Rio de Janeiro/Centro

Centro has most of the city's notable churches and museums, including the Modern Art Museum, as well as many of its most famous bars. Lapa is one of the most thrilling places to be in Rio after dark, with streets and bars full of people, all in historical buildings (most of them from the early 1800s). In Lapa you can hear typical Brazilian music such as samba, forró, and choro. It's the place to try typical Brazilian food and drinks like the world famous caipirinha. The nearby Santa Teresa neighborhood, located on the hills to the southwest, is a beautiful historical district and home to many of the city's artists.

Line 1 of the subway provides access from both the Zona Sul and the Tijuca area of the Zona Norte. The station at Central do Brasil is the transfer point for Line 2 which services most of the Zona Norte.

• Port Praca

  address: Praça XV
  Ferries to/from different destinations

You can walk to Santa Teresa from surrounding districts such as Catete, though it's a stiff uphill climb, and some of the streets aren't entirely safe.

By light rail

The VLT light rail system serves many places in the area, including Santos Dumont airport and Praca XV port.

By metrô

Line of the subway has stops in most of the important neighborhoods of the Centro:

• Cinelândia - for Praça XV, the National Library, City Hall, Municipal Theatre, Museum of Modern Art and Odeon movie theatre. To Lapa (Bohemian district).
• Carioca - for Santa Teresa tram station, downtown offices
• Uruguaiana - for a popular market
• Presidente Vargas - for downtown offices
• Central - for Central do Brasil rail station, Itamaraty Palace, and for Line
• Praça Onze - for the Sambadromo
• Estácio - used to be for subway Line 2, but it's no longer used for transfers during weekdays (it's still used at weekends), so, be sure not to come all the way to this station instead of switching trains at Central.

By bicycle

A number of bike rental services are available.

• Banco do Brasil Cultural Centre

  phone: +55 21 3808-2000
  address: Rua 1º Março 66 - Centro
  A cultural centre with gallery, movie theatre, video room, library and stages; usually hosts the main exhibitions in town. An interesting building completed in 1906 with old-fashioned elevators/lifts.

• Casa França Brasil

  phone: +55 21 2299-213
  address: Rua Visconde de Itaboraí - Centro
  French cultural centre built in 1820, with gallery and video hall.

• City Hall

  phone: +55 21 3814-2121
  address: Praça Floriano - Centro
  Hosts the city council

• Lapa Viaduct

  address: Lapa
  Colonial structure built in 1750 that brought water from springs to downtown.

• Municipal Theatre

  address: Av. Rio Branco - Centro
  City Theatre, inspired by the Paris Opéra House.

• National Library

  phone: +55 21 2220-9484, +55 21 3095-3881
  address: Av Rio Branco 219
  The National Library offers guided tours on weekdays, showing visitors its rare collection, various bookstacks and the catalogue system. Registration with identification is required, and tours run for about an hour. They leave at 1.00pm for English tours, and 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm for Portuguese tours.

• Passeio Público

  address: Rua Texeira de Freitas at Rua Mestre Valentim
  Commissioned in 1779, this was to become the first public park in the Americas. Check out the original Rococo-style gate and the ironwork fountains.

• Petrobras Headquarters

  phone: +55 21 3224-7836
  address: Avenida República do Chile 1202
  The headquarters for the federal gas (petrol) company is an interesting piece of brutalist architecture which somehow resembles a Rubik's Cube with some blocks missing.

• Praça da República

  address: Av. Pres. Vargas
  Large park; good for a rest. Look for monkeys and capybaras that roam about.

• Sambódromo

  phone: +55 21 2502-7122
  address: Rua Marquês de Sapucaí - Praça Onze
  Site of the famous Carnaval parades, the Sambódromo is a long street flanked by grandstands and VIP boxes. From the start of the year until Carnaval week, technical rehearsals (Ensaios Técnicos) free to the public are held on Saturday and Sunday evenings, with 2-3 teams performing per session.

• Selarón Steps

  address: Santa Teresa
  A stairway covered by colorful tiles and the ever-evolving art work of Chilean artist Jorge Selarón.

• Teatro João Caetano

  phone: +55 21 2332-9166, +55 21 2332 9166, +55 21 2332-9258
  address: R. Alexandre Herculano, (Praça Tiradentes)

• Estátua equestre de D. Pedro I

  address: praça Tiradentes

• Stock Exchange

  phone: +55 21 2514-1069
  address: Praça Quinze de Novembro, 20

• Jose Bonifacio Monument

• Floriano Peixoto Monument

  address: Cinelândia

• Fountain of Praça Monroe

  address: Cinelândia

• Glória InletA beautiful spot for a stroll along the bank of Guanabara Bay.

