| Brazil > Rio de Janeiro
Best of ...
Best Drink With A View:
Take the elevator from the lobby of the Everest Hotel in Ipanema to the 23rd floor rooftop bar/restaurant. Have drinks and a nibble while basking in the 360 degree view (hence the name: Grille 360) of Ipanema beach, Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers) Mountain, the Lagoa with the Christ towering above. You may want to play musical chairs, rotating between the three sitting areas: the beach side, next to the pool, the Lagoa side, or in the middle, indoors at the restaurant. This spot is great at sunset or anytime. Not crowded at all, at least not yet... Try the caipirinha de maracujá (cachaça with passion fruit and condensed milk, R$8).
Best Coffee With A View:
Where can you sip a cappuccino as you feast your eyes on the world-famous Copacabana beach stretching out before you? In the Fort of Copacabana, that’s where. Pay your admission to the Fort and take a seaside seat at the Confeitaria Colombo (R$4 includes museum admission, R$2 just to get in to the café). The original location of this bakery-café is downtown, as it has been since 1894. Try the pastries, both sweet and savory. Other food is available but it’s a bit pricey.
Best Light Bites:
In Ipanema / Leblon: For a late-day snack head to Bibi Sucos (Rua Rainha Guilhermina at the corner of Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva) and have a big bowl of Açai or some salgados. If you are in the mood for something stronger, move further along to Bracarense (Rua Jose Linhares at Av Ataulfo de Paiva, Leblon) for a few beers - said to be some of the best in the city - with friends. Before too long the post-beach crowd will meet the pre-dinner group here as the party spills out onto the front sidewalk.
In Copacabana: Head to Sindicado do Chopp, right across from the beach at Av Atlantica 3806 (2523 4644; accepts credit cards) where you can rehydrate with an ice-cold chopp or help yourself to some Brazilian snacks.
Best Juices:
Sabor & Natural and Dukas
Sucos stands at the corner of Rua Visconde de Piraja and Henrique Dumont. Although most of the sucos (juice) stands are of similar quality, these guys are friendly and animated.
Best Snacks:
Empado do Brasil
Several locations throughout the city
They serve a variety of empanadas - from chicken (frango) to meat (carne) to cheese (queijo) that make great for a quick fix!
Best Quick Bites:
Bibi Sucos
Av Ataulfo de Paiva 591 - Leblon
Rua Jardim Botanico 632 - Jardim Botanico
2259 4298; 8:00am - 2:00am
Serves up every flavor of fruit juice you can imagine as well as açai, sandwiches and burgers. Almost everything is under R$5.
Culture & Entertainment
Best Cinemas:
Movies in Brazil are generally screened in their original version with Portuguese subtitles. Cinemark is one of the larger mainstream theatres with locations throughout the city. For show times check www.cinemark.com.br
There are also theatres in the new Shopping Leblon center. Click here for schedules.
Best English Book Stores:
Livraria da Travessa
Rua Visconde de Piraja 572 - Ipanema
Mon - Sun 12:00pm - 12:00am; 3205 9002
This store has an excellent atmosphere with a lovely cafe on the second floor and a small selection of English books.
Livraria Letras & Expressões
Ataulfo de Paiva 1292 - Leblon; 2511 5085
Rua Visconde de Piraja 276- Ipanema; 2521 6110
This chain of bookstores has a nice atmosphere with a cafe and Internet access. The Leblon store has a large selection of international magazines. Both stores have limited English book selections.
Livreria Argumento
Rua Dias Ferreira 417 - Leblon
Mon - Fri 9:00am - 12:30am, Sat & Sun 10:00am - 12:30am; 2239 5294
Long a meeting point for intellectuals and artists alike, this bookstore has a decent selection of English books.
English magazines such as Newsweek and the Economist can be found at most of the kiosks in Ipanema and Leblon. There are no Brazilian papers printed in English, but the usual assortment of international papers can be found at most kiosks.
Best Music Store:
Modern Sound
Rua Barata Ribeiro 502; daily from 9:00am - 9:00pm
It doesn't look like much from the outside, but wander in and you will find an enormous selection of Brazilian music with outlets to listen to CD's and decide on your favorites to bring home. International music is also sold here. The Allegro Bistro inside serves light food and features different artists who play live throughout the day. There is also a library of music books, sheet music and DVDs.
Health & Recreation
Best Fitness:
You will undoubtedly feel the urge to get a workout in when you see Carioca's strutting their stuff along the beach. If you do get the itch, take a run along the boardwalk and stop at any of the exercise stations on the beaches or around the Lagoa.
Best Yoga / pilates:
Proforma Wellness Center in Leblon
Corner of Rua Dias Ferreira and Ataulfo de Paiva on the second floor
www.proforma.com.br; 021 - 2540 7999; Mon - Fri 9:00am - 11:00pm, Sat 9:00am - 9:00pm, Sun 9:00am - 2:00pm.
This is the place where Cariocas come to create those beautiful bodies. A day pass is R$40 and you can access all of the facilities as well as taking part in any of the classes including power yoga, hatha yoga, pilates. There are also spin classes and cardio machines. Check the schedule on their website for class times.
Best Tennis:
If tennis is your thing, head down to any of the public courts located around the Lagoa.
Best Esthetics:
Maria Carioca (Rua Visconde de Piraja 303, #113 - Ipanema; 2522 1431; no credit cards) Great for manicures, pedicures and waxes - all at excellent prices. They show video clips whie you wait and you will always be offered complimentary coffee or tea. Walk-ins accepted.
Best Kitch Tour Activity:
There are two fun, silly things to do on a nice day at the Lagoa. Near the Parque dos Patins (the skating area), on the side of the Lagoa farthest from the beach, you can rent a quadracycle—the kind where you and a friend sit side-by-side under a little canopy! Ride the 5 miles around the lake, stopping for a snack or a coconut water. R$10/hour.
Or…on the Copacabana side of the Lagoa, explore the lake from the inside: rent a swan-shaped pedal boat! Romantic, silly and pretty good exercise! There are boats for 2-5 people. R$10/ half-hour.
Best Urban Mini-Hikes:
1 Avenida Borges de Medeiros 2 Parque dos Patins
3 Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas 4 Avenida Epitácio Pessoa
5 Morro da Saudade 6 Morro dos Cabritos
7 Parque da Catacumba 8 Parque do Cantagalo
9 Ilha dos Caiçaras 10 Parque das Taboas
11 Ilha Piraquê 12 Jóquei Clube Brasileiro
- Catch a cab or ride a bike to the Parque de Catacumba on the Lagoa (on Avenida Epitacio Pessoa, near the white, modern BR gas station) and take a 15 minute hike past sculptures up to a view point of the whole Lagoa as well as Ipanema neighborhood and beach. The trail will take you through an area which, until the 1960s, was a favela and, much earlier, an important pass for early settlers making their way to Ipanema from other parts of the city. Security guards patrol the park and entry is free. Open daily from 8:00am–5:00pm.
- At the end of Leme Beach there is a stand where you pay R$3 to enter the Fort of Leme. Follow the road which turns into a cobblestone road, and wind your way (about 20 minutes) through the Atlantic rainforest up to the Fort on the top of the hill. You’ll drink in expansive views of the Guanabara Bay, nearby islands, Niterói, Copacabana and Christ the Redeemer. It’s like a less touristy mini-Sugarloaf. Open on Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 8:00am-5:00pm.
|
