You wonder where to stay in Rio de Janeiro first time.
In April 2025 we stayed in this iconic city for 12 days and therefore we can certainly give a good answer to that.
With world-famous beaches and attractions, Rio is really a must to visit.
But because the city has a somewhat unsafe reputation, it is important to choose the right neighborhood so that you have a carefree holiday.
We will discuss all this and more in this article.
Rio de Janeiro is a huge city with several beaches.
Copacabana is by far the most famous, but there are also other popular beaches such as Ipanema that are actually much better.
What we noticed is that you can easily travel from one beach to the other by taxi (preferably with Uber for safety reasons) without getting stuck in traffic.
So you can be quite flexible in terms of location.
The old center of Rio where you can find the famous Escadaria Selaron (the famous stairs) is vibrant, but at the same time you will also find a lot of poverty.
This city has a lot of homeless people, and that goes hand in hand with crime.
Although there is a neighborhood nearby that is popular with travelers, we recommend that you choose one of the neighborhoods that has direct access to the beaches.
It often feels safer there.
Of course, no visit to Rio de Janeiro is complete until you’ve visited Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
Once you reach the top, you’ll realize how gigantic Rio is.
Other great attractions include watching the sunset at Pan de Azúcar, riding the Santa Teresa Tram, grabbing a drink at the rooftop bar Brewteco Botafogo, and visiting the street party at Pedra do Sal (every Monday and Friday).
This and more will be covered in this article, so let’s dive into our recommendations!
The best areas to stay in Rio de Janeiro are Ipanema, Copacabana, Botafogo and Santa Teresa.
Ipanema is the more sophisticated version of Copacabana with nicer dining options. The atmosphere on Ipanema beach is great, especially on weekends. It feels safer here. However, this area is a bit more expensive compared to Copacabana.
If you want to stay in Ipanema, choose Leblon.
Copacabana is the most iconic beach in Rio de Janeiro and a very popular area among travelers. It also provides convenience. There are plenty of shops, banks on every corner, lots of local eateries (although the typical Brazilian food is not my favorite), and a wide range of hotels.
If you compare it to Ipanema, you will see clear differences. Copacabana is rougher, has more homeless people, and some corners feel sketchy. That does not change the fact that this is a popular area.
If you want to stay in Copacabana, choose Leme.
If direct access to a good beach is not your priority, Botafogo is a great neighborhood. It feels like a nice neighborhood with great views. It is safer than Copacabana, which is around the corner. You will find a great rooftop bar here and you are surrounded by convenience. The only downside is the beach. Compared to Ipanema and Copacabana, this beach is not really anything to write home about.
Finally, quite a few tourists choose to stay in Santa Teresa. You will be staying close to the historic center and the nightlife so that you can do plenty of things both during the day and in the evening. Note that you do not have direct access to the beaches, but you do have access to the metro that takes you everywhere. The food scene is also much better than, for example, Copacabana.
In the following paragraphs, we will delve deeper into each recommended neighborhood. You can easily navigate to each area by tapping on the link.
After spending 12 full days in this city, we can only conclude – in our opinion – that Ipanema is the best area to stay in Rio de Janeiro.
Why do we think this?
Ipanema reflects the best that Rio de Janeiro has to offer, namely a vibrant city where beach life plays a huge role.
During the weekends, part of the main street is closed, which means that the beaches feel car-free. Runners, cyclists, families with strollers and anyone who simply wants to take a walk come to Ipanema.
The beaches are full and beach volleyball is played.
Yes, you can also find this (partly) in Copacabana, but Ipanema feels much more refined.
In terms of dining options, you are in a great place here. Restaurants are more trendy than the sometimes somewhat traditional that can be found on Copacabana.
This is also reflected in the hotel prices.
Copacabana is much more suitable for finding something budget-friendly.
It is also the case that you are further away from the (historical) centre, but if you travel by metro, the travel time is not too bad.
Ipanema is also one of the safest neighbourhoods in the city and is certainly a family-friendly neighbourhood.
The higher Leblon is often recommended as an individual neighbourhood, but you do not notice this transition.
This area is extremely popular and probably the best option if you want to stay in and around Ipanema.
Therefore, try to choose a hotel in the western part of Ipanema, or otherwise in the central part of the entire coastline of Ipanema.
Rio de Janeiro is iconic in many ways. From Christ the Redeemer to the Copacabana. But also the love of football, which you encounter everywhere in the city.
Rio de Janeiro is iconic in many ways. From Christ the Redeemer to the Copacabana. But also the love of football, which you encounter everywhere in the city.
Since we live in South America, we are used to a few things. However, we have taken certain precautions.
For example, we had special locks with us to securely close our backpacks and purchased a special cord so that your phone is not simply pulled out of your hands. This was recommended to us all.
If you use your common sense, such as not bringing valuables, not using drugs, always taking an Uber driver with good ratings and not looking for trouble, then 99 out of 100 times nothing will happen to you.
However, I was somewhat shocked by the number of homeless people in the city center. It gives you a somewhat unsafe feeling, partly because of the unpredictability of drug addicts. That is why I would always go with a group in those kinds of neighborhoods.
During our trip, we also went to Búzios, a seaside resort about 3 hours from Rio de Janeiro. A completely different world.
You can literally leave your wallet, phone, sunglasses and AirPods on the beach table while you take a refreshing dip. No one will touch your stuff there.
