Not sure what to do in Rio de Janeiro? We’ve got you covered. Our travel experts compiled the best activities in Rio de Janeiro so you can make the most of your trip.

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Sights

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Shopping

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Nightlife

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Performing Arts

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Sports & Activities

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Top Sights

Praia de Copacabana

Maddening traffic, noise, packed apartment blocks, and a world-famous beach—this is Copacabana, or, Manhattan with bikinis. Walk along the...

Praia de Ipanema

As you stroll this world-famous beach you'll encounter a cross section of the city's residents, each favoring a particular stretch. Families...

Praia de Grumari

A bit beyond Prainha, off Estrada de Guaratiba, is Grumari, a beach that seems a preview of paradise. What it lacks in amenities—it has only...

Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil

What was once the headquarters of Brazil's oldest bank is now an enormous cultural space in downtown Rio. With areas designated for cinema screenings...

Mosteiro de São Bento

Just a glimpse of the Monastery of St. Benedict's main altar can fill you with awe. Layer upon layer of curvaceous wood carvings coated in gold...

Theatro Municipal

If you visit one place in Centro, make it the Municipal Theater, modeled after the Paris Opera House and opened in 1909. Now restored to its...

Escadaria Selarón

After traveling the world and living in more than 50 countries, Chilean painter Selarón began working in 1990 on the iconic tile staircase that...

Palácio do Catete

Once the villa of a German baron, this elegant, 19th-century granite-and-marble palace became the presidential residence after the 1889 coup...

Pão de Açúcar

The indigenous Tupi people originally called the soaring 396-meter (1,300-foot) granite block at the mouth of Baía de Guanabara pau-nh-acugua...

Sítio Roberto Burle Marx

Nature lovers and architecture buffs will find it worth making the advance booking required to visit this plantation-turned-museum honoring...

Christ the Redeemer

Rio's iconic Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue stands arms outstretched atop 690-meter-high (2,300-foot-high) Corcovado mountain...

Jardim Botânico

The 340-acre Botanical Garden contains more than 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants and trees, including 900 varieties of palms...

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Popular Things to Do

Museum/ Gallery 21

Bars/ Pubs 15

Shopping Centers/ Malls 6

Religious Building/ Site/ Shrine 6

Crafts 5

Garden/ Arboretum 4

Dance Clubs 2

Castle/ Palace/ Chateau 2

Library/ Archive 2

Department Stores 1

Transportation Site (Airport, Bus, Ferry, Train) 1

Zoo/ Aquarium 1

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