• Memorial Monument of Opening Ports - Trade

  address: Rua do Russel/Praça Luiz de Camões, Glória

• Saint Joachim Palace

• Valongo Wharf Archaeological SiteThe place where, during the first decades of the 19th century, ships carrying a total of almost a million African slaves landed. When slave trade was banned, freed slaves lived there for some time, eventually the whole area was entirely rebuilt and its dark history was forgotten until 2011, when African amulets and other items of worship were found during construction works. Nowadays the former wharf is an archaeological site and since 2017 a world heritage site.

• Campo de Santanalocated near the site where the Brazil was declared a Republic in 1889. Sire of the monument for Republican leader Benjamin Constant

Churches

• Gloria Church

  address: Glória
  Small but interesting church built in 1739. It is more correctly known as the Outeira da Gloria, outeira in Portuguese meaning “knoll” or small hill. The church was well sited to be seen by arriving sailors sailing into Guanabara Bay. The layout consists of two intertwined octagonal prisms. There are some interesting wooden engravings and tiles from Portugal. Best accessed by one of the world’s shortest funiculars from Rua do Russel. The ride is free. Nice views.

• Benedictine Monastery of Rio de Janeiro

  address: Rua Dom Gerardo 68 - Centro
  Colonial architecture. Founded in 1590.

• Candelária Church

  phone: +55 21 2233-2324
  address: Praça Pio X - Centro
  Neoclassic cathedral.

• Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian

  phone: +55 21 2240-2669
  address: Av. Chile 245 - Lapa
  A rather bizarre, modern cathedral shaped like a volcano, with a very impressively vacuous interior. One of Oscar Niemeyer's most famous designs.

• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church

  address: Rua do Ouvidor

• Saint Paul Church

  address: R. Fonseca Guimarães, 8-12 - Santa Teresa

• Church of São Francisco de Paula

  phone: +55 21 2509-0069
  address: Largo de São Francisco de Paula, 9-11, Centro

• Church of Our Lady of Lapa

  address: Rua do Ouvidor, Centro

• Church of Our Lady of Lampadosa

  address: Av. Passos, 2-20 - Centro

• Chapel of the Divine Child

  phone: +55 21 2242-0460
  address: Rua Riachuelo, 75 - Centro

• Church of St. Goncalo and St. George

  phone: +55 21 2221-9661
  address: Rua Alfandega and Praça da República corner, Centro

• St. Francis Church

  address: Largo São Francisco da Prainha, Saúde

• Church of St. Francis of Penance

  address: Largo da Carioca
  Church of the Venerable Third Order of St. Francis of Penance is a part of the Convent of Saint Antony

• Church of Saint Lucia

  phone: +55 21 2220-4367
  address: Centro, R. Santa Luzia, 490

• Churches of Convent Carmo

  address: Largo do Paco
  Centro

• São Francisco da Penitência Church

  phone: +55 21 2262-0197
  address: Rua da Carioca, 5 - Centro
  Colonial church built in 1773.

• Monastery of Saint Theresa

  address: Ladeira de Santa Teresa
  Baroque

• Church Our Lady of La Salette

  address: Rua do Catumbi
  Founded in 1914. It has neo Gothic arches. One of the most beautiful church in Rio de Janeiro.

Museums

• Museum of the Estate of Ceu

  phone: +55 21 2224-8981
  address: Rua Murtinho Nobre 96 - Santa Teresa
  An art and antique museum with a good collection of works by modern masters. During Carnaval 2006 some of its most famous works of art were stolen while a procession passed by outside.

• Image and Sound Museum

  phone: +55 11 3062-9197
  address: Av. Europa 158
  For researchers about the Brazilian film, radio, and broadcasting industries.

• Museum of Modern Art

  phone: +55 21 2240-4944
  address: Avenida Infante Dom Henrique 85 - Glória
  After MASP in São Paulo, the second most important contemporary art museum in Brazil, (downtown, next to Santos Dumont airport). Modernist architecture on the edge of the Bay.

• National History Museum

  phone: +55 21 2220-2328
  address: Praça Marechal Âncora - Centro
  A museum of Brazilian history stretching from colonial to imperial times; big collection of paintings, but poor in artifacts.

