7 cheap things to do in Rio de Janeiro in 3 days

4. Hike The Corcovado to see Christ the Redeemer

On the second day of our trip, we decided on visiting the Corcovado mountain to see Christ The Redeemer, the icon of Rio. We chose to hike up from Lage Park…

A 2-hour intense walk uphill was rather tiring, not because of the difficulty (although at times it was steep) but mainly because of the heat. It was about 38°c and we were literally sweating like pigs! We were exhausted by the end but felt great, and with that feeling, we ascended the last steps leading us to Christ.

The view from up there is breathtaking. Right below, we can see the bay of Rio, where we remembered watching the Olympic rowing course on TV. To the left, the Sugar Loaf rises straight out of the turquoise waters and to the right the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Finally, to complete this gorgeous panorama; you can admire the “two brothers” mountain and the largest favela in the world: Rocinha.

To get back down, we took the train to gain some time and enjoy the rest of the day by napping and drinking Caipirinhas.

Tip: Take a lot of water and start the hike in the morning. There have been reports of thefts along this trail, however, we saw no one else and had to register with the park guards at the entrance.

• Entrance Corcovado / “Christ the Redeemer”: 26 R$ pp (€8)
• Corcovado Train – one way: 24 R$ pp (€7.50) >> You can book a tour which includes entrance and train or entrance + van transport from your hotel.

5. Santa Tereza neighbourhood

This is a booming neighbourhood, almost hipsterish, boasting good restaurants and artists’ galleries. In the centre of the cobblestone streets and bordered by magnificent colonial buildings, a tramway has been going back and forth since 1877 (with a stop between 2011 and 2015) to the old centre via the “Carioca” aqueduct. It is one of the oldest tramways in the world.

Tip: Make sure to walk around and grab some food in one of the restaurants.

• Visit the Santa Tereza district on your own: Free

You may also like:
– Small-Group Santa Teresa Discovery Tour (include Selaron steps, Lepa & tram ride) – €41
– Rio Urban Art Walking Tour: €38
– Historical Center in Rio de Janeiro: €41

6. Take a Favela tour

On day 3 book a 3-hour tour to Rocinha, the largest favela in the world which had just been pacified prior to the Olympics.

Located in the southern suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, nearly 70,000 people live here. The favela is autonomous and there is everything they need right inside: banks, supermarkets, post offices, hospitals and libraries. It is a city within a city.

Arriving at the bottom of the Favela, we hopped on scooters and started zigzagging through the streets of Rocinha. This was in itself an incredible experience that we can only recommend. Filled with adrenaline, we reached the top of the hill and entered one of the colourful houses to take in a 180° panorama view of the entire community.

We then descended down by the main road, through a maze of stairs and alleys.

Tip: Don’t put out your camera when you aren’t sure it is safe. You never know who or what you could point your camera at, which could turn the whole experience into a security risk.

As mentioned above, the Rocihna Favela has been pacified before the Olympic games of 2016. The term “Pacified” does not mean that there are no gangs (quite the opposite) nor that you are safe in the streets. This means that the military is present and “control” the favela and the drug dealers. You still need to remain vigilant not to cross (and film or photograph) a gang member.

Along the way, we stopped off and met members of the local Capoeira club. All raised in the favelas, the members are so good and passionate that they managed to enter national and international competitions and try to give back to the community by coaching the younger ones and setting themselves as honest examples for kids. After watching them perform and listening to them boo Conor McGregor, we got a chance to practice some of our skills.

Don’t go to the favela on your own. Always go with a guide who knows the safest route and will tell you more about the Favela, the street art and the politics.

• Favela tour: €40 pp – A must-do!
• We booked from our hostel but you can also book online for €30

7. HIKE and Watch the sunset from Sugar Loaf

If there is something you must include in your itinerary while planning a trip to Brazil, it has to be Hiking the Sugar Loaf to watch the sunset over Rio!

You can take the Cable car if you prefer, but if you can do such an activity, I would recommend hiking! Only the first peak can be reached on foot but it is a good 30-minute walk through a dense tropical forest, which is really nice.

Tip: The entrance of the walk is located to the left of the Plaza General Tibúrcio and is called ” La Pista Cláudio Coutinho”

Once at the top, and with the superb view of the city plunging into the dark under the protective eye of Christ balanced our disappointment of not being able to witness the sunset due to clouds partially blocking the sun. After a couple of hours of chilling out, we took the cable car down for free as the park closes at 5 pm and the company in charge let everybody go back down for free after 7 pm.

If you don’t feel like hiking or waiting for the Cable car, you can pre-book your admission ticket here.

• Sugar Loaf park: Free
• Cable car return: Free after 7 pm

You might also be interested in these tours:
– Sugar Loaf Mountain “skip the line” ticket & guided tour: €58
– Christ Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain: €47

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