Rio de Janeiro – Copacabana in the morning, Ipanema in the evening and the question of safety

Our Rio de Janeiro tips come from the first week of our trip to Brazil, staying in an apartment in Copacabana, two streets from the beach.

Rio was the start of six weeks in Brazil in spring 2026. We stayed in Copacabana, two streets from the beach, and every morning at seven we walked along the promenade – the mosaic pavement, the palm trees, Sugarloaf Mountain in the haze. At that hour the beach belongs to the joggers and the fishermen.

Beach and kiosks

Copacabana is everyday life, Ipanema is the evening: sunset at Arpoador rock with applause, then a kiosk, a caipirinha and a pastel. Rent loungers and an umbrella at a kiosk (about R$20) – they keep an eye on your things there, too.

Safety – honestly

We never had a problem. The rules we stuck to: no phone in your hand on the street, no jewellery, Uber instead of walking after dark, never leave anything unattended on the beach. Uber is cheap and everywhere. That is enough.

Costs

Apartment in Copacabana about €60–80 a night (Airbnb), food very cheap (prato feito €5–8), Uber within the Zona Sul €3–6. Sugarloaf cable car about €30, the Christ the Redeemer statue with the cog railway about the same.

On to the northeast

From Rio we took the long-distance bus to Foz do Iguaçu (waterfalls – two days are enough) and then flew to São Luís and on to the Lençóis Maranhenses – you can read about it in our Brazil travel blog.

Rio de Janeiro tips: entry, when to go and getting around

EU citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays in Brazil of up to 90 days; you need a passport valid for at least six more months. Rio has beach weather all year. December to March is summer – hot, humid, with heavy afternoon showers and Carnival in February or March. April to October is more pleasant for walking, when it is drier and less hot.

In the Zona Sul – Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Botafogo – the metro and Uber get you around easily. The metro links Copacabana and Ipanema with the centre; in the evening Uber is the safer choice than walking through empty streets. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; many small vendors take Pix, Brazil's instant payment system, which we could use with Wise by scanning a QR code.

Copacabana or Ipanema – where to stay?

Rio de Janeiro: frequently asked questions

Facts as of 25.10.2026 – prices and rules can change, so check the official sources named above before you travel.

Our photos

Rio de Janeiro tips: our conclusion

Our conclusion on these Rio de Janeiro tips: go to the promenade early in the morning, spend the day on the beach and in the evening stay where lots of people are around. It also pays to leave valuables in your accommodation – you will be much more relaxed. How the trip continued is told in our Brazil travel blog; background on the city is on Wikipedia.