Solo travel · Rio de Janeiro · Brazil
Solo travel in Rio de Janeiro
How to enjoy Rio de Janeiro at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: J. P. Engelbrecht, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Rio is sociable and it is easy to meet people, from hostel bars in Botafogo and Copacabana to beach volleyball and samba nights. Solo travellers do best by planning transport after dark and carrying as little as possible. Many solo travellers base themselves in Botafogo.
Key facts
- Base
- Botafogo
- Getting around
- Metro
- Emergency number
- 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire
- Language
- Portuguese
Solo travel tips
- Join a group hike or walking tour for the Tijuca trails and Centro; some trails are best done with a guide.
- Botafogo and Copacabana have the widest choice of hostels and are on the Metrô.
- Sit at the counter of a boteco for an easy conversation and an inexpensive chope.
- Use ride-hailing after dark, especially around Lapa, Centro and Santa Teresa.
- Take only a phone, a card and a little cash to the beach, and ask the people beside you to watch your things while you swim.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for budget, food lovers, nightlife and solo travellers
Botafogo
Botafogo curves around a bay with a postcard view of Sugarloaf, though its beach on Guanabara Bay is better for photos than for swimming. Inland, the streets around Rua Voluntários da Pátria are full of botecos, craft-beer bars and restaurants at lower prices than the beach districts, and two Metrô stations put Copacabana and Centro a few minutes away.
- Good
- Good-value hotels and hostels; Many local bars and restaurants; Central Metrô location
- Watch out
- Bay beach usually unsuitable for swimming; Busy traffic on the main avenues
- Nearby
- Botafogo Bay, Urca, Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio Sul shopping centre
Great on your own
Landmark · Corcovado
Christ the Redeemer
Take one of the first trains on a clear morning; cloud often settles over the summit later in the day, so look at the sky before you set off.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours including the train
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Landmark · Urca
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.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- After dark
Landmark · Maracanã
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.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours for a tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- After dark
- Kids
Viewpoint · Ipanema
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
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
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
Meeting people
- Saturday feijoada — Bars, hotels and samba schools serve all-you-can-eat feijoada on Saturdays, often with live samba. It is a long, social lunch rather than a quick meal, so leave the afternoon free.
- Por quilo lunch — Pay-by-weight buffets are the standard weekday lunch for working Cariocas: fill a plate from salads, rice, beans and grilled meats and pay by the gram. They are good value and easy for vegetarians.
- Lapa — Samba halls and live-music bars along Rua do Lavradio and Rua Mem de Sá, plus street parties under the arches at weekends.
- Pedra do Sal — Free open-air samba circles on the historic steps in Saúde, near Praça Mauá, usually on Monday and Friday evenings.
Sensible precautions
Phone snatching and petty theft are the main risks, especially on beaches, in Centro and on quiet streets after dark: carry little to the beach, keep phones out of sight and use ride-hailing at night. Strong rip currents occur on the open-ocean beaches, so swim near the lifeguard posts.
- Emergency number
- 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire
- Staying connected
- Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and malls; eSIMs and roaming work well for short visits.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Rio de Janeiro good for solo travellers?
Rio is sociable and it is easy to meet people, from hostel bars in Botafogo and Copacabana to beach volleyball and samba nights. Solo travellers do best by planning transport after dark and carrying as little as possible.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Rio de Janeiro?
Botafogo: Bar streets, good-value restaurants and the classic Sugarloaf view.