10 Solo Nights in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sitting on the colorful steps of the Selarón Staircase
Brazil was the last stop on my two-month backpacking expedition. It’s funny, I thought two months was a long time but after meeting so many travelers who were backpacking for six months at a minimum, it seemed small. Who cares about them though? It was a trek for me and while I enjoyed the hell out of it, I was also ready to be back in one place for… well at least a week.
I came across so many travelers who were doing the opposite route as me. I started in Ecuador to end in Brazil (see my guides for Peru, Chile, and Argentina). While many I met began in Rio for Carnival, I’m not a party gal and though it might be fun to get dressed up in the festive gear, this was a solo journey and I know I wouldn’t have enjoyed that alone (if I even made it out at all). Back to said travelers though, so many of them warned me against Rio! Saying they didn’t enjoy it, felt very unsafe, and overall, couldn’t recommend it. By the time I was heading to Rio, I was running out of steam so there was a strong temptation to change my flight and cut my trip short. Let me tell you, I am SO GLAD I didn’t.
Rio was one of my absolute favorite stops across the five countries and over 12+ cities I explored across these eight weeks. From my experience, Rio is a city where, where you stay is everything. Thankfully, I only booked three nights at my first stay in the city. It was a hostel in the Glória neighborhood which I truly enjoyed wandering around but I would have preferred it as an afternoon versus a many-night stay, as I didn’t feel entirely safe in the area. I ended up finishing out my nights in Rio in Ipanema which I loved! It’’s down the beach from the well-known Copacabana section of sand, but felt much more residential. There was plenty of food and shopping plus a weekend art market (you KNOW I went). Just way more up my lane not to mention, again, I was pretty wiped, so I wasn’t trying to be stressed about my stay.
Ok, I’ll stop rambling but just to say for once and for all… if you are considering Rio, please do it! Do your research, find good spots, and explore. There is so much to the city and the people, I honestly can’t wait to return. Below is how I spent my 10 nights in the magic that is Rio de Janeiro!
Nights 1-3
Since I knew I had time to take my time - which is something I highly recommend planning for in your itinerary as it makes your trip so much more relaxing - I did just that. These first few days I explored the Glória neighborhood and signed up for a guided tour of all the city's hot spots. By doing this I knew that 1) I would see them and 2) I always love all of the insights from the local guides so between that and seeing some of these highlights with my own eyeballs, I knew it would be a great way to scope out any extra places I might want to see (or revisit) during my many days. Here are some of my highlights:
Feira Livre da Glória market - This market is incredible. It takes over blocks in the Glória neighborhood and offers a mix of artisans, clothing, and tons of local produce and food.
Santa Teresa neighborhood - A charming area of town just a steep climb away from the Glória neighborhood, where you will find some restaurants, bars, views, and colorful trams.
Parque das Ruinas - Since I was staying in Glória I made the hike on foot to these “ruins.” I believe this was once an heiress's mansion but now houses an art gallery, outdoor concerts, and a great viewpoint of the city below. You can also walk through the ruins of the house for free!
I signed up for this Airbnb experience that offered a small group guided tour of many of the city's top highlights such as:
Christ the Redeemer - The earlier you get here the better as the crowds get heavy. While ncredible to see up close, the view of the city was more amazing to me.
Selarón Staircase - Another one to beat the crowds at but as an art lover, I was in love with the vibrancy of this staircase and all the tile work. You might recognize it from this Snoop Dog video.
Tijuca Forest - The fact that there is a literal rainforest near a city like Rio was mind-boggling to me but oh, so cool. I ended up doing a longer tour of it a few days later but this was a great way to get a sneak peek.
Sugarloaf - A former co-worker of mine is Brazilian and highly recommended the Urca neighborhood. Though I didn’t have time to explore the area too deeply, you will find Sugarloaf (and realize you’ve seen it in many viewpoints previously mentioned). You can take a cable car to the top - with a quick pitstop on the first “loaf,” where you’ll find some chain-y restaurants (which feels wildddd - you’ll see when you visit) but the appeal here is the view, especially at sunset. You’ll be able to see the lights from all of the boats, Christ the Redeemer lit up, planes taking off, and more against a sunset backdrop.
