Rio de Janeiro Travel Guide: Popular Districts

City Center (Downtown)

Modern and historical Rio de Janeiro collide in the city’s downtown district, also referred to as Rio’s city center. Here, some of the metropolis’s oldest churches and museums are housed, such as the Baroque-inspired Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro as well as the National Museum of Fine Arts which boasts 800 original paintings and sculptures. Meanwhile, Petrobras and Vale, some of the largest corporations in all of Brazil, have their head offices in this district.

The Lapa neighborhood near downtown Rio de Janeiro is considered to be the most exciting, with the best bars and nightclubs in the entire city. Rio residents dance and Samba until the wee hours of the night at the nightclubs here, many housed in the city’s well-preserved colonial buildings. Another interesting neighborhood nearby is the beautiful district of Santa Teresa that sits atop the southwest hills. Once an upper-class suburb, this area is now home to many of the city’s bohemian art studios and galleries.

Zona Sul (South Zone)

Chances are that if you’re visiting Rio de Janeiro, you’ll be residing in the Zona Sul, “South Zone” of this bustling city. The zone is composed of many districts; the most famous two are undoubtedly Ipanema and Copacabana, renowned for its luxury hotels, as well as its gorgeous coastlines. Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone is home to the city’s two famous hilltops: Sugarloaf Mountain and Corcovado Hill, the latter of which is capped by the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue.

The South Zone neighborhood of Copacabana is famous for its New Year’s Eve Reveillon parties in which more than two million spectators make their way to the beautiful beaches to watch the spectacular fireworks display. Arguably the most prestigious university in the city, the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, is also situated in the South Zone. And if travelers are looking for a little bit of excitement, they can’t do better than paragliding from the Pedra Bonita (Beautiful Rock), also in this district.

Zona Norte (North Zone)

Most travelers will only catch a glimpse of the Zona Norte when shuttling from the International Airport of Rio de Janeiro to the other side of the city. However, a quick trip to this district comes highly recommended for football aficionados who wish to see the world’s largest football venue, the Maracanã. It held an estimate 200,000 spectators in its hey-day in the 1950s; now it has reduced in capacity due to modern safety regulations. Today it is able to hold 95,000 fans and after renovation is complete it will be able to house 120,000 people. It will be a key venue when the World Cup comes to Brazil in 2014.

More attractions in this region of the city include the historical Imperial Palace, situated in a lovely park, and the National Museum which contains an impressive collection of Brazilian indigenous weapons, utensils, dresses, and more. The North Zone of Rio de Janeiro is also home to most of the city’s famous Samba schools, such as Mangueira, Salgueiro, Império Serrano, and Unidos da Tijuca.