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Popular Off the Beaten Path | Other Off the Beaten Path Tips | All Tips (277) For all of you who do love electronical and techno music, there's a good notice:
In Rio de Janeiro was held the "Rio Parade" following the example of the Love Parade in Berlin/Germany at 8. of June 2003 and I guess it will now be held each year.
More infos and photos on this event you can find under:
http://www.rioparade.com Leave a Comment
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Most tourists know the Rio mountain town of Petropolis, it's a wonderful place with green parks and interesting museums. But Carioca's know that if you travel just 1/2 hour more (2 hours from Rio), you can reach Nova Friburgo, another mountain town, but with a remarkably different feel. Settled in the early 1800's by the Swiss, this small town maintains it's European feel. Like Petropolis, Nova Friburgo has good restaurants and pousadas, but maintains a much more "laid back" atmosphere. There are several waterfalls in the areas, and trails leading through green forests. There is a central plaza where familys meet on weekends, with great open air shopping, and people watching. You can climb Morro da Cruz in a breath taking chair lift ride for under US$1.00, where there is a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains from the top. The day we went, we saw parrots and monkeys in the tree tops form our chair on the lift. You can hang glide at Pico da Caledonia or explore the rock formations at Furnas do Catete. For lunch, try Churrascaria Majorica in town center, all you can eat meat, rodizio style at a ridiculous low price. You can catch a bus from Rio, or from Petropolis to the main bus stations local buses go to all the main tourist attractions. Don't forget to take home the famous home made liqueurs (taste them first!), and great jams. Nova Friburgo is the lingerie capital of Brasil, and there are many factory outlets around town! Leave a Comment
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About a four hour drive south of Rio is the pretty colonial town of Parati, which is well worth a visit if you have the time.
Parati is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with beautifully preserved colonial architecture. It was settled in the 1600s but grew in importance when it became the main shipping port for the gold from nearby mines in the 1800s. Once gold became scarce, Parati switched to coffee, but with the abolishment of slavery in 1888, that too dried up and the town faded into near oblivion. In 1966 the historic colonial centre of Parati was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and cars were banished from the old colonial core. This pedestrianisation means that it is easy to imagine life here in colonial times, though it is very much a living and working town, not a museum.
My separate page about Parati has more information if you’re interested, including our lovely accommodation in the Pousada Porto Paraty (now the Porto Imperial).
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..and here we go again with the top secret places!!
4.BEST BRAZILIAN HANDCRAFTS SITES IN RIO:Estacao Pontal(Do Pontal Road,2276),I agree,a bit out off the way,but it's almost next door to the "Casa Do Pontal Museum of Brazilian Crafts,and the "Burle Marx's Home & Garden";handcrafts from Minas Gerais,Pernambuco,etc,frm the tiny/inexpensive to the gorgeous large size wooden sculptures,and everything in between..prepare the wallets!
5.THE BEST BIKINIS:"Salinas" is the name of the store,it's in the heart of Ipanema,I bought mine there and really recomend,it's in Shopping Ipanema,82 Anibal Mendonca str.,2nd floor.
6.NBR ONE FOR PLANT LOVERS:besides the Botanical Gardens,visit the Burle Marx's House and Garden,not in the heart of the city,I agree,but I would kill myself finding out I missed this place because it was far away in your place.Located in Barra De Guaratiba,about one hour south of Rio.
7.OFF THE BEATEN PATH MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL SPACES:try Centro Cultural Banco Do Brasil(66 Primeiro De Marco str.),a majestic old building in downtown Rio for concerts,exhibitions and films,they have a library,a shop and an excellent restaurant for a lunch in style!
In Gavea,try the Instituto Moreira Sales(476 Marques De Sao Vicente str.):it used to be the residence fo the wealthy Moreira Sales family,built in 1950,the gardens are from Roberto Burle Marx(should I say more??),and the architecture is,well,superb!
There are exhibitions,classrooms,films,library,shop and cafeteria,and you also get a feeling of how was to be very rich in the 50's here,not bad at all!
Now,the ABSOLUTELY off the beaten path restaurant tips coming from this inhabitant here,Jana,will be in my restaurant tips,see you there...!!!!! Leave a Comment
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Hehe..want some real native tips??Come closer:
1.THE BEST BOSSA NOVA'S PLACE:
are you a Bossa Nova fan?The address for you is "Toca Do Vinicius",in Ipanema!It's a combination of store/performance space dedicated to Tom Jobim's partner,the poet/lyricist Vinicius De Morais and bossa nova in general.Here you can find a huge collection of cd's,books,t-shirts,etc..It's located in Vinicius De Moraes street,right in the heart of Ipanema.The owner,Carlos Alberto,is enthusiastically helpfull!!Just wonderful!
