Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - RipioTurismo DMC
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The Beaches of Rio de Janeiro

Beaches in Rio de Janeiro: Enjoy the famous Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon

One of the most famous icons, for which the city of Rio de Janeiro is best known, is its wonderful beaches. The image of beautiful statuesque women and men sunbathing and practicing sports on the fine white sand has gone around the world and has made Rio a destination desired by lovers of the sun and the sea. Let’s visit its beaches, some very famous, being part of very important songs. Are you ready to enjoy the beaches of Rio de Janeiro?

 

Which are the beaches of Rio de Janeiro?

There are many beaches in Rio de Janeiro and there is something for all tastes. The most famous are undoubtedly Ipanema Beach and Copacabana Beach, whose promenade with its undulating black and white shape is recognized worldwide. These beaches are where most people gather in a fantastic mix of color, light, music and joy.

But in addition to these two beaches, there are others that suit all tastes. If what you are looking for is a small, quiet and easily accessible beach, Vermelha beach at the foot of the Sugarloaf Mountain is the one for you. Leme beach is perfect for practicing bodysurfing, or to see others practicing it from its fishermen’s walk.

On the other hand, the waves of the sea in Arpoador are good for surfing, although if this beach is famous for something, it is for being the obligatory date every day at dusk. From the top of the huge Arpoador stone (you have to go early to find a good spot) you have fantastic views of the sunset, which in summer hides behind the Dois Irmaos hill creating a beautiful combination of lights and shadows.

In the southwestern part of the city, there are the largest beaches in Rio de Janeiro and with the cleanest water. These beaches are already outside the bay and face the open sea, so they are the best for those who want to surf its waves, although São Conrado is also the meeting point for those who want to fly hang gliding or paragliding.

The beaches of Barra da Tijuca and especially that of Recreio dos Bandeirantes, are far from the tourist circuits of Rio de Janeiro but their big waves are highly appreciated by locals who visit them mainly on weekends. During the weekdays, they are quiet and almost lonely beaches, perfect for those who want to get away from people a bit.

 

Why are the beaches of Rio de Janeiro so famous?

Rio’s beaches, among the most famous in the world – The most famous are undoubtedly Ipanema and Copacabana beaches – and are a very present icon worldwide. Tourists from all over the world know the unique landscape of Rio de Janeiro with its famous Copacabana and Ipanema. Let’s get to know them one by one

 

The Beaches of Rio de Janeiro: Copacabana

Copacabana Beach has been one of the most important and most sought-after tourist spots in Rio de Janeiro for many years. I´m sure you heard about this famous beach. Unmistakable thanks to the undulating black and white pattern of its promenade, this beach has much to offer its visitors, at any time of the day or night.

It is no exaggeration to say that Copacabana beach is the most famous beach in Rio and even in all of Brazil. Who has not at least heard of it sometime or has not seen any image of its famous promenade. Meeting point for cariocas and visitors, without a doubt it is the most lively area of ​​the city.

Framed between mountains covered with green vegetation, delimited by the Leme and Copacabana Forts, Copacabana Beach is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable images of Rio de Janeiro and one of its must-see tourist attractions. The image of its famous promenade, known as the Orla de Copacabana, the work of the Brazilian architect and landscaper Roberto Burle Marx, is recognizable anywhere in the world. Although the golden age of the Copacabana neighborhood and its beach was during the 40s and 50s of the 20th century, when it became a meeting point for the rich and famous thanks to its elegant clubs, casinos and hotels such as the still majestic Copacabana Palace , Copacabana beach has not gone out of style far from it.

Known by the locals as the “Princesinha do Mar” (little princess of the sea) continues to enchant those who know her. It is in the Copacabana area, where the largest number of accommodations is concentrated until today, and it is also around the beach where there are a large number of restaurants and some of the most famous heritage bars in Rio.

There may not be a place in the whole city with more atmosphere and animation than Copacabana, but even if seen from the outside, the whole beach looks the same, if you pay attention it is relatively easy to realize that it is not. Like Ipanema Beach, Copacabana is organized by Postos (lifeguard posts) and everyone finds their place around them.

