If you're on your own, you have a choice of several parts of Rio in which to stay, but you should pick Ipanema or Copacabana, in that order. Both are not only fronted by their famous beaches, where you'll want to spend much of your time, but have the smartest restaurants, best shopping and luscious people-watching. The cast of characters in Ipanema, particularly, is tremendous, with everyone seeming to have a stage presence. From the neatest nanny pushing a baby carriage to the fab woman in high tops and a draped sweater, everyone seems on super alert, eyes flashing, legs strutting and head held aloft, taking everything in, announcing "I'm here, look at me."
One of the best of all possible places to watch the people of Rio is from a table outside a botequim (snack bar) on a side street just off the Rua Visconde de Piraja, the main drag of Ipanema. You can lunch and dine well on tapas Bar Bracarense (85 Rua Jose Lenhares, no reservations) for instance, for under $6 per person if youlimit your drinking (beers and sodas).
On Ipanema or Copacabana Beaches
Although you'll probably use the beach closest to your hotel (if you're in Ipanema or Copacabana), you should know that there is a "new" beach further west along the Atlantic, the Barra, about 12 miles long, and practically deserted, at least on weekdays. And farther west, there are secluded coves where you'll be the only persons in sight. The latter, of course, can be reached only by car.
Some beach "rules": Don't go into the water if there is significant wave action. Rip tides can be deadly. I was nearly drowned in just knee-deep water when I was hit by an unexpected wave on Vidigal Beach in front of the Sheraton some years ago. The Russian ambassador at the time did drown (a month or so before my incident) at the same spot. But you don't go to the beach in Rio for getting wet. You play volleyball, build sand castles, have lunch from the numerous snack bars, rent a chair, take a book, get up and talk to people (if they don't talk to you first) and watch out for each other. Entrepreneurs on the strand construct elaborate sand palaces (throw a few coins in his bucket), and vendors sell useful and odd items (yes to the sandals, maybe, but no to the homemade drinks, as who knows what's in them).
Rio's Sporting Life
Like many travelers these days, you'll probably crave some sports or other activities. Starting from the least strenuous, I'd recommend a tour of the famed Tijuca Forest, considered the biggest "urban forest" in the world. It does lie inside the city, between its north (downtown, for instance) and south (the beaches, say) sections. Its second claim to fame is that it is entirely replanted, after having been cut down for its wood and replaced with a sugar cane plantation a few centuries ago. In the late 19th century, however, the Emperor of Brazil ordered it to be reforested--a pretty gutsy move for those times. You can now enjoy a timid adventure through Jeep Tour Ecologia, phone/fax 552-1620 in Ipanema, or be on your own by hiking as long as you wish through the forest's 8,154 acres. You'll see saki and nail monkeys, sloths, armadillos, spiders, pit vipers, iguanas and hummingbirds, among many other varieties of wildlife. Trees include mango, jackfruit, breadfruit and more, and orchids and maidenhair ferns abound. You can have lunch at the main gate, near a pretty waterfall, as well. Trail walks take from 45 minutes up to four hours, and it's a good idea to take along a guide, as well as bottled water and a snack. Guides can be had through Tour Exotico (phone 978-2491 or fax 322-6972) at about $25 per half day.
On the beach, you might get into a volleyball game (usually if an extra is needed to round out the regulars) or the more vigorous foot volley, a mixture of volleyball and soccer. Jogging is splendid, depending on the season (summer can be too hot), as you have glorious vistas around you. In addition to running on the dedicated footpaths stretching along several of the beaches (Leme, Copa, Ipanema and Barra, for instance), you can walk or trot along roads in the Tijuca Forest or along the shore of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. (Don't try to swim in the lagoon as it's badly polluted.) The Leme-Copacabana run is 4.15 km, the Ipanema-Leblon run 3.5 km, the Barra run 12 km., about 3, 2.5 and 7.5 miles, respectively.
There are 74 kms (about 47 miles) of bicycle paths along the coast, from downtown (Marina da Gloria) to Barra Beach. Remember that Rio is very hilly once you get away from the beach areas. One rental (under $5 per day) in Ipanema and Leblon is in front of 460 Av. Vieira Souto.
On the really down-to-earth level, try roller skating and skateboards (in-line or two-pair skates, as well as boards), on the oceanfront avenues on weekends, along the Freitas Lagoon, or at the skating rink in Faira Lima Park. Rentals under $6 on the site.
