Rio de Janeiro
Beyond the city: Paraty, Ilha Grande, Búzios and the imperial mountains of Petrópolis make Rio de Janeiro state a compact base for FIT, MICE and group programs.
The state
One of Brazil's smallest states by area, Rio de Janeiro packs an unusual range of landscapes between the Atlantic and the Serra do Mar. The capital's granite peaks, beaches and forest form a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape, while within a few hours lie the colonial port of Paraty and the car-free island of Ilha Grande on the Costa Verde, the beaches and lagoons of the Região dos Lagos around Búzios and Arraial do Cabo, and the cool mountain towns of Petrópolis, Teresópolis and Itatiaia, where Brazil's first national park was created in 1937. As capital of the colony, the Portuguese court and the Empire, the state holds a dense layer of imperial and colonial heritage.
For agencies it combines well-developed city infrastructure for MICE, events and large groups with easy extensions for FIT and special-interest travel: history in Petrópolis, sailing around Angra dos Reis, hiking in the Serra dos Órgãos or culture in Paraty. Road transfers are the norm: Paraty is roughly four hours from Rio, Búzios around three, Petrópolis about one and a half, and traffic on weekends and holidays can add significant time. Summer and Carnival bring peak demand and rates, so early allocation is advisable.
Summer from December to March is hot and humid with frequent afternoon showers, while April to October is drier and milder, often the most comfortable period for touring and hiking. The mountain region is noticeably cooler, especially from June to August.
Destinations 5
Destinations in this state covered by YourBrasil ground services.
Angra dos Reis
Angra dos Reis is a port and resort municipality on the Costa Verde, the green coast of southern Rio de Janeiro state, with 167,434…
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Búzios
Armação dos Búzios entered the international travel map in 1964, when Brigitte Bardot's extended stay generated global press and rebranded a modest fishing peninsula…
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Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a mountainous island of 193 km² in the bay of the same name, part of the municipality of Angra dos Reis…
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Paraty
Paraty is Brazil's most complete surviving colonial port town, its 18th-century core of whitewashed, granite-trimmed buildings and cobbled streets inscribed by UNESCO in 2019…
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Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro sits on a narrow coastal strip between the Serra do Mar escarpment and Guanabara Bay, its granite peaks, rainforest and beachfront…
Explore →Timeline
- 1502
A Portuguese expedition enters Guanabara Bay in January, giving the region its name, 'River of January'.
- 1555
French settlers establish France Antarctique on the bay, later expelled by the Portuguese.
- 1565
Estácio de Sá founds the city of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro.
- 1763
Rio de Janeiro replaces Salvador as capital of colonial Brazil, driven by the Minas gold trade.
- 1808
The Portuguese royal court arrives fleeing Napoleon, transforming Rio into the seat of the empire.
- 1843
Emperor Pedro II decrees the founding of Petrópolis, the imperial summer city in the mountains.
- 1960
The federal capital moves to Brasília and the city of Rio becomes the separate State of Guanabara.
- 1975
Guanabara merges with the State of Rio de Janeiro, and the city of Rio becomes the state capital.
Landmarks
Carioca Landscapes: Sugarloaf, Corcovado and Tijuca Forest UNESCO
The city's mountains, forest and bay, including Christ the Redeemer, inscribed as a cultural landscape.
Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site UNESCO
Remains of the main landing point for enslaved Africans in the Americas, in Rio's port district.
Paraty and Ilha Grande UNESCO
Colonial port town and Atlantic Forest island landscape on the Costa Verde, inscribed for culture and biodiversity.
Sítio Roberto Burle Marx UNESCO
The landscape architect's former home and garden in Barra de Guaratiba, with a major living plant collection.
Imperial Museum, Petrópolis
Pedro II's summer palace, displaying the imperial crown and 19th-century court life.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's first national park, with highland plateaus, waterfalls and the Agulhas Negras peak.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Mountain park near Teresópolis crowned by the Dedo de Deus, with classic hiking and climbing routes.
Búzios
Peninsula resort of small beaches and coves in the Região dos Lagos, popular for upscale leisure stays.
Festivals and events
Rio Carnival
Samba school parades at the Sambódromo and hundreds of street blocos, in February or March.
New Year's Eve in Copacabana
Fireworks and concerts on the beach on 31 December, one of the busiest dates of the year.
Flip, Paraty International Literary Festival
Annual literary festival in Paraty's historic centre, with dates that vary from year to year, recently between July and November.
