Is Rio de Janeiro Worth Visiting? 12 Reasons to Consider
You might be wondering if Rio de Janeiro is worth visiting. After all, it has a reputation as an unsafe city, but it also has one of the seven wonders of the world in it – what a dichotomy!
In this guide, I’m sharing all the reasons why I truly believe Rio de Janeiro is worth visiting, and indeed, was one of the most surprisingly delightful destinations I’ve ever experienced. I went into the trip not truly knowing exactly what to expect, and I left having totally fallen in love with the city.
Overall, I think Rio de Janeiro is a vastly underrated destination in the world, and one that many travelers overlook when considering where to travel to next. I hope this article will help convince you to take a chance on Rio!
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12 Reasons You Should Visit Rio de Janeiro
1. The Food is Delicious
When you hear “Brazil” and “food” many people jump to Brazilian barbeque – and rightly so; it is delicious. Others know that there is a dizzying amount of fresh tropical fruits to sample – truth! (some of the best pineapple you will ever have) But the true staples of Brazil, even in cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro, are rice and beans.
Before you turn up your nose, understand that this “basic” dish serves as the foundation of Brazilian cuisine but also is actually quite delicious. Matthew and I were both a bit stumped as to how this seemingly low key dish was actually *so* flavorful.
Beans and rice are mainly cooked in salt and garlic, but they turn out perfectly seasoned and complementary. Seriously, you need to be excited about the rice and beans.
Besides rice and beans, Rio de Janeiro is worth visiting just for their churrascarias, or the Brazilian steakhouses. If you’ve visited a Brazilian BBQ in the US, you know the drill – massive skewers of meat are carried around the restaurant, and a waiter will stop by your table to slice off a portion for you.
You can sample a large variety of meats this way, and the meats are unbelievably juicy, tender, and flavorful. I seriously couldn’t believe the party that was going on in my mouth.
Other drinks and foods to eat in Rio de Janeiro are the fruit juices (SO MANY JUICE OPTIONS), many of which I had never even heard of, pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), pastels (a pastry filled with savory meat and then fried), Brazilian limeade, Guarana (a favorite Brazilian soda), churros (filled with chocolate or caramel and found on street carts all over the city), and acai.
Okay, my mouth is watering. Seriously, food in Brazil is so good, and is definitely one of best reasons to visit Rio de Janeiro.
2. The Locals are Friendly
When traveling, you always hope that the locals will be nice and friendly, and in Rio de Janeiro, that wish is a reality. We found the locals to be very open and welcoming, and willing to work with us through our lack of Portuguese language knowledge.
Of course, crime is a problem in Rio, so you have to be cautious, but our interactions with people generally tended to be either neutral, generally pleasant, or very agreeable.
3. The Beaches are Gorgeous
For many people, it’s worth coming to Rio de Janeiro just for the beaches, as Rio has some of the most famous beaches in the world! Copacabana Beach is huge and very centrally located in the city, and neighboring Ipanema Beach is also a favorite with locals and tourists alike.
Farther out, you can find lovely beaches like Grumari beach, Red beach, and Prainha beach, all of which see fewer tourists than Copacabana and Ipanema.
About two hours from Rio is Arraial do Cabo and Cabo Frio, two cities with beaches that have been described as the “Caribbean of Brazil” for their turquoise waters and soft, sandy beaches.
4. The Landscape is Special
The landscape of Rio, is just so different, and SO beautiful. Mountains and hills rise dramatically right on the shore and the contrast between these jungle covered mountains and cliffs with the sea is stunning.
Add in the way the city just seems to mold itself to these mountains and wind between and up them and you get a city like no other. In fact, Rio de Janeiro is actually listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for this interesting and dynamic interaction between mountains, city, and sea.
Over and over again in Rio, I was just in awe at the gorgeous vistas spread out in front of me, and there are plenty of viewpoints (mirante, in Portuguese) to admire all the different angles of Rio.
This was actually my favorite aspect of visiting Rio!
5. You Get to See a Wonder of the World
For many people, Rio de Janeiro is worth visiting just to see the Christ the Redeemer statue, one of the 7 wonders of the world, standing tall and proud on Corcovado Mountain.
The statue itself, called Cristo Redentor in Portuguese, is 98 feet tall (30 m) and stands on a 26 foot tall pedestal, making him 125 feet tall in total. His arm span is 92 feet wide (28 m). There is a viewing platform around and beneath the statue, where you can see Cristo Redentor in all his glory, get some epic pictures, and also enjoy the view over Rio.
My biggest tips for visiting Christ the Redeemer are first, to go first thing in the morning (seriously, be there at opening).
Second, plan to visit at the beginning of your trip to Rio. Then, if you wake up and the sky is overcast, push your visit off to another day when the skies are clear. Clouds (especially on the mountains) are common in Rio, but also tend not to linger from day to day. If you go up when it’s overcast, you can literally be at the base of the statue and not see a thing!
Although being right at the statue was pretty dang epic, I think what I liked about Christ the Redeemer even more was seeing him standing on the mountain from throughout the city. It was SO cool getting little glimpses of the statue as you were walking down the street, or at the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain.
6. Futbol is a Whole Other Level Here
Futbol (or football, or for the Americans: soccer), is a HUGE deal in Brazil, and some of the biggest matchups in the biggest futbol stadium in the country happen in Rio de Janeiro. Going to a futbol match at the Maracana futbol stadium is a bucket list activity (and one we got lucky enough to do with a local).
Going with a local really is the best way to experience a futbol match in Rio, and the good news is even if you don’t personally have a local friend to take you around, you can still go with a new local “friend” in this Rio de Janeiro futbol match experience.
7. This is the Best Place to Experience Carnival
Rio de Janeiro hosts one of the biggest Carnival celebrations in the entire world, so suffice it to say, Carnival is a huge deal here.
