Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Overview and Essential Travel Information
by cctraveler2 at TravelPost
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful and spectacular cities in the world. The best way to appreciate the setting is by going up Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar), where you'll get a spectacular 360-degree view of Rio and Guanabara Bay. Notice how the natural harbour is surrounded by lush, high mountains that meet the sea in the world-famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Continue up to the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Mountain to get an even higher perspective. You can either drive or take a funicular up to the statue—the best view is on the right-hand side. From up here you can see that Rio is divided by a mountain range into two areas: the Zona Norte (North Zone) and the Zona Sul (South zone). The Zona Sul holds most of the city’s sights, including the Sugar Loaf and the famous beaches. Across the bay is Niteroi. One of Rio's most precious resources is often overlooked: its people. Brazil is a melting pot of races, colors and creeds. No one race, color or religion dominates in Brazil. There is room for all, and that includes the many visitors who come to Brazil each year from every corner of the planet. Cariocas are particularly warm and fun loving. Schedule about three days and four nights to explore Rio and on a hot day you can escape to Petropolis. SIGHTS There is much more to see in Rio than Copacabana. The city hosts numerous interesting museums, some great colonial buildings and impressive churches. A must-see is Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pão de Açucar) . There are also numerous galleries with good works of Brazilian artists. The best way to explore the city is by foot, as you will get a good taste of what Rio is all about. Public busses are generally very good, but they are difficult to navigate as there is no route map. If you are visiting for a short period of time, it might be worth making longer trips by taxi; they are not very expensive, especially for Americans. The subway (Metrô) is another good and safe option for getting around the touristy areas, and at R$ 1,80 (approximately US $0.60) it's a bargain. GETTING AROUND There are a number of possibilities to get around in this big city. Yu can either choose from different types of buses, use the efficient metro, hire taxis or rent a car. By Metro The Metro is a very efficient way of going from one place to another. It is air conditioned and clean. There are two lines. It operates from 6 am to 11 pm on working days, but only from 2 pm - 8 pm on Saturdays. Closed on Holidays. There are different ticket, so go to a ticket counter and find out the one that suits you: single, multi or inegrated bus & metro tickets. By taxi Taxis have red number plates with white digits and meters. There are some smaller types with a taxi sign on top. As a general rule make sure that the meter is switched on Tariff 1, except between 11 pm and 6 am or on Sundays and holidays - then the more expensive Tariff 2 is used. IMPORTANT: Only use taxis with an official identification sticker on the windscreen. Complain if the route is too long or the fare too much. Radio Taxis are recommended because there are supposed to be more reliable. GETTING THERE By bus Buses run from Rio to all parts of the country. It is advisable to book a ticket in advance. There are a number of travel agents to book a ticket, for example, go to Itapemirim Turismo, R Urguaiana 10, loja 24. Call 5098543. The agency is located in the centre. The central international bus station is reached by bus from all parts of town. Some buses serving it are buses no. M94 and M95. By air There are hundreds of flights from all continents and South America to Rio. Domestic flights arrive or leave from Santos Dumont airport. International flights go to Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (earlier known as Galeao). There are taxis and busses running into town from both airports. Some taxi companies have fixed rates, but it is rather expensive. You pay for the car and not for the number of passengers, so if you can share a taxi you can bring down the cost to less than $-US 10 for four passengers. SHOPPING Shopping is great in Rio. There are a number of great markets, music stores, jewellery shops and so on. Just check out the following sections for more information. Northeastern Market Music and Magic you can find at the Northeastern Market. It is located at Campo de Sao Cristovao. Open on Sundays all day long. Take the bus 472 or 474 from the Centre or the Copacabana respectively. Feirarte I This handicraft market takes place every Sunday. Most Cariocas (people of Rio) call it the Feira Hippy. Guess why? It is located at Praca Gen Osorio, Ipanema. Nova Livraria Leonardo da Vinci This bookstore is highly recommended for Rio's best collection of foreign books. It is located at Avenida Rio Branco 185. Guanabara Jornais e Revistas Recommended bookstore at Rua Antonia Ribas 72.
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