For example, the area between the Copacabana Palace hotel and Rua Fernando Mendes is known as the gay and transvestite beach, easily identifiable by the rainbow flag. Between posts 5 and 6 mainly older people and children from favelas meet, showing off their qualities to play soccer. Finally, the area closest to the Copacabana Fort is Fisherman’s Beach, a perfect place to go first thing in the morning if you want to buy fresh fish.

 

Sports in Copacabana Beach

But Copacabana beach is more than sun and sea, it is also synonymous with sport and body worship. Along the beach there are countless courts to play volleyball, paddle tennis, soccer and futevoley (a type of volleyball that uses the feet instead of the hands), facilities to exercise muscles and a huge bike path that is continuation of the one that crosses the border (promenade) of the beaches of Leblón and Ipanema. Some of the funniest bike tours in Rio take place along this bike path.

On weekends, athletes and families “take” not only the promenade but also the coastal highways that are closed to traffic, to allow everyone who wants to enjoy running, cycling or walking in peace. At nightfall the kiosks take center stage in Copacabana. But since not everything is sport, the kiosks distributed along the promenade offer refreshing drinks, sandwiches and dishes based on fish and seafood that are ideal to refresh and regain strength.

During the night, the lighting of Copacabana Beach keeps the party going. Cariocas take advantage of late to continue practicing their favorite sports while the kiosks, recently renovated and modernized, serve food and delicious cocktails such as the traditional caipirinha (impossible to have just one) and in many cases liven up the evenings with live music.

 

Beaches of Rio de Janeiro: Ipanema

It is difficult to think of Brazil and not immediately think of its paradisiacal beaches, and if we are in Rio de Janeiro, one of the places that occupies the first place in anyone’s mind is the famous Ipanema beach, in the southern part of the city.

Ipanema beach stretches between the Jardim de Alah canal, bordering Leblón beach and Arpoador beach, which marks the border with Copacabana beach. Ipanema is organized or divided by Postos (lifeguard posts) and although it is the same beach, each Posto has its own particular style and its own type of visitors. Among the different areas, the one known as the gay beach of Ipanema stands out, for example, which is located around Post 8 and is identified by the traditional rainbow flag. Another example is Post 9, around which the “most handsome” gather, browning in the sun to be seen. Men and women with perfect tans and statuesque bodies meet in this part of the beach, making it an ideal place to “appreciate” a good sample of the famous Rio de Janeiro beauty.

Along the fine sand strip of Ipanema Beach in Brazil, there are dozens of soccer fields, volleyball and futevoley, a mix between volleyball and soccer or rather, a type of volleyball that does not use your hands. The coastline also has a good amount of equipment for gymnastics and bodybuilding and is crossed by a wide bike path used throughout the day by runners and people of all ages riding bicycles. Several of the guided bike tours travel this bike lane during their ride through the southern area of ​​Rio de Janeiro.

The Arpoador area, right on the border between Ipanema and Copacabana, is the most popular for surfing. On Sundays, Vieira Souto Avenue (in front of the beach) is the heart of the neighborhood as it is closed to vehicular traffic and becomes a place for walks and sports, which attracts not only residents of the Ipanema neighborhood but from all over Rio.

 

Garota de Ipanema

Immortalized by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Morais in their song “Garota de Ipanema” (Girl from Ipanema), the 2 kilometers of coastline and soft white sand make this beach one of the favorites for Cariocas (as the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro) and visitors. A perfect place to sunbathe and enjoy the sea, but also to play sports or simply see and be seen. As a tribute to the 20th anniversary of the death of Tom Jobim, a life-size statue of the musician was inaugurated on the Ipanema seafront, a few meters from the Arpoador stone.

