Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Whenever I mention Brazil, the image of Rio comes to people's heads, as does the idea of samba, Carnaval (I will not translate it), beaches, and livelihood. Although I didn't visit Rio until I was about 8 or 9 for the first time, when my uncle, godmother, and cousins moved there, I have visited so many times ever since. I wouldn't call myself a local as I do with São Paulo and Salvador, but I enjoy getting around quite a bit.

I don't know quite as much about Rio to give you all the insider tips as a local, but I can tell you the tips as someone who has experienced Rio. The city is charming and beautiful, and there is much to do. My favorite time of the year to visit is probably around spring (late September until early December). There are no summer rains or winter cold, and the weather is perfect.

Transportation (yay yay)

Unlike most Brazilian cities, as Rio is very touristy, they have adapted to fit all tourists. Therefore, most people there speak some English, and public transportation is excellent. The subway there is good (São Paulo as well, don't get me wrong) and you can even pay for it with Apple Pay or a tap card, differently than most other cities. Not the bus, though, you still need cash. It is also a pretty walkable area;  you can walk everywhere within their zones, following safety concerns, which leads to my next topic in this entry.

Safety Yaps and Chats

Whenever I talk about Brazil, this is something people always bring up: how safe should I be in the city or the country? I have never felt unsafe on my skin. I will not affirm that I have never seen myself wondering if I am putting myself in danger, but I've never been scared. It is not a dangerous country. You just have to put up extra safety measures to ensure your safety. As I said, not wandering around and walking everywhere, when in Rome, one might want to, but not in Rio. 

That's the number one rule when it comes to Brazil, which you might've been used to doing in Europe or “first-world” countries (I hate using this old-fashioned terminology), avoid doing it there. Opening Google Maps on the street, no-go buddy, get in a store, do it there. 

Handling Tourists when a Tourist

Rio is always overflowing with tourists; if you've ever been to the Louvre (edit: or Rome during the Jubilee year), this is what the Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugarloaf mountain look like. Although I have opinions about whether or not some of these are worth it, I think when visiting Rio, you must go to all of these at least once, so I won't tell you to cross them out of your itinerary. But you can use techniques to avoid these huge lines and crowds.

The first one is, of course, the international rule of tour guides. When you find a nice and interesting tour guide, tours can be so interesting and help you skip many lines and avoid crowds. I know sometimes they can be a pain in the ass and be an extra penny but it does help. I have developed my techniques specifically tailored to these two locations. 

Purchase your ticket in advance at the Sugarloaf Mountain and have it downloaded. They often have problems in the system, and it won't work, so have the tickets there and available whenever you need them; don't wait until the last minute. If you do forget it, it is sometimes worth trying to buy it online. In the Christ the Redeemer, take the lift instead of taking the shuttle. It might seem more crowded, but if you purchased the ticket in advance, it will be way emptier and a much prettier ride than the shuttle, which is a van.

Favela Tours (nay nay)

I couldn't do this and not write about favela tours. Unfortunately, a while ago I was obliged to go on one of these, which was horrible. I have no criticism towards favelas whatsoever, don't get me wrong. But I hate the culture created towards this tourism of visiting them. It looks and feels like those voluntourism trips. I cannot testify as I'm not a part of the demographic in the favelas, and I've read some articles that testify that some residents don't mind the tourism, but that is contrary to what I chatted with a guy there.

I was on a motorbike and he told me how tourists go to favelas on rainy days rather than visiting the main tourist attractions, which sounded ironic as that was precisely what the group of people that I was in did; we couldn't go up to Christ the Redeemer and instead went to the favelas. If you want to go on a proper tour there, rather than the one I did (I'm sorry guys, it was with my school), try to choose one made by the locals. 

When traveling, I always praise this: be culturally and historically aware of the country you are visiting, and make choices that will benefit the local community. In this case, choose a tour that will help the favelas and not marginalize them further than they already are.