russ_in_LA

We have plane tickets purchased and hotels booked for 9 nights in Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio. Not as much time as we would have liked, but we’ve read trip reports and guide books and narrowed it down to the following base itinerary, from which we will drill down what exactly we want to see and do in each neighborhood:

Buenos Aires, 4 nights, landing at 10:40 am - This gives us 3.5 days for the following: Recoleta, Centro and Puerto Madero, Palermo (I realize it’s quite large), La Boca and San Telmo. We like to bike throughout cities, if possible, which allows us to cover more territory, as well as rest our feet.

Questions:

• Any suggestions for the best areas for biking as a means to sightseeing?
• Any experience with using a bike tour company?
• I see that there is a program called EcoBici, which seems similar to other systems we have used in Paris, Montreal, etc., which allows you to pick up a bike from one location and drop it off at another, as many times as you like. Does anyone have any experience with this that they can share? I tried signing up on-line but I got an error message saying it would not take my documentation.
• I realize that we won’t be able to get an in-depth experience of such a large city in 3.5 days, but is it realistic to see at least the highlights of the areas I have outlined in the amount of time we have? We would use taxis as needed, to get between neighborhoods.

Iguazu Falls, 2 nights, giving us a half day on the Brazilian side and a full day on the Argentinian.

Rio, 3 nights, arriving 1:20pm on a Sunday, and departing 10:00pm on day 4 – In addition to the Sunday afternoon of our first day, this gives us 3 full days (I realize, not nearly enough time) to attempt the following: Cristo Redentor, Sugar Loaf, Centro, Santa Teresa, Botanical Garden of Rio, beach time (staying in Ipanema). I’m assuming we’ll spend that first afternoon at the beach, taking it all in.

Questions:

• Are there bicycle rentals available near the beach, which would enable us to traverse Ipanema in both directions to Copacabana and toward Leblon?
• Of the areas we are trying to see, which ones would logically go together to use time most efficiently?
• How much time would it take to get to the Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum from Centro, if we decided to squeeze that in (realizing we will need to eliminate something from our original list).
• Would it be faster to take a taxi or ferry to get to the Niteroi museum? A Google search implies that a car will be faster, but with traffic, I’m not sure if that would be the case.
• We were thinking of possibly hiring a guide for one day for the areas that might benefit the most from spending time with a local. From our list above, which areas would you suggest using a guide, if any?

Thank you for any help or suggestions you can provide!

SambaChula

Sugarloaf and the Cristo are both best when you can see the view from the top. Clear weather is not guaranteed in Rio. Try for the Cristo a bit before its opening (to avoid lines) on the first clear morning you're there. Have you decided to take the train or the van from one of the two locations they leave from?

The areas of Rio in which tourists have an interest are fairly compact.

There is a bike path alongside the sidewalk that runs along Leme/Copacabana beach and Ipanema/Leblon beach. As transportation though, a bike, IMO, is more trouble than it's worth, and off that path, a danger.

The ferry to Niteroi takes 12 minutes to make the crossing from Praca XV (which is near the centro). Then grab a taxi to the museum once over there.(If you look at a map, you can see that the bridge begins further north than the ferry dock.)
Santa Teresa sits roughly above the centro.

You might benefit from studying a city map. Google or the neighborhood ones on www.ipanema.com, a fairly thorough informational overview site, are good.

None of the heavily touristed places you mention would, IMO, "benefit...from spending time with a local." Just take a taxi. A good local guide can show you the gems most first time tourists could never find on their own.

thursdaysd

I arranged for a free greeter in BsAs - http://www.globalgreeternetwork.info/index.php?id=151

Also highly recommend the Graffitimundo tour. For pix see https://kwilhelm.smugmug.com/Travel/...es-Street-Art/

tripplanner001

Good to see you here in the SA forum, Russ. As SambaChula suggested, both Sugarloaf and the Christ statue is best down on clear days. You could do the statue in the morning and Sugerloaf in the afternoon if the weather cooperates. We went early and had the statue with maybe a dozen others. Go up Sugarloaf an hour or so before dusk and stay up there to see the lights come on; it's magical. You'll get a good intro with 3.5 days, enough to encourage you to return. 1.5 days at Iguazu is good to have a well-rounded experience.

