First Time in Rio: The Essential Guide

Rio rewards a little preparation: mountains in the middle of the city, urban beaches, Monday-night samba and a rhythm all its own. This guide sums up what you need for your first trip and points you to our in-depth guides. Travelers from the US, Canada and Australia: you now need an e-Visa (US$80.90), so sort that out first.

Money

• Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and the subway takes contactless. Pix (Brazil's instant payment) is everywhere too, but Wise can't do Pix without a Brazilian address; apps like Nomad or WanderWallet can.
• Carry R$500–800 in cash for beach vendors and tips. Always decline dynamic currency conversion (DCC) at ATMs and card machines: it adds 4–8%.

Safety

• Phones are the #1 target: keep yours off tables and off the sand.
• At night, use Uber or 99 and wait for your car indoors.
• At the beach, check the amount on the card machine before you tap.

Getting around

• The subway links the South Zone and downtown quickly (R$7.90 per ride).
• Rideshares are cheap by US standards.

English is limited outside hotels and tourist spots, so learn a handful of words: Oi, tudo bem? (hi, how are you?), Obrigado/a (thank you), Quanto custa? (how much?) and A conta, por favor (the check, please). Google Translate's camera mode is great for menus.