Rio de Janeiro event weekends: what to do between sessions
Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer, Copacabana and samba, and the biggest carnival on earth.
Events we cover in Rio de Janeiro
31 Dec 2026*Réveillon in Rio (New Year's Eve)
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilSeasonal5 Feb 2027*Rio Carnival
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCulture25 Jun 2027*Rio de Janeiro Marathon
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilMarathon8 Sept 2028*Rock in Rio
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilFestival
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilSeasonal5 Feb 2027*Rio Carnival
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCulture25 Jun 2027*Rio de Janeiro Marathon
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilMarathon8 Sept 2028*Rock in Rio
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilFestival
Arriving
Galeão (GIG) is 40 to 60 minutes from Copacabana; Santos Dumont (SDU) is downtown.
Where to stay
| Budget | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Botafogo | Cheaper on the metro. |
| Mid-range | Copacabana | Beachfront with many hotels. |
| Splurge | Ipanema and Leblon | Upscale beaches. |
Three hotels we would book
- Budget: Selina Copacabana
- Mid-range: Hotel Atlântico Copacabana
- Splurge: Copacabana Palace
Tours
Where to eat
With kids
- AquaRio.
Rainy-day backups
- Museum of Tomorrow.
Free things to do
- Copacabana and Ipanema beaches.
- Escadaria Selarón.
- Arpoador sunset.
Getting around
- Metro links the beaches and downtown; Uber is easy. Keep phones out of sight on the street.