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World Travel Guide > Guides > South America > Brazil > Rio de Janeiro

Local time Rio de Janeiro

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Places in Rio de Janeiro

Airports

Rio de Janeiro-Galeão (Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport)

Rio de Janeiro Events

Dia do Índio (Day of the Indian)

The annual Dia do Índio is dedicated to the indigenous peoples of Brazil. Ceremonial dances and exhibitions usually take place at participating museums.

Date: 19 April 2023 - 19 April 2023
Venue: Museu do Índio.

Festas Junina

This events celebrate three Catholic saints – Santo Antonio (Saint Antonio) on 13 June, São João (Saint John) on 24 June, and São Pedro (Saint Peter) on 29 June.

Date: 13 June 2023 - 24 June 2023
Venue: Rio de Janeiro.

Reveillon

Outdoor concerts and parties all over the city culminate in a massive fireworks display on Copacabana Beach to mark Rio's New Year's Eve celebrations. Up to one million people gather on the sands, so get there early to stake your place.

Date: 31 December 2023 - 31 December 2023
Venue: Copacabana Beach and seafront.
Cost:

Free.

Rio de Janeiro Carnival

Known as the world's greatest party, the annual carnival in Rio de Janeiro takes place in the purpose-built Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí. Expect outlandish floats, plus throngs of gyrating dancers and pounding drummers all shaking to intoxicating samba rhythms.

Date: 01 February 2024 - 29 February 2024
(Date to be confirmed)
Venue: Sambódromo, Avenida Marquês de Sapucaí, Santo Cristo.
Website: https://www.rio-carnival.net/
Cost:

Various.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

City Highlight: Rio de Janeiro

Vibrant, exciting and dazzling are words synonymous with Rio de Janeiro, one of the world’s favourite party cities

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Featured Hotels

Ritz Plaza Hotel Leblon

Located in the heart of Leblon, Rio's most expensive square metre, Ritz Plaza Hotel Leblon offers quality services at affordable prices. Its rooms are well furnished if not huge, with modern décor. A generous buffet breakfast is included and the hotel has up-to-date facilities, including spa and a small pool. It's a couple of blocks in from the beach and close to cinemas, theatres, shops, restaurants and the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon.

Regina

This no-frills but clean and well-run hotel is highly rated among regular visitors to Rio. It's in a handy location between downtown and the Zona Sul, in an historic, up-and-coming district. The rooms are clean and comfortable, the buffet breakfast is excellent, and facilities include a spa, gym and small roof terrace. In all, the Regina is one of the best budget hotels in the city.

Rio Hostel

This hostel in an old colonial building in Santa Teresa has basic dorms as well as three- and four-bed rooms, which are ideal for families. With its hillside location, Rio Hostel offers great city views and it also has a tiny swimming pool. Facilities include laundry service, tour information, Wi-Fi connectivity and air conditioning in some rooms. The staff are friendly, some are multilingual, and they serve a decent buffet breakfast.

Copacabana Palace

This elegant establishment is almost as famous as its beachfront location. Since it was built in 1923, famous guests have included Robert De Niro, Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles and Princess Diana. The Copacabana Palace is one of the grandest classical buildings in Rio de Janeiro; its creamy pillared façade dominates Avenida Atlântica, and is protected by a preservation order. The plush interior is even more impressive with marble floors, chandeliers, grand ballroom and elegantly decorated rooms. Facilities include a rooftop tennis court, a majestic swimming pool, a well-equipped fitness suite and a business centre. The two restaurants, Cipriani and Pergula, offer fine dining.

Hotel Mama Ruisa

This tasteful boutique hotel lies in the heart of Santa Teresa in a converted late 19th-century mansion. Laidback French proprietor Jean Michel Ruiz has had each of the seven rooms individually decorated in tribute to icons of stage and screen, including Josephine Baker, Marlene Dietrich, Carmen Miranda and Maria Callas. The spacious lounge is filled with modern designer furniture and its walls are hung with original works of art and ethnic artefacts. The private walled garden has a small pool, with a terrace and veranda where meals and cocktails are served.

Rio Design Hotel

Rio de Janeiro's first design hotel is a modern establishment one block from Copacabana Beach. Its 66 rooms, suites and apartments have been individually styled by top Brazilian artists, giving the hotel an exclusive and contemporary feel. This Rio hotel is a popular choice with visitors who are looking for something a bit chic but not prohibitively expensive. All rooms are comfortable, with flat-screen TVs and broadband internet access. Other hotel facilities include a business centre, fitness studio with spa and sauna, and a rooftop restaurant, but no pool.

Introducing Rio de Janeiro

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