Rio De Janeiro is a truly astounding city. Nestled in a lush paradise where golden beaches meet towering green mountains and tropical forests, it is a destination that seems to reveal new wonders at every turn. It is hard to imagine anywhere on Earth that has more to see and experience in one place. Imagine strolling from the bustling metropolitan downtown to the glorious beaches in mere moments.
Rio effortlessly weaves together contrasts — from the opulence of high-end shopping streets to the vibrant life of its famous favelas. Life in Rio de Janeiro is a tapestry of culture, history, and diverse neighbourhoods. When you are used to the sensible, orderly cities of Europe and the US, with our tedious planning restrictions, visiting Rio feels like having your brain turned inside out. Its chaos is part of its charm, and embracing this way of life is the key to enjoying Rio.
Rio is by no means a perfect city, but everything it does, it does with flair and passion. That said, we found everyone incredibly welcoming and friendly with our children. At no point did we feel worried about their personal safety beyond perhaps crossing some busy roads. Instead, our focus was on safeguarding our belongings, especially in bustling areas. Even though things have certainly improved since our first visit back in , it still makes perfect sense to take some basic precautions when exploring this incredible town:.
The traffic in Rio feels like the perfect expression of Chaos Theory in motion. In the UK, traffic is like a game of Tetris. Everything has its own space and rules and usually slots neatly together. In Rio, traffic is more like a river. Cars, trucks, and bikes move in a fluid manner, appearing to defy the laws of physics as they seamlessly glide between lanes and occupy spaces that, by all accounts, seem too tight. Even when the traffic is gridlocked which is most of the time , it is not stationary.
Motorbikes cut up between the lanes of traffic and seem to treat red lights as mere suggestions rather than as actual requirements to stop. We would not recommend hiring a car in Rio. Even as a driver with more than 20 years of experience in various countries, the chaotic traffic in Rio can be downright intimidating. To make matters worse, it looks like there are only about four car parking spaces in the entire city. Although beautiful, The mountains surrounding the city make building new highways and digging tunnels costly and laborious.
