15 things you can not miss in Rio de Janeiro
If you are visiting Brazil then you absolutely should go to this crazy city; Rio de Janeiro. Hopefully you are able to do so because it will be a trip full of surprises. Rio de Janeiro’s history is super interesting. It was founded in 1565 by the Portuguese and in 1763 it became the capital of the state of Brazil, a state that belonged to the Portuguese Empire. Something that I think is so cool, is that it is rare in history that a capital of a colony became the capital of the whole empire, Brazil ánd Portugal. It remained the capital of the whole empire until 1822 when the Brazilian War of Independence started. First it was the capital of the empire of Brazil and then the republic of Brazil. After 1960 the capital was transferred to Brasília.
Now we have had our short history lesson, let’s talk about the amazing things that you can do in Rio.
Climb or take the cable cart to Sugarloaf mountain (Pão Açúgar)
Sugar mountain is one of the most recognized places in Rio. From both a view from one of the beaches or when you are on top of it looking down, it has a very beautiful view. The iconic mountain was named by the Portuguese who exported sugar to Europe. It looked like a condensed sugarloaf and that’s why it was named after that. In 1912 the first cable car was built and after a big renovation in the 1970’s it became even more popular. The cable carts that are in use now were built in 2008.
Did you know you can skip the cable cart and take a hike to the first stop? It’s more of a climb so be sure to bring the proper equipment. From the first stop you are not able to use the cable cart to go to the second platform unless you also have bought a ticket for it.
The cable cart is a lot of fun , especially because the climb is not for everyone. We took the cable cart just before sundown and we loved it. You can enter with a wheelchair and see the amazing views too. The tickets on the official site are still the cheapest. They are about $R185. Check the local exchange rate to see what it is in your local currency.
Opening Hours of the cable cart: Monday to Thursday open from 9am to 8pm and Friday to Sunday open from 8am to 9pm. The trail follows the hours of the Sugar Loaf cable car. For more details check out the blog about Sugarloaf mountain.
Enjoy the beautiful view from Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor)
Who doesn’t know the imposing statue of Christ the Redeemer? The statue was built between 1922 and 1931 and it stands 30 meters or 98 feet tall (not including its 8-meter or 26-foot pedestal). It is a very touristic attraction but it really is nice to see it up close and the view on a good day can be amazing.
You can also do a hike (about 1h and 40 min) from Parque Lage to the statue but most people take the train to the top. We bought a combination ticket for the tram and statue and we thought it was well worth it. We had a good laugh because we played a game where we counted everyone who did the Christ-the-redeemer-pose. And of course we had to do it ourselves too.
If you want to take the trail go to Parque Lage and there you can start the trail. In the blog about Christ the Redeemer I will explain more about tickets, the trail and how to get there. The trail is not accessible for wheelchairs but you can go to the statue.
Check out Park Lage (Parque Lage)
If you remember, I already talked a bit about this park. From here you can hike to Christ the Redeemer. You will have a good chance to see lots of monkeys here. The little part before the actual trail is accessible but the trail itself is not. The pathways in the park are uneven so be careful. There is a café which is ‘Instagram famous’. Lots of people have taken a selfie here with Christ the Redeemer in the background.
The park and the rainforest are free to enter. But you need to register when you want to do the trail, as you probably already have read in the piece about Christ the Redeemer.
Wonder around in the Botanical Gardens (Jardim Botânico)
I love Botanical Gardens and this one is so cool. The city can be quite overwhelming and this park is just in the middle of the city. Yes, there are some areas where you can hear some traffic but you will feel like you are in the jungle because of the beautiful plants and animals that you can see. We saw lots of monkeys here and they were playing around. The orchid greenhouse was beautiful. They have a lot of special varieties and the colors are gorgeous. The lane of extremely high palm trees is beautiful and you will probably see lots of people taking pictures there. I also enjoyed the Japanese garden. Very lovely.
The gardens are wheelchair accessible. There are some places with steps but most of the time you can go around and continue.
