Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Rio de Janeiro

Neighborhoods to Stay in Rio de Janeiro

Guys, this post is going to be very useful for you, who are looking for safe places to stay in Rio de Janeiro, so we selected the best 7 neighborhoods, well sought after areas with good recommendations and we still give you lots of tips on tour options and you can do in every neighborhood to enjoy 100% of your stay in the wonderful city.

The city of Rio de Janeiro isn’t known as the Wonderful City for nothing, right? Rio of Cristo Redentor, Pão de Açúcar, of Copacabana and the girl from Ipanema, Carnaval, caipirinhas and beach almost all year round, Rio is not just any city. And unfortunately it is not only beauty that builds the city, we know that the city has always been famous for safety issues and the danger for tourists and even locals.

Let’s start with the most sought after options by the vast majority of tourists, the neighborhoods that are closest to the beach, these are a little more expensive options and much more crowded, but let’s be honest, who comes to Rio and does not want to enjoy a beautiful day Beach? IMPOSSIBLE!

NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR THE BEACH

We start with a general explanation of the neighborhoods and options of activities to better enjoy your stay in each neighborhood:

COPACABANA

Is Copacabana a good neighborhood option? No doubt the answer is yes to your question. Copacabana is one of the best neighborhoods, both in terms of safety and convenience, it is a neighborhood for those who love the beach, with good access to public transportation, good restaurants and bars, and lively nightlife as well. Another advantage of staying in Copacabana is that compared to the other neighborhoods that are near the beach, this one has more affordable prices.

The disadvantage of living in Copacabana is the crowds (it is more crowded than the other neighborhoods near the beach) and the noise is present in many places in the neighborhood. As Copacabana has accessible transportation at all times and Rio’s buses are noisy this can mess up your stay. Look for apartments facing the back and preferably not located on the main streets: Barata Ribeiro and Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana.

Local tips for enjoying the Copacabana neighborhood:

The beach of Copacabana is one of the most famous in the world, plenty of space for those who play soccer and volleyball in the sand;
Free Walking Tour Copcabana e Ipanema, to get to know the neighborhoods better;
On weekends and holidays the beach gets full, so if you want to enjoy the quietest beach, look for alternative days during the week;
The beach sidewalk is a good spot for those wishing to ride a bike, skate or play sports;
Besides the beach, Copacabana Fort and Leme Fortress are places that can be visited, with historical importance and incredible views of the entire beach;
Copacabana has a wide variety of restaurants, with typical Brazilian, Portuguese, Spanish, natural food and brazilian barbecue;
By the Copacabana shore there are kiosks and many of them with live music, especially at night and on weekends;
Night Clubs like New Mariuzinn and Fosfobox, with more alternative style; (Other options of bars and nightclubs in Copacabana in our post Guia dos melhores bares em Copacabana);
Bars and pubs with Samba and Bossa Nova;
Many of the hotels in the neighborhood also offer parties;

Hotel options in Copacabana:

In order to facilitate we have a list of the top 10 hotels in the neighborhood, with options that fit in everyone’s budget:

Hotéis em Copacabana

For those who are traveling alone and have an interest in Hostel accommodation, we have a list of the top 10 in Copacabana:

Hostel em Copacabana

IPANEMA

This is one of the busiest neighborhoods in the city of Rio de Janeiro, both on the beach and in the nightlife with many options in the post-beach, ballad and good restaurants for all tastes. The great advantage of the neighborhood is convenience and location, since it has easy access to some sights and much that can be done by the neighborhood. The disadvantage of the neighborhood is that it is not considered one of the cheapest neighborhoods in the city.

Local tips to enjoy the Ipanema neighborhood:

The first is the beach of course, with scenarios that mesmerize those who see it, watch the sunset in Arpoador, place between Copacabana and Ipanema, which overlooks the entire beach and Morro dos Dois Irmãos, in Vidigal;
Here you also have the option of beach sports, soccer, volleyball and frescobol;
It is also possible to take a bike ride and jog by the shore;
From Ipanema it is possible to walk or bike to Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas and have an incredible view of Christ the Redeemer and it’s also possible to go to the Jardim Botânico, which is very close;
Enjoy your time after the beach h in a kiosk or bar with samba and bossa nova
Get to know the options of restaurants of the neighborhood, that are famous and with good reviews;
The nightlife is a strong point of the neighborhood since it is known for being a young and very lively neighborhood, the place has many options of nightclubs and discos;
Our Pub Crawl in Ipanema;

