Rio de Janeiro

RetiredCormac
13 hours ago
4 min read

Day 1 - Arrival in Rio de Janeiro

We flew up to Rio de Janeiro with British Airways.

By this point we’d grown used to LATAM Airlines, where announcements came in Spanish first, then English, and sometimes a third language if needed.

Good old BA mostly stuck to English. When the crew had to deal one-on-one with “Johnny Foreigner”, they either hunted down the one Spanish-speaking colleague, reached for a translation app, or—failing both—resorted to pointing and raising their voices until something landed.

You’d think they might have a few more Spanish speakers on Latin American routes.

Rio is our final stop on what I’ve been calling our Latin American odyssey. It also comes with the most warnings. On the one hand, it’s the only place we needed yellow fever jabs—thanks to the mosquitoes. On the other, it’s the place everyone feels compelled to warn you about, usually involving stories of robberies and a fairly blunt assessment of the drug problem.

The journey from the airport was long - traffic related - it was 16:00. I genuinely don’t know how our Uber driver makes money sitting in traffic for nearly an hour, but he earned a better tip than usual.

Day 2 - Rio de Janeiro Full-Day Tour (Christ the Redeemer & Sugarloaf Mountain)

Tour day. A long one.

We were up at 06:00 for a 06:50 pickup and didn’t get back until after 19:15—largely because we were staying out at the Hilton Barra.

The Viator tour was good, though very much of the “fit everything in” variety—two days’ worth of sightseeing squeezed into one. The coach was comfortable, the driving steady, and our guide, Vivi, was excellent—knowledgeable and impressively patient.

Verdict: Great for first-time visitors, but expect a long day.

We’ll spend tomorrow recovering, but that was always the plan.

We made it back just in time for a quick beer in the lounge, then finished the evening in the bar downstairs. Portions were enormous—I’m glad I didn’t order chips, as even sharing a club sandwich with Jane was a struggle.

Day 3 - Copacabana vs Ipanema vs Leblon (Which Beach is Best?)

A slower start—late breakfast, some exercise—and we were already in danger of letting the day drift.

We tried (and failed) to time the Uber into the city to avoid traffic. It still took over an hour.

We walked the length of Copacabana Beach which, like most heavily touristed places, was absolutely packed. We stopped for a few beers along the way and felt perfectly safe, but we just weren’t feeling it. When it gets that busy, everything slows down—including service. At times, getting a drink felt like a minor achievement.

From there, we headed to Ipanema Beach and walked the full stretch. Still busy, but noticeably more relaxed and enjoyable.

Traffic back to the hotel was pushing 1 hour 20 minutes, so when we reached Leblon, we decided to wait it out over dinner.

A good decision. The area around the hotel is fairly limited, whereas Leblon was buzzing.

We found an excellent Mexican spot, sat outside in the warm evening air, and ordered a steady stream of dishes. A couple of hours disappeared—full bellies, several Sols, and eventually a much more reasonable 30-minute taxi ride home.

For context: a 25-minute, 23km Uber here cost about £8.50. Hard to argue with that.

Day 4 - Getting Sick in Rio - Not every travel day is glamorous.

Same general plan—breakfast, then up to the roof. No gym this time, just a bit of relaxation.

Then things took a turn.

Jane kindly passed on her cold, which quickly escalated into something very different and far less manageable. Before long, I was properly ill—cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea… the full Pepto Bismol advert experience.

Most likely food poisoning from something on Copacabana the day before.

By about 22:00 I was completely wiped out, emptied from both ends, but at least able to sleep.

A total write-off of a day. At least the weather was cloudy - so we didn’t miss the sun.

Day 5 - Recovery Day & Low-Key Rio Activities

A definite improvement. Still delicate, but functional—and even managed a small breakfast.

The original plan (dinner and drinks back in Ipanema or Leblon) was quietly abandoned. Instead, we kept things local: a bit of shopping, a slightly overambitious lunch, and a relaxed afternoon making our way back to the hotel.

I even managed a couple of beers—strictly medicinal, obviously.

Early night. Sometimes, the best travel decision is doing less.

Day 6 - Leaving Rio de Janeiro (Travel Tips & Traffic)

Last day. Breakfast, some sun, and a bit of exercise to round things off.

We had a late checkout and, thankfully, weekend traffic is far kinder than during the week - fact. Just 30 minutes to the airport before boarding our overnight flight back to London.

Final Thoughts: Is Rio de Janeiro Worth Visiting?

Rio de Janeiro is a city of contrasts.

It’s vibrant, chaotic, beautiful, and at times frustrating. The scenery is world-class, but the crowds and logistics can wear you down.

Would I recommend it? Yes, definitely - but with the right expectations, mine were a mismatch to the reality - but that wasn’t necessarily bad.

For lots more on our South American Tour / Odyssey - have a look here - https://www.retiredcormac.co.uk/blog/categories/south-american-tour

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