Christ the Redeemer is a must. You can take a Uber to the train that’ll take you to the top.
Sugarloaf is another mountain top with crazy views. You take a cable car for that one
Are you staying in Copacabana or Ipanema?
Lapa is a dope neighborhood for bars. People just chill in streets on the weekend.
Food can be hit or miss. One affordable way to try different types of authentic Brazilian food is at a kilogram restaurant. Google map search “kilogram restaurant” and you’ll see they’re all over the city. Buffet style but they weigh it out and charge by the gram. Plenty of food for like $10. Grilled meats, salads, sides...good stuff.
Relais entrocote is a French steak & fries spot in Ipanema...really good.
There are year round carnival museums and exhibition spaces...a lot of them are afrobrazilan so you can get a taste of that culture as well.
Ipanema beach is more popping than copa IMO. There are bars that line the beach...#1-100+. You sit in their ‘territory’ and they’ll bring you umbrellas, chairs, drinks, etc. you ring up a tab that they keep in your umbrella...and you pay when you leave.
You really do need a security wallet too....where you put in your shorts. Dont have anything of value in your back pockets. Don’t have your phone out in crowded areas or laying out at the beach. It WILL get snatched...saw it happen at least once a day. Had a friend who’s drawstring knapsack got cut open...wallet and phone gone lol. Also don’t wear necklaces, watches, rings. The locals don’t..so when you do...you stick out. Had a friend get their chain snatched too lol.
Also...DON’T use banco de Brasil atms. My card got cloned lol. I was warned not to use them too...forgot and got hacked lol.
All the precautions make it sound fukked up...but you’ll have a blast. I’m going again next year
