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Recommendations for Rio

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If you're following our recommendation of flying in and out of Rio de Janeiro for our wedding, we hope you'll take some extra time to experience the city. It is gorgeous and world famous for good reason!

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Where We Recommend Staying

We highly recommend staying in the Ipanema or Leblon areas. This puts you in the heart of the Zona Sul, Rio's South Zone, which is the safest area for tourists and where you'll have easy access to the beaches, restaurants, and sights.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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More specific recommendations on stay:​

  • Promenade Palladium. Great location within Leblon. Low profile and well-priced

  • Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort. Located just off the main beach drag, this will have more of a resort feel, which is nice if you're just looking to relax. You will need to take ubers to get to shopping and restaurants within Leblon

  • Fasano. If you feel like splurging... this hotel is fabulous

  • There are also some great and affordable airbnb options in these areas. This is what Shelby and Miguel opted for!

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Sites Worth Seeing

  • Christ the Redeemer. Definitely worth viewing up close in person. Book tickets in advance and go early to beat the clouds and crowds

  • Sugarloaf Mountain. The cable car ride and views are spectacular, especially around sunset

  • Ipanema Beach. Brazilian beaches are famous for a reason. Just show up in your bathing suit and rent/purchase everything else you might need for the day (chairs, umbrellas, drinks, and food) from the local vendors  

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A Note on Safety

We want to be honest with you- Rio is a city where you need to stay aware. It's not a place to wander aimlessly into unfamiliar neighborhoods. Petty theft (especially phone snatching) is a real thing, particularly on the beach and in crowded areas. That said, the vast majority of violent incidents occur in areas far outside the tourist circuit, and visitors are rarely affected by anything more serious than petty theft, which is usually preventable with basic awareness.

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The practical rules are simple: use Uber rather than hailing cabs off the street, stick to well-lit and busy streets at night, and avoid favelas and the Centro area. Keep your phone out of sight, don't wear flashy jewelry, and generally try to stay in Zona Sul (outside of visits to any popular tourist sites).

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This was a helpful blog write up with thorough, honest, and up-to-date breakdown of Rio safety by neighborhood.

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If you have any questions as you're booking your travel, please don't hesitate to reach out to Shelby & Miguel!​

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