Luxury hotels in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro guide

Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf at the right hour

Rio's two great viewpoints, timed for clear skies and the sunset, and the beaches below.

Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and the cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain are the two most cited sights in Rio. Go up Corcovado early, on the first clear morning, before clouds and crowds arrive, and save Sugarloaf for the late afternoon to watch the sun set over the bay.

Between them, Copacabana and Ipanema are the backdrop to every day, the Jardim Botânico offers shade and Santa Teresa its cobbled lanes. Autumn and winter, from April to September, bring clearer skies and gentler heat.

Copacabana, Ipanema and the Pedra Bonita

The beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema are among the most cited sights in Rio de Janeiro, with their wave-patterned promenades and kiosks; watching the sunset from the Arpoador rock, where locals applaud the sun as it sets behind the Dois Irmãos, is a city ritual.

For the bravest, tandem hang-gliding or paragliding from Pedra Bonita, landing on São Conrado beach, gives an unforgettable view of the city. Leblon's restaurants and the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, ringed by a cycle path, complete the South Zone.

Santa Teresa, the Selarón Steps and samba

Santa Teresa, a hillside neighbourhood of colonial houses, artists' studios and the old yellow tram, is one of the most cited areas of Rio. At its foot, the Escadaria Selarón, a staircase covered by the Chilean artist Jorge Selarón with tiles from around the world, links it to Lapa.

Lapa, under the white arches of its eighteenth-century aqueduct, is the heart of Rio's nightlife, and the Pedra do Sal, near the port, hosts open-air samba on Mondays and Fridays. The Museu do Amanhã and the revitalised port area are close by.