Rio de Janeiro Things To Do

Riding the two-stage glass cable car to the 1,300-foot-high peak of Sugarloaf mountain, one of Rio’s signature landmarks, is a great introduction to the spectacular geography of the city: beaches, jungles, mountains, skyscrapers! Leaves every half-hour from 8am to 10pm.

Base yourself around Ipanema’s 9th lifeguard tower (clearly marked “Posto Nove 9”) to join Rio’s highest concentration of beautiful bikini-clad bohemians. Plan to spend at least three hours – a beach tent vendor can secure you a chair for R$2 or R$3.

Finished in 1931 and voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007, Rio’s iconic 125-foot-tall statue of Christ welcomes visitors to jaw-dropping vistas of the city and sea from its perch atop Corcovado Mountain. Ascend the 2,330-foot peak via tram, elevator, and escalator.

Explore this UNESCO-protected, 75-square-mile tropical rainforest, remarkably located in the heart of the city, via open-air jeep tour – you’ll stop at waterfalls and spot monkeys, sloths, and toucans before wrapping up at Pepino Beach to watch the hang gliders.

One of the cheapest thrills in Rio is hanging off the sides of the 19th-century tram (bondinho) that creaks across an arched aqueduct in the colonial Lapa neighborhood, zigzagging up a steep hill to the quirky Santa Teresa neighborhood, home to a vibrant collection of bars, restaurants, and artists’ studios. Trams leave every half-hour between 6am and 11pm, and the ticket is just R.60.

The pineapple-and-banana-bedecked “Brazilian Bombshell” who sambaed into America’s heart in the '40s is the star of this campy tribute to her life and career. Eyeball her publicity photos, fruity turbans, and the frock she wore to the 1941 Academy Awards.