Boat rentals for fishing or sightseeing are surprisingly inexpensive, starting from as little as R25 (about $10) per person for two hours on one of the small craft (such as the Marazul) down at the Gloria Marina. But if you want to check out more expensive alternatives in advance, look at the Saveiros Tour site mentioned above. Still in the water, you can try bodyboarding at Barra Beach--just ask at any of the lifeguard/snack stations that line the waterfront. Surfing is wildly popular at the 800-yard Arpoador beach in Ipanema, at Barra (in the middle) and at Prainha, even further west. Boards available at most snackbars and lifeguard stations for under $10.
Tennis courts (free) can be found on the shore of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, open day and night. You could even try mountain climbing (up to the huge statue of Christ on Corcovado, for instance) or Sugar Loaf, getting information in advance from the Brazilian Excursion Club (CEB), e-mail cebbrasil@geocities.
If you like spectator sports, ask about soccer, as you could go to the Maracana, the world's largest stadium, to see it played there. Prices vary widely, depending on who is playing and the seats you want.
Rio Through the Stomach
Brazilian food stands alone, quite a bit different from that served in the country's former motherland, Portugal, and tending more toward French. (In fact, chic Brazilians look eagerly to France for cultural and fashion leadership, not to comparatively dowdy Portugal, nor even to the trendy USA.) You can enjoy a huge buffet (all you can eat, lunch or dinner) for about $11 per person at the almost-chic Excelsior Hotel, next door on the beach to the ultra-hyped Copacabana Palace, the hotel that is also a national institution. (Everybody who was anybody stayed here, usually a long time ago.) But the cheapest lunch comes at a botequim (such as the Bracarense, mentioned earlier), a kind of deli with tables and chairs. A sample meal here might consist of a pork and pineapple sandwich, costing about $1.75, and a glass of beer.
If you like a splendid, old-fashioned brunch, try the Colombo Coffee House, 32 Rua Goncalves Dias downtown (phone 232-2300), where a pianist plays golden worldwide oldies while you sample another huge buffet for $18. Seafood on the bay, looking out at Sugarloaf, is plentiful and tasty at Sol e Mar, 11 Av. Reporter Nestor Moreira in Botafogo, phone 543-1663, from about $15 for dinner. Finally, if you want jazz with your dinner, try the Restaurant Far Up (as in Far Out, which it is), where hip young Cariocas hang out, often ordering their famous (and pretty good) hamburgers, at about $6. It's located in the Botafogo district.
Brazil's national dish is feijoada (pots of beans and meat), but on Sundays everyone loves a cozido (casserole) of fish or meat. Copious servings of a cozida can be had at Restaurant Barril 1800 on Ipanema's Arpoador Beach from about $12. Also famous in Rio is the churrascaria, which many Americans associate with Argentina, for good reason, as it's an all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurant, where waiters come to your table repeatedly with huge skewers of meat and chicken (including hearts of the latter) and small plates of goodies such as saut? frogs' legs. I suggest Marius at 96 Rua Francisco Otaviano, phone 521-0500, where the big buffet and meat orgy starts at around $15, or at their branch in Leme, phone 542-2393.
All the time, beer (cerveja or chopp) is a favorite drink, and safer than the tap water. (Stick to bottled water, opened in front of you, or hot drinks otherwise.) The unofficial national drink is the caipirinha, a lethal jolt of cachaca with mulled limes and sugar. It tastes like jet fuel to me and is guaranteed to knock you out if you have two.
Hanging Out
The Greenwich Village of Rio is Santa Teresa, a hilly area located just off the downtown district. It's the last place in Rio where you can take the streetcar. Catch it in the Largo da Carioca District behind the Petrobras Building on Lelio Gama 65, leaving every 30 minutes from 6 AM to 10 PM, and enjoy the views as you traverse an old aqueduct to Santa Teresa's church and convent. Wear good walking shoes if you intend to climb up and down the winding, cobblestone streets and alleys. Among the highlights of the area: Ruins Park (great views) and the Chacara do Ceu Museum (next door). Stop in the Bar do Arnaudo for authentic Brazilian tapas and a beer, at 316b Rua Almirante Alexandrino, phone 252-7246 (under $5, closed Mondays), or Adega do Pimenta, 296b on the same street, for German food, lunches from about $10, phone 224-7554. There are several artist's workshops open, but by appointment only. Phone them through Riotur, which has a list of names and numbers for you.
If you visit Santa Teresa in the evening, you might want to check out the Bar da Goiabeira, at 13 Largo das Neves (phone 232-5751), open from 5:30 PM to midnight or later, but from 8 PM on Saturdays.
If you like dancing, you will adore the Dance Hall (Gafieira) Estudiantina, a nightclub in an old dance hall (dating back 60 years), bustling every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. It's at 79 Praca Tiradentes, phone 232-1149, entrance R10 (about $4).