If you would like to know about the nightlife of the neighborhood, here’s our link about the Melhores bares em Ipanema

Hotels options in Ipanema:

The Ipanema neighborhood is a good option, with well-known hotels and we give you the a list of the best ones in the neighborhood:

Hotels in Ipanema

If you like to make friends and want to stay in Hostel we have this list with the 10 best places in Ipanema:

Hostel em Ipanema

LEBLON

Another neighborhood, close to the beach and one with many choices of shops and restaurants. High class neighborhood, with businesses run by well-known and famous professionals, good options of parties, however not so accessible and let’s say more expensive than the districts mentioned above

Local tips to enjoy the neighborhood of Leblon:

The beach is much quieter than the famous Copacabana and Ipanema and just as beautiful, with good options of kiosks;
For those traveling with children, the beach has a space for the leisure of the small ones, with swimming pool and toys, so both parents and children can enjoy a pleasant beach day;
Those who wish to enjoy the shore can walk, bike and practice their favorite sports in Leblon, always with options for everyone;
Good locations for the post-beach, with many bars and pubs;
Nearby Morro dos Dois Irmãos the sunset view is spectacular;
The Leblon Viewpoint is a good option for beautiful photos and to have a view of the entire length of Leblon Beach, Ipanema, reaching up to the Arpoador;
Near the Leblon Viewpoint there is the Municipal Natural Park of the Dois Irmãos Hill, a place still little explored by tourists, very quiet, with an environmental preservation area with a lot of green and offers a children’s play area, a sports court, gardens and a trail for the more adventurous;
The viewpoint still provides a view of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Corcovado and Botanical Gardens;
The malls in Leblon are one of the best in the city, with renowned and sophisticated stores, with nice architecture, with spaces for entertainment, space for children, bookstores and gastronomy;
Talking about gastronomy, this is one of the most recommended neighborhoods known for the high level of restaurants;
The nightlife of the neighborhood is not one of the most sought after, but if you are looking for lively places or more alternative activity, the best options are the kiosks by the shore that offer entertainment activities with live music and DJ’s, yoga among others activities;

In this post you have options of best bars in Leblon for you to enjoy the night

Accommodation options in Leblon:

The neighborhood offers good options, with comfort and security, since it is one of the upper-class neighborhoods in the city:

Best Hotels in Leblon

For those looking for more value for money accommodation and a place to make friends, the Hostel option is always a good solution, we have this suggestion in the neighborhood:

Hostels in Leblon

BARRA DA TIJUCA

We can say that Barra da Tijuca is the most expensive neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. The most luxurious condos and best malls are located there, so it is a safe neighborhood to stay. The downside is that the cost of accommodation is really high and it is a neighborhood quite far from the most touristic spots in the city, so if you want to stay there, you should take these factors into consideration. No wonder Barra is known as the Miami carioca.

Local tips to enjoy the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca:

The neighborhood is very expensive, but offers good spaces for shopping, parties and gastronomy;
The beaches at Barra da Tijuca are beautiful and much more tranquil, are already well away from the center of the city;
There are kiosks around the beach, spaces for the post-beach as well;
Possible to practice sports on the beach, walk along the waterfront or take a bike ride as well;
The Pedra da Gávea trail has access through Barra da Tijuca, in an area known as Barrinha, at the entrance of the Tijuca Forest;
Get to know the Island of Gigóia which is an incredible place, and the access is made by boat, with charming alleys and great gastronomic offer, besides taking advantage of the sunset in Lagoa da Tijuca;
The neighborhood is a shopping paradise with more than 10 malls between simple and high luxury, with stores of all levels and for all tastes;
The Bosque da Barra is a walking option for the quieter days, with spaces for children’s playground, trails, space for walking or cycling, watching the animals and it is still possible to have a picnic in a lake located in the area;
The nightlife is well recommended, with many bars and pubs that appeal to all tribes and there are hardly any empty tables, since the more younger crowd takes great advantage of the place;
Good restaurants can also be found on the premises, with luxurious and lively places;
In the neighborhood there are many parties and discos frequented by many celebrities and generally offer a more alternative musical style, some with decoration so special that it is worth knowing;

Here we have a guide for the best bars at Barra da Tijuca for you to enjoy every night at the neighborhood.

