3 days in Rio de Janeiro

Day by day

1. Day 1: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain

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

   1. Morning

      Christ the Redeemer

      The 30-metre Art Deco statue, completed in 1931, stands on the 700-metre summit of Corcovado with its arms spread over the city.

   2. Late morning

      Sugarloaf Mountain

      Arrive about an hour before sunset to see the city in daylight, at dusk and lit up; fit walkers can climb Morro da Urca by trail from the Pista Cláudio Coutinho path at Praia Vermelha.

   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

      Four kilometres of sand curve from Leme to the Copacabana Fort, backed by Avenida Atlântica and Roberto Burle Marx's wave-pattern mosaic promenade.

   5. 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: Ipanema Beach and Arpoador Rock

   Ipanema Beach, Arpoador Rock and Selarón Steps, then Lapa Arches in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ipanema Beach

      Use a lifeguard post (posto) as your meeting point and rent chairs and an umbrella from a beach stall (barraca) rather than carrying your own.

   2. Late morning

      Arpoador Rock

      The rocky headland between Copacabana and Ipanema is Rio's favourite sunset spot: on clear evenings crowds sit on the granite and applaud as the sun drops behind the Dois Irmãos mountains.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Biscoito Globo and iced mate

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

   4. Afternoon

      Selarón Steps

      Come early in the morning for photos without crowds, then continue uphill to Santa Teresa by daylight.

   5. Evening

      Lapa Arches

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

3. Day 3: Santa Teresa and the bonde tram and Tijuca National Park

   Santa Teresa and the bonde tram, Tijuca National Park and Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, then Theatro Municipal in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Santa Teresa and the bonde tram

      The yellow bonde tram climbs from its station near Carioca in Centro across the top of the Lapa Arches and up into Santa Teresa's cobbled streets.

   2. Late morning

      Tijuca National Park

      Hire a local guide for longer hikes such as Pedra da Gávea, carry plenty of water and stick to well-used trails.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Açaí bowl

      Juice bars (casas de suco) on almost every Zona Sul corner, which also squeeze fresh juices from mango to cashew fruit.

   4. Afternoon

      Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden

      Founded in 1808 by the Portuguese prince regent Dom João, the garden is known for its avenue of imperial palms, its orchid and bromeliad collections and the view of Christ the Redeemer above the trees.

   5. Evening

      Theatro Municipal

      Check the programme for a performance; a show is the best way to see the auditorium full and lit.

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

With 3 nights, Copacabana keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Ipanema ($$$$) suits first-timers, couples, food lovers, shopping and beach. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 23–31 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.7 hours in June to 13.5 hours in December.

More or fewer days

• One day in Rio de Janeiro
• 2 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