Page 196 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2024 LIMA

C lassic Neighborhoods, Lush and maximize our time in the region and learn
Scenic Parks, Culinary Delights,
and Culture All Around
Spread across a natural
amphitheater with iconic land‐
marks at the top, lush mountainsides and
valleys spread above and around historic
neighborhoods in the middle, and front
rows showing off the city center and its
beaches, Rio de Janeiro is a fusion of natu‐
ral beauty, cultural richness, and lively ur‐
ban life. It throbs day and night with
energy, to a samba beat, with flashes of
color all around.
It has earned its characterization as the
Cidade Maravilhosa, or Marvelous City, as
covered in the many resources we re‐
searched before our trip there and enthusi‐
astic validation from friends who had
visited several times.
Rio provides a fantastic array of op‐
tions for celebrating, meditating, exercis‐
ing, getting cultured or glutinous, exploring
nature, and working on your tan amidst
tens of thousands of beach lovers in vari‐
ous states of dress and undress. We were
challenged to pack as much as possible
into our three-day visit before leaving on
Regent Voyager for a cruise down the
Brazilian coast and Uruguay to Buenos
Aires.
Visiting Rio and most cities in Brazil
comes with a caveat. Poverty abounds, and
criminals move in and out of the huge
slums (Favelas), so following basic, smart,
safe travel tips is essential to getting the
most enjoyment out of your visit (see be‐
low for more tips).
The best approach in Rio or any other
new destination of such complexity is to
use a local tour guide. Tourism websites
connect to approved operators who have
packages for every need and time frame,
including providing customized tours.
We’ve relied on guides all over the world to
196 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2024
as much as we can about its history, high‐
lights, cultural nuances, and wonders that
can missed by the big tours or in trying to
clueless. The best guides get a feeling for
adventure out on our own and be mostly
your interests (cuisine, native art, nature,
wine, history) and have fun adjusting to
show off their secret spots and rare finds
you may not have found otherwise.
If venturing on your own, think like a
guide. Create your list of preferred adven‐
tures, determine how much time is needed
to enjoy each, pinpoint the locations on a
map, and have a general approach to cre‐
ating blocks of time for each day of your
visit. Allow some wiggle room because hav‐
ing unplanned time for resting, dawdling,
or popping into a local restaurant to sam‐
ple the regional cuisines and beverages is
always good.
Getting Around
Public transportation, such as buses
and the Metro system, is relatively safe and
affordable for getting around the city dur‐
ing the day. However, for added security
and convenience, it is recommended to use
the services of accredited taxi companies
or ride-sharing apps. Stick to well-lit and
crowded areas, especially at night. Most
attractions, destinations, and restaurants
are within a 15-minute drive from the lead‐
ing hotels, except during rush hours.
The top attractions in Rio are the Christ
the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado
Mountain and Sugar Loaf Mountain. Op‐
tions to visit the statue include on the
train (which can be crowded and suffer
delays), busses, taxis, or a 3-hour hike. Our
guide took us to a small park on a nearby
hill with a stunning view of the statue, al‐
though we did regret missing the views
from the top.