Rio de Janeiro > Rio de Janeiro Attractions

Advantages: Not so full of tourists, plenty of variety of resturants, good beach
Disadvantages: Can seem "simple" to those who are not accustomed to the area.

...slower-paced, less tourist area of Barra da Tijuca. Because it is not as such a tourist spot as the more well-known areas, the beach along Barra is cleaner, calmer and the water in the area is cleaner too. There are plenty of Posto's and Kiosks so you can go to the toilet, have a wash and grab yourself a fresh, chilled coconut to drink, while laying on the beach. During the week, the beach is only busy in the morning and evenings. The rest of ...
...to the huge shopping centre, Barra Shopping, which along with the New York Centre next to it, has a huge range of resturants, fast-food, and cafes. All along the main road, Avenue das Americas, which stretches the length of Barra, you will find many resturants which are open until late most days. If you want to do some shopping, head towards the "butterfly" banners of Barra Shopping. "Huge" does not do this place justice. There are more shops that ... Read review

Advantages: Calm, peaceful - lively at night - great amount of food stalls
Disadvantages: Sometimes have to face a lot of traffic when you leave

Lagoa De Freitas, as it is usually called, is a really cool place in Rio just to hang-out and chill. It is the Carioca equivalent to Central Park in New York. Getting there can not be easier - just follow any of the main roads from Copacanaba, Leblon or Ipanema. There are plenty of car parks around, which usually cost a flat-rate of R$2, and you can keep the ticket for the whole day, which means you can usually park somewhere else around the lake ...
...the vicinity. During the day you usually find people jogging, running, walking or cycling around the Lagoa, as it is a pleasant location for doing this if you do not want to bump into the tourists and sunbathers at the beach. Not all of the track around the lake is paved or suitable for everyone - however the more northern edges are better. Dotted along the Lagoa you will find many food vendors selling hotdogs, popcorn, coconuts, sweetcorn, sweets, ... Read review

Advantages: Breathtaking views
Disadvantages: Other tourists

You can climb to the summit of Corcovado on foot, by car or by train. The popular attraction of Corcovado mountain is the statue and viewing platform at its peak, drawing over 300,000 local and international visitors per year. The famous statue Christ the Redeemer overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro. From the train terminus and road, the observation deck at the foot of the statue is reached by 222 steps, or by elevators and escalators. Cloud cover ... Read review