Things to Do in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado)

Christ the Redeemer crowns Corcovado Mountain and defines Rio’s skyline. The Art Deco statue measures about thirty metres tall on an eight-metre pedestal, with arms stretched roughly twenty-eight metres across, and was completed in 1931 in a collaboration between Brazilian architect Heitor da Silva Costa and French sculptor Paul Landowski.

The monument sits inside Tijuca National Park about 710 metres above sea level; the summit platform offers sweeping views of the city, beaches, bay, and surrounding hills from circular terraces. Access options include the historic rack railway from Cosme Velho, official Paineiras shuttle vans, and steep walking routes through the forest.

Weather can change quickly at the summit, and ticketing and transport options vary—verify official sources before you go.

Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar)

Sugarloaf Mountain is a dramatic granite monolith at the entrance to Guanabara Bay, rising to about 396 metres and paired with the smaller Morro da Urca. Its compact, largely vertical form frames many of Rio’s classic views and has been a city landmark for more than a century.

The visitor experience centers on a two-stage cable-car ride—Praia Vermelha to Morro da Urca, then Urca to the Sugarloaf summit—combined with short walks and viewpoints. Morro da Urca’s plateau has easy trails, eateries, and small exhibits, while the summit affords broad panoramas of Copacabana, Botafogo, downtown Rio, Corcovado, and the Atlantic.

Operations are weather dependent; check the cable-car operator or municipal notices before planning your visit.

Official Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) website →

Copacabana Beach

Copacabana Beach is a broad, curved bayfront of roughly four kilometres in Rio’s South Zone and remains one of the city’s most photographed public spaces, with views toward Sugarloaf and the bay. The beach is defined by its black-and-white Portuguese-stone mosaic promenade developed under landscape designers including Roberto Burle Marx.

Visitors move easily between sunbathing, informal sport courts, and kiosks along the sand; the Forte de Copacabana anchors one end of the bay with a museum and café. Sea conditions and flags change with tides and weather, so check official beach-condition information before swimming.

Lifeguard stations operate along the length and sand width and currents can vary.

Ipanema Beach

Ipanema Beach lies between the Arpoador headland and Leblon and is famed for its musical and cultural associations, including the song “Garota de Ipanema.” The beachfront avenue and patterned promenade provide easy access to cafés, shops, and cultural addresses inland.

The beach’s breaks vary along its length: the Arpoador rocks create a surf point and a popular sunset gathering, while stretches such as Posto 9 are known as social meeting points with visible LGBTQ+ presence. Avenida Vieira Souto’s pavement and cycle path encourage walking and people-watching.

Verify sea flags and lifeguard advice before entering the water and be mindful of belongings while enjoying the shore.

Tijuca National Park

Tijuca National Park is a large protected remnant of Atlantic Forest within the city limits, offering waterfalls, shaded trails, and high viewpoints. The park contains landmarks such as Corcovado, the Coroa da Tijuca ridge, and Pico da Tijuca, which provide dramatic views back toward Rio and the bay.

The park covers roughly thirty-three square kilometres and combines regrown secondary forest, steep ridgelines, and urban-edge green space. Trails range from short, accessible walks to steep, strenuous routes; a visitor centre offers interpretive material and trail orientation.

ICMBio and municipal partners manage conservation and visitor services—check official guidance for trail conditions and safety measures before setting out.

Museum of Tomorrow (Museu do Amanhã)

The Museum of Tomorrow is a science museum focused on environmental, social, and technological futures. Its permanent exhibition is organized around thematic modules—Cosmos, Earth, Anthropocene, Tomorrows, and Us—and uses immersive multimedia to explore planetary limits, systems thinking, and future scenarios rather than single predictions.

Housed in a landmark Santiago Calatrava building on Pier Mauá, the museum’s architecture includes long cantilevers, movable roof wings, passive ventilation, and photovoltaic elements, which form part of the visitor experience. The site links indoor galleries with outdoor plazas and bay views; verify programme schedules and special exhibitions on the museum’s official channels before visiting.

Maracanã Stadium

Maracanã, officially Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, is one of Brazil’s most storied football venues. Opened in 1950, the stadium has hosted World Cup finals and major matches; renovations have updated facilities while preserving its historic memory.

Guided tours typically include backstage areas, locker rooms, press boxes, and a compact museum displaying trophies and historic jerseys. The venue also hosts concerts and civic events.

Check official sources for tour availability and matchday procedures, and note that access is straightforward from the Maracanã metro station and multiple bus lines.

Selarón Steps (Escadaria Selarón)

The Selarón Steps (Escadaria Selarón) are a colorful mosaic staircase linking Lapa with Santa Teresa. Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón began covering the roughly 125-metre stair with thousands of tiles—flags, ceramics, and found fragments—from around the world, creating a compact public artwork and a popular photographic spot.

The staircase comprises about 215 steps amid narrow streets and local cafés. After Selarón’s death in 2013, conservation efforts increased to maintain the mosaic as a living artwork.

Visit respectfully—avoid blocking pedestrian flow, expect other visitors in photos, and combine the stop with nearby Lapa Arches and Santa Teresa attractions.

Lapa Arches (Arcos da Lapa)

The Lapa Arches (Arcos da Lapa) are the former Carioca Aqueduct and a defining colonial landmark in central Rio. Built in the 18th century to carry water from the Carioca River, the structure stretches roughly 270 metres and features forty-two double arches in a Romanesque-inspired style, marking the edge of the Lapa music quarter.

Visitors experience the arches as both architecture and a lively public threshold: by day they frame urban movement and vendors; by night the surrounding streets become a music and nightlife district. The aqueduct later carried the elevated Santa Teresa tram route.

Conservation work is ongoing, so check municipal notices for any access or maintenance updates.

Santa Teresa neighborhood

Santa Teresa is a steep, historic neighborhood perched above central Rio, known for narrow streets, colonial mansions, and an artistic identity. Its tram (bonde) is a cultural symbol dating to the late 19th century and remains central to the area’s character, together with small museums, ateliers, and preserved chácara houses.

Key stops include Parque das Ruínas, a ruin-turned-cultural center with city and bay views, and Museu da Chácara do Céu with period interiors and collections. Cobblestone lanes, galleries, and cafés around Largo dos Guimarães invite slow exploration—wear sturdy shoes for the steep terrain and check local sources for current tram service and conservation projects.