Copacabana beach

Located in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro, Copacabana Beach is the most famous and most visited beach in Brazil and perhaps in the whole world. Known for a long time as the “Little Princess of the Sea”, the place impresses with the imposing strip of white and fine sand in contrast with the greenish sea of Rio. In addition, with the luxurious buildings that stretch along the entire Avenida Atlântica, Copacabana symbolizes, like no other place, this unique carioca mix between the beach and the big city. In this text, we will explore every detail of this beach splendor.

Why visit Copacabana?

If the fact that this is the best-known beach in Brazil and one of the most visited in the world still hasn’t convinced you, let’s list some of the unmissable things that make Copacabana such a special place:

Amazing sunrises and sunsets

The unique landscape of Ipanema with the hills and other beaches in the background provides beautiful sunrises and sunsets, appreciated daily by locals and tourists, who usually applaud the sunset on the clearest days and when the beach is more crowded.

Copacabana beach photos

City Postcards

The Boardwalk in the shape of sea waves and the Copacabana Fort are two of the most famous postcards of the city of Rio de Janeiro. After the work on expanding the sand strip and widening the lanes, the then famous waves on the Copacabana sidewalk became even more beautiful, in a larger size and now parallel to the beach, giving an incredible effect of continuity with the sea. The Fort now houses the Army History Museum, where tourists can immerse themselves in a bit of the history of Rio de Janeiro.

Another important tourist spot and beach postcard is the statue of poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, an enthusiast of Copacabana. “A city was written on the sea”, is the author’s famous phrase that illustrates the bench where his statue is.

Car free Sundays

For some years now, one of the lanes on Avenida Atlântica, which runs along the Copacabana waterfront, has been closed to cars on Sundays and holidays. These days, with more space and comfort, tourists and locals mingle on the beach and streets, walking, cycling, scootering or skateboarding.

How to get there

Copacabana Beach is one of the best accessible beaches in Rio de Janeiro, mainly due to the 3 subway stations that are located along the entire length of the beach, in addition to several bus lines that arrive or pass there.

If you need to take the subway, use one of the three stations on the beach: Cardeal Arcoverde (close to Leme), Siqueira Campos (close to the heart of the neighborhood), and Cantagalo station (closer to Ipanema beach).

If you have a car, there are different accesses, depending on the region of departure: For those coming from the North Zone, just take the Túnel Rebouças to the end, then follow Avenida Epitácio Pessoa until access to Copacabana; Coming from the Centre, you should take Avenida Aterro do Flamengo, then Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, arriving at Copacabana after passing through two tunnels; Coming from the Barra region, you should take the Lagoa Barra highway, go straight ahead to Lagoa, turn right and go straight ahead, paying attention to the signs that indicate Copacabana.

And speaking of sport…

Copacabana breathes sport all day long! Along the entire stretch of sand it is possible to find people running, exercising, practicing soccer, volleyball or footvolley (the famous “altinha”). It’s not difficult to join, just ask to join and certainly the receptiveness and warmth of Rio will take care of the rest.

In addition to amateur sports, Copacabana is often the stage for major sporting events, such as volleyball championships or beach soccer. It’s worth checking if there are no events happening while you’re there!

Handicraft Fair at Praça do Lido

The Lido fair runs all day on Saturdays and Sundays and has countless stalls with all kinds of handicrafts: an obligatory stop for anyone who wants to take a souvenir from Rio de Janeiro to friends and family. There, you will find everything: from key chains, rings, earrings and small ornaments, to large sculptures, furniture, and so on. In addition to handicrafts, Feira do Lido is well known for the Bahian food that is sold there, with many acarajé stalls and other delicacies from Bahia!

New Year party

The New Year in Copacabana is a unique experience, and you only have to go there to understand. Considered the biggest New Year’s Eve party in the world, New Year’s Eve in Copacabana has several simultaneous stages with shows of the most diverse musical styles and attracts an average of 2 million people every year.

On New Year’s Eve 2018/2019, the fireworks show lasted 14 minutes and the party had three different stages with dozens of artists.

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

Carnival is a unique experience throughout Brazil and, in particular, in Rio de Janeiro. The streets of Copacabana, as well as the entire city, are taken over by different thematic blocks that cover their entire paths in a contagious party atmosphere for a whole week non-stop. The dream of every tourist who is looking for excitement and fun, but also a great option for those who want to know a little more about Rio’s culture and carnival.

