Botanical Gardens
920 Rua Jardim Botanico (pedestrians)
1008 Rua Jardim Botanico (vehicles)
Tel. +55 (212) 294.9349
This natural sanctuary redefines how visitors will ever view a garden again. With nearly 400 acres and 8,200 different specimens of plants, including 600 species of orchids, beautiful birds and butterflies, this monument to plant life is one of the ten most important gardens in the world. Buildings and monuments dating back to the 16th century provide a bit of history as well.

Sugar Loaf Cable Car
Avenida Pasteur, 520 - Urca
Tel. +55 (212) 546.8400
www.bondinho.com.br
Inaugurated in 1912, the cable car ride takes passengers 396 meters up Sugarloaf Mountain, offering the most spectacular views of Rio. From here the skyscrapers seem tiny in comparison to the enormous mountains that surround Rio. The beaches of Rio look pristine from this distance and the ride itself is quite thrilling. And safe: international cable car agencies consider it one of the safest in the world; in its long history it has carried more than 31 million visitors with zero casualties.

Tijuca Forest
Praca Afonso Viseu, Alto da Boa Vista - Tijuca
Tel. +55 (212) 492.5407
Home to hundreds of species of plants and wildlife, many found only in the Atlantic Rainforest, this is the world's largest urban forest. Its historical attractions and enchanting nooks are well worth a leisurely visit. Its attractions include the Cascatinha Waterfall, the Mayrink Chapel, the Excelsior Lookout Point, the Paul and Virginia Grotto and Fairy Lake. The national park has been in existence since the colonial period and made an official preserve in the 60s. It is unique because its amazing flora and fauna has had centuries to mature and develop into a major rain forest that is so close to the center of Rio.

Forneria
Rua Anibal de Mendonca 112 (Ipanema)
Tel. +55 (212) 540.8045
Forneria is the latest in modernist hip design in Rio. Designed by well-known Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld, this place specializes in Italian sandwhiches. But while munching, enjoy the shrubbery and the earthy wooden tones of the decor.

Antiquarius
Rua Aristides EspÌnola, 19 (Leblon)
Tel. +55 (021) 2.294.1049
This elegant restaurant is typically Portuguese, with authentic antique furniture and an antiques dealer on the mezzanine. Some of the specialties are codfish ‡ lagareira – whole pieces baked in olive oil with onions and garlic, broccoli and black olives – and duck rice. The desserts made from eggs and sugar are Portuguese favorites.

Esplanada Grill
Rua Barao da Torre 600 (Ipanema)
Tel. +55 (021) 2.512.2970
Not only a great T-bone steak done the Brazilian way, but also the chic Ipanema crowd that frequents this place make it even better. Yes, a reservation is needed.

Madame Butterfly
Rua Barao da Torre, 472 (Ipanema)
Tel. +55 (021) 2.267.4347
As the most sophisticated and expensive Japanese restaurant in Rio, the food here is superb; highlights include fish with shimeji mushrooms in ginger and sake sauce, the many different types of sushi and rolls with unusual shapes. The restaurant occupies two floors, including a dining room downstairs and reserved booths upstairs.

Olympe
Rua Custodio Serrao 62
Tel. +55 (021) 2.537.8582
The menu's all-Brazilian ingredients are a unique trait of this innovative French restaurant that blends native flavors with nouvelle techniques. Every dish – from the crab or lobster flan to chicken, fish, and duck prepared with exotic herbs and sauces – is exceptionally light. The passion-fruit mousse is a favorite dessert. Reservations are essential.

Confeitaria Colombo
Rua Gonçalves Dias 32,
Rio de Janeiro 
Tel. + 55.021.2232.2300 
www.confeitariacolombo.com.br
A taste of Paris or Vienna's sophisticated cafe culture lives in Rio. Definitely worth a trip downtown, this stunning Victorian coffeebar serves a variety of teas, espressos, sandwiches, salads, and sweets on fine china underneath stained-glass windows. The upstairs room is reserved for full lunches.

Bar d' Hotel
696 Avenida Delfim Moreira
Marina Hotel
Tel. +55 021.2540.4990
On the first floor of the Marina Hotel in Ipanema.
Artists, actors, soccer players, designers and other species of the cool crowd frequent this hip eatery that overlooks the most famous beach in the world. The posing is good, but the food is great. If you have to wait at the bar for a table (very likely if you don't make reservations), try a lemon kir royal (champagne with lemon sorbet) or a sake caipirinha.

