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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

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.

Windsor Barra Hotel

Windsor Barr Hotel is a good choice for exploring Rio's western suburbs and beaches, particularly for surfers and for those planning to attend the 2016 Olympics. This modern, high-rise hotel facing Barra da Tijuca beach has 338 comfortable if not luxurious rooms with all mod-cons. It also has a restaurant, bar, two swimming pools, fitness centre, sauna, and airport shuttle bus.

Fasano Rio

Still the coolest luxury hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Fasano Rio is a place where both Brazilian and global celebrities come to see and to be seen. Overlooking Ipanema Beach, this stylish designer hotel brings a modern concept of hospitality, elegance and sophistication. The interiors are a joint venture of renowned architect Philippe Stark and the restaurateur and hotelier Rogério Fasano. The décor combines dark tropical woods with light and airy drapes and furnishings. All 79 rooms and 10 suites have a balcony and most with a sea view. Its rooftop terrace and pool gives a superb view over the beach to the Dois Irmãos mountains, stunning at sunset. The restaurant, Fasano Al Mare, is under the capable hands of three-Michelin-star chef Luca Gozzani.

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