2.LATE NIGHT?NEED POSTCARDS,NEWSPAPERS??:this stand,in Visconde Do Piraja street in Ipanema,in front of Nossa Senhora Da Paz Square,is open untill 23:00,great place to browse or buy international newspapers and magazines,and that postcard to mommy's!It's air conditioned,perfect!
3.BEST BOOKSTORES:"Letras e expressoes"(276 Visconde De Piraja str.) bookstore is my FAVORITE!!(besides,it's close to where my parents live,just a jump and I'm there!).It's a bookstore/coffeshop open round the clock,but pls note you have to buy the book before you seat to enjoy your espresso!!(for only browsing the book during my memorable coffee,sometimes,when it's not full,I ask the sales guy and sometimes he says it's ok).Cafe Ubaldo,on the second floor
is a fave breakfast spot!If you are looking for heaven inthe middle of the night,just round the corner from these guys,you can find a fabulous garlic and olive oil pizza at "Pizzaria Pronto",until the wee hours..Ah...Rio! Leave a Comment
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Rio has already proved itself to be the perfect location for national and international events,apart carnaval and new year's eve!
Major musical events are held in Rio,such as free shows in Rodrigo De Freitas lagoon or on the beaches,which attract thousand of people to enjoy an open air spectacle,with excellent musical programming.
Then there's "Free Jazz",an annual event held in October,bringing together for 3 days national and international jazz names.
Another event is "Rock'n Rio",recognized as one of the greatest musical events in the world.It runs for 7 days and brings nearly 100 bands,national and international,with a tv transmission to all over the world!
Among sports events,the most famous are the Formula Indy Race and the World Motorcycle Championship,held annually at Nelson Piquet race track.
Another major event is the Rio De Janeiro stage of the World Beach Volley Championship,held every year in an arena built specially on Copacabana Beach(the Brazilian girls are the world champions,holding gold and silver olimpic medals). Leave a Comment
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Into Guanabara Bay, visit Paqueta Island, a little and apacible site, without cars. Rent a bike to travel across it, you can visit all the island in just two hours! Or you can go in an old wagon with horses.
From Rio de Janeiro, go on ships, it departs close to Downtown, 1 hour trip. Leave a Comment
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Buzios is very popular among brazilian and many other visitors from all over the World, but when you know someone who are really familiar with the area, you can find out some unique places. Brava Beach for this reason became my fave hidden secret of Buzios...the wilderness is in everywhere, not as much construction, just the Nature and YOURSELF!;)
I had great moments there...going to Buzios is quite easy, it is less than 3 hours by car from Rio heading north of the state close to another famous destination: CABO FRIO
THREE DAYS IN BUZIOS COULD MEAN YOUR SECOND HONEY MOON..or maybe the first!;)
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There was all this talk and text about the dangerous side of Rio. Its effect was chilling and almost crippling but gradually disappearing. At the end I had no misfortunes whatsoever but this might be this lucky star that has been looking after me since my birth. Just by chance though, I had the opportunity to feel a bit threatened in a place not typically associated with petty or not that petty crime... a bank. Thinking of changing money after my visit to the Pao de Acucar, I encountered a bank in a very romantic place - right on the beach off the starting point of the Pao de Acucar cable car. Once inside I was unpleasantly surprised by the lengthy lineup and more so by the guards. These fellows were a male and a female, looking at everybody else and themselves because of the sheer fact that they were facing each other. One was positioned in a spot clearly visible from the entrance while the other one was in the "blind spot" of a would-be attacker. The guards were armed with pistols (quite the downgrade compared to Guatemala or Honduras) and their hands were constantly on the weapons with a finger on the trigger ready to "do their job". It did not take me very long to persuade myself that maybe I could change money latter on, plus, look at this lineup; so I deserted with this feeling of lurking danger in the shadow of Pao. Leave a Comment
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Also known as the 'Imperial City', Petropolis is a day trip from Rio. It was once a retreat for the last emperor of Brazil. The picture shows São Pedro Cathedral, the Gothic Cathedral in Petrópolis. While visiting Petropolis, check out the Crystal Palace and the Museu Imperial, home to the imperial crown and robes. Leave a Comment
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