AMH3

We are a family of four planning a trip in late June. Are we crazy, is this to violent a city for a family vacation? My daughter is going to be studying in Salvador for six weeks and we thought it would be interesting to stop in Rio.

Percy

Is it dangerous , Yes and No.
There will be four of you, so even night walking on the beaches will be fine if you should want to walk at night.

You can walk the Copacabana Beachas well as the other beaches.

Go to Sugarloaf Mountain the view from here is terrific...

also do not leave Rio until you have also been to the top of Corcovado Mountain where Chris the Redeemer Statue is.
You will marvel at the view from here in all directions.

We were shopping in downtown Rio when at about 2 PM a couple from Florida were robbed just two blocks behind us.!!!

Things like this could happen anywhere I think!

Or hire a private tour guide to tour you around,it is worht the money.

Good Luck... oh yes, I never felt unsafe there. There were four of us also.

Percy

Jill_Brazil

Percy is right. The best advice is to hire a private guide. If you need a recommendation please email me.

I don't agree with Percy regarding walking beaches at night. That just is not good advice. I was a tour director in Rio for 6 years --- from my experience with thousands of tourists -- that just might be inviting a bad experience.

Please also pick a nice hotel in Ipanema. It is more family friendly than Copacabana. I would recommend the Praia Ipanema Hotel for a mid-range beach front hotel. For upscale I would recommend Caesar Park or Marina All Suites Hotel.

If you take a few precautions specific to Rio, you can have a safe and enjoyable family vacation.
When in doubt about something, by all means ask the concierge at the hotel. They will be able to guide you regarding safety issues as well.

msteacher

Go to Rio! You will have a great time! Rio is not significantly different from NYC, Chicago, Paris or any other major city... exercise all the same cautions you would in those places. You mentioned violence as a concern; I don't think that violence is a problem for most travellers-- the more typical problem is pickpocketing. So just be sure not to walk around with valuables, jewelry, too much money, etc.

As stated above, Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer are not to be missed. Salvador is also fabulous, so if you have a chance to visit your daughter there, take it... you will experience a totally different view of Brazil. Have fun!

gypsyluce

hiya, as a tour guide in rio I would recommend as the others the statue of christ, catch the train up, and the sugar loaf mountain, have to pay in cash here, or dollars but at awful rate. Satue of Christ accepts credit cards. Go to Botanical gardens, cheap and beautiful, restaurants are better in ipanema, but few hotels on beach front. If want to stay ipanema praia ipanema is good option, or rio international on copacabana beach. As for walking on beach DONT at night, beach is very wide and no one will see you from pavement should you encounter any problems. Copacabana beach is better it at ngith than ipanema. Sunday market in ipanema is great. Football match at maracana stadium is a great experience, as is hang gliding from pedra bonita, bikes can be rented and there are miles of cycle routes. The historical centre is great but i would go with a guide.
As for the violence, dont take anything you dont want to lose, leave valuables at hotel, go out with as much moeny as you'll need, put in pocket or small bag, dont hang camera etc over shoulder, keep valuables out of sight. take little of value to beach, take camera, take fotos and dump camera back in room.
Enjoy rio, it's a marvellous lace, just be safe, let me know if i can help you with ay more tips,

leoamacla

i recommend you book a tour guide the city is safety but we never knows.i took leonardo machado he is an excellent tour guide,he works for the best hotels in rio,with a nice car and his price is only 45 reais per hour.call him to check 5521 82588241 or 5521 78145387 thaks