Travel guide Rio De Janeiro

"On ne saurait réduire l'État de Rio à la ville."

Rio De Janeiro : Practical information for travel

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Travel Guide Rio De Janeiro
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Rio De Janeiro : What to see, what to do ?

Rio De Janeiro : Where to go?
The most beautiful tourist sites

Rio De Janeiro : Petit Futé's best addresses

Discover the most beautiful addresses selected by the authors of Petit Futé.

Rio De Janeiro : Featured articles

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Rio De Janeiro : Discover

The state of Rio de Janeiro cannot be reduced to the former capital of Brazil. A small state on the scale of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro offers an immense variety of natural and urban, mountain and coastal landscapes. The baroque cities of the Gold Route appear like jewels in the green setting of the Atlantic forest. In just a few hours, the traveller passes from the mountains of the Serra dos Órgãos, where the former imperial city of Petrópolis is enthroned, and from the charm of the Swiss chalets of Mauá to the softness of the beaches and islands of the coast. The colonial architectural wonders of Paraty, or the beaches of the Brazilian Saint-Tropez, Búzios, so dear to our national BB, complete the list. We could also add the coffee fazendas popularized by telenovelas, in the coffee valley with its cool winters.

While this list does not claim to be exhaustive, it does lay the foundations for a richly rewarding stay in the state of Rio.

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The Rio carnival

The Rio carnival
History

History

Rio De Janeiro : The 12 keywords

Alegria

It is a word often chanted during carnival and festivals. In spite of the problems linked to poverty and the violence that comes with it, it is indeed a feeling of permanent happiness that seems to inhabit the Brazilian soul. A few glasses of beer or caipirinha or a few chords of samba are enough to bring back this nature

Carnival

Difficult to dissociate from the word alegria, the carnival is the essence of the Cariocas and the Mineiros. In Rio de Janeiro, but also in Ouro Preto, people wait with an almost mystical fervor for Lent, or rather the days of madness that precede it. The frenzy of Carnival, here more than elsewhere, is a catharsis that momentarily reverses social roles.

Favela

Indissociable from urbanization and social segregation in Brazil, the favelas are known as "gray areas" where the State is absent. Since their appearance more than a hundred years ago, the favelas mark the city. Violence is certainly present, but they are also social laboratories and dynamic territories.

Feijoada

This local stew is today part of the Brazilian culinary heritage. Like the Portuguese cozido, it is a typical popular dish made of vegetables (black beans) and non-noble pieces of meat (pork). The restaurants in Rio de Janeiro usually offer it on Saturdays and it is an opportunity for friends to meet and exchange

futebol

It is a sport that is inseparable from Brazil. Some speak of a religion, whose temple would be the Maracanã stadium. During World Cup tournaments, a whole nation unites behind the Auriverde team. The rest of the year, it is the local or regional derbies of the Brasileirão that monopolize the discussions and passions

Violence

Violence is inseparable from Brazilian society. It is undoubtedly the result of violent colonization against the indigenous people, of slavery and of current inequalities. The military regime from 1964 to 1986 generalized and legitimized it and it escapes the control of the recovered democracy. We live with it while trying to preserve ourselves from it

samba

The samba (O samba, masculine word for Brazilians) is the expression of the Brazilian soul, as the tango is the expression of the Argentine soul. Formal and informal places are dedicated to it in Rio and elsewhere. The Pedra do Sal, the Samba do Trabalhador, the Lapa clubs or even small groups on the street corner honor this musical art

religion

Brazil is a mystical country where religion is prevalent in every place and in every environment. Christianity, but also animism and Afro-Brazilian cults have shaped the soul of the country in a subtle syncretism. The spiritual accompanies the difficult daily life. Here, as in Morocco, when people plan to meet again, they add "se Deus queser".

coffee

Another element associated with Brazil. It is the country of coffee. The plant at the base of this universal beverage is not native to Brazil, but it has contributed to the design of certain regions during the coffee cycle, in the interior of the states of Rio and Minas and to the election of many statesmen. The cafezinho is an institution in Brazil

kilo e bufé

Very quickly, the traveler: in Rio and in Minas, will see in certain restaurants prices posted by the kilo. A Brazilian specificity is that you can fill your plate in self-service and have it weighed. The buffet or bufê consists of eating whatever you want for a fixed price. Very popular, you can find cheap kilos and very chic ones.

Surf

Saquarema is a name that will speak to every surfer on the planet. It's an event of the surfing world cup. Rio is the other country of surfing, the other California. The lively waves (Ipanema means "bad waters") are the playgrounds of thousands of Cariocas who dream of becoming the Brazilian stars Medina, Souza and Toledo.

beaches

Rio is inseparable from the beach. People meet, mix, sunbathe and surf in an apparent spontaneity. In fact, the beach is an extension of the city. Each social group has its own place which is identified by a number of "posto" (bourgeois, gays, families of the popular districts...). It is an art and an animated show

You are from here, if...

You will quickly find out if you have to get on the front or the back of the city bus. Depending on the city, the "cobrador" (local ticket collector) is located at the front or at the back, next to the turnstile

You handle the "art of the beach" in Rio, coming to the same "posto" in flip-flops and eating biscoitos. You ask your neighbor to watch over your belongings, reduced to the bare minimum when you go swimming.

You "pester" the waiter or waitress and mechanically shake the bottle to indicate that it is empty. What would be considered an improper whistle elsewhere is a traditional way of signalling.

You tell a stranger your life story when you are waiting in line at a bank or waiting for a bus.

You don't leave money on the table in a restaurant, but you give the waiter the bill and the tip.

You give a long "abraço" (hug) to the friend you are leaving... even if it is for a short time

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