Tips:
As I noted above, I’m so glad I only booked a few nights at my first stay. The location and vibe weren’t right for me but since I only booked a few nights I was able to move to another area. Even had it been a good time, Rio is very widespread so booking a few nights in one area and then trying another is a great way to immerse yourself in the different neighborhoods of the city and explore the surrounding areas.
I highly recommend cash for a lot of these excursions. Though some take cards (I was surprised by a few vendors with card readers at the market) cash is a safer bet plus you need to tip your guide. Don’t forget that the guide and the driver usually split tips so come prepared.
Whether you choose to do a tour or get places by yourself, pay close attention to the opening and closing times of your destinations. This is true for most tourist areas around the world but getting there as early as possible - even if setting your alarm for that time feels painful - is the best chance you have at beating the crowds while still being able to see the sights. That being said, some places - like Sugarloaf - can be great to wait until sunset, for a unique experience.
Nights 4-10
I had a whole list of things I wanted to see and do while in Rio de Janeiro but let me tell you, this city is a beast. Even though I didn’t love my stay in Glória, I appreciated that I was able to see a lot of the city by splitting my time between location stays.
Tijuca Rainforest - I skipped rainforest activities in Ecuador in favor of Brazil so I knew I was making it here. But let me tell you, I am not a creature gal. Respect ‘em, don’t need to be near ‘em. I booked this hike but due to cloud coverage, we ended up hiking around other areas of the rainforest (including a cave that is known to have large, poisonous spiders crawling the walls). A cool experience to learn about some of the history, creatures, and ecosystem of the rainforest.
Tour of Vidigal Favela - This lands as potentially my favorite thing I did in South America. For all the landmarks and destinations, I truly believe in doing what you can to better understand the community and culture you’re visiting, even if it’s uncomfortable. You see favelas everywhere in Rio and while they can be incredibly dangerous, they also offer a truly unique insight into the lives of many locals. I went on this tour, run by two men living within the favela, who give a portion of the proceeds back to supporting those within the community.
Ipanema Beach Day - Bring your towel and kindle and head down to the beach for an easy day in the sun. There are going to be a lot of sellers so just heads up - the chairs are worth it, the drinks are not.
Book a Boat Tour - One fact about me, if there is a boat to be on, I’m there. This sailboat tour departing from Urca was a fun way to fill an evening with pretty sunsets and local insights. The tour itself was a little slow - because of both the literal speed of a sailboat as well as a slightly lackluster guide - but an evening on the water with sunsets and snacks? Perfection.
Bike around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas - As in many cities, you’ll find rows of rental bike stands to use at your leisure. If you’re staying or visiting Ipanema, download the Bike Itaú app, grab your choice of manual or electric wheels, and take a spin around this large lake. If you have a second, grab a bite at the Café da Carol, a cozy spot perfect for a moccacino and a baked good break.
Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro - this is an honorable mention. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the jardim as I was low on physical cash (and there was a cash-only entry fee). Since my South American journey was coming to an end, I didn’t want to have a lot of extra cash on hand when I left either. I’ve heard great things though (I guess I’ll just have to go back)!
Tips:
Depending on your length of stay, split your sleep between at least two neighborhoods in the city. Rio is large. If you want to cover the most ground and more easily see the sights, staying in different sections of the city will help you do that. Not to mention, time is money and the time it takes to get from area to area (even if they are within a few miles) is steep.
I learned so many things on my favela tour (so, again, highly recommend) but a quick heads-up ahead of booking your stay(s) in Rio. A lot of developers are coming in an either taking over homes in favela’s or on the outskirts, and flipping them. In addition to this often displacing people within the community, it means that you’d either be staying in the favela or cutting through it, to get places. There are rules in a favela (many of which are learned but that a tourist wouldn’t innately know) that could place you in serious danger if you misstepped. For instance, we were only allowed to take videos or photos within the favela when our guide alerted us. There are gang rivalries between favelas so giving away any insights into the workings of the favela outside of what was allowed, could literally be deadly. Respect the community in addition to your own safety.
Writing this honestly makes me miss it. People say that all the time but I really do mean it about Rio. Go in with you eyes open and take in all the beauty, all the realities, and enjoy!
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