. Late afternoon

      Tijuca National Park

      Trails lead to the 1,021-metre Pico da Tijuca, the Cascatinha Taunay waterfall and the Vista Chinesa pavilion, and Corcovado itself lies inside the park.

   6. Evening

      Lapa Arches

      See the arches by day and come back for live samba at night, arriving and leaving by taxi or ride-hailing.

Before you go

• Christ the Redeemer: Buy timed train or van tickets online in advance for weekends, holidays and the December–March high season.

If it rains

• Swap in Museum of Tomorrow (Praça Mauá): Pair it with the Museu de Arte do Rio across Praça Mauá and ride the VLT tram back to Centro.
• Swap in Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR) (Praça Mauá): Take the lift to the rooftop terrace first, then work down through the galleries.
• Swap in AquaRio (Gamboa): Visit on a weekday morning; weekend afternoons and school holidays are crowded.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 20–27 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.7 hours in June to 13.5 hours in December.

Getting between stops: Metro. MetrôRio Line 1 runs from Ipanema (General Osório) through Copacabana, Botafogo and Centro to Tijuca; Line 4 continues west to Leblon, São Conrado and Barra da Tijuca, and Line 2 serves the Maracanã.

More or fewer days

• One day in Rio de Janeiro
• 3 days in Rio de Janeiro
• 4 days in Rio de Janeiro
• 5 days in Rio de Janeiro
• 7 days in Rio de Janeiro

Questions travellers ask