7 days in Rio de Janeiro

Day by day

1. Day 1: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain

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

   1. Morning

      Christ the Redeemer

      Corcovado · 2–3 hours including the train · mid-priced. Buy timed train or van tickets online in advance for weekends, holidays and the December–March high season.

   2. Late morning

      Sugarloaf Mountain

      Urca · 2–3 hours · mid-priced.

   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. 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: Copacabana Beach and Ipanema Beach

   Copacabana Beach and Ipanema Beach, then Lapa Arches in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Copacabana Beach

      Copacabana · Half a day · free.

   2. Late morning

      Ipanema Beach

      Ipanema · Half a day · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Biscoito Globo and iced mate

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

   4. 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: Arpoador Rock and Selarón Steps

   Arpoador Rock and Selarón Steps, then Theatro Municipal in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Arpoador Rock

      Ipanema · 1–2 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Selarón Steps

      Lapa · 30–45 minutes · free.

   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. Evening

      Theatro Municipal

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

4. Day 4: Day trip to Petrópolis

   About 1.5 hours by bus each way. Getting there: Bus from Rodoviária Novo Rio, or a tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Petrópolis

      About 1.5 hours by bus (Bus from Rodoviária Novo Rio, or a tour); about 68 km.

   2. Day

      Petrópolis

      It is noticeably cooler than Rio and makes a relaxed, history-focused day.

   3. Evening

      Back in Rio de Janeiro

      Dinner: try Cheese bread.

5. Day 5: Santa Teresa and the bonde tram and Tijuca National Park

   Santa Teresa and the bonde tram and Tijuca National Park, then Lapa in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Santa Teresa and the bonde tram

      Santa Teresa · Half a day · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Tijuca National Park

      Tijuca Forest · Half a day to a full day · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cheese bread

      Bakeries (padarias), juice bars and café counters across the city.

   4. Evening

      Lapa

      Samba halls and live-music bars along Rua do Lavradio and Rua Mem de Sá, plus street parties under the arches at weekends.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Niterói and the MAC

   About 20 minutes by ferry, then a short ride each way. Getting there: Ferry from Praça XV, then bus or taxi.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Niterói and the MAC

      About 20 minutes by ferry, then a short ride (Ferry from Praça XV, then bus or taxi); about 15 km.

   2. Day

      Niterói and the MAC

      The ferry crossing doubles as an inexpensive harbour cruise, and Niterói's Icaraí beach promenade is close by.

   3. Evening

      Back in Rio de Janeiro

      Dinner: try Coxinha.

7. Day 7: Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden and Parque Lage

   Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden and Parque Lage, then Pedra do Sal in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden

      Jardim Botânico · 2–3 hours · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Parque Lage

      Jardim Botânico · 1 hour · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Coxinha

      Botecos, padarias and lanchonetes everywhere; Confeitaria Colombo serves a smarter version.

   4. Evening

      Pedra do Sal

      Free open-air samba circles on the historic steps in Saúde, near Praça Mauá, usually on Monday and Friday evenings.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Christ the Redeemer before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 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 24–32 hours of visiting over 7 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
• 3 days in Rio de Janeiro
• 4 days in Rio de Janeiro
• 5 days in Rio de Janeiro

Questions travellers ask