Check out our article on where to stay in Búzios if you are interested or just want to be inspired.
Google Maps, Uber, banking, following current exchange rates and sending the occasional photo to the folks back home. During our stay we used an eSIM and bought it through Airalo. It simply works fine and we recommend you do the same.
The first week of our trip we stayed in the middle of Copacabana.
Despite the drawbacks we mentioned, this is still an excellent option.
It is more central, is always bustling in the evening, you have beautiful sunrises here, and is served with all conveniences.
There are numerous hotels and hostels in all price ranges and visiting Rio’s highlights can easily be arranged from Copacabana.
During our trip we also visited Buzios, a fantastic seaside resort about three hours from Rio.
We spent the last two days in the Leme district. Here you will find the four and five star hotels of Copacabana, and you often have a beautiful view of the beaches.
We also had a rooftop pool, which was quite a cool experience.
The Botafogo district is only a few minutes by Uber from Leme.
You will also find the better restaurants of Copacabana here, although you often have to queue for a table.
That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some shady parts of Copacabana.
And you’ll have to be on your guard if you’re carrying valuables.
In the next section, we’ll dive into how to best protect your belongings from theft.
In conclusion, Copacabana is a really nice neighborhood, and especially if you’re looking for something affordable and lively, it won’t disappoint.
But know that if you’re willing to pay a little more for a hotel, Ipanema is still a better option.
Beaches with stunning views, rooftop bars, caipirinhas to drink and lots of street art. Rio never bores you!
Beaches with stunning views, rooftop bars, caipirinhas to drink and lots of street art. Rio never bores you!
Every hotel has a poster with all the tips on how to get around.
It boils down to this: take an Uber with a driver who has a high number of positive reviews.
We did this as much as possible. However, we took a regular taxi a few times. And that went fine.
I always make sure that the taxi is well maintained and that the driver looks somewhat trustworthy. Of course, always keep the taxi meter on.
We took the metro a few times, and that also went smoothly. Beware of pickpockets, though.
Because the roads are well maintained, you can easily drive from Ipanema to the center by Uber and it will not make much difference in time.
Botafogo would probably be our choice if we were to stay in Rio for a longer period of time, for example to work from here for a month or two.
Why? Because this area has a fantastic view and you have all the amenities you need.
For example, there are several shopping malls and this area feels modern and residential.
If you are only visiting Rio for a few days, you will not benefit much from the advantages we just mentioned.
However, it is a neighborhood to consider staying in because of its modernity, central location and affordability.
Note that Botafogo beach pales in comparison to Ipanema and Copacabana.
A short ride in the Uber or even by metro will get you to the nicer beaches in no time, but you will still have to travel a bit.
This also applies to the nightlife and the old center. Both are easily accessible, but not within walking distance.
Botafogo does feel safer compared to Copacabana.
Whether you’re staying in this area or not, make sure to head to Brewteco Botafogo around 4pm.
An affordable rooftop bar on the roof of the Botafogo Praia Shopping mall. Although you can’t see the sunset from there, the views are spectacular.
You often have to wait a bit because there’s always a line. But soon enough you can go to the panorama deck for some photos before being escorted to your table.
If you’re the kind of traveler who doesn’t necessarily want to stay near Rio’s beautiful beaches, want something a little more affordable, or enjoy shopping, consider staying in Botafogo!
The combination of beach (life), historic center and world-famous attractions make Rio de Janeiro a unique destination.
The combination of beach (life), historic center and world-famous attractions make Rio de Janeiro a unique destination.
Withdrawing money in Rio de Janeiro remains a tricky thing. During our stay, it was not possible to withdraw money with a Dutch debit card at several banks. Santander was the only bank where it was possible to withdraw money.
But here’s the thing: you hardly need cash in Rio de Janeiro. You can pay everywhere with your phone or debit card, even on the beaches. Now, there are stories going around that some devices try to skim you, but by only paying contactless and not entering a PIN code (such as Apple Pay), this can be prevented.
Even in taxis, it is often possible to pay contactless: many taxi drivers have an app on their phone. We hardly had any cash on us and paid almost everything with a phone in our pocket. If you prefer to have cash on you, I recommend going to the exchange office.
In Copacabana, there is a street called Av. Nossa Sra. the Copacabana where you can find a cluster of banks. Here you have the best chance of success to withdraw money or find a good exchange office. I always use the app XE Currency for up-to-date exchange rates.
The last neighborhood we recommend is Santa Teresa. It is located a little south of the city center in a hilly area.
You guessed it, the views here are amazing. This is also where you will find the historic Rio de Janeiro tram.
Because you are staying close to the city center, you have excellent access to the highlights of the city.
But you have even better access to Lapa, Rio’s most popular nightlife area.
If you are looking for nightlife, make sure to visit Pedra do Sal. Unfortunately, this street party is only open on Mondays and Fridays.
The big disadvantage of Santa Teresa is that it does not have access to the beaches, because it is located in the hills.
This artistic neighborhood full of street art offers many boutique hotels, also called pousadas.
Finally, Santa Teresa does not have direct access to the metro.
This makes you more dependent on Uber.
If you’re more into exploring the city and nightlife and can’t get enough of panoramic views of a cosmopolitan city like Rio, then Santa Teresa is an excellent choice!