Walk, swim and shop at Copacabana
Most people who visit Rio will tell you to visit this beach and they are not wrong. The beach is not only visited by tourists but also by the locals. You will see rich and poor people here and you wouldn’t know the difference. The locals will play lots of games on the beach, they will sunbathe and of course swim in the sea. While you sunbathe you will be able to buy snacks from local vendors. It is best to have some small bills with you because paying cash is still the easiest way. But don’t bring too much and try to only have small bills because they might not have change for you. The iconic waves on the sidewalk can be admired here and on the sides you have lots of products you can buy. You can of course go here if you are in a wheelchair. The beach is not suitable of course. There is a market where you can buy souvenirs and on the street you will be able to find Havaianas, cangas (sarongs), clothes, lots of snacks and much more. There are also people walking around selling tours here. We booked our tour to Ilha Grande here.
Take a swim at Ipanema
Ipanema is usually less busy than Copacabana beach but it can still be busy. You can have a very nice swim here and of course you can also see some surfers on the waves. It’s such a beautiful place. There is a rock on the left side of the beach, where you can have a nice view and it is very easy to go to the top. It is only accessible to walk uphill. On the beach you can also buy snacks and drinks from the vendors that walk by. There is also an outdoor gym and it’s being used quite a lot.
Wander around the neighborhood of Santa Teresa
The neighborhood of Santa Teresa is one of those neighborhoods where you will find some beautiful treasures if you just wander around. Some say it’s the hipster area of Rio and I understand why they say it. You can buy lovely handmade items here and there are some nice restaurants and bars too. We also had an amazing lunch here at Bar do Mineiro. I loved to take pictures here, not only because of the iconic yellow tram but also the historical buildings, the art and the old timer cars you can spot. You can take the iconic tram but be aware that it’s busy all the time and you will need to wait in line to take it up the hill. So because of the long waiting time we didn’t want to take it and we walked, slowly, up the hill. Because of the neighborhood being on a hill it can be hard to go up with a wheelchair. Some streets are very steep. If you know where you want to go, you can take a taxi or the tram (if your wheelchair is collapsible).
Dance the samba on the street
When you are walking around in for instance Copacabana or Lapa (but possible anywhere in the city) you will at one point or another hear samba music. The only thing that you will need to do is go there and see people dancing on the street and join in. It’s free and a lot of fun! Brazilians are physical so don’t be surprised if they come close and spin you around. We experienced it a couple of times and we always felt welcome to join in. Of course you can also go to a dance club or to a samba school to experience this energetic dance.
Take lots of pictures from the colorful steps of Escadaria Searón
If you walk back downtown from Santa Teresa you can see the steps from the top to the bottom. If you start at the bottom it will be busy. The best thing is to come early in the morning because it will get busier the more the day progresses. The story of the stairs is super interesting and I wrote a blog about it because it’s worth it. But I’ll just say here that the colorful tiles were collected by an artist who was born in Chile but moved to Rio in 1983. It was a passion project for him and now it’s one of Rio’s most visited places. There are tiles from all over the world, so watch out for tiles from your own home country. Of course the stairs are not accessible but you can take an Uber or taxi to the bottom of the stairs and see it from there.
Visit the museum of tomorrow (museu do Amanhã)
This museum looks like it could be coming from tomorrow. It is located at the pier Mauá and is not easily accessed by car but there is a kiss and ride location close by and the metro stop is close by too. The museum’s building was designed by Santiago Calatrava and finished in 2015. The museum of tomorrow is a science museum focused on the development of the earth. The main exhibition takes visitors through five main areas: Cosmos, Earth, Anthropocene, Tomorrow, and Us via a number of experiments and experiences. The museum is accessible for wheelchair users. Usually there is one or more exhibitions going on, so check out the website to see what is happening. I enjoyed it a lot due to the exhibition that was organized when I was there and you can definitely enjoy the building from outside if you aren’t into museums much.
Be mesmerized by the architecture of the metropolitan cathedral São Sebastião
This church will be something you will never have seen! The cathedral is very unique in its architecture and it is accessible for everyone. The cathedral was designed by Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca. He made a modern design that was inspired by the Mayan pyramids. It was built between 1964 and 1979 and replaced multiple churches as the seat of the archdiocese in Rio de Janeiro. It is also known as the new cathedral. The internal diameter is about 96 meters or 315 feet wide and it creates a beautiful dome shape. The center of the dome shape has a cross and the four legs have a large window underneath. The large glass stain windows make for a beautiful site. The inside but also the outside provide a very interesting site.
