About PlanRio
PlanRio is an independent Rio de Janeiro travel guide founded and edited by Lotte, a Rio local who combines first-hand experience with current Brazilian, municipal and operator sources. We exist to help visitors experience Rio the way locals do — safely, confidently, and beyond the obvious tourist checklist.
Why PlanRio exists
Most Rio travel content online is either outdated, generic, or written by people who have never spent a serious amount of time in the city. Practical questions — Is Copacabana safe at night? Which beach posto should I sit at? How does PIX work for a tourist? Which favela tour is actually ethical? — rarely get honest, up-to-date answers. PlanRio was built to fix that.
Every guide is written to answer a real traveller's question the way a well-informed friend in Rio would: directly, with context, and without upsell fluff.
Who's behind PlanRio
PlanRio 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. What began as her own notes on which beach posto, which boteco and which favela tour is actually ethical grew into the guide she wished had existed.
Every guide combines Lotte's first-hand local knowledge with current Brazilian, municipal and operator sources. Local knowledge never replaces verification: changing details — prices, schedules, transport rules, safety information and event dates — are checked against official and reputable Brazilian sources. When information comes from another resident, specialist or contributor, we credit them. Guides carry the "PlanRio Editorial Team" byline, edited by Lotte under the standards below. Read more about how we research and review.
What we cover
- Neighborhood guides — Ipanema, Copacabana, Leblon, Santa Teresa, Botafogo, Urca and more.
- Safety — an interactive safety map, scam prevention, nightlife safety, beach safety.
- Things to do, sports & outdoors, and hidden gems.
- Carnaval and Réveillon (New Year's Eve) planning.
- Practical travel: money & PIX, transport, language, costs.
Editorial independence
PlanRio is reader-supported. Some links — clearly disclosed — are affiliate links to activity providers like GetYourGuide. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions never influence what we recommend. If a tour, restaurant or neighborhood isn't worth your time, we say so.
For the full policy on how we research, review and update articles, see our editorial standards.
Talk to us
Corrections, questions, local tips, or partnership ideas — we read every message. Reach us at hello@planrio.com or via the contact page.