• Naval and Oceanographic Museum

  phone: +55 21 533-7626
  address: Rua Dom Manuel 15 - Centro
  Installed in a building constructed in 1868, this museum preserves articles from the seafaring history of the city.

• National Museum of Fine Arts

  address: Praça Floriano, Avenida Rio Branco
  Another building modelled on one in Paris, this time the Louvre. Includes large paintings from Academicist and Neoclassical Brazilian artists, as well as many copies of European sculptures

• Rio Art Museum

  phone: +55 21 3031 2741
  address: Praça Mauá, 5, Centro
  Recently completed museum as part of the regeneration of the old port area. Made up of a newly constructed building with good views from the roof, next to a converted building that was previously part of Rio’s former bus station. Rotating exhibitions changing annually.

• Tram Museum

  phone: +55 21 2220-1003
  address: Rua Carlos Brandt 14 - Santa Teresa
  This small tram museum has photos of and artifacts from the glory days when trams were all over Rio, including some models of old tramcars and lots of electrical equipment.

Palaces

• Gustavo Capanema Palace

  address: Rua da Imprensa 16
  Former ministry of culture, designed by French architect Le Corbusier; though small, it is regarded as an important pioneering work in modern architecture.

• Ilha Fiscal Palace

  phone: +55 21 2271-7000
  address: Av. Alfredo Agache - Centro
  The former Customs House for Rio has some fascinating decorations and is well worth the visit.

• Itamaraty Palace

  address: Av. Marechal Floriano, 196
  Former presidential palace (1889-1893) and foreign office; now hosts a museum of South American diplomacy, a library and the UN information offices in Brazil.

• Paço Imperial

  phone: +55 21 2215-2622
  address: Praça XV de Novembro 48 - Centro
  Old Imperial Palace built in 1743 (though impressively modest). Colonial architecture.

• Tiradentes Palace

  phone: +55 21 2588-1411
  address: Rua Primeiro de Março
  The seat of the Legislative Assembly, visitors are welcome to wander in the corridors along the perimeter of the first floor, which tell the history of the Legislative Assembly and the building (mostly in Portuguese). Access to the second floor can be arranged through a guided tour with volunteers at the reception.

• Artists' Open HouseHeld over a few days in May and November of each year, when Santa Teresa's artists open their studios to the public. There are free shuttle buses from most parts of the city for this event.

• Mocidade Independente Samba School

  phone: +55 21 2516-3215
  address: Rua Júlio do Carmo, 251 - Cidade Nova

• Samba City

  phone: +55 21 2223-1231
  address: Rua Rivadávia Correia 60 - Gamboa
  This arts and entertainment complex celebrates Carnaval year-round. Thursday nights at 8PM, there is a special Carnaval samba presentation called Forces of Nature (Forças da Natureza), which includes a dinner buffet, for R$190 per person, with students and senior citizens getting half-price.

• Santa Teresa Historic Tramway

  address: Bonde de Santa Teresa
  What was Brazil's only remaining metropolitan tramway, in continuous operation since 1859, ran from Largo da Carioca, across the Arcos da Lapa, and into Santa Teresa terminating at the Largo de Curvelo. The tramway was closed in 2014 after accidents, but as of October 2015 is running again. If you follow the road further up from the last stop, and take the second road to the left, after another 300 m you will reach a rest area with a nice viewpoint, from where you can see much of Rio.

• UFRJ School of Music

  phone: +55 21 2240-1391
  address: Rua de Passeio 98 - Lapa
  A good place to catch free classical music concerts. Stop by during the day for a schedule or check the newspaper for events, as the surrounding neighborhood can be a bit shady at night.

• Saara

  address: surrounding Rua Buenos Aires between Praça da República and Rua dos Andrades ~Rua da Alfândega, 187
  Nothing to do with the desert, this bazaar is named after an association of small shop owners that was established there on the early 1900s, most of them from the Middle East and Jews from Eastern Europe. There are also lots of Chinese businesses. Today, it has a wide variety of shops, selling almost anything. From trousers to gum, from licorice to Carnaval costumes, you can find virtually everything on the always crowded - yet peaceful - pedestrian-only parallel streets. A very popular tour during weekdays, but be on time. After 6 o'clock the shops close and the once filled streets become empty.

• Music shops

  address: Rua Carioca
  While a handcrafted guitar will easily go for thousands of reais, you may want to pick up an inexpensive cavaquinho or cuica. One block north on Rua 7 de Setembro there are some CD and record shops, though their offerings are meager.

