Rio de Janeiro/Zona Sul

The South Zone of Rio de Janeiro is where most tourists usually stay. Lots of hotels, from the fancy 5-stars like Copacabana Palace to hostels, are to be found in the neighborhoods of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, which also have three famous beaches, the latter two just being separated by the canal that drains the Lagoa into the sea.

A little closer to downtown, the Gloria, Catete, Botafogo, and Flamengo neighborhoods are pleasant and full of Carioca character.

Get in
Most parts of the Zona Sul are easily accessible by bus or metro from Centro or Zona Norte. Line 1 of the subway runs from the Zona Norte and Centro through most of the main neighborhoods of Zona Sul, as far as Praça General Osório at the east end of Ipanema.

Real Auto Onibus offers direct bus connections from both airports to many locations in Zona Sul.

By metrô
Line 1 services the Zona Sul as far west as Ipanema. The stops are:
 * Praça General Osório (in Ipanema) - for Ipanema Beach and Arpoador
 * Cantagalo (in Copacabana) - for Arpoador and the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon ("Lagoa")
 * Siqueira Campos (in Copacabana) - for Copacabana beach, and coaches to Ipanema, Leblon, and Gávea
 * Cardeal Arcoverde (in Copacabana) - for Copacabana and Leme beaches and Rio Sul mall
 * Botafogo - for Botafogo beach, Botafogo Praia Shopping mall, and indie/art movie theaters; connection (integração) bus to Urca/Sugar Loaf and Jardim Botânico.
 * Flamengo - for Flamengo beach, Guanabara Palace
 * Largo do Machado (in Laranjeiras) - connection (integração) for a bus to the Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado
 * Catete - for the Museum of the Republic
 * Glória - for Nossa Senhora da Glória church

By bicycle
There are a number of bike rental services, names and ownership have however changed a few times.

See

 * There are different options to go up to the top:
 * By taxi. The driver may expect extra if you will not be using his taxi to go back down.
 * Hiking. Most of the paths are well-marked, but you can get maps and guides as well.
 * By train. On a ride from through Floresta da Tijuca (Tijuca Forest), an island of subtropical rainforest in the middle of one of the most populous cities of South America. Trains can get very busy. Consider a lunchtime or afternoon trip when there are less coach parties. You can buy tram tickets the day before at the kiosk at the Rio Sul shopping centre(additional fees may apply, about R$6/ticket) or via the official website. Tickets again are sold at the ticket booth in front of the train for the same day, availability permitting.
 * Hiking. Most of the paths are well-marked, but you can get maps and guides as well.
 * By train. On a ride from through Floresta da Tijuca (Tijuca Forest), an island of subtropical rainforest in the middle of one of the most populous cities of South America. Trains can get very busy. Consider a lunchtime or afternoon trip when there are less coach parties. You can buy tram tickets the day before at the kiosk at the Rio Sul shopping centre(additional fees may apply, about R$6/ticket) or via the official website. Tickets again are sold at the ticket booth in front of the train for the same day, availability permitting.



Beaches
Perhaps the best thing to do in Rio is nothing, while sitting on its glorious beaches. Of the two most famous, Copacabana and Ipanema, the former gets a bit more crowded (perhaps that will change now the Metro has been extended to Ipanema). Both have spectacular mountains to the side -- Sugar Loaf to the east of Copacabana, and Dois Irm&atilde;os ("The Two Brothers") to the west of Ipanema. Though famous, the water at South Zone beaches may not always be clean enough for swimming. Water quality goes down after heavy rain that washes pollution out to the sea-- it is advisable to ask your lifeguard.

Leblon and Ipanema are usually OK; Copacabana sometimes has problems, especially after very rainy days. The seas at Leblon and Ipanema are also somewhat rougher than at Copacabana. Even when they appear calm this can be deceptive. A common problem is when swimmers venture out beyond the breakers and then cannot get back. There are lifeguards at all of the ``postos´´ and surfers can be relied on to help out swimmers in trouble. There is also a rescue helicopter that pulls people out of the water in a net. But you don´t really want to suffer the embarrassment of this happening to you so even if you are a strong swimmer, take care!

Along Copacabana and Ipanema-Leblon there are postos (lifeguard watchtowers with toilets and changing facilities). Posto 6 is unaccountably missing, although it is generally considered to be opposite Rua Francisco Sá when Cariocas arrange to meet on the beach. Although beaches are often considered a plural, democratic space, there are still some informal (and not too strict) "social area" divisions.

Beginning at Glória and winding outward toward the south and southwest, the beaches are:

On Guanabara Bay
Beaches on the bay are generally less popular, as they are relatively narrow and with smaller waves. Sometimes inappropriate for bathing.