Travel advisory · BrazilRio de Janeiro is in or near an area where governments advise against all but essential travel: Favelas.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice

Areas with warnings

Ceilandia · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
Favelas · avoid non-essential travel · Germany, Spain, New Zealand, US
Paranoá · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
Santa Maria · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
São Sebastião · avoid non-essential travel · Italy, US
Venezuela border area · avoid non-essential travel · Germany, France

Also named by one government: 160 km strip along Brazil's land borders (US), Complexo da Maré (Canada), Complexo da Penha (Canada), 20 km strip along the Bolivian border (excluding Pantanal National Park) (Canada), 20 km strip along the Colombian border (Canada), 20 km strip along the French Guiana border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Guyanese border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Paraguayan border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Peruvian border (Canada), 20 km strip along the Surinamese border (Canada), 50 km strip along the Venezuelan border (Canada), Amazonas River and tributaries, Amazonas State (between Codajás and Belém do Solimões) (UK), Border zones (unspecified) (France), Chapada Diamantina National Park (trilha do 21) (Spain), Planaltina (Italy), Samambaia (Italy)

Government	Advice	Updated	Read the advice
United Kingdom (FCDO)	No advice against the whole country (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice
United States (State Dept)	Exercise increased caution (regional advisories)	Aug 31, 2026	Read the advice
Canada (Global Affairs)	Exercise a high degree of caution (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice
Germany (Auswärtiges Amt)	No advice against the whole country (regional advisories)	Oct 27, 2026	Read the advice
New Zealand (SafeTravel)	Exercise increased caution due to high crime rates (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice
France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)	Vigilance renforcée (pays à risque) (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice

Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio pairs beaches and samba with Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain, all set between the bay and forested mountains.

Find a room in Rio de Janeiro Start with the essentials Plan a trip to Rio de Janeiro

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Rio de Janeiro is Brazil's second-largest city after São Paulo, on the Atlantic coast of the southeast. Residents are called cariocas. The city sits around Guanabara Bay, with beaches on one side and forested mountains behind them. Two landmarks are the usual first stops: Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado mountain, inaugurated in 1931, and Sugarloaf Mountain, reached by cable car. Founded in 1565 by Estácio de Sá, the city was Brazil's colonial capital from 1763 until 1960, when government moved to Brasília.

Rio suits a trip built around beaches, hiking in Tijuca National Park, samba, and a mix of museums and historic churches in the center. Copacabana and Ipanema are the best-known beaches. The South Zone is the most popular area with tourists, but distances across the city are long, so choose your base first. Heavy rains usually fall from December to March, bringing a risk of floods and landslides, so check the forecast before you book.

Rio de Janeiro in five

Book the Corcovado train aheadThe cog train to Christ the Redeemer runs on timed tickets. Go early on a clear morning; cloud often closes in by midday.
Ride the Sugarloaf cable car near sunsetThe two-stage cable car climbs from Urca. Late afternoon gives the light over the bay and the city.
Use the metro along the beachesMetro lines run from the center through Botafogo and Copacabana to Ipanema and on to Barra. It beats traffic at rush hour.
Take little to the beachLeave passports and spare cards in your room and carry a phone you can live without. Keep it out of sight at crossings and on buses.
Book early for New Year's Eve and CarnivalRooms by the beach fill months ahead, and prices jump. Carnival falls in February or March, depending on the year.

Things to do in Rio de Janeiro

See all attractions in Rio de Janeiro

Historic site · Rio de JaneiroCais do ValongoConsider a guided tour led by someone of African heritage for deeper historical and cultural context.

Museum · Rio de JaneiroMuseu do Meio AmbienteChoose a weekday to avoid crowds.

