Rio de Janeiro is a jewel in the crown of Brazil, a tropical cocktail of pristine beaches sandwiched between blue sea and leafy mountains that provide an exhilarating experience. Blessed with scenic outlooks, stunning landmarks and a remarkable architectural heritage, Rio is set to enchant you as you make your way through this marvelous city. HAPPYCAR is here to help you find the best car hire Rio de Janeiro has to offer so you can take full advantage of this colorful city, with a direct car hire Galeao Airport also available. We check the prices of international and local providers so that you don’t have to check each website to provide you with the best deals to make your money go further on a rental car that fits your specific vacation needs.
General Information
Brazil’s capital until 1960 and the second largest city in the country, Rio is one of the first places to spring to mind when you think of Brazil. Alongside the Copacabana, Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain, Carnaval is also synonymous with Rio, and its annual party is the biggest and flashiest of them all. Residents of Rio know how to live well, with open-air cafes and scenic views galore, and recent improvements to the Favelas, have gained speed and are very welcoming to new visitors. It is no wonder that it is one of Brazil’s most popular tourist destinations and the most visited city in the Southern Hemisphere.
To Do
Perhaps the best reason to visit Rio is for its Carnaval. For two weeks over Lent each year, swathes of people descend on the streets to dance samba and play lively music, concocting a unique party atmosphere unrivaled on the planet. The beaches, equally, are straight out of your imagination, with wide washes of pristine white sand stretching out into azure seas. There are a wide number of beaches to enjoy in Rio, but Copacabana and Ipanema are the most famous, with Prainha being an excellent surf spot. Music has firm roots in the city and a walk downtown will open you up to a wide variety of musical styles that you can appreciate with a cup of coffee, or even learn to play with a multitude of classes on offer.
Attractions
Rio’s enigmatic harbor is surrounded by a number of spectacular geographic features, including Sugar Loaf mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca. These features work together to collectively make the harbor one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, but perhaps one of the most iconic landmarks of the city is the Christ the Redeemer statue, a magnificent work of art that also provides breathtaking views of the city especially at night.
Eating
Rio’s food is much like its environment: hot, intense and varied, influenced by Portuguese settlers and African occupation. The national dish, feijoãda, is a black bean and pork stew, seasoned with orange peel and served with rice, and is incredibly common in the city. Rio's beaches are also a popular spot to find local food, with thousands of walking vendors selling everything from fried shrimp and empada, baked pastries filled with meat or cheese, to cooling beverages like mate com limão, a local ice tea mixed with lemonade.
Excursions
A Rio de Janeiro car hire is the best option when driving to distant places such as Angra dos Reis, Grumari, Buzios and Paraty. It allows you to choose the date and time of travel and enables a comfortable trip at your own leisure. Not all regions of Rio de Janeiro are well equipped with public transport routes, so rental cars are quite necessary in some parts of the city. A little further out into the surroundings, easy trips can be found northeast along the Costa do Sol or southwest along the Costa Verde, taking in secret beaches. Inland routes make a welcome change from the sands, especially the trip to Petrópolis, a nineteenth-century mountain retreat for Rio’s rich. Less than a day’s drive away is São Paulo, Brazil’s other urban behemoth and a fantastic destination in which to continue your Brazil adventure. Whatever you choose, HAPPYCAR is here to make your Brazilian dream vacation a reality!