Accommodation options in Barra da Tijuca:

The place is much more open for hosting after the 2016 Olympic Games, with many hotel options for you to decide which option fits in your pocket:

Best hotels at Barra da Tijuca

For those who want more economical options, we have a list with Hostels at Barra da Tijuca:

Hostel at Barra da Tijuca

BOTAFOGO:

Botafogo is a neighborhood full of cultural centers, gastronomy, bars, malls and is in a central location with easy access to several sights in the city, bustling nightlife and many good accommodations options, the neighborhood is also considered safe. Another advantage is that it is affordable compared to other neighborhoods. The only downside of Botafogo is that it is not on the beach front.

Local tips to enjoy the Botafogo neighborhood:

The neighborhood is very central to sights such as the Bothanical Garden and Parque Lage;
It has many options to go to Cristo Redentor and even offers a good point of visibility for those days that you do not know if it is a good option to go to the attraction or not;
It’s one of the closest neighborhoods to Urca,neighborhood where the Sugar Loaf is located, with variety of transportation to the attraction;
From Botafogo it is possible to access neighborhoods like Leblon and Copacabana, nearby is also Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon;
The Mirador do Pasmado is a good option with a beautiful view of the Sugar Loaf and the beach, access is recommended by car and offers free parking;
Local cinemas are also interesting options, especially for those seeking cultural activities, offering alternative and national film choices;
Some other traditional cultural centers are found there such as the House of Rui Barbosa, the space functions as a garden, exhibition center, research, conservation and it is very pleasant to spend a few hours there;
There is a Museum of the Natives, which has a collection on the indigenous societies that make up the Brazilian population, with ethnographic pieces, as well as works that make up models of houses in indigenous villages. The space offers exhibitions, lectures and courses. It is worth noting that it is temporarily closed for reasons of defense and appreciation of indigenous heritage, so it is worth taking a look at the institution’s website to keep up with it if it works again;
The neighborhood of Botafogo offers Botafogo Beach Shopping and Rio Sul Shopping, space for those who want to do some shopping in the quietest days, there is a cinema in the mall and a balcony with a beautiful view of the beach, leisure and gastronomy;
The nightlife of the neighborhood is very lively, every day has a bar to meet friends and chat, good restaurants and on the weekends it gets very busy, difficult to find an empty table;
Many parties and nightclubs can also be found locally, some with a more alternative style and for those who like rock, many spaces are dedicated to the musical style;

List of the best bars in Botafogo, take a look!

Accommodations options in Botafogo:

We have some good options here in Botafogo for those who do not give up comfort and also prices for all budgets:

Hotels in Botafogo

For those who wish to stay at a lower cost, with quality and safety in mind, we have Hostel options that still give you the opportunity to make many friends:

Hostels in Botafogo

LAPA

Before you begin to describe the neighborhood of Lapa, I invite you to check out our Downtown and Lapa Free Walking Tour, it will give you a general idea of the neighborhood and to know more about the history of the city of Rio de Janeiro.

This neighborhood is considered the most bohemian of Rio de Janeiro, it is located in the Center of the city so it is a district considered historical and with many architectural and cultural attractions, since it is very close to many important tourist attractions in the city.

It is possible to do walks on foot, or by bicycle through the Center, in addition to having a much more affordable cost than the other districts of the city. The big disadvantage is that the neighborhood is not one of the safest ones, so it’s important to be aware when leaving and especially avoid leaving with valuables. For sure Lapa is a great option of a place to stay for those who want to party in Rio de Janeiro.

Local tips to enjoy the neighborhood of Lapa:

