Rio de Janeiro holidays
Rio de Janeiro holidays at a glance
Rio sits between forested mountains and the Atlantic, and it shows in almost every view. Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer look down over the city, while Copacabana Beach and Ipanema stay at the centre of daily life, prom-side bars and all.
Away from the coast, there’s plenty more to find. Santa Teresa’s boutique hotels sit among artistic, hilly streets, the colonial centre has literary cafés spilling onto car-free lanes, and the lagoon behind Ipanema comes with a proper path for walking or cycling. Add the Botanical Gardens, street art, spontaneous music and Rio’s reinvented docklands, and there’s no shortage of things to do in Rio beyond the obvious postcard shots.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Rio de Janeiro
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Of the world’s great iconic cities, Rio is the most captivating. Romantic and laid back but oozing energy and optimism.
When to visit Rio de Janeiro
Rio is a year-round destination, with warm temperatures throughout much of the year.
Christmastime in Rio is the summer season; you can expect very high temperatures and tropical rainstorms. In the build up to February’s carnival, the world’s biggest party, the streets are wonderfully lively and there is much excitement in the air. At this time bars will be buzzing and the beaches packed with people enjoying the heat.
This is Autumn in Rio, when you’ll find the weather is cooler yet often still quite sunny. This is an ideal time for visitors who wish to avoid crowds. As the weather can be wholly unpredictable in Rio, several days of on-stop rain is always a possibility, so be sure to head out to the beach when the sun is shining.
Temperatures at this time tend to stay around 25°C. This agreeable climate is occasionally interrupted by cold spells which last a few days and bring rain, cloud and cooler temperatures.
September – October temperatures still hover around 25°C, but by November Rio de Janeiro is reaching summer, with temperatures in the high 20°Cs and sudden tropical rainstorms.
Top Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Rio offers an unusual mix of sightseeing, culture, music, food and outdoor life, all within easy reach of each other. From New Year’s Eve on the beach to a quiet morning in the Botanical Gardens, there’s a different side of the city for every kind of traveller.
Join locals in the city’s most atmospheric haunts on a night out to remember.
Make a footballing pilgrimage to the Maracanã to see the game at its best.
Reach the top of Sugar Loaf mountain to enjoy views over Copacabana and Christ the Redeemer over Botafogo Bay, especially glorious at sunset.
Ride a helicopter from Sugar Loaf mountain to see Copacabana and the city of Rio with a bird’s eye view.
Experience Rio at its most dazzling by heading out on the town for a typical Brazilian meal and a samba show to put you in the carnival spirit.
Visit a samba school headquarters in Rio de Janeiro and peruse the fabulous costumes and floats.
Visit Rio’s summer retreat, a historic and beautifully situated hill town.
Accommodation in Rio de Janeiro
Accommodation in Rio is as varied as the city itself, from no-frills stays to high-end luxury, with options including Arena Copacabana, Arpoador Hotel, Belmond Copacabana Palace and Emiliano Rio.
Many visitors choose somewhere close to the beach, keeping both sightseeing and Rio’s outdoor lifestyle within easy reach.
An agreeable mid-range hotel between Copacabana and Ipanema beaches offers a great family-friendly choice.
An iconic Rio institution with the city’s best pool and an assuredly first-class approach to facilities, style and service.
A striking, modern luxury hotel well placed in Copacabana beach, an oasis of calm to the action and the iconic sights of Rio
Fairmont is a top quality property in a superb location between Copacabana and Ipanema beaches with stupendous views.
A chic, contemporary and ultra-fashionable designer property in a prime position on Ipanema Beach.
A showcase tower-block first class property on Copacabana Beach with facilities for leisure and business guests.
Smart, modern hotel with glorious views and an ideal location on the Copacabana beachfront.
Good-value hotel in an exclusive locale, with some marvellous views and easy access to Ipanema’s chic restaurants and boutiques.
A top quality mid-sized hotel on Copacabana beach with a good range of modern facilities.
Windsor Copa is a good value, mid-range hotel just a short stroll from Copacabana beach
A light and bright, contemporary-style hotel offering superior accommodation on Copacabana beach.
Well-priced and conveniently located hotel a couple of blocks from the prestigious frontage of Copacabana beach.
