Brazil Rio de Janeiro
Of the world’s great iconic cities, Rio is the most captivating. Romantic and laid back but oozing energy and optimism. Enjoy its vibrant street art, beach football and spontaneous musical events.
Overview
To wake up on a sparkling, sunny morning in Rio and take in your first views across iconic Copacabana beach is one of Brazil’s standout experiences. Indeed, Rio’s setting, among the most beautiful of any world city, is reason enough to visit. However, there’s much more to this quintessentially Brazilian oceanside metropolis. And whilst Rio seems to be changing all the time, the magnetic warmth of the Cariocas is a constant. Rio deserves a few days to explore as well as time to sit back and share the outdoor life of its welcoming inhabitants.
Sugarloaf Mountain and the statue of Christ on Corcovado overlook the sprawling city, where the legendary golden beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema bustle with prom-side bars. Venture into the busy colonial centre to see literary cafés spilling out onto car-free lanes, the National Theatre all a-glitter, and boutique hotels that nestle in arty Santa Teresa.
The lagoon behind Ipanema beach is circled by a pretty path and cycle route and the Botanical Gardens are luscious and serene. Vibrant street art, beach football, spontaneous musical events and lively bars all add to a joyous experience for visitors. Rio confounds, surprises and excites and should not be missed. Whatever impressions you may have before you go, it’s quite likely you’ll crave a return visit.
Holidays Rio de Janeiro
From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.
Group - Discovery
/ Guyana / French Guiana / Suriname
Coq of the Rock: Trailblazing the Guianas
18 days from £3,962pp
Private Journeys
Argentina / Iguazu Falls / Brazil
Explore and Relax in Argentina and Brazil: Cityscapes and beach time
15 days from £3,410pp
Private Journeys
Peru / Brazil
Explore and Relax Peru and Brazil: Machu Picchu to Rio
16 days from £3,550pp
Private Journeys
Brazil
Family Brazil: Rio, Iguazu Falls and Bahia
15 days from £4,800pp
Things to do
Sugar Loaf mountain, Christ the Redeemer and the Maracana stadium are some of the iconic sights of Rio. To discover more speak to an expert now.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Rio is as cosmopolitan as the city itself. Choose from no-frills, mid-range and high end, luxury hotels in enviable locations.
Where to go when - our guide to Rio de Janeiro
The weather in Rio de Janeiro is wide and varied
Of the world’s great iconic cities, Rio is the most captivating. Enjoy its vibrant street art, beach football and spontaneous musical events. With a tropical climate, Rio is hot, humid and prone to some spectacularly heavy rain showers between November and March. This period includes the busy local holiday season, January and February. So if you revel in the heat, enjoy spectacular thunderstorms, and like the beaches and pavement bars to be brimming with animated people, choose those months to visit. April and September offer slightly cooler, quieter conditions both weather and visitor-wise. Winter (May - August) appeals to those who don’t like high temperatures, but it can be cool and drizzly at times.
View our Rio de Janeiro weather guidePapagaio
Your edit for Latin American inspiration
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
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Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert
Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.
Evie Oswald - Travel Expert
It's hard to believe that Evie has had time to cram so much in to her life so far. Having lived as a child in the Americas and Europe she found herself immediately attracted to Latin America.
Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert
Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.
Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert
After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.
Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert
Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.
Sophie Barber - Travel Expert
Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.