Carnival starts on the Friday preceding the beginning of Lent, and runs for about a week. Parades and parties happen daily throughout the neighborhoods of the city, and one massive, gigantic production of a parade is held every night in the Sambadome. These parades last for hours and include elaborate floats and literally thousands of Samba dancers in big, colorful, Samba outfits.
An average of 2 million people are celebrating every day during Carnival in Rio. If you like a party, want to see an elaborate Samba production, or just want to have the cultural experience of the biggest Carnival in the world, then Rio de Janeiro definitely is a destination for you.
8. There are Tons of Attractions
You might think that Rio de Janeiro has mostly just Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and Copacabana Beach. However, there is SO much more to see and do in Rio de Janeiro – we spent 5 days in the city and still couldn’t do everything we had wanted to!
For starters, there are a ton of beautiful old churches to visit, with incredibly detailed and ornate interiors, gold leafing, and carvings on practically every surface. The Botanical Garden and Parque Lage are both lovely parks + gardens with paths, sculptures, natural features, ponds, and wildlife encounters.
The Selaron Steps, a multi-colored, tiled staircase in the middle of the city, the Lapa Arches, the Royal Portuguese Reading Room (library goals), the Uruguiana Street Market, the Dona Marta Viewpoint, the Chinese Vista Viewpoint, the many museums of Rio – no matter the type of traveler you are, you’ll find plenty to see and do in Rio.
9. There is Gorgeous Architecture
I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of an architecture snob – I just really like visiting cities where the buildings look pretty, ornate, interesting, funky, modern – anything but completely plain and non-descript!
And while Rio de Janeiro certainly has its share of plain, non-descript buildings, I was also really surprised by how many beautiful buildings are in Rio. Centro is the historic center of the city, and you’ll see a lot of 19th century buildings with ornate design features.
Rio was the capital of Brazil for a few centuries and was the hub for the Portuguese crown before Brazil gained its independence from Portugal, So a lot of the architectural style is influenced by Portugal in particular and Europe in general. The Theatro Municipal was based off of the Opera Garnier in Paris, for example.
But there are also modern, futuristic designs as well, such as the Museum of Tomorrow and the Metropolitan Cathedral.
The cool designs continue to the streets, as well, where there are frequent cobblestoned streets and special tiled sidewalks to enjoy.
10. Let’s Talk About Safety
In many ways, Rio de Janeiro is considered an unsafe city. Between the gangs, the favelas, the drug trade, and the petty theft, safety is a valid concern when considering if Rio is worth visiting.
The good news is that with a few basic precautions, you can minimize your risk of running into bad circumstances in Rio by a lot. We followed these safety guidelines and had a really great, safe time in Rio. While nothing is 100% foolproof, these are definitely some good tips to follow in Rio:
Favelas are crowded, very poor neighborhoods, usually built up into the hillsides of Rio. Favelas are all controlled by gangs or the mafia, where they sell drugs and machine guns are carried openly. Gang invasions, shootouts, or police raids can and do happen, so these areas are definitely worth avoiding, unless you’re on a favela tour.
As a rule, once it’s dark, don’t walk on the streets for more than a block. Some exceptions could be made for if you’re walking in a well-lit area with a lot of people, but in general, avoid being on the street if it’s dark outside.
Be SUPER careful about pickpockets – petty theft is incredibly common in Rio. Keep your purse zipped and in front of you. Common advice is to not have your phones out on the street at all because people will grab them out of your hand. If we wanted to take pictures or look at directions (and thus needed our phones out), we always surveyed the area carefully and stepped away from people to do so.
Personally, with these necessary steps, I would not be dissuaded from visiting Rio.
11. The Neighborhoods are Diverse and Interesting
Rio de Janeiro is made up of a lot of many different neighborhoods, and a lot of these neighborhoods have very different vibes to them. Exploring the diverse neighborhoods of Rio is a great way to appreciate and enjoy the city.
Now, with this goes the caveat that there are a lot of neighborhoods you should stay away from. Since crime and violence are a real thing in Rio de Janeiro, you don’t want to venture too far off the beaten path.
But still, exploring the different neighborhoods of Santa Teresa, Centro, Lapa, Copacabana, Ipanema, Le Blon, and Botafogo will keep you busy for a long time and give you a lot of diversity in scenery, attractions, buildings, and vibe.
12. It’s *Relatively* Inexpensive
Okay, so Rio de Janeiro is not the most inexpensive city in South America. We noticed a pretty big difference in prices in Rio compared to say, Colombia (which was much cheaper). Still, Rio de Janeiro is much, much more affordable than traveling in the United States or Europe.
Rio de Janeiro is more expensive than a lot of places in Southeast Asia (Vietnam or Thailand, for example), but if you’re coming from the United States, flights to South America are quite a bit less than flights to Asia, so overall it’s still a less expensive trip.
Generally, though, prices were not bad at all. We spent an average of $12 per person per restaurant meal, which generally included a large meal, drinks, tips, and tax. Street food is extremely common in Rio, and you can buy empanadas, pastels, churros, acai, hot dogs for about $1.
A single ride on the metro is $1, and an Uber around the city is anywhere from $3-5, depending on where you are going. Our very nice, mid-range hotel was about $60/night. Overall, you can have a great time while staying within a decent travel budget in Rio, which is one of many things that makes visiting Rio de Janeiro worthwhile.
Should You Visit Rio de Janeiro – The Wrap Up
I think it’s clear that my vote, even with the safety precautions, is that Rio de Janeiro is absolutely worth visiting. It’s a bit of an underrated destination, and I think you’ll be surprised by how much you love the city! The great thing is that no matter what type of traveler you are, there’s an incredible experience waiting for you in Rio de Janeiro.
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