Watch monkeys in different locations in Rio
Rio de Janeiro is a beautiful green city (in some places) and there are so many opportunities for you to see monkeys. There are lots of parks and some hikes that I already mentioned that you can do here. With most of these hikes your chances are high to see some of the wildlife of Brazil. There are 5 places where you can go to see them and you can read all about it here.
Take a day trip to Ilha Grande
Only a couple hours away from the big city is a tropical island that is worth the visit. We booked our trip from a guide on Copacabana beach. They picked us up early in the morning by bus, we drove to the dock and boarded a boat that brought us to different locations. Lunch was included and because it was a late lunch we were happy that we brought snacks with us (although you can buy them on the boat too). We went snorkeling and saw a lot of colorful fishes. We loved the trip even though the weather that day wasn’t the best. On the boat we had lots of music and the vibe was very good. You also book a tour here, it’s about the same price as we had and includes a transfer from your own hotel too. You can probably take your wheelchair on the boat but you will need help to get on it because there is no ramp. So at least you need to be able to take a couple of steps.
Shop at the artisan market Ipanema (Feira Hippie de Ipanema)
I love to buy handmade items and this market has so many great artists who sell their items! Home decoration, paintings, kitchenware or accessories, there is something for everyone. The market is located on Praça General Osório and is held every Sunday. It starts at 8 in the morning and ends at 6 at night. The market is on the street so there might be some unevenness or cracks in the road but you will be able to get around with a wheelchair.
Take pictures of street art, beginning with the Murals of indigenous people from Brazil
One of the most iconic and awe-inspiring murals in Rio de Janeiro is “Etnias” by the renowned Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra. Located in the revitalized port area, this monumental artwork spans over 2,500 square meters, making it one of the largest murals in the world. “Etnias” pays homage to the rich cultural diversity of Brazil and the indigenous peoples of the world. They are a bit faded but still very beautiful and when you are walking or cycling around on the flat paths you will find so many other wall paintings too. Big and small. It’s a lot of fun to see and search for some treasures.
Visit the old library
The doors of this beautiful library were opened in 1887. It was founded by a trio of Portuguese immigrants who wanted to bring their literary treasures to the independent nation of Brazil. It was especially build for the ever growing collection. With about 350 000 books it became the largest collection of Portuguese books outside Portugal. Scholars still visit this library to do research and read. You can visit the library to take pictures but if you want to read anything you need to apply in advance. O Real Gabinete Português or Royal Portuguese Cabinet of reading can be found in this neighborhood.
As you can see there is so much you can do in this mega city. It depends on what you want to do and see but I think a week is well worth it and you will be able to do many things from this list. We stayed for 8 full days and we enjoyed it a lot! If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to leave a comment down below.
Is Rio de Janeiro accessible for wheelchair users?
Museums*
Most bigger museums have ramps and elevators. But smaller museums or museums in smaller cities don’t. So of course you need to check before you go because it will be different museum to museum.
Café’s and restaurants
There are so many places where you can enter but a lot of places don’t have ramps. Bathrooms in smaller places usually are upstairs. You can always go to a shopping mall because they have food courts that are accessible.
Public transport
Not good. Some busses have a ramps but a lot of them have steps. The busstops are not alway even and you will need help for sure. The metro is better but I didn’t see people with wheelchairs. For a hassle free trip it’s easier to use Uber or taxi.
Toilets
If you go inside malls or other public places you will have a designated toilet for wheelchair users.
*And other attractions
Items I love on my travels
Travel adapter
Definitely a must have for all travelers who go to different countries all over the world. I especially like this one because you can detract the different plugs and there are 4 usb ports.
Collapsible handheld fan
I don’t know about how you deal with heat but I need a bit of cooling down when I’m traveling. This easy (and cute) fan is my go to for when I am too hot. It can be charged with usb which is super practical.
Sun hat for ponytail or bun pocket
On days where I want to look a bit more put together I use this great sun hat, also with a whole for my bun or pony tail. Love it!!!