The first and most important tip: try to walk and stay where there are people, avoid alleys and dark places, places with little movement;
During the day, you can enjoy the proximity and walk to the tourist attractions in Lapa such as the Arcos da Lapa, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian and get to know the Selarón Steps;
But heading to Downtown, there are beautiful churches like the Candelaria, Monastery of Saint Benedict among many others;
There are some cultural centers of Caixa and Banco do Brasil, which can be visited and see the exhibitions of these cultural centers;
You can pass by XV Square, very important in the Imperial period in Brazil, as the Portuguese Royal Family lived in the Imperial Palace, space that is located in the square and it is possible to visit it (this is one of the points in our tour of the Center and Lapa too);
The center has easy access to the Olympic Boulevard, which was built for the 2016 Olympic Games and in the area is the Museum of Tomorrow and the Museum of Art of Rio, there is still the Mural of Ethnicities, a project by a Brazilian artist called Kobra , for the Olympics too, get to know this region with our Free Walking Tour in the Olympic Boulevard;
Downtown has an area for shopping. As we know, to buy things with more affordable prices we have to go Downtown, in this case we have Rua Uruguaiana and SAARA, that’s right, like the desert, it’s a commercial hub where you can find everything you want, including an option for gifts for friends and family;
In Largo da Carioca, there is the Church of Santo Antônio, the Museum of Sacred Art and a convent that can be visited and is very worthwhile;
Next to Largo da Carioca is Praça Tiradentes, a place that houses the famous Portuguese Royal Reading Room, with the largest collection of Portuguese works outside Portugal, with free visitation;
Returning to Lapa, it is possible to pass through Floriano Peixoto Square, better known as Cinelândia and in this square we have the Municipal Theater, the Museum of Fine Arts and the National Library, which can also be visited;
After so many places visited, we have the street party in Lapa streets, which the neighborhood is known for;
During the night the main tip is to avoid leaving with valuables and important documents, prefer copies of the documents and if possible only cash to have fun;
If you want to take an incredible tour of Lapa’s bars, take our Pub Crawl in Lapa;
There are two main streets in Lapa: Mem de Sá and Riachuelo and it is in this space that you will find many bars, restaurants and nightclubs so you can choose the rhythm you want to listen and dance to, what you want to drink and enjoy 100% of your stay;
In the streets of Lapa you can find several people with food stands and drinks with more affordable prices than inside the clubs;
Near the Arcos da Lapa there are two spaces that often receive concerts by famous artists: Circo Voador and Fundição Progresso, just follow the website of both to know what will happen on the days you visit the city;

More information about the best bars in Lapa

Accommodation options in Lapa:

If you liked all that Lapa offers day and night and you definitely want to stay in the neighborhood, we give you this list with the safest and most recommended hotels:

Best hotels in Lapa

If you want to save money on accomodations and party, we have these safe and recommended Hostel options:

SELINA

LAPA DESIGN HOSTEL

BOOKS

SANTA TERESA

This neighborhood is very charming, right next to the well-known Lapa, Santa Teresa is a quiet and artistic place. Many artists have lived and still live there, so it is common to see paintings on the walls of the neighborhood, galleries and boutiques scattered around the area.

The neighborhood is very residential and preserves the houses with more colonial style. It is considered a quiet neighborhood, but a little more expensive to stay than Lapa for example. The disadvantage of the neighborhood nowadays is security, so it is good to prepare the walking itinerary through the neighborhood to avoid possible problems. There are bus options that run through the neighborhood and so it would be easy to get around and more secure, or Uber and taxi options too.

Local tips for enjoying the neighborhood of Santa Teresa:

The most charming tip is to take the Santa Teresa Tram and pass over Lapa Arches enjoying the beautiful view on the way.
One of the most tourist attractions in the neighborhood is the museum known as the Ruins Park, this was the residence of the singer Laurinda dos Santos Lobo and there were many parties and events with famous artists of the Carioca society in the 1920s and nowadays it is a cultural space which preserves its structure in ruins and apparent bricks, and from there we have an incredible and privileged view of Guanabara Bay and the city center and all this with free entrance, tip: the photos there are incredible;
After the Ruins Park you can visit the Chácara do Céu Museum, which is very close, this museum has the private collection of the businessman who lived there and the place also offers a panoramic view of the Guanabara Bay, in addition the museum collection has works by Brazilian artists like Di Cavalcanti and Portinari; European artists such as Matisse and Modigliani and Miró and an exhibition of works of travelers known as Brasiliana with antique maps and illustrations by artists such as Jean-Baptiste Debret, Chamberlain and Rugendas;
I already mentioned that Santa Teresa has many alleys and hillsides, right? If after so much walking, going up and down you get hungry our suggestion is to go to Largo do Guimarães, walking there you can enjoy the artistic presentations that always happen and maybe even find an artist producing right there on the street;
Largo do Guimarães is a gastronomic spot so everyone knows the region, in case you get lost along the way, there are plenty of bars and restaurants, a bohemian center in the neighborhood, a cool place to spend an afternoon and enjoy the air of Santa Teresa. Cafe Alto is a good restaurant option;

Accommodation options in Santa Teresa:

The neighborhood also has good accommodation options for those who wish to enjoy the calm atmosphere of Santa Teresa, here’s a list with some safe and well recommended options:

Hotels in Santa Teresa

If you are looking for hostel accommodation, we have this good option with a very positive vibe and good prices:

MAMBEMBE

Did you like our options? Do you have any other advice to give us?