Food, Drinks and Other Goodies

As it couldn’t be otherwise, Copacabana beach is full of kiosks and food and drink stalls along its entire length. In addition, street vendors roam the sands going from umbrella to umbrella offering a variety of products that impress some tourists: ice cream, shrimp, curd cheese, manioc flour cookies, açaí, coconut water, natural sandwiches, food Arabic (yes!), sacolé (in some places in Brazil known as gelinho or geladinho), in addition to all kinds of beach accessories and clothing, such as umbrellas, sarongs, towels, bikinis, swimming trunks, flip-flops, sandals, sunglasses darks, racquetball rackets, etc.

In addition to all these options found on the beach, Copacabana is also a neighborhood full of great restaurants of the highest cuisine. Due to the high standard of the region and its tourist importance, if you are willing to spend more, you can find great restaurants with cuisines from all over the world.

Where to Stay in Copacabana?

The offer for accommodation in Copacabana is very large, and to make your life easier in this search, we have selected here some of the best rated hotels on the beach, for all budgets and tastes:

5 Star Hotels:

Belmond Copacabana Palace

This elegant and very sophisticated hotel faces the beach, very close to Posto 2 in Copacabana. The luxury rooms with marble bathrooms and panoramic views of the sea are breathtaking! The hotel also has a spa and wellness center, swimming pool, a mouth-watering breakfast and 3 more haute cuisine restaurants inside the hotel. It is quite famous for having hosted celebrities throughout the last century, such as Janis Joplin, Carmen Miranda, Rod Stewart, Bom Jove, Mick Jagger, Bono Vox and even Princess Diana!

Miramar Hotel by Windsor

Located in front of Posto 5, the Miramar Hotel by Windsor has all the luxury that Copacabana beach deserves. It is a hotel whose main concept is its modernity, which is reflected both in the design of its super-elegant facilities, as well as in innovative services and postures: pets are accepted and WiFi is free!

JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro

Located between Postos 2 and 3, the JW Marriot Rio de Janeiro is a great choice for tourists who want to get around the city on foot, as it is just three blocks from the Siqueira Campos subway station. This, of course, without giving up all the comfort and luxury of a 5-star hotel: exquisite cuisine, lounge bar always open, Café da Praia by the sea, treatment rooms, sauna and swimming pool.

Comfortable Low Cost Hotels:

windsor martinique

Located half a block from the beach, at the height of the Copacabana Fort, the Windsor Martinique is a 3 star hotel that offers tourists all the basic services they may need: restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner, swimming pool, bar, gym and a great location.

Hotel Atlantico Travel Copacabana

Located just 350 meters from Siqueira Campos station and 500 meters from the beach, the Hotel Atlântico Travel Copacabana has a four-star rating and is a great choice for those who want luxury and comfort at a reasonable price and close to the subway.

Americas Copacabana Hotel

With a four-star rating and a very affordable price, the Americas Copacabana Hotel has a rooftop pool and is just 500 meters from Copacabana beach. The hotel’s WiFi is free, the rooms are equipped with everything you would expect from a four-star hotel. Facilities include a gym, restaurant and bar.

Hostels:

Maison d’hôtes chez Michel

Offering options of double rooms and family rooms, Maison d’hôtes chez Michel is a relaxed and welcoming environment located close to the Copacabana Fort. 5 minutes from the beach, it has air conditioning, a fan, bed linen and towels for all rooms, some of which have a private bathroom. Breakfast included in all accommodation options. Free WiFi and pet friendly.

Hostel

Playing with the way Cariocas pronounce the word Hostel, the Hostel is located in the innermost part of the Copacabana neighborhood, practically equidistant from Ipanema beach. The Hoshtel also offers transfer to the airport, a shared resting environment, bed linen, towels and breakfast included.

Solar Hostel Beach Copacabana

190 meters from the beach, Solar Hostel Beach Copacabana is a charming and elegant accommodation that welcomes travelers from all over the world. Highly rated by tourists who pass through there, the hostel has mixed or female dorms, with 15, 10, 8 or 6 beds, in addition to triple room options with balcony and a family suite.

Apartments:

There are many apartments available for short and very short term rentals on Copacabana beach. This is a great option for families, couples and tourists who are looking for some privacy and peace, and is often the most economical option for those who want to stay in front of the sea very close to the beach.

Some Tips and Recommendations

Despite being wonderful, Rio de Janeiro is also known to be a relatively dangerous place, especially for unsuspecting tourists. Always try to keep your belongings out of sight and be aware of strange movements to avoid being stolen.
Always try to get to Copacabana as early as possible. The beach tends to be very crowded and on the busiest weekends, in a few hours the entire stretch of sand is taken up by chairs and umbrellas. Arrive early and guarantee your comfort!
Find out about prices and conditions before consuming anything on the beach or sitting on the chairs. There is a lot of difference between the prices of kiosks and tents and a fee is charged for renting chairs and umbrellas that are on the beach.

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• Copacabana Palace
• Copacabana.com