62 Best Sights in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Steps away from Botafogo metro station is a museum in the former home of the 19th-century Brazilian statesman, writer, and scholar Rui Barbosa, a liberal from Bahia State who drafted one of Brazil's early constitutions. The pink mansion, which dates from 1849, is itself worth a visit. Stepping inside instantly transports you to the period when writers and other intellectuals inhabited this street's grand houses. Among the memorabilia and artifacts on display are Barbosa's 1913 car and legal, political, and journalistic works. The extensive libraries are testament to Rui Barbosa's love for literature. The well-tended gardens stretch for 9,000 meters (29,527 feet) and are filled with small pools and fountains, making them a pleasant place to take respite from the rush and crush of the city. There's a good children's library, regular kids' workshops and events, and free live music performances.

If you're heading toward the beaches of Prainha or Grumari, consider taking a detour to Brazil's largest folk-art museum. One room houses a wonderful mechanical sculpture that represents all of the escolas de samba (samba schools) that march in the Carnival parades. Another mechanical "scene" depicts a circus in action. This is the private collection of French expatriate Jacques Van de Beuque, who collected Brazilian treasures—including religious pieces—from his arrival in the country in 1946 until his death in 2000.

The collection of mostly modern works at this museum was left—along with the hilltop house that contains it—by one of Rio's greatest arts patrons, Raymundo de Castro Maya. Included are originals by 20th-century masters Picasso, Braque, Dalí, Degas, Matisse, Modigliani, and Monet. The Brazilian holdings include priceless 17th- and 18th-century maps and works by leading modernists. The views of the aqueduct, Centro, and the bay are splendid from the museum's grounds. The adjoining Parque das Ruinas (free) is well worth a visit, too, and has some spectacular views from the top floor of a once-abandoned colonial mansion.

The first audiovisual museum in Brazil, the Museum of Image and Sound (MIS) was founded to acquire, preserve, and exhibit important collections tied to Rio's cultural history. The museum houses collections of images and sound in a range of mediums, including engravings, drawings, caricatures, musical instruments, photographs, books, discs, recordings, and even antique gramophones, microphones, and musical instruments. The collections highlight the works of many of Rio's lesser-known names of the past, such as the Batista sisters of Brazil's Golden Age of Radio, and Elizeth Cardoso, considered to be one of the greatest female singers of Brazilian popular music.

A great place to take the pulse of the vibrant Brazilian visual-arts scene, the Museum of Modern Art occupies a striking concrete-and-glass modernist building. Augmenting the permanent collection of about 6,400 works by Brazilian and international artists is the slightly larger Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection of modern and contemporary Brazilian art. MAM has earned respect over the years for its bold, often thought-provoking exhibitions, including a vibrant annual street-art festival. The venue also hosts events such as music performances and DJ sessions. Its theater screens Brazilian and international independent and art-house films.

Hans Stern started his gem empire in 1945 with an initial investment of about $200. Today his company's interests include mining and production operations, as well as stores in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. The world headquarters of H.Stern contains a small museum that exhibits rare gems. On the self-guided workshop tour, you'll learn about the entire process of cutting, polishing, and setting stones. Afterward, you get a personal consultation with a salesperson and can try on the latest collection of gems; don't feel obligated to buy. The museum can arrange free transport to and from your lodgings.

The building that houses the National History Museum dates from 1762, though some sections—such as the battlements—were erected as early as 1603. It seems appropriate that this colonial structure should exhibit relics that document Brazil's history. Among its treasures are rare papers, Latin American coins, carriages, cannons, and religious art.

More than 6,000 works by Brazil's best self-taught painters, along with some by their counterparts from around the world, grace the walls of a colonial mansion that was once the studio of painter Eliseu Visconti. The museum is a few steps uphill from the station for the train to Corcovado, and the works on display date from the 15th century to the present. Don't miss the colorful, colossal 7×4–meter (22×13–foot) canvas that depicts the city of Rio; it reportedly took five years to complete. There's a pleasant, kid-friendly organic café on the grounds.

A little off Rio's main tourist track, the National Museum is well worth the metro ride to view its exhibits of botanical, anthropological, and animal specimens. With a permanent collection of 20 million objects (give or take a few), the supply is nearly endless. Temporary exhibitions focus on subjects such as meteorites, tribal art, and animal evolution. The opulent museum building—a former imperial palace—itself merits a visit, and the vast grounds are home to Rio's city zoo.

