When you first see it, honestly, you won’t quite believe this city is real. A cartoonishly colorful skyline, curling along a crescent coastline with buildings stretching as far as the eye can see, backed by green jungle and granite monoliths so dramatic, you’ll blink your eyes in wonder when you encounter them for the first time.
Rio de Janeiro is a city unlike any other. A global icon of cool, setting a standard for beach life, the locals—called Cariocas—move at their own pace. And when you land here, you have a chance to match their rhythm. And keep it going, if you can, for a whole 24 hours.
Arrival
Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) will be your gateway if arriving from overseas. (There’s a completely different airport for domestic flights.) A hub for LATAM Brazil, a number of other major airlines land here, with nonstop flights from Dubai, London, Paris, Rome, and others, plus North American cities including Atlanta, Miami, and Houston.Morning
Consider grabbing a quick coffee and pastry at the airport, as you’ll hit the ground running and have a busy morning. A slice of bolo de fubá is a popular local option—a sweet cornmeal cake, sometimes baked with cheese or coconut. Sustained, caffeinated, and energized, head first for the city’s greatest icon.
Like the Taj Mahal or Machu Picchu or the Sydney Opera House, Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor in Portuguese) is a site so famous and globally ubiquitous that most people can close their eyes and picture it. Which makes this, rightfully so, one of the busiest places in the whole city. Reached by a zigzag road that climbs up the 2,300-foot Corcovado Mountain, it’s best to get here early, before the crowds—and the heat—start to build.
As mentioned earlier, a tour is a good option, although avoid full-day itineraries. When you’re only here for 24 hours, you’ll want the freedom to roam and explore on your own. Named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Christ the Redeemer is indeed a marvel. An Art Deco soapstone statue, it rises almost 100 feet atop the soaring summit of Corcovado, arms outstretched, some 92 feet across, opened wide to the city and the whole world.
Once you’ve snapped your pics and admired the view, make your way down to Rio’s other most-photographed place. The sweeping 2 1/2-mile crescent of Copacabana Beach is about 30 to 45 minutes away, depending on traffic. Have your tour drop you here (perhaps at one of the many waterside hotels) and start the solo travel.
This is one of the finest places on earth to stretch your legs. Also true: The people-watching here is unparalleled. Make your way along the busy boardwalk, called the calcada (sidewalk). Builders hand-assembled the limestones, which were imported from Portugal, creating the distinctive design: curving, pleasing waves that echo the real ones rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean, just across the sand.
Bikes, scooters, in-line skaters, joggers, and tourists—agog with the sensory overload of this place—fill the sidewalk. Avenida Atlantica bustles on one side, the beach on the other where you’ll see almost everything you can imagine.
For starters: serious beach volleyball matches, both traditional and futevolei. A Brazilian invention, futevolei combines elements of the country’s greatest passion, soccer. Players cannot use their hands, and watching for a few minutes is fascinating, as they keep the ball aloft with legs, heads, and chests then send it over the net to the other side with a swift and graceful banana kick.
You’ll also pass beautiful sunbathers and sandcastles. But beware—if you take a photo of the latter, someone will immediately approach, seeking a small bit of change for the privilege. As the day wears on, you’ll probably be tempted by the mouthwatering smells from the quiosques all along the way—little beach bars that serve up grilled fish and meat and some mean caipirinhas cocktails. But resist, because something better is just ahead.
Afternoon
Still on foot, walk to the Fairmont hotel, which sits right at the corner of two famous beaches—Copacabana and Ipanema. Surrounding a posh pool, their Marine Resto sits several floors up, with views of the entire sweep of Copacabana, all the way to Sugarloaf Mountain. But this is no mere burger-and-beer poolside grill.“The fishermen, here on the beach, they bring their catch every day to the kitchen staff,” a manager told me on a recent visit. Other ingredients are also sourced locally—cheese, veggies, meats, including beef for picanha, a typical Brazilian cut of steak. It’s all grilled over a flaming, wood-fired stove. Ask to have a look in the kitchen to see (and breathe in) so many delicious dishes, popping and sizzling before you.
I must say, the pool here is very inviting. You may indeed be enticed to spend the rest of the afternoon here, perhaps later bedding down for the night in one of the cushy suites upstairs. But there’s still so much to see in this city.
Consider doing a coffee-tasting experience at the hotel, if it’s available (you can call ahead to schedule). In addition to a little jolt for the rest of the day, this session is also educational. Brazil produces more coffee than any other country, and an expert barista will pour you three cups. He will talk about the process of producing a perfect sip, from growth to grind to pour. All of their coffees come from a single farm, and the last is refined through a jacu bird (ask the barista for more details—but it is a delicious cup).
It’s already been a big day. Gather your strength for one more major attraction. A relaxing evening awaits. But first, hop in a taxi or an Uber and head to Sugarloaf.
Geographically and geologically, Rio is so dramatic. And, named by the Portuguese for its resemblance to a conical block of the sweet stuff, Sugarloaf forms a distinctive granite-and-quartz, almost 1,300-foot peak. To reach the top, you’ll need to ride two separate cable cars. The second one spirits you to the summit in a glass-walled bubble, with views in all directions. At the peak, linger and appreciate the panorama, which might now be tinged by the golden hues of early evening light.
Evening
Time to wind down. For a complete change of pace, head away from the water. Again, taxi or Uber are good options to reach the heights and cobblestone streets of Santa Teresa.This neighborhood feels like a hilltop village in the heart of the city. It developed in the 19th century as an enclave for the wealthy to escape yellow fever outbreaks at lower altitudes. Today, it’s a refuge for creatives, who invite visitors to their galleries and studios.
Explore until you get hungry. Climb the brightly tiled Escadaria Selarón, or Selaron Steps, a series of ceramic-faced steps. Ride the yellow trams, then head for dinner at Térèze.
First, you’ll wind through the gardens and walk past the pool at the MGallery hotel, which was once part of an 1850 coffee farm. Make your way down a series of steps to this small, stylish, Michelin-listed restaurant. Intimate, with a slight speakeasy feel, it serves Brazilian cuisine with French flair using local ingredients. Linger, relax, digest. The lights of Guanabara Bay will sparkle below—a reminder of the busy, unforgettable day you’ve just spent in one of the world’s greatest cities.
