Rio De Janeiro : Why go there?

The most common opening hours for stores are from 8am to 9pm, sometimes with a break from 12pm to 2pm. Some stores, especially food stores, are open 24 hours a day, even on Sundays. Museums, like in France, are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8 or 9 am to 5 or 6 pm. However, this is only a very general indication because depending on the season, the city... or the museum, the opening hours are very variable. The park of the "Sugarloaf" in Rio is open from Thursday to Monday from 10 am to 7 pm. During the high season (school vacations in December for example), the tourist areas, museums and monuments are very busy. The downtown areas in general, including those of Rio and São Paulo or the lower town of Salvador, should be avoided in the evening and from Saturday afternoon. Little frequented, they are dangerous.

Some places, some events, have a very "controlled" attendance and the number of visitors is limited. It is therefore strongly advised to make reservations. Throughout the guide, these particular events will be described. For the most emblematic event, the carnival (whatever the city, Rio, Ouro Preto), plane tickets and hotels of course, but also tickets for the sambodrome in Rio or participation in the carnival must be re-booked well in advance (at least six months, sometimes a year!). Reservations for soccer derbies (e.g. Flamengo - Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro) are also highly recommended. The Easter holidays in Ouro Preto are also very popular with Brazilians; hotels are fully booked, so either book in advance or avoid Ouro Preto for those few days.

Brazil is not a cheap country anymore but some activities are accessible to all budgets. The beach, of course, but also museums, parks, some walks are inexpensive activities. Of course, you can find everything at any price. Jumping in a delta wing over Rio is necessarily expensive, but taking a bicycle ride, even an electric one, is not. It is necessary to organize beforehand. Finally, there are passes that allow you to pay less for activities (Sugarloaf-Corcado for example). In monuments, public transportation and museums, people over 65 years old (60 years old in some states) and children under 5 years old do not pay the entrance fee. One of the expenses is often the price of the plane ticket(s) to see as much of the country as possible. For those who want to cross this region, we advise you to take the bus.

In Minas and Rio State, apart from Carnival, there are many events that sometimes require advance reservations.

Going through the tourist offices or the guides' offices is always relevant when you want to benefit from a guide, whether you are alone or in a group. It is the guarantee to be taken in charge by an accredited, trained and competent guide. This generally avoids the scams of tourist catchers. Nowadays, many tourism structures offer tailor-made tours, adapted to the travelers' needs, far from mass tourism and which allow the meeting with the Brazilian people and nature. French organizations, such as ARVEL-Voyages, offer organized trips, in small groups, with some latitude for travelers who do not necessarily want to follow the group. For "nature" tours, this is often the guarantee of a safe and successful experience.

As in France, Brazilian legislation prohibits smoking in public places and on public transport. The sale of cigarettes is forbidden to minors

In Rio and Minas, as elsewhere, it is recommended to use the official channels to make reservations, change money, move around... Avoid pirate cabs. Your pousada will be able to advise you. To be sure of the quality of the guides, you must systematically go through the "real" local guides' offices. They guarantee the accreditation of these guides, which is itself linked to quality training. Serious pousadas generally propose guides that they know and trust. Avoid touts in public places, such as bus stations or airports.

Flip-flops, t-shirt, pareos...this is the recommended equipment to pass for a local in Rio and on the beaches. It can avoid many inconveniences.