Getting Around
Taxis are relatively inexpensive in Rio (it costs only about $20 for the 45-minute ride from the airport to Copacabana, for instance, and the meter starts at R3, about $1.25), but if you choose your hotel wisely, you may have little need for them. Busses are cheap, the fare from the airport to Copacabana being about $3.50.
Car rentals are available, too, but best of all, I think, is the brand new Tourism Bus service, instituted two years ago. There are three routes, two starting from Sugarloaf, the third from the Inter-Continental Hotel out west of the main beaches. You pay only R20 (about $8) for a ticket good all day. As buses run each 30 minutes, you can jump off and jump back on at whatever stop pleases you. The buses are air-conditioned, and there is an audio service with information in three languages (including English).
The Blue Route now goes from Sugarloaf and stops, among other places, at the World War II Monument, the Imperial Palace, Candelaria Church, Itamaraty palace, the Cathedral, Gloria district, and Rio Sul (the city's biggest shopping center). The Orange Route also leaves from Sugarloaf and goes to Corcovado Hill (on the way up to the Christ statue), the botanic garden, planetarium, the Vidigal slum, Leblon and Ipanema beach areas, Copacabana Beach area, Leme beach area, Rio Sul. The Green Route, out west, starts from the Inter-Continental hotel and stops along the Barra Beach at various places. A fourth route, to take in the Tijuca Forest, is planned, as are progressive passes for 48 to 72 hours.
Shopping If You Must
If you want to shop, be advised that Rio is not cheap, especially in Ipanema and Copacabana. On the other hand, you could go into Brazil's most famous jewelry store, H. Stern, and ignore the beautiful and expensive items there by looking for their counter that advertises "Under $300" or better yet, go to their souvenir shop downstairs where some semi-precious gems sell for as little as $16, unmounted. Not too long ago, Mr. Stern told me that while their average sale is around $600, there are items as low as $50 on the main floor, and I did find some semi-precious stones in pendant form at only $48. (A chain is extra.) If you want to see the entire gem-grinding business, visit their main store in Ipanema, at 113 Rua Garcia D'Avila, phone 259-7442 (it's free).
Three "Must-See" Spots & Some Also-Rans
Don't forget sightseeing, now! Rio deserves its reputation as one of the world's most beautiful cities, framed on one side by the Atlantic, on the other by mountains, hills and a tame jungle. You must go up to Sugarloaf, using the two cable cars that get you there. Like the Taj Mahal, it really should be seen twice, by day and by night (the latter preferably at sunset). Next, I would advise a round-trip on the funicular train (20 minutes in each direction, about $8 roundtrip) to the huge statue of Christ that dominates the hills north of downtown. From here, you have a panoramic view that few spots on earth can match. I'm talking clear days for both trips, which you should find most of the year in Rio. Number three on my personal list in Rio is the Tijuca Forest.
I wouldn't spend much time downtown, though there are a few interesting churches (which seem to open and close at odd times) and two museums, easily the best in the city. The Museum of Modern Art claims to have 10,000 objects but shows only a couple of hundred at a time, making it the most minimal major museum I've ever seen. The National Fine Arts Museum, however, is packed with worthy paintings (forget the mostly-replicated sculpture gallery).
Finally, Carmen Miranda fans may find her non air-conditioned museum a thrill, but I was disappointed in the meager display and its exterior, which reminded me of Hitler's bunker (though set in a dusty children's playground).
If you stay for only five days and nights, don't try to do too much. The loose itinerary I've outlined is more than enough to give you a full set of flavors of the beauty of the city, the charm of its people and the sweetness of its ambience.
Contact Information and Packagers
You can e-mail Riotur at riotur.riotur@pcrj.rio.gov.br or go to their still-under-construction Web site, www.rio.rj.gov.br/riotur. In Rio, ask your hotel desk to contact them or phone 2217-7575. (In the USA, contact the Brazilian Tourism Office at 800/7-BRAZIL (same as 800/727-2945) or visit their Web site at www.braziltourism.org.
You can also check out Yes Travel by calling 800/487-8010 or going online at www.yestravel.net to read through through their current menu of specials, including all-inclusive packages for under $1,000 from New York.
For more information on Rio itself, try the Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau, phone 55 21 2259-6165, fax 55 21 2511-2592, e-mail gerenciadeturismo@rcvb.br, Web site www.rioconventionbureau.com.br.
Note that the country code for phoning Brazil is 55, the Rio city code 21. The rate of exchange is now about 2.50 Reals (R) for the US dollar.