The Rio de Janeiro City Guides tackle what every visitor wonders: which botequim still pours the coldest chopp, how to time Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf around the clouds, which beach suits small children and where to hear the samba locals actually go to. Every guide is a short, opinionated list with the reason to go, what to order or look out for and a practical tip for each place, and it opens in your browser the minute you pay.
About the Rio de Janeiro City Guides
- 143 places
- 6 guides
- 13 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Rio de Janeiro guides
Food guide
24 places
Botequins with fried bolinhos and cold beer, feijoada done right, steak sandwiches, historic cafés, markets and fruit sorbets, with the tourist traps flagged.
Things to do guide
23 places
Free air-conditioned museums in the Centro, the viewpoints worth the queue, forest walks and neighbourhoods to wander, with tips for dodging the cloud.
Family guide
24 places
Beach playgrounds and calm bays, lakeside and waterfront parks, an aquarium, a science museum, the zoo and food children will happily eat.
Nightlife guide
25 places
Samba circles in old Rio, pavement botecos, sunset seats in Urca, live music and clubs, and the late kitchens still busy at 4 am.
Day trips guide
24 places
Beaches you reach by metro, the city’s own hills and gardens, ferries across the bay to Niterói and Paquetá, and bus runs to the mountains and colonial towns.
Budget guide
23 places
Free viewpoints and walks, free or cheap museums, filling lunches for little money and the cheapest ways to move around the city.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Confeitaria Colombo
Rua Gonçalves Dias, Centro
Belgian mirrors, stained glass and a first-floor salon that looks like a palace, open since 1894. Come for the room and a sweet with your coffee rather than a full meal. From the food guide.
Mirante Dona Marta
Cosme Velho
A free lookout 362 metres up, with the Christ statue at your back and the whole bay spread out ahead. Quieter than the summit itself, and lovely at sunrise. From the things to do guide.
Paquetá Island
Guanabara Bay, ferry from Praça XV
A car-free island of bicycles, horse carts and old houses, reached by a ferry ride that doubles as a tour of the bay. Hire a bike and loop the island in a couple of hours. From the day trips guide.
Plan your days in Rio de Janeiro
Day one: take the first train up to Christ the Redeemer, cool off in the Botanical Garden or Parque Lage, then end with a beer on the bay wall in Urca as the sun goes down behind Sugarloaf. Day two: spend the morning on the beach at Leme or Ipanema, walk to the Arpoador rocks for sunset and head to Lapa or Pedra do Sal for samba after dark. For a rainy or slow day, stay in the Centro: Museu do Amanhã, the Real Gabinete reading room, Confeitaria Colombo and a weekday prato feito lunch.
Questions about the Rio de Janeiro guides
What do the Rio de Janeiro City Guides cover?
Six guides with 143 places in all: food, things to do, family, nightlife, beaches and day trips, and budget. Every entry gives the reason to go, the neighbourhood, opening notes and one practical tip.
How do I get the guides once I have paid?
The links appear on your order page straight after payment and arrive in your order email too. They open in any browser on a phone or laptop, with no app or account to set up.
Can I use the guides offline in Rio de Janeiro?
Yes. Open each guide once while connected and it works offline from then on, with your ticks and notes. Map links need mobile data.
Which languages are the guides available in?
The guides open in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
Is it possible to buy just one guide?
Yes. One guide costs €4.99, two cost €8.99, four cost €15.99 and all six cost €19.99.
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