Works by Brazil's leading 19th- and 20th-century artists fill the space at the National Museum of Fine Arts. The most notable canvases are those by the country's best-known modernist, Cândido Portinari, but be on the lookout for such gems as Leandro Joaquim's heartwarming 18th-century painting of Rio (a window to a time when fishermen still cast nets in the waters below the landmark Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro). After wandering the picture galleries, tour the extensive collections of folk and African art.

A grand colonial building set in spacious gardens is the setting for this museum dedicated to the life and works of Heitor Villa-Lobos, Brazil's best-known classical composer. Among the items related to Villa-Lobos's life and works are handwritten compositions, conducting batons, and numerous photographs.

This slick, ultramodern exhibition space also houses Rio's Telecommunications Museum. The museum itself delivers a unique multimedia adventure—lots of monitors, blinking lights, and media artifacts. After you've been oriented in the use of the MP3 headsets, a light- and mirror-filled airlock-like room awaits. The sights in this tiny exhibit space will likely mesmerize you, and if you don't speak Portuguese, the English guide will explain what you can't figure out from the visual cues. The other floors of the Oi Futuro building house cultural spaces devoted to theater performances, film screenings, and art exhibits. There's also a café whose rooftop terrace is a pleasant place to enjoy an iced cappuccino on a balmy day.

This two-story building with thick stone walls and an ornate entrance was built in 1743, and for the next 60 years was the headquarters for Brazil's captains (viceroys), appointed by the Portuguese court in Lisbon. When King João VI arrived, he made it his royal palace. After Brazil's declaration of independence, emperors Dom Pedro I and II called the palace home, and when the monarchy was overthrown, the building became Rio's central post office. Restoration work in the 1980s transformed the palace into a cultural center and concert hall. The building houses a restaurant, a bistro, and a bit of shopping. The square on which the palace sits, Praça 15 de Novembro, known in colonial days as Largo do Paço, has witnessed some of Brazil's most significant historic moments: here two emperors were crowned, slavery was abolished, and Emperor Pedro II was deposed. The square's modern name is a reference to the date of the declaration of the Republic of Brazil: November 15, 1889. Praça 15, as it is widely known, sits in front of Rio's ferry terminal and is at the heart of a major regeneration project aiming to transform Rio's run-down docklands.

The Tiradentes Palace contains a permanent exhibit describing its history as the seat of the Brazilian parliament before Brasília was built in the late 1950s. Getúlio Vargas, Brazil's president for almost 20 years and by far the biggest force in 20th-century Brazilian politics, used the palace in the 1940s as a nucleus for disseminating propaganda. Free half-hour tours are given in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

The landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx designed this waterfront park that flanks the Baía de Guanabara from the Glória neighborhood to Flamengo. Frequently referred to as "Aterro do Flamengo," the park contains playgrounds and public tennis and basketball courts, and paths used for jogging, walking, and biking wind through it. On weekends the freeway beside the park is closed to traffic and the entire area becomes one enormous public space.

For safety reasons, avoid wandering the park after dark and stick to busy sections even in daylight hours.

Some cariocas consider the beach at Barra da Tijuca to be Rio's best, and the 18-km-long (11-mile-long) sweep of sand and jostling waves certainly is dramatic. Pollution isn't generally a problem, and in many spots neither are crowds. Barra's water is cooler and its breezes more refreshing than those at other beaches. The strong waves in some sections attract surfers, windsurfers, and jet-skiers, so you should swim with caution. The beach is set slightly below a sidewalk, where cafés and restaurants beckon. Condos have also sprung up here, and the city's largest shopping centers and supermarkets have made inland Barra their home.

A new metro station opened here in time for the 2016 Olympics, making it more accessible from Rio's Zona Sul.

food and drink; toilets; showers.

walking; surfing.

West of Leblon, Praia de São Conrado sits empty during the week but is often packed on weekends and holidays. The strand of soft sand attracts both wealthy locals and residents of the nearby Rocinha favela, and it provides a soft landing for hang gliders swooping over the city. Surfers love the crashing waves, but swimmers should be cautious because of the undertow. It's worth remaining until sunset; the pumpkin sun often performs a dazzling show over Pedra da Gávea (Gávea Rock). Amenities: food and drink; water sports; lifeguards. Best for: sunset; surfing.

At the point where Ipanema Beach meets Copacabana, Praia do Arpoador has great waves for surfing. They're so great that nonsurfers tend to avoid the water for fear of getting hit by boards. A giant rock jutting out into the waves provides panoramic views over the beaches and out to sea. Not surprisingly, the rock is a favorite haunt of romantic couples looking to catch the sunset. With more elbow room and fewer, pushy vendors than Ipanema, this beach is a prime spot for a relaxed sunbathing session. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; showers; lifeguards. Best for: sunset; surfing.