It is a bronze sculpture by the artist Christina Motta, the same one who owns the Brigitte Bardot sculpture in the heavenly spa of Búzios. The sculpture represents Tom Jobim walking along the “border” with his guitar on his shoulder, as he used to do when he lived in Rio. Tom Jobim is one of the most beloved characters by Cariocas, so his statue has become, from the first moment, one of the greatest attractions of Ipanema Beach.

 

 

The Beaches of Rio de Janeiro:  Leblon

Located in the elegant neighborhood of the same name, Leblon Beach is the continuation of Ipanema Beach and extends from the Jardim de Alha channel, which connects the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon with the sea, to the Morro Dois Irmãos, along along Delfim Moreira avenue.

Although there is not really a separation between the beaches of Leblon and Ipanema, Leblon is a quieter beach, frequented mainly by residents of the neighborhood and by very few tourists, especially since there are not too many hotels in the neighborhood. Rather, it is a fairly familiar beach to the point of having a special area for young children known as Baixo Bebê, located near Post 12 (lifeguard post) towards Avenida Niemeyer. In addition, as the Leblon neighborhood is one of the most elegant in Rio de Janeiro, this beach is frequented by the beautiful people of the city who set the fashion trends every season.

As in the case of Ipanema and Copacabana, along Leblon beach there is also a bike path (bike path) in perfect condition through which it is common to see people cycling, skating and running. It is a delight to take a guided bike ride along this beach and visit the main tourist attractions in the southern part of the city.

As in the main beaches of Rio, on the sand of Leblon there are several spaces prepared to play volleyball, futevoley (a type of volleyball that uses the feet instead of the hands) and frescoball or beach tennis. At the end of the beach, on the west side, there is a small hill at the top of which is the Mirante de Leblon, one of the many viewpoints of Rio, from where there are very beautiful views of the entire avenue of the coast, of the beaches from Leblon and Ipanema, from Pedra do Arpoador and the small archipelago that is right in front of the beach. The excellent bars and restaurants in the Leblon neighborhood are a perfect end to a day at the beach. As in Ipanema, Leblón has some of the best places to eat in Rio.

 

The Beaches of Rio de Janeiro: Leme

The first beach in the southern part of the city of Rio de Janeiro is Leme beach. It stretches from the intersection of Avenida Atlántica and Avenida Princesa Isabel to Plaza Almirante Júlio de Noronha, at the foot of Morro de Leme, just at the northeast end of Copacabana Beach.

Although in practice it is difficult to know exactly where Leme beach ends and Copacabana beach begins, since there is nothing that really separates one from the other, Leme beach has its own characteristics. It is one of the widest beaches with more sand between the promenade and the sea. During the weekdays the atmosphere is calm since it is only frequented by families who live in the neighborhood, however, on weekends Leme beach receives visitors from all over the city who want to enjoy its white sand and atmosphere. cheerful that is created in the area.

At the foot of Morro de Leme there is a small asphalt road known as the «Camino de Pescadores» because it is used by several people with their fishing rods, although sometimes there is also a painter or street artist. This walk is a good place to enjoy the views of Leme and Copacabana beach with the Copacabana Fort in the background, see the young Cariocas practicing bodysurfing and enjoy the sunsets.

 

The Beaches of Rio de Janeiro: Arpoador

Located in the south, Arpoador Beach in Rio de Janeiro (Praia do Arpoador, in Portuguese) is a small beach delimited by a rock peninsula, which divides the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana and extends from the Fort of Copacabana to the intersection of Rua Francisco Otaviano with Avenida Vieira Souto.

The small peninsula on the other side of the Copacabana Fort is known as Pedra do Arpoador (Arpoador’s stone), a rock formation famous for being one of the best places in the city to witness the sunset. From the top of Pedra do Arpoador it is possible to enjoy impressive images, while the sun descends behind Morro Dois Irmãos in winter, or falls on the sea in summer. For this reason, every day at sunset it is common to see a good number of people looking for the perfect place among the rocks, to enjoy the natural spectacle of the sun descending on the sea and the green mountains of Rio de Janeiro.