russ_in_LA

Thanks for the feedback and the links everyone! It's looking to me like what I have outlined for Rio will fit into 3.5 days, so a possible itinerary might look something like this (although maybe not in this order):

Sunday afternoon - Ipanema Beach
1st clear day - Cristo early morning, beach time, Sugar Loaf late afternoon for sunset
2nd day - Santa Teresa, Lapa, Centro, ferry to Niteroi, taxi to museum and back
3rd day - Beach time, Botanical Garden

This is seeming very doable to me, with a little breathing room on day 3 for anything interesting that might spontaneously come up.

Any Buenos Aires experts out there have any replies to my BA questions?

Thanks!

tripplanner001

You're welcome. What you've outlined for Rio makes logical sense. Note that the streets off Ipanema are worth exploring, if only to really get a feel for the area. There are many shops and restaurants in the neighborhood. Also if you are still looking at biking, a good place to do it is around the lake, or Lagoa. The Botanic Garden is not far from there.

SambaChula

On your way to the beach or back on Sunday, pass through the Hippie Fair in Ipanema's General Osorio park. Some interesting crafts and paintings.

In centro, take a coffee break at Confeitaria Colombo.
In Santa Teresa, try Bar do Mineiro or for splash out meal, Aprazivel. The bonde/trolley is running part way up into the neighborhood right now afaik.
Do Lapa in the evening, on a Friday/Saturday, at the clubs Carioca da Gema (lots of locals dancing) or the splashier Scenarium.
If you go to the Seleron Steps, be very careful at the top.

"the streets off Ipanema are worth exploring"
Ipanema is the neighborhood. Did you mean the beach? The main street along the beach is Av. Vieira Souto. The main shopping street, two blocks inland, is Av. Visconde de Piraja. Do remain vigilant if you are walking on quiet side streets that are not populated.

tripplanner001

SambaChula, I am suggesting the neighborhood including some of the main streets. I second Confeitaria Colombo. Sunday brunch at the Copacabana Palace was awesome too.

russ_in_LA

Thank you for the additional tips SambaChula and tripplanner! Unfortunately, we will be there Sunday afternoon - Wednesday evening, so Friday/Saturday night in Lapa isn't going to happen on this trip. As for Sunday brunch at the Copacabana Palace, since we are unlikely to get to our hotel before 3pm on Sunday, that might be a stretch. Is there a significant difference in the menu or experience if we tried it for lunch on Mon, Tue or Wed?

Thanks again. Will likely have more questions as the dates draw nearer.

tripplanner001

Russ, unfortunately, I cannot compare the two except to say that it is a la carte on weekdays and buffet style on Sundays. I believe it goes until 5 on Sunday if you are interested in a later lunch. The buffet lunch at Confeiteria Colombo is just as good and offered on weekdays. Buffets can be hit or miss - more the latter - but both these were worth it.

russ_in_LA

Thanks, trip. I have to admit, with a few exceptions, I'm usually not much of a buffet person. I checked the website and the last reservation is 4pm, so we might be able to make it on Sunday. If not, perhaps we'll try it on a weekday, if for no other reason than to see the hotel and the location. Thanks!

thursdaysd

I thought the Colombo overpriced and overfull of camera-happy tourists. Worth a look for the interior, though.

I don't know about the upmarket buffets, but the "regular" ones charged by weight, a great improvement over all-you-can-eat. I never feel I can eat enough to justify the price. Not that I am a fan of buffets, but they seemed popular in Rio - lots around Praca XV de Novembre.

SambaChula

Well, that's exactly the point of going to Confeitaria Colombo.....to enjoy the lavish Colonial ambience. Just have a coffee and pastry if you're feeling strapped, but really, at the current exchange rate of 4+ reais to the dollar, if a cup of coffee is expensive, maybe think again about traveling at all.

There are lots of "por kilo" buffets in Brazil, especially for lunch. You pay by what you put on your plate, which is weighed. There is usually a wide variety of foods, including veggies and salads, as well as main courses. It is considered reasonable to walk in/by and look at what is being served before you decide to stay to eat.

