What to do in Rio ? Apart from Boys and Beach

[pauleiro]

Spending time in Rio is great because there are the boys and beach. But there are many other things which can be done ...

I discovered recently The Maze, a kind of museum established by a Bristish Artist some 30 years ago. It is on top of Tavares Bastos favela. This favela is small and as safe as other parts of Rio in particular because the headquarters of police operations are based there. 

A minibus starts regularly (whenever it is full) from intersection of rua Tavares Bastos and rua Bento Lisboa and takes you to the top of favela for 4R$. Then a 5 minutes walk will take you to the Maze. View from there is spectacular.

 

[Latbear4blk]

Rio is also a great city to walk around during daylight. It is full of architectonic jewels from all times. I have enjoyed many long walks in Copacabana, and right now, I am exploring Leblon and Ipanema. I am ashamed to confess that I have not yet explored Centro, but hopefully, I will have time on this trip.

Close to Rio, it is excellent to explore the natural reserve area where Praia Grumari is located. I wrote a report a few years ago: https://ilikepinga.com/2020/12/01/abrico-beach/ (ignore the links to my JFF, I have discontinued it)

 

[Taikonaut]

There is also the Sunday market at Gloria that is full of local vendors and cheap eats. Don’t be tempted to head over to Downtown where the Cathedral is though as it gets sketchy very fast. 

[Mavica]

I walk a lot when in Rio, or any other destination.  For me, an interesting (daytime) walk has been through Campo de Santana and afterwards through the sprawling street marketplace "Saara".  After leaving the park I enter the market (across the street) at Praça da República and on R. Sr. dos Passos throughout.  It's a congested marketplace with many places to eat and where you can buy just about anything inexpensively.  The street market continues to R. Uruguaiana where there is a Metro station.

I've also explored on foot much / most of Copacabana, Ipanema, Cinelandia, Urca, Gloria, Catete, Larangeiras, Lapa and Niteroi Centro.  Only one favela (the name of which I do not recall):  as a small tour participant many years ago.  Only once did I fear I would be a victim of crime / violence - but it hasn't happened, yet.

Beach time for me is usually several days a week at Ipanema, and on other days I'm on foot exploring.  Evenings are reserved for GP enjoyment!

SAARA Market:

 

 

 

 

[pauleiro]

The Centro of Northern traditions is also a great place to discover. It is a huge complex with lots of restaurants, shops, 2 stages for live music, a small museum,. ...

Do'nt go there during the weekdays. It is only open from 10 am to 6 pm and there are not so many people. And almost noone until 1 pm. But during the week-end, it is packed, particularly Friday and Saturday. These days, the center is open until 4 am. Worth a visit.

Campos de São Cristovão in Rio de Janeiro

[scott456]

I do envy all you guys who can mingle and dare to walk around in Rio, especially in Copacabana and Centro. 

[SolaceSoul]

1 minute ago, scott456 said:

I do envy all you guys who can mingle and dare to walk around in Rio, especially in Copacabana and Centro. 

What do you think prevents you from doing this? I’m genuinely curious.

[scott456]

1 minute ago, SolaceSoul said:

What do you think prevents you from doing this? I’m genuinely curious.

For reasons I genuinely do not wish to discuss in this forum, and you probably knew already.

[Latbear4blk]

4 hours ago, pauleiro said:

The Centro of Northern traditions is also a great place to discover. It is a huge complex with lots of restaurants, shops, 2 stages for live music, a small museum,. ...

Do'nt go there during the weekdays. It is only open from 10 am to 6 pm and there are not so many people. And almost noone until 1 pm. But during the week-end, it is packed, particularly Friday and Saturday. These days, the center is open until 4 am. Worth a visit.

Campos de São Cristovão in Rio de Janeiro

I saw that building when my Uber was taking me from GIG to my place. It is a weird structure.

[pauleiro]

40 minutes ago, Latbear4blk said:

I saw that building when my Uber was taking me from GIG to my place. It is a weird structure.

It is a weird structure indeed. 

This is the official description of the place : 

"The 700 stalls, distributed side by side, offer cariocas and tourists a variety of typical northeastern products, such as food, spices and handicrafts.  When hunger strikes, it's time to try the flavors of typical cuisine, such as Baião de Dois, Sarapatel or Carne de Sol with Aipim, offered in several restaurants at the fair.  On the pavilion's two stages, the music never stops: forró, xote, baião and xaxado, among other rhythms, guarantee fun all night long on weekends".

 

[SolaceSoul]

14 hours ago, scott456 said:

For reasons I genuinely do not wish to discuss in this forum, and you probably knew already.

Then why even bring it up in a public forum? And no, I don’t know your reasons for not wanting to walk around  Copacabana (the most tourist-centric area in all of Brazil) or Centro. They could be very legitimate concerns or they could just be based on stereotype or paranoia.

[Lucky]

I've safely walked the Centro district many times. It's a fascinating area.

[floridarob]

6 hours ago, SolaceSoul said:

Then why even bring it up in a public forum? And no, I don’t know your reasons for not wanting to walk around  Copacabana (the most tourist-centric area in all of Brazil) or Centro. They could be very legitimate concerns or they could just be based on stereotype or paranoia.

He's an asshole on the forum, imagine what he's like in person 😬

[Latbear4blk]

I went to Centro today and probably will not be back. Nothing wrong. It is just another street market similar to many others. If I gave it another try, I think it would be on the weekend. Perhaps I missed something? 