Though it's pretty, Botafogo Beach doesn't attract swimmers and sunbathers. Locals joke that the fish here come ready-coated in oil for frying, but don't let that stop you from jogging along the sidewalk if you're staying nearby. Early risers are often rewarded with a stunning sunrise from this shore. Amenities: none. Best for: sunrise; walking.

A barely noticeable stretch of sand tucked away between Arpoador and a natural rock wall that extends to Copacabana's fort, Praia do Diabo is popular with local surfistas (surfers) but the dangerous waves, which can smash an unskilled surfer into the nearby rocks, leave no mystery as to why this beach is called the Devil's Beach in Portuguese. Take advantage of the exercise bars, and watch the sunrise while from Arpoador rock, but stay out of the water unless you are a very experienced surfer. Toilets and showers can be found at nearby Arpoador and Copacabana. Amenities: none. Best for: surfing.

This small curved beach with a terrific view of Sugar Loaf is much busier earlier in the morning than on a sunny afternoon. That's because Flamengo Beach is a great place to go for a walk, jog, run, or stroll, but not such a great place for a dip in the (usually dirty) water. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking.

At the far end of Ipanema lies Praia do Leblon, a stretch of beach usually occupied by families and generally less lively as far as beach sports are concerned. The water tends to be rough and a strong undertow makes swimming unwise, but this is a nice place for a paddle and a splash. Vendors pass by selling everything from ice-cold beer and coconut water to bikinis and sarongs, so come with a few reais to spend. As you stroll along the beautifully tiled sidewalk, take note of the sprawling Vidigal favela, which perches on the hillside overlooking the area. Continue up the road a bit to one of Leblon's mirantes, boardwalk-like areas that offer a great view of the entire beach from Leblon to Arpoador. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets; showers. Best for: walking; sunset.

Leme Beach is a natural extension of Copacabana Beach to the northeast, toward Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf). A rock formation juts into the water here, forming a quiet cove that's less crowded than the rest of the beach. This is a top spot for families, and small wading pools can be rented along with the usual beach chairs and sun umbrellas at the many barracas (beach tents selling food and drink). Along a sidewalk, at the side of the mountain overlooking Leme, anglers stand elbow to elbow with their lines dangling into the sea. Many locals swim here, but be wary of the strong undertow, and never head into the water when the red flag is displayed on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; showers; lifeguards. Best for: walking; sunset.

Quiet Vidigal Beach is next to the Sheraton Grand Rio hotel. The small stretch of sand was the playground of residents of the nearby Vidigal favela until the hotel was built in the 1970s. These days it's practically a private beach for hotel guests. The water is calm enough for swimming, but like others in Rio can be dirty after heavy rainfall. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming.

Right at the foot of Sugar Loaf, this sheltered, rough-sand beach (the name means "red beach," a reference to the distinctive coarse sand here) is one of the safest places in the city for sunbathing thanks to its location next to a military base. Frequented more by local families than by tourists, and with only a few vendors, Praia Vermelha is a tranquil spot to catch some rays. The water here is calm, but it's often too dirty for swimming. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunset.

The length of two football fields, Prainha ("Little Beach") is a vest-pocket beach favored by surfers, who take charge of it on weekends. The swimming is good, but watch out for surfboards. On weekdays, especially in the off-season, the beach is almost empty; on weekends, particularly in peak season, the road to and from Prainha and nearby Grumari is so crowded it almost becomes a parking lot. Amenities: toilets; showers. Best for: swimming; surfing; sunset.

Complete with lakes and marble statuary, this vast public park on a former royal estate's landscaped grounds is a popular spot for family picnics. You can rent boats to pedal on the water, and bicycles to pedal on land. The former imperial palace now houses the Museu Nacional. The city zoo sits adjacent to the park, which often hosts live-music events.

At the far end of Barra's beachfront avenue—the name of the street was changed a few years back to Avenida Lúcio Costa, but locals still call it Sernambetiba—is this 1-km (½-mile) stretch of sand anchored by a huge rock that creates a small, protected cove. Recreio's quiet seclusion makes it popular with families. Although busy on weekends, the beach here is wonderfully quiet during the workweek. The calm, pollution-free water, with no waves or currents, is good for bathing, but don't try to swim around the rock—it's bigger than it looks. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; walking.