Incredible and little-known places in Rio de Janeiro

That Rio is a wonderful city everyone already knows. After all, this is stated in songs, poetry, films and other forms of art. This fact is proven, mainly, in the several tourist points of the city, the beautiful beaches, the old and historical buildings and the diversified culture. There are many places in Rio de Janeiro that reinforce this title received and loaded with so much pride.
If you are coming to Rio or live here, but want to get away from the route of beaches and tourist spots that are the city’s postcards, Rede Rio has prepared an itinerary with little-known places in Rio de Janeiro, but that are still beautiful and that, sure enough, will enchant you and make you love the Marvelous City even more.

5 places in Rio de Janeiro to meet and love

1- Rio Museum of Art – MAR

Hotel from Rede Rio nearby: Hotel Gamboa
The Rio Museum of Art is one of the places in Rio de Janeiro that are part of the Porto Maravilha project, which revitalized the port area of the city. It has two buildings with completely different architectural structure: a palace from the Imperial era and a modernist building. They are joined by an extensive corridor, which offers visitors the feeling of walking to the sea as they cross. The MAR hosts temporary exhibitions and works of its permanent collection, which has a sculpture by Aleijadinho, and dedicate one of its floors only for exhibitions about Rio. It’s possible to visit this art center in downtown from Tuesday to Sunday, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Every Tuesday, admission is free for all.

2- Fiscal Island

Hotel from Rede Rio nearby: Hotel Pompeu
This is one of the places in Rio de Janeiro that everyone knows or has seen, but few know it can be visited. The Fiscal Island was the scene of the last ball of the Empire, which happened only a few days before the proclamation of the Republic and is a link between the present and the past. On the Island, visitors can visit the Palace and the Cultural Space of the Navy, in a visit of approximately 1h20. Access to the Fiscal Island is done by means of a schooner, which departs from the dock of the Navy, located in the Harbor Zone, from Thursday to Sunday, in three hours: 12:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

3- Caixa Cultural

Hotel from Rede Rio nearby: Hotel Arosa
Caixa Cultural Rio de Janeiro is located in the heart of the city’s downtown and has one of the best art and cinema curators in Rio. Inaugurated in 2006, it houses an arena theater, two cinemas, four art galleries, office rooms and rehearsals rooms. Caixa Cultural is considered one of the places in Rio de Janeiro reference in cultural space and guarantees free access to exhibitions, debates, guided tours and workshops. The shows and movie theaters have popular prices and have varied programming. The space is open for visits from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 9pm.

4- Santa Teresa

Hotel from Rede Rio nearby: Hotel Arosa
Located in the Morro do Desterro, that in the 18th century served as an escape route for slaves, the neighborhood of Santa Teresa is one of the most charming and eclectic places in Rio de Janeiro. The Staircase of Selarón is a postcard of the neighborhood, which also offers the possibility of going back in time by means of a cable car ride. With extensive cultural programming, bars and restaurants, the place is a great alternative for those who want to absorb all the diversity of the Marvelous City.

5- Monastery of São Bento

Hotel from Rede Rio nearby: Hotel Pompeu
Founded in 1590 by monks who came from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro, the Monastery of São Bento preserves, in the typical chaos of large urban centers, a haven of silence and peace. It’s one of the main monuments of colonial art of the country, with the interior constructed from a mixture of Baroque and Rococo styles. With lamps designed and executed by Mestre Valentim, the Monastery is a masterpiece of architecture, and offers monitored visits, through which the works are presented and explained. Visiting hours are from 7am to 6pm, every day of the week.

Did you like these places? Now that we convinced you that there are other places in Rio de Janeiro besides the well-known tourist spots, what are you waiting for to come and visit the Marvelous City?
If you want to stay close to all these places in Rio de Janeiro, choose one of the hotels in downtown Rio de Janeiro from Rede Rio Hotels! Contact us, get to know our accommodations and make the most of what Rio has to offer!

Other useful links:
Hotel in Rio
Hotel downtown Rio de Janeiro
Hotels in Lapa Rio de Janeiro
Hotel Rio de Janeiro Downtown