Plan your perfect trip to Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, researched locally

PlanRio is an independent travel guide dedicated entirely to Rio de Janeiro — no generic "top 10" listicles, no upsell fluff. It was founded and is edited by Lotte, a Rio local who created the practical guide she wanted travellers to have: direct answers, realistic itineraries, neighbourhood-level context and honest advice about what is — and isn't — worth booking. Recommendations combine first-hand experience with current Brazilian, municipal and operator sources; when information comes from another resident, specialist or contributor, we credit them. When a famous attraction is overrated, we say so; when a "must-do" tour is overpriced or unethical, we steer you away from it — even when it costs us a booking commission.

A little orientation goes a long way here. Rio is long and narrow, wrapped around mountains and the sea, so the single biggest planning mistake is trying to cross the whole city in one day. Most first-time visitors base themselves in the Zona Sul — Ipanema, Copacabana, Leblon, Botafogo — where the beaches, the metro and the big sights are all close together. Learn the posto system that divides the beaches, do the viewpoints early or late to beat the haze and the crowds, and keep one afternoon completely free for the unplanned beach day that usually turns into the best part of the trip.

Our editorial standard prioritises direct answers, prices in R$, concrete addresses and checks against current local or official sources. Read more about who's behind PlanRio and our editorial standards, including how we handle safety information and affiliate links.