Five Must-See Sights In Rio De Janeiro

The Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro is known as “party city” all over the world, and yet far too few of us ever travel there to partake in the party. We know it as a city of art and culture – famed across the globe for its statue of Christ the Redeemer – and yet we observe it from a distance. If you’ve never been to Rio, it’s probably about time you did something about that. You can get to know it a little from photos and videos, but nothing compares to being there to see it with your own eyes. 

You might not have been to Rio, but you’ll have seen something about it that you liked. Perhaps you’ve watched a documentary about the legendary Rio Carnival. Maybe you’ve even played the “Rio Carnival” online slots game that’s popular at so many slots websites. It’s not even the only Rio-themed online slots game out there. Some of the larger online slots websites like Rose Slots CA have attractions like “Heart of Rio” and the imaginatively titled “Rio De Janeiro” to go with it. The existence of so many Rio-themed online slots proves there’s an international enthusiasm for the place. If you ask us, that’s all the more reason to go and find out what all the fuss is about. 

Before you decide whether or not to go, you’ll probably want to know what’s on offer when you arrive. We’re happy to help you with that. Here are five things in Rio you simply have to see while you’re there!

Christ the Redeemer

We know we’re starting in a really obvious place by mentioning a statue that we’ve mentioned once already, but Christ the Redeemer is pretty hard to ignore. It’s one of the most famous statues in the world. 2022 will mark the statue’s 100^th anniversary, which is likely to be marked by special celebrations in the city. That makes it a great time to travel there and be part of them! Paul Landowski – a Polish-French sculptor, designed the statue – but everyone who worked on building it was Brazilian. The statue itself stands more than 100ft tall, with a large chapel and visitors centre within its base four tourists to visit. The best time to see the statue is in the morning light – and the best way to get there is to take a cable car up the mountain. It’s quite a steep climb otherwise! 

Copacabana

You’ll almost certainly have heard of Copacabana. Its name has been etched into history by singer Barry Manilow, although Manilow was singing specifically about Copacabana Palace rather than the district of Rio. You’re welcome to visit the Palace – a relic of the 1920s that’s now preserved as a Brazilian national monument – but don’t skip out on checking out the rest of the area and its beaches. They’re some of the best in the world. There’s even a little military history to check out here if that’s an area of interest for you. There’s a small museum at the site of Copacabana Fort, created in 1914 and famous for a mutiny that happened in 1922. If you’d rather keep things light, spend a day perusing the restaurants, bars, and cafes. 

Jardim Botanico

You may or may not have visited botanical gardens before. Even if you have, we promise you that you’ve never seen one as stunning as Jardim Botanico. The site covers an impressive 350 acres, including a fully functional scientific laboratory and a Japanese Gardens that seems somehow out of place in the middle of Brazil. The gardens and the rare plant and tree species contained inside them are considered so significant that UNESCO has designated them as a biosphere reserve. This is a fine place to go for a walk, but you might prefer to take the speedier route of driving through it in an electric cart. If you’re lucky, the park’s marmoset monkeys might even wave at you as you pass!

Sao Bento

You don’t have to be religious to appreciate the incredible beauty of Sao Bento. You don’t even need to have a special affinity for architecture – all you need to have is functioning eyesight and an appreciation of phenomenal aesthetics. This jaw-dropping church and monastery have been standing on a hillside in Rio De Janeiro since 1617, although it’s been expanded and amended a little since then. When you look at it, you’ll struggle to believe that every single piece of it was crafted and decorated by Benedictine monks rather than professional artists. A painting called “Senhor dos Martirios” – considered to be the masterpiece of Brazilian monk and painter Ricardo do Pilar – is contained within the monasteries sacristy. The public isn’t always allowed in there, so consider yourself fortunate if you’re permitted to look upon it. 

Carnaval

It would be utterly wrong of us to list five reasons to visit Rio and not mention the carnival – or “Carnaval,” as it’s known locally. Most people assume that the event happens in the summer, but it’s actually a winter tradition. Carnaval events begin to happen shortly after New Year but peak just before Ash Wednesday, with thousands of revellers in the streets and spectacular costumes and musical performances everywhere you look. Carnaval is actually celebrated all over Brazil, but no city does it like Rio. It’s considered a matter of local pride, and so the event seems to get bigger and better with every passing year. There’s no party like it anywhere else on Earth, so you owe it to yourself to be part of it at least once. 

We could continue on with reasons to visit Rio, but we don’t want to spoil it for you. Part of the fun of visiting a new city is finding out things for yourself. We don’t want to deny you that wonderful experience! Visit the city, try the food, speak to the people. Immerse yourself in their culture. Rio is a place that has something for everyone – and it’s always happy to see you. Winter is the best time to go because of the Carvanal celebrations, but don’t let that put you off the idea of visiting at another time of the year of winter is a no-go!