Budget

• Bistrô do Paço

  phone: +55 21 2262-3613
  address: Praça XV 48 - Centro
  Quick and quiet spot for a light lunch.

Mid-range

• Adega Flor de Coimbra

  phone: +55 21 2224-4582, +55 21 2224-9138
  address: Rua Teotônio Regadas, 34 - Lapa

• Al-Kuwait

  phone: +55 21 2240-1114
  address: Av. Treze de Maio, 23 - Centro
  A good place to try the Brazilian take on Middle Eastern food.

• Cafe Colombo

  phone: +55 21 2232-2300
  address: Rua Gonçalves Dias 32 - Centro
  Dates back to 1894 and has a dazzling tea room and arguably the best sweets and other delicacies in town.

• Casa Cavé

  phone: +55 21 2222-2358
  address: Rua Uruguaiana 11 - Centro

• Pizzaria Guanabara

  phone: +55 21 2224-9358
  address: 17, Avenida Mem de Sá
  Delivery service. - Other units: Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva, 1228 - Leblon. (+55 21 2294-0797), - Avenida Armando Lombardi, 75, Loja A - Barra da Tijuca, (+55 21 3153-4040).

• Manoel e Juaquim

  phone: +55 21 2232-3775
  address: Praça João Pessoa 7 - Lapa

• Mike's Haus

  address: Rua Almirante Alexandrino 1458 - Santa Teresa
  Dishes up German food. Ex-hangout of train-robber Ronnie Biggs.

• Municipal Café

  phone: +55 21 2240-8823
  address: Rua Alcindo Guanabara

• Restaurante Nova Capela

  phone: +55 21 2232-1907
  address: Av. Men de Sá, 96 - Lapa
  Try the house specialty of mutton with rice and broccoli (carneiro com arroz com brócolis).

• Pilão de Pedra Restaurant

  phone: +55 21 2232-2771
  address: Praça Monte Castelo, 12

• BarSansushi

  phone: +55 21 2224-4658
  address: 382, Rua Almirante Alexandrino, Santa Teresa

• Restaurant Sobrenatural

  phone: +55 21 2224-1003
  address: 432, Rua Almirante Alexandrino, Santa Teresa
  Air Conditioning

Splurge

• Aprazível

  phone: +55 21 2305-9174
  address: Rua Aprazível 62 - Santa Teresa
  This restaurante mineiro, inside an antique villa, has nice veranda and garden seating with great views of Guanabara Bay. Reservations recommended.

• Espirito Santa

  phone: +55 21 2508-7095
  address: Rua Almirante Alexandrino 264 - Santa Teresa
  Another fine restaurant in an old villa built in the 1930s, this eatery serves exotic dishes from the Amazon region, including fish such as piranha, and unusual fruits like cupuaçu, taperabá, and jambu. They also have a good selection of regional cachaças.

• Armazém São Thiago (Bar do Gomez)

  phone: +55 21 2232-0822
  address: Rua Áurea, 26 - Santa Teresa
  A beautifully restored former grocery store, with a high ceiling, nice wooden furnishings, and beer that's always ice-cold. Located a bit past where most tourists get off the tram, and frequented by an eclectic local crowd which spills out on to the sidewalk even in the afternoon.

• Bar do Arnaudo

  address: Rua Almirante Alexandrino, 316 - Santa Teresa
  Arnaldo is one of the classic drinking spots in Santa Teresa, famous for its food from Brazil's northeast region. - Some other bars also in nearby as: Bar da Boa, Bar Brasil

• Bar Simplesmente

  phone: +55 21 2508-6007
  address: Rua Pascoal Carlos Magno, 115 - Santa Teresa
  Lively and popular with the young crowd. And not simply a bar; the food is inexpensive but good.

• Beco do Rato

  address: Rua Joaquim Silva, 11 - Lapa
  This is in fact not a club but a street party. This place was a quite small and hidden beer and beverage deposit store. After a change in the administration it changed into a bar, offering good quality live music, and turned into one of the nicest street parties in Rio. Laid-back atmosphere typical of Rio, samba and beer. Is surrounded by historical buildings in this old forgotten spot of Lapa. On Tuesdays they have a "roda de samba" involving samba players sitting around a big table and people around singing and dancing. Nice day to go: get there early around 21:30. On Thursdays nights, chorinho is played (old style instrumental samba). Nice to see the old school players doing their best there, a bit of Buena Vista. On Fridays is the busiest day, with samba till 3AM.

