Rio's aspirational beach neighbourhood — the bossa-nova song, the Sunday street-closure, and the most polished version of the city
Ipanema is the neighbourhood Tom Jobim wrote 'The Girl from Ipanema' about in 1962 and Rio has spent the subsequent 60-plus years living up to it. The beach runs for 2 km; the boardwalk closes to cars on Sundays and 10,000 cariocas (Rio locals) take over for cycling, running, and volleyball. The two-block-deep neighbourhood inland is dense with boutiques, bookshops (Livraria da Travessa is the city's best), restaurants that take themselves seriously, and the English-language expatriate community. Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas (the inland lagoon) is the neighbourhood's quiet edge, Leblon (richer Ipanema) is next door. Stay here for the beach-town-in-a-city experience at its most distilled.
2 km of sand divided into postos (lifeguard stations) each with its own crowd: Posto 8 is gay-friendly, Posto 9 is the young hipster strand, Posto 10 families, and the Leblon end is quieter. Sunset at the Arpoador rock (east end) is a nightly local ritual.
Avenida Vieira Souto and its Leblon continuation close to cars every Sunday, becoming a linear park for cyclists, runners, skaters, and families. The samba drum circles on the Leblon end around 17:00 are free and real.
Sunday art-and-craft market at Praça General Osório — Brazilian designers, handmade jewellery, art prints, and the city's best coxinhas (chicken croquettes). Open 9-18; at its best 11-15.
The bar where Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes wrote 'The Girl from Ipanema' in 1962, looking out at a specific girl who walked past daily. Touristic, yes; also genuine history. Get a caipirinha and a bowl of feijoada.
Rio's best independent bookshop, with a café upstairs. Strong Brazilian-literature section, good English-language selection. Many cariocas' Saturday-afternoon retreat.
The 7-km-circumference lagoon inland from Ipanema. Walking/cycling path around the whole loop, kayak rental at the Praia da Saudade, and the best view of Christ the Redeemer on the Corcovado behind.
The Fasano Rio de Janeiro (architect-designed, 1960s-inspired, rooftop pool overlooking the beach) and the Hotel Emiliano are the two design-forward flagships. The Caesar Park (owned by Sofitel) and the Marina All Suites are the mid-tier luxury picks. Budget: the many Ipanema B&Bs and serviced apartments off the beachfront run from ~$90. Avoid ground-floor rooms on the main avenues; front-facing beachfront rooms hear traffic until 02:00.
The Ipanema/General Osório metro station connects to Copacabana, Botafogo, and Centro in 10-20 minutes. Beach-path cycling is the quintessential Ipanema commute (Bike Itaú public stations everywhere). Uber and 99 work reliably. Don't hire a car.
The beachfront and the main commercial streets are safe day and night. Side streets off Nossa Senhora de Copacabana and the adjoining Copacabana after 02:00 warrant standard urban caution. Keep phones secure on the beach; petty theft is the top concern.
Advertisement