Museum · Rio de JaneiroMuseu de Folclore Edison CarneiroConfirm that the museum is open before travelling; reported closures conflict with its published schedule.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to Rio de JaneiroPut the places you like in Rio de Janeiro on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Galeão (GIG) international, Santos Dumont (SDU) domestic
Getting there: Flights to GIG; air shuttle from São Paulo to SDU
Getting around: Metro, buses and ride apps; walk the beachfront
Best base: Ipanema or Copacabana for beaches, Botafogo for value
Time needed: 4–5 days

Weather by month

Rainy days
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryRain15 rainy daysHigh30°Low24°Hot, busy
FebruaryRain15 rainy daysHigh30°Low24°Hot, storms
MarchRain14 rainy daysHigh30°Low23°Hot
AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh28°Low22°Warm, drier
MayClear9 rainy daysHigh26°Low20°Mild, clear
JuneClear9 rainy daysHigh25°Low19°Dry, mild
JulyClear6 rainy daysHigh25°Low18°Dry, mild
AugustClear10 rainy daysHigh25°Low18°Dry, windy
SeptemberClear9 rainy daysHigh27°Low20°Mild
OctoberRain16 rainy daysHigh27°Low21°Warm
NovemberRain16 rainy daysHigh27°Low21°Warm, rain
DecemberRain15 rainy daysHigh29°Low23°Hot, holidays

Average daily high and low in Rio de Janeiro, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: Sep Rock in Rio

Right now in Rio de Janeiro

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 28°
Humidity: 94%
Wind: 5 km/h
Chance of rain: 69%

Rio de Janeiro State

09:57 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-3

Today29°22°69%Monday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 69%.
Tue30°23°61%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 61%.
Wed29°22°7%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 29°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 7%.
Thu36°25°27%Thursday: Rain. High 36°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 27%.
Fri26°23°43%Friday: Drizzle. High 26°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 43%.
Sat31°22°65%Saturday: Cloudy. High 31°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 65%.
Sun30°19°63%Sunday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 63%.

Updated 09:45 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 5.437 BRL

Amount

Converted to

BRL · Brazilian Real

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Rio de Janeiro

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Every year

SepRock in RioRio de Janeiro

Day trips by train

PetrópolisAbout 1.5 hours by roadImperial summer town in the mountains.
Ilha GrandeAbout 3 hours by road and boatCar-free island with jungle trails; stay a night.
ParatyAbout 4 hours by roadColonial port town; better as an overnight trip.

Before you go to Rio de Janeiro

Corcovado and Sugarloaf ticketsTimed slots for the clear morningBook timed entry

Hotels in Ipanema and CopacabanaMetro-linked beach basesCheck availability

eSIM for RioRide-hailing from the airport queueRead the guide

Insurance for RioPhone theft claims need a police reportRead the guide

We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.

Rules for Rio de Janeiro, checked

Check entry rules, including whether you need a visa, on the Itamaraty consular site (gov.br/mre) before you fly.
Avoid informal vans. Only about 2,000 of the roughly 10,000 public vans are legal, and most informal ones are run by criminal groups. Use licensed taxis.
Check the city's beach bulletin before swimming. After heavy rain, parts of Ipanema, Arpoador and Praia Vermelha are often unfit for bathing.
Check local advice before visiting favela areas, where drug trafficking and militias are linked to violence in some places.

Plan around Rio de Janeiro

All of Brazil

Regions, flights, entry rules and money

Read the guide São Paulo

Food and art capital, a short air shuttle away

Read the guide Salvador

Afro-Brazilian old town and beaches up the coast

Read the guide Iguazú Falls

Argentine side of the waterfalls, reached by air

Read the guide Visas and entry

Check entry rules before you fly

Read the guide Travel insurance

Theft and medical cover for a big city

Read the guide

Rio de Janeiro FAQ

Is Rio de Janeiro safe for tourists?

Most visits go smoothly with care. Stay in the beach neighborhoods, use ride apps at night, keep your phone out of sight on the street and take little to the beach.

Where should I stay in Rio for a first trip?

Ipanema for the best beach and streets, Copacabana for more choice at lower prices. Both have metro stations.

When is Carnival in Rio?

In February or early March, set by the date of Easter. Parades, street parties and room prices peak that week, so book months ahead.

How many days do I need in Rio?

Four to five days covers Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, the beaches and the center. Add nights for Ilha Grande or Paraty.

Is Rio worth visiting in winter?

Yes. June to August brings dry days around 25 °C, clearer views from Corcovado and Sugarloaf, and fewer crowds than summer. The sea is cool, and beach-bar evenings stay pleasant.