Arpoador beach itself, although it is small, is one of the favorite beaches of surfers, who here have good waves both in summer and winter. It is also the preferred place for some fishermen, who flock to this part of the beach, especially in the late afternoon.  On the other side of Piedra de Arpoador, the small beach on the left is known as Playa del Diablo (Praia do Diabo) because when there is a hangover, the sea on that side becomes violent and dangerous, reaching waves so high that in some cases they have caused damage to sidewalks and nearby buildings.

Behind Arpoador Beach, the green area with a small hill is known as the Garota de Ipanema Park, in homage to the famous song by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes. In addition to the trails on which you can stroll enjoying the abundant vegetation and its viewpoint at the top, the park is famous because it is used to perform shows and concerts by national and international artists. However, it is not advisable to follow the loneliest trails or climb at dusk.

 

BEACHES OF RIO DE JANEIRO

 

 

The Beaches of Rio de Janeiro: Barra de Tijuca

With its 14.4 kilometers long, Barra de Tijuca Beach in Rio de Janeiro is the longest beach in the entire State of Rio de Janeiro. Barra de Tijuca Beach It is located in the western part of the city, within the modern and flourishing neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca, a neighborhood that is growing rapidly, especially since the largest number of facilities were built there for the competitions of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The beach stretches along Avenida Sernambetiba until it reaches Recreio dos Bandeirantes.

The waters of Barra de Tijuca beach are of a beautiful greenish-blue color and due to its great length, attractive tubular waves are formed, ideal for practicing water sports such as surfing, windsurfing, bodyboarding and kitesurfing and also attracts lovers of the sport fishing. This is one of the beaches where surfing classes are most frequently taught in Rio, for those who want to start practicing this sport. Enjoy the famous beaches of Brazil by taking surf lessons in Rio. Catch the best waves in the warm and crystalline waters of the incredible Rio de Janeiro surf beaches!

In addition, on the fine white sands of Barra da Tijuca beach, it is common to see Cariocas (as the inhabitants of Rio are called) practicing sports such as soccer, volleyball, futevoley (a type of volleyball that uses their feet instead hands) or playing spades. As in the case of the other beaches in the city, Barra de Tijuca beach also has a huge and perfectly paved bike path through which it is common to see people not only with bicycles but also running or on skates.

The first kilometers of the beach, towards the east, have many services such as restaurants, bars and barracas (kiosks), the most famous of which is Barraca do Pepe, which has been established as a meeting point for the young people of the neighborhood. so much so that it has managed to make that part of the beach known as Playa do Pepe. The name of the barrack is in honor of a famous Rio delta wing champion who had a natural sandwich kiosk here and who tragically died during a competition in Japan.

The western part of Barra de Tijuca beach, starting from Ayton Senna Avenue, is more virgin and does not have a promenade since it is located within an environmental protection area, in the Marapendi Biological Reserve.

 

 

Check activities available in Rio de Janeiro

We have a complete list of activities and excursions to enjoy Rio de Janeiro. One of these activities is the Carnival Experience, to learn more about the amazing Carnival of Rio de Janeiro

 

TICKETS BOOK CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE_Mesa de trabajo 1

 

 

Other amazing activities in Rio de Janeiro

 

City Tour in Rio de Janeiro with Sugar Loaf

Visit to Corcovado, Christ the Redeemer and Tijuca Forest

Jeep Tour to La Rocinha & Tijuca Forest

Ginga Tropical Dinner Samba Show

 

Enjoy our tours to visit Rio de Janeiro and other destinations in Brazil

Are you looking for tours to visit Rio de Janeiro and other destinations in Brazil? One of my favorites is the #453 – Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Iguazu Falls. Check more information by clicking in the image below

 

453 tour, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Iguazu Falls - Brazil

 

 

More tours to visit Rio de Janeiro and Brazil

We have a complete list of tours to visit Rio de Janeiro and other amazing destinations in Brazil. Check our complete list of tours for Brazil here

 

tours to visit Brazil

 

 

For more information, just contact us at info@ripioturismo.com 

 

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