Tomorrow I want to explore the Jardim Botanico. I wanted to go today, but it is closed on Wednesday this season.

[Riobard]

10 minutes ago, Latbear4blk said:

I went to Centro today and probably will not be back. Nothing wrong. It is just another street market similar to many others. If I gave it another try, I think it would be on the weekend. Perhaps I missed something? 

Tomorrow I want to explore the Jardim Botanico. I wanted to go today, but it is closed on Wednesday this season.

It’s great. However, as there tends not to be many blooms in spite of a vast area of vegetation, do make sure you find and visit the orchid house if it still exists. 

Are you negatively predisposed to the Metro, or it’s outside your comfort zone? I use it all the time. I’d have thought Gloria station thru to one of the two Leblon stations would be a breeze. I suppose depends on how far your Leblon accommodations are and the corresponding sense of security. 

[Riobard]

[error]

[Latbear4blk]

6 hours ago, Riobard said:

It’s great. However, as there tends not to be many blooms in spite of a vast area of vegetation, do make sure you find and visit the orchid house if it still exists. 

Are you negatively predisposed to the Metro, or it’s outside your comfort zone? I use it all the time. I’d have thought Gloria station thru to one of the two Leblon stations would be a breeze. I suppose depends on how far your Leblon accommodations are and the corresponding sense of security. 

I am not predisposed against Metro, but Uber is so cheap and comfortable that I cannot resist the temptation. Last night, when Uber did not work, I did not feel like trying Metro for the first time and just got in a yellow cab at the Gloria Metro station gate.

My issue with Centro was not insecurity. It reminded me of street markets I have been to in Mexico, Colombia, and Salvador here in Brazil. As I said, I may have missed the interesting points, like the house of orchids you mentioned. I did not do any research and headed to the streets completely unprepared and uninformed, and walked randomly around Praça da Republica. I will give it another try whenever I feel like it.

I do not relate to the exaggerated fears and paranoia about security. Remember, I feel closer to feeling at home here than in the US. I think Americans are overconcerned about insecurity here and blind to the ridiculously violent culture they are immersed in. To make an analogy that most forum members may understand, when I am in South America, I feel like a White guy feels in the US, while many Americans here experience what people of color feel in US streets: targeted. 

[Mateo_37]

Can anyone maybe recommend a gay guide to do some day and/or night sightseeing in Rio and around?

[scott456]

20 hours ago, SolaceSoul said:

Then why even bring it up in a public forum? And no, I don’t know your reasons for not wanting to walk around  Copacabana (the most tourist-centric area in all of Brazil) or Centro. They could be very legitimate concerns or they could just be based on stereotype or paranoia.

I only stated I envy those who mingle and walk around, that's all.  It's up to you to elaborate your thoughts, being concerns or stereotypes or paranoia,....or anything else, or prepared to argue for the sake of arguing. 

[Riobard]

There is a lot to see and do in the area spanning from municipal theatre at Cinelandia up to the aquarium, and the VLT light-tail transit facilitates it if you use hop-on-off to conserve your energy. And that area would also be the source for the winding tram westerly up Santa Teresa (if it’s still running) if only for the views if you don’t have time to explore up there. I would suggest that Centro is one of the areas where a visitor would benefit most from consulting an inexpensive Rio guide (optionally online) such as DK Eyewitness Travel. Much of the history was razed by development and the information saves you digging for the highlights or counting on them to pop up obviously if you enter blind without at least a loose itinerary, as well as outlining what recent venues might appeal. 

My last time there recently hopped on a barca over to Niteroi and popped in at Encontru’s to inquire as to whether they have a typical GdeP playbook option apart from their more ambiguous interactive boys wording on ad banters.  No, they don’t. 

Funny twist: Recently a Brazilian family appeared to be struggling with an unwieldy paper map while riding the VLT in Centro and I managed to help steer them to their destination goal. 

The Orchid House is down in the Botanical Gardens. 

[scott456]

20 hours ago, floridarob said:

He's an asshole on the forum, imagine what he's like in person 😬

I don't o know who that person is.

But I am guilty because I speak the truth and nothing but the truth.  Most people just speak whatever others want to hear, so they can all feel they are in the fraternity/sorority.

[Latbear4blk]

Can we please ignore trolls and keep this thread on track?

[Riobard]

17 minutes ago, Latbear4blk said:

Can we please ignore trolls and keep this thread on track?

Especially when they swear on a stack of bibles they aren’t rushing yet are continually pledging and won’t rho rho rho outta here. 

[Latbear4blk]

 

 

Another suggestion for urban walkers like me. Lagõa has a sidewalk with a biker's path around most of the lagoon's circumference. I had heard it was very contaminated, so I had never tried it until this trip, afraid of disgusting smells. 

I was wrong. It is a beautiful walk. Contaminated or not, the water does not smell bad and is thriving with wildlife. I recommend it. I was surprised I did not see any boats.

 

 

[buttercawan]

On 4/12/2023 at 3:58 PM, Latbear4blk said:

I went to Centro today and probably will not be back. Nothing wrong. It is just another street market similar to many others. If I gave it another try, I think it would be on the weekend. Perhaps I missed something? 

Tomorrow I want to explore the Jardim Botanico. I wanted to go today, but it is closed on Wednesday this season.

Centro is safer during the weekdays where there are plenty of office workers and businessmen about. Weekends not so much (with exceptions of some places)