Since there are so many excellent places to eat in Rio, I have never felt I had to look very far from where I am sightseeing at a mealtime. Note that most hotels include a lavish breakfast, and in the heat/humidity, your appetite may be diminished. There are plenty of snack bars where, when you arrive, you'll easily be able to find a "mixto" toasted cheese sandwich, or a "pao do quejo" the ubiquitous cheese bread, or a traditional Carioca "tapioca" rolled savory or sweet filled pancake, with a fresh squeezed tropical fruit juice.
Happy eating.

If you're into seeing Rio's upscale side, a drink at the bar of the Fasano may be in order.

thursdaysd

I did not say that the Colombo was "expensive" I said that it was "over-priced", which is not necessarily the same thing. When an espresso and a walnut tartlet cost me as much as my lunch, I think over-priced is a reasonable description.

To suggest that someone who finds the Colombo expensive should not be traveling is beyond ridiculous, not to mention elitist. People on a budget travel all the time, even to Rio.

I did not enjoy the Colombo's ambience as it was entirely destroyed by all the people taking photographs. I suppose they can't do anything about the people who order something and then start taking pictures, but they could at least keep out those who are only there for the photographs.

SambaChula

A coffee and pastry can cost as much as some lunches might, in any similar cafe of that era and ambience in Europe, but one doesn't often hear the complaint "overpriced". A tea and pastry at the Ritz in NYC is an experience, but probably "overpriced" too for a cup of flavored hot water. Is the expectation that all of SA should be dirt cheap and anything above is overpriced? (But anyway, the dollar is buying almost twice as much in Brazil as it was when certain posters were there--4 plus to the dollar vs. 2 point something-- so, yes, if you can't afford a Confeiteria coffee at today's prices, maybe you should rethink, because even the most basic hostel in Rio might be out of range too. I hear Bolivia is good for those wanting to economize.) Been to the Confeiteria; few tourists, none obviously crass.

thursdaysd

The exchange rate is irrelevant to the comparison.

Sorry, but the Colombo in no way compares to the Ritz.

Been to the Confeiteria, full of tourists, most taking photos, plus others not eating or drinking taking photos.

Not everyone falls in love with Rio, get over it.

thursdaysd

@Russ - you might want to repost your BsAs questions on an Argentina only thread - the Argentina experts don't seem to be reading this one, and there are some on this forum.

russ_in_LA

Great suggestion, thursdaysd, thanks!

SambaChula

Not everyone has the spirit to fall in love with Brazil, warts and all. The experience of someone who returns with an open heart time after time over decades is likely quite different from one brief and superficial visit checking bucket list boxes.

Scarlett

I am no expert but my husband and I lived in Buenos Aires for years so maybe I can help with something ..
In the parks, in Recoleta, there are people who rent bikes. There are a few , when you are there you can ask ..
They do bike tours also .. all out of the Recoleta parks area .. near the Hard Rock Cafe ( good landmark : )

If you are in good shape, you can walk from Recoleta, to Palermo Botanico which if you see the map, it is a long walk but you see quite a lot of monuments, museums, parks and neighborhoods and there are plenty of cafes along the way for a stop .. which is required if you are in BA anyway *( cafe times : )

You will need a taxi to get to San Telmo and you should not miss that area. you can walk to the Puerto Madero area from San Telmo.

Walk along 9 de Julio for just a little bit to enjoy the sight of the city on either side and the Opera House and just the skyline ..
( can you tell I am homesick ? )



Any suggestions for the best areas for biking as a means to sightseeing?
• Any experience with using a bike tour company?
• I see that there is a program called EcoBici, which seems similar to other systems we have used in Paris, Montreal, etc., which allows you to pick up a bike from one location and drop it off at another, as many times as you like. Does anyone have any experience with this that they can share? I tried signing up on-line but I got an error message saying it would not take my documentation.
• I realize that we won’t be able to get an in-depth experience of such a large city in 3.5 days, but is it realistic to see at least the highlights of the areas I have outlined in the amount of time we have? We would use taxis as needed, to get between neighborhoods.

Hope this helps some ~