Why Honeymoon in Rio
Few cities let you hike through rainforest in the morning and swim in the ocean before lunch. Tijuca National Park, one of the largest urban forests in the world, covers the mountains behind the beaches. The beaches themselves are the city's living room, with volleyball, coconut stands and families who have claimed the same patch of sand for decades.
Rio is also a romantic city in the old-fashioned sense. There are tiled staircases, a hilltop neighborhood of crumbling mansions, live bossa nova and bars where nobody leaves before midnight. You get the excitement of a big city with a beach towel always within reach.
When to Go
May through October is the most comfortable time. Days are warm, usually in the 70s, humidity eases and skies over the mountains are clearer, which matters when you ride up to see the view. The sea is cooler but swimmable.
December to March is summer: hot, sticky and busy, with sudden afternoon storms. It is also the liveliest season, with New Year's Eve on Copacabana and Carnival in February or early March. Hotel prices peak during both. If you want the parties, book months ahead and expect minimum stays.
April and November are good shoulder months with lower rates and fewer crowds.
Where to Stay
Ipanema and Leblon are the best base for most couples. They are walkable, relatively safe by Rio standards and full of good restaurants. Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro faces Ipanema beach and has a rooftop pool with a view straight down the sand to the Two Brothers peaks.
Copacabana is busier and a bit rougher around the edges, but it has the Belmond Copacabana Palace, a 1920s landmark with a big pool and a strong claim to being the city's grand old hotel. Parts of it, including the spa, have been closed for renovation, so check before booking.
Santa Teresa, up on a hill, suits couples who prefer character to beach access. Santa Teresa Hotel RJ, an MGallery property, has a pool and gardens overlooking the bay.
Romantic Things to Do
Ride the two-stage cable car up Sugarloaf about an hour before sunset and stay to watch the city lights come on. Go up Corcovado to Christ the Redeemer on the first cog train of the day, before tour groups and clouds arrive.
Walk out onto Arpoador rock between Ipanema and Copacabana at dusk. Locals often applaud when the sun disappears behind the Two Brothers.
Spend a slow morning at the Botanical Garden, then cross the road to Parque Lage for coffee in the courtyard of an old mansion. For a bigger day, hike Pedra Bonita with a guide or take a tandem hang glide down to São Conrado beach.
Getting There and Around
Galeão International Airport (GIG) has nonstops from Miami, New York, Atlanta, Houston and Dallas, among others. GOL has added a New York JFK route. Many other US flights connect through São Paulo, an hour's flight away. Santos Dumont, the downtown airport, handles domestic flights and has a lovely approach over the bay.
Use Uber or a hotel car rather than hailing taxis on the street, especially at night. The metro is clean and useful between Ipanema, Copacabana and downtown during the day. Walking along the beachfront is pleasant in daylight, though it is wise to leave phones and jewelry in the room.
Food and Drink
Rio eats late and well. Start with a caipirinha, made with cachaça, lime and sugar, at a beach kiosk. Then try a botequim, the classic corner bar, for ice-cold draft beer called chopp and small plates like pastel and bolinho de bacalhau.
Feijoada, a black bean stew with pork, is a Saturday lunch tradition. Churrascarias carve grilled meat at the table, though Rio's newer restaurants lean toward Brazilian ingredients cooked with restraint. Book a table in Leblon or Botafogo for that style.
For dessert, find açaí bowls on the beachfront and a scoop at an artisanal gelateria.
Honeymoon Tips
Check the cloud cover on Corcovado before you go; a webcam or the hotel concierge can tell you whether the statue is visible. Buy cable car and train tickets online to skip the lines.
Carry only what you need on the beach: a canga, some cash, sunscreen and an inexpensive phone if you have one. Vendors will rent you chairs and umbrellas.
The State Department advises against entering favelas, including on tours, so skip those offers. Use apps for rides and stay alert at night in Lapa and downtown. Sunday is the best day to see Rio at play, when part of the beachfront road closes to cars.