Blue Man, Forum de Ipanema
Rua Viscomde de Piraja, 351
Tel. +55 (021) 2247.4905
www.bluemanbrazil.com.br
Seeing  a man in a traditional trunk bathing suit  in Rio is about as common as seeing a woman in a  traditional one piece one.  Men on the beach of beautiful bodies wear "Sugas".  The bathing suits are several inches wider at the sides then the American version of Speedos and are made with double nylon.  Needless to say the choices are many.  Gym First!!! This shop has beautiful womens suits as well.

Babilonia Feira Hype
Jockey Club Brasileiro
Rua Jardim Bot‚nico
Tel. +55 (021) 2.253.9800 or +55 (021) 2.263.7667
www.babiloniahype.com.br
Babilonia Feira Hype takes place every other weekend from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm. This fair combines fashion, design, art, and gastronomy. It's good not only for shopping, but also for watching the beautiful people go by. There is a small admission charge.

Garapa Doida
Rue Carlos Goes, 234
Loja F, Leblon
Tel. +55 (021) 2.274.8186
If a taste for caiparinhas develops on the visit, then bring back a bottle of cachaca to make it at home. Only a tiny portion of the two billion liters produced annually ever gets exported.  But here guests can choose from hundreds of oak-aged varieties with different vintages and prices.

Modern Sound
Rua Barata Ribeiro 502 D
Tel. +55 (021) 2.548.5005
www.modernsound.com.br
Don’t miss taking home the music of Rio. Modern Sound was a traditional shop that turned into a self-designated mega-music store. Aside from the 50,000 CD titles – which include samba, hip-hop, electronica, classics and lots of rarities – the store carries music equipment and accessories. It also has a charming bistro, where the finest carioca musicians play live music, from jazz to bossa nova.

Dive Point
Av. Ataulfo de Paiva, 1.174 ss.4 (Leblon)
Tel. +55 (021) 3.813.0312 or +55 (9) 699.9633
www.divepoint.com.br
Rent scuba equipment or take classes. Dive Point offers tours around the main beaches, to the Cagarras islands off Ipanema, and to premiere dive spots including Angra dos Reis, a small city located south of Rio de Janeiro state. The city has more than 365 Islands, one for each day of the year. Ilha Grande, the biggest island in the area, has waterfalls, Atlantic forest, nice beaches with crystal clear water and interesting diving features, like shipwrecks and small caves.

Helicopter Tours
Rua Conde Bernadotte 26
Loja 119, Leblon
Tel.  +55 (212) 511.2141
Take a thrilling 6-to-60 minute helicopter ride. Admire the details of the Christ the Redeemer Statue, or soar over the mountains and beaches and see the waterfalls in Tijuca park.

Bunker 94
Rua Raul Pompeia, 94 (Copacabana)
Tel.  +55 (212) 521.0367
www.bunker94.com.br
The people who attend this club are among the most eclectic – and everybody is always welcome to Bunker. The music differs each day, varying from 80s to pop-rock to drum'n'bass. There are three rooms and two dance floors, each with a different style of music. The lounge, including a big-screen TV, is a great place to take a rest. There is also an enormous bed for ultimate relaxation.

Discoteca Help!
Ave Atlantica, 3432 (Copacabana)
www.discoteca-help.com
Don’t worry; no one is in trouble. That’s just the name of the hottest club in Rio. Unlike some so-called hip nightspots, there’s room to breathe in this music-filled tribute to dance. Located on Avenida Atlantica this club’s only rule is, there are no rules.

Clube do Tango
Rua do Ouvidor, 12
Tel: +55 (2) 220.6020
This is just one of Rio’s dozens of samba parlors, the gafieiras. Some of them, like Estudantina, have been around for decades. A visit is almost mandatory. The atmosphere is familiar and friendly. Men may ask women to dance, but might as easily find themselves being picked up. It would be rude to say no. There aren't specific salsa clubs in Rio, but salsa, lambada and other ballroom beats are part of the repertoire of any decent gafieira.

Plataforma
Rua Adalberto Ferreira, 32 (Leblon)
Tel. +55 (212) 274.4022
Okay, it’s touristy, but this steak house brings together a lot of glitter, mulatas and samba every night after ten. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is cheerful and very informal. The Tom Jobim Bar, named after the world-famous composer who was a regular patron, is one of the best places to find bohemian old-timers.

Bardot
247 Rua dias Ferreira La Blon
Rio 021.2274.5590