An elegant hotel on Copacabana beach with a classy feel and service to match.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Rio de Janeiro
Group Rio de Janeiro Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Coq of the Rock: Trailblazing the Guianas
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro
16 days from £5,917
Hummingbird: Ocean to ocean
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Buenos Aires · Sucre and Potosi · La Paz and the altiplano · Lake Titicaca – Bolivian side · Lake Titicaca – Peruvian side · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Lima
21 days from £5,861
Jacana: Crossing the continent
Places visited: Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Lake Titicaca – Peruvian side · Lake Titicaca – Bolivian side · La Paz and the altiplano · Asuncion and the heartland · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Rio de Janeiro
19 days from £4,583
Sandpiper: Atlantic to Pacific in style
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Buenos Aires · Argentinian lake district · Chilean Lake District (south) · Torres del Paine National Park · Santiago and the vineyards
19 days from £7,062
Tangara: Blue lakes and emerald coasts
Places visited: Santiago and the vineyards · Chilean Lake District (south) · Argentinian lake district · Buenos Aires · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Rio de Janeiro · Buzios, Paraty and Costa Verde
15 days from £3,892
Toucanet: Cities and Cascades
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Buenos Aires
9 days from £3,048
Trogon: Natural Brazil
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Brasilia and the Cerrado · The Pantanal
12 days from £3,662
Tailor-Made Rio de Janeiro Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Luxury Brazil: Rio, Iguazu Falls and Buzios
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Buzios, Paraty and Costa Verde
11 days from £7,800
Luxury Rio, Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires and the pampas
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Buenos Aires · The Pampas
11 days from £7,990
Rio Carnival Holiday
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Buzios, Paraty and Costa Verde
10 days from £5,120
Signature Brazil, Argentina and Chile: Coast to coast
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Buenos Aires · Mendoza and the vineyards · Santiago and the vineyards
15 days from £5,650
Signature Brazil: Brazil at a glance
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · The Brazilian Amazon · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
15 days from £4,375
Signature Peru and Brazil: Machu Picchu and Rio de Janeiro
Places visited: Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Rio de Janeiro
12 days from £4,240
Value Brazil: The emerald coast
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Buzios, Paraty and Costa Verde
9 days from £1,450
Value Iguazu Falls: Buenos Aires to Rio
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Rio de Janeiro
10 days from £1,900
Wildlife Brazil: Jaguars of the Pantanal
Places visited: The Pantanal · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Rio de Janeiro
11 days from £6,725
FAQs about visiting Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- What's the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro?
Rio is an all-year destination, at its hottest Jan-Mar (humid with tropical showers, occasionally over 40°C during the day). It can be cool and drizzly Jul-Aug but the sun is never far away. Late Dec-Feb (and to a lesser extent Jul) are local holiday times and can be very busy.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- How do I get local currency in Rio de Janeiro?
Brazilian Real.
Notes can be withdrawn from the ATMs at the airport and in town. Banco do Brasil, Bradesco and HSBC accept UK credit or debit cards. Limits may be lower than your UK bank allows. ATMs close at 10pm. Currency also obtainable in banks and money exchanges.
- What's the time difference between Rio de Janeiro and UK?
GMT -3 hours. There is daylight saving from Oct- end Feb (approx) when clocks are put forward one hour.
- What places combine well with Rio de Janeiro?
Beach time in Búzios (136 km by road) or Ilha Grande on the Costa Verde (136 km); Paratí, quaint and arty colonial port surrounded by rainforested hills (236 km); Petropolis, former summer seat of the Emperor, in the tropical mountains behind Rio, (68 km, 1.5 hours by road); Ouro Preto, exquisite colonial city in the mountains of Minas Gerais (280 km); Iguazú Falls (2 hours approx by air); Salvador da Bahía in the northeast (2 hours by air).
- What's the flight time between Rio de Janeiro and UK?
Average flight time to Rio is 11 hours. Two airlines offer direct flights. There are flights with European connections to many other major cities.
- What are the festivals, cultural and sport events in Rio de Janeiro?
Reveillon: New Year’s Eve, 2 million white-clad Cariocas descend on Copacabana beach to celebrate the Festa de Iemanjá, launching candlelit boats on the Ocean. Fireworks and music accompany the fun.
Carnival: 5 days in Feb/Mar, variable. Apart from the world famous parades in the purpose-built sambadrome there are street processions, live bands, costume balls, over-indulgence and general frivolity.
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