Free things to do · Rio de Janeiro · Brazil
10 free things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: [www.flickr.com/photos/26912057@N02/ bisonlux], CC BY 2.0
![[www.flickr.com/photos/26912057@N02/ bisonlux]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Praia_de_Copacabana_-_Rio_de_Janeiro,_Brasil.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Rio de Janeiro without paying an entry fee: Copacabana Beach, Ipanema Beach, Arpoador Rock and Selarón Steps are all free. Por quilo buffets and the prato feito (a set plate of rice, beans, meat and salad) at botecos cost a fraction of beachfront restaurant meals.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 10
- Low-cost extras
- 6
- Cost level
- Moderately priced
- Lowest hotel prices
- May–June and August–September
Free sights and experiences
Beach · Copacabana
1.Copacabana Beach
Walk the promenade early in the morning when locals jog and play footvolley, and leave valuables at your hotel.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Beach · Ipanema
2.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.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Ipanema
3.Arpoador Rock
Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunset in summer to find a spot on the rock, and watch your footing on the way down after dark.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Landmark · Lapa
4.Selarón Steps
Come early in the morning for photos without crowds, then continue uphill to Santa Teresa by daylight.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Photo spot
Nature · Tijuca Forest
5.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.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
- Views
- Free
Historic site · Lapa
6.Lapa Arches
See the arches by day and come back for live samba at night, arriving and leaving by taxi or ride-hailing.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes by day, an evening for samba
- Cost
- Free
- History
- After dark
- Free
- Architecture
Architecture · Centro
7.Real Gabinete Português de Leitura
Look around quietly, as people are reading, and combine it with Confeitaria Colombo and the Theatro Municipal on a Centro walk.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Religious site · Centro
8.Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian
Visit around midday or early afternoon when the light through the windows is strongest, then walk on to the Lapa Arches nearby.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- Photo spot
- Rainy day
Waterfront · Lagoa
9.Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
Rent a bike from a bike-share dock and ride the full loop in the late afternoon, then stay for dinner at a lakeside kiosk.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- Views
Park · Jardim Botânico
10.Parque Lage
Have breakfast at the courtyard café, and only tackle the Corcovado trail early in the day, with water and preferably a guide.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Nature
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Copacabana | Copacabana Beach | Half a day |
| Ipanema | Ipanema Beach and Arpoador Rock | Half a day + 1–2 hours |
| Lapa | Selarón Steps and Lapa Arches | 30–45 minutes + 30 minutes by day, an evening for samba |
| Tijuca Forest | Tijuca National Park | Half a day to a full day |
| Centro | Real Gabinete Português de Leitura and Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian | 30 minutes + 30 minutes |
| Lagoa | Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas | 1–2 hours |
| Jardim Botânico | Parque Lage | 1 hour |
Worth a small ticket
Neighbourhood · Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa and the bonde tram
Ride the tram up and walk back down towards Lapa via the Selarón Steps while it is still light.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Couples
- Art
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Garden · Jardim Botânico
Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden
Combine it with lunch in the Jardim Botânico neighbourhood and a walk or bike ride around the Lagoa.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Museum · Praça Mauá
Museum of Tomorrow
Pair it with the Museu de Arte do Rio across Praça Mauá and ride the VLT tram back to Centro.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Photo spot
Gallery · Praça Mauá
Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR)
Take the lift to the rooftop terrace first, then work down through the galleries.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Views
Experience · Centro
Confeitaria Colombo
Come mid-morning on a weekday to avoid the lunchtime queue, and order a coffee and a pastry at the counter.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Architecture · Centro
Theatro Municipal
Check the programme for a performance; a show is the best way to see the auditorium full and lit.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- After dark
More ways to save
- Por quilo buffets and the prato feito (a set plate of rice, beans, meat and salad) at botecos cost a fraction of beachfront restaurant meals.
- Avoid Carnival and New Year's Eve if price matters: hotels often sell multi-night packages at several times their normal rates.
- Rent beach chairs and umbrellas from one barraca for the day and agree the price before you sit down.
- Several museums offer a free or reduced day each week; check each museum's site before you go.
- Ride-hailing is usually cheaper than taxis for trips between neighbourhoods, especially for groups.
- Cards, including contactless, are accepted almost everywhere, so you only need small amounts of cash for vendors and street markets.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Rio de Janeiro expensive to visit?
Rio de Janeiro is moderately priced for most visitors, but 10 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Rio de Janeiro?
Copacabana Beach: Walk the promenade early in the morning when locals jog and play footvolley, and leave valuables at your hotel.