• Goya Beira

  phone: +55 21 2232-5751
  address: Largo das Neves 13 - Santa Teresa
  Pleasant little place for a drink or two, with a view of Praça Neves with the tram line. If you get hungry, try the pizza.

• Cabaret Casanova

  phone: +55 21 2221-6555
  address: Av. Mem de Sá 25 - Lapa
  Dance club.

• Carioca da Gema

  phone: +55 21 2221-0043
  address: Av. Mem de Sá 79 - Lapa
  Located in a nice old house from the 1900s, this place always has good samba groups playing. One of the best days is on Monday nights when on stage you can see one of the most powerful voices of samba, the singer Richah, with his group playing old Carnaval songs.

• Circo Voador

  phone: +55 21 2533-5873
  address: Arcos da Lapa - Lapa
  Live music venue with plenty of live Carioca music.

• Clube Dos Democraticos

  phone: +55 21 2252-4611
  address: Rua do Riachelo 91/93 - Lapa
  Clube dos Democráticos was founded in 1867 and is one of the first carnaval groups of Rio. Nowadays the great ballroom of the beginning of the 20th century houses one of the best places to dance Brazilian rhythms, especially samba, in Rio. Best days are Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday is the day of Forró (a Brazilian rhythm from Northeast really popular throughout the country) and on Thursday the traditional samba. Both days are awesome, if you're looking to experience a genuine Brazilian atmosphere where people dance all night long, even if you don't know any step of the ballroom samba, you'd be mostly invited to dance and taught by the locals. Inexpensive big beer bottles and caipirinhas.

• Estrela da Lapa

  phone: +55 21 2507-6686
  address: Av. Mem de Sá 69 - Lapa

• Rio Scenarium

  address: Rua do Lavradio 20 - Lapa
  One of the most beautiful and best-known samba clubs in Rio de Janeiro. Was once elected by the British newspaper The Guardian as being one of the top 10 bars in the world. Nice decor, filled with antiques, paintings, medieval armors, old bicycles, etc. in an amazing 19th century warehouse. Three floors: on the first floor the main stage, second floor is a annex where sometimes another band plays or there is a DJ playing mostly Brazilectro (mix of electronic music with Brazilian songs). Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest nights and sometimes specially in the summer there are pretty long lines, so get there early, around 22:00, to avoid them. Bring a valid ID/passport (copy is also accepted) to get in. By the entrance you get a consumption card (don't lose it!) and you pay your consumption and entrance fees at the cashier before leaving the building. Dress up.

• Teatro Rival

  phone: +55 21 2524-1666
  address: Rua Álvaro Alvim 33 - Lapa

• The Week

  address: Rua Sacadura Cabral 154 - Saúde
  Dance club.

• 40 Graus

  phone: +55 21 3970-1338
  address: Rua do Riachuelo, 97 - Lapa
  A rather fancy "Snooker & Dance Hall" (Sinuca & Gafieira) club with nationally known samba artists on the regular schedule.

Budget

• Hotel Aymore

  address: Rua Carlos Sampaio, 106

• Pousada Favelinha

  phone: +55 21 98854-3401
  address: Rua Almirante Alexandrino 2023 - between Laranjeiras and Santa Teresa
  Might be your choice if staying in a favela is your cup of tea.

Mid price

• Casa MangoMango

  phone: +55 21 2508-6440
  address: Rua Joaquim Murtinho 587
  A bed & breakfast that offers nice prices for couples and groups. Great view, too!

• ibis Rio de Janeiro Centro

  phone: +55 21 3511-2500
  address: Rua Silva Jardim 32 - Centro
  Three star hotel. Rooms: 250

• Hotel Inglês

  phone: +55 21 2558-3052
  address: Rua Silveira Martins, 20 - Flamengo
  Nice location next to the park, but a bit overpriced compared to similar accommodation in the area.

Splurge

• Casa Beleza

  address: R. Laurinda Santos Lobo, 311
  Charming guest house in an exotic mansion with swimming pool and tropical gardens. The house was the former residence of the Governor of the State of Rio.

• Ibis Santos Dumont

  phone: +55 21 3506-4500
  address: Avenida Marechal Câmara 280 - Centro

Avoid entering or leaving Santa Teresa on foot after nightfall. During the day it's a nice hike up the streets, but the neighborhood is surrounded by three different favelas, and assaults after dark are not unheard of even for the locals. Take taxis and stay in groups.