I say this after every trip, but I mean it when I say “we’ll do it next time!” Brazil was amazing, but way too large of a country and with way too interesting of cities to do it justice in one week.

Rio was not on our radar this time last year. We jumped at the opportunity, though, when we got the invite to our friends Philippe and Sarah’s wedding. The first part of our trip was in Curitiba, the city Sarah grew up. Curitiba is known globally for it’s public transportation system and city planning. So besides the wedding, taking the bus and exploring parks were a highlight. Not joking.

As the saying goes though… when in Rome. Our first trip to Brazil could not be complete without a handful of days in Rio, which was only another hour or so flight from Curitiba. Spring temps in Rio were in the low 90s and mid-80s but when the sun set each night around 6:30, we were in heaven.

Please enjoy the pictures from the trip, which is mostly wholesome content of Christopher and I going back and forth taking photos of each other on the Kodak. From our first 24 hours in the city, would highly recommend:

Copacabana— Kick your shoes off and walk along the water. The beaches in Rio— Ipanema, Copacabana, and others— are iconic and I can’t imagine not doing this at least once. Please don’t forget sunscreen, especially on the tops of your feet. We forgot.
Bar Urca— Located in the Urca neighborhood nestled below Sugarloaf Mountain. An hour before sunset, start walking along Avenida Portugal and Avenida Joao Luis Alves where you’ll pass Urca Beach and people laughing and picnicking along the stone sea wall separating the walkway from Botofogo Bay. Christ the Redeemer is off in the distance. End your walk at Bar Urca and join the merriment on the sea wall with a cold beer and crab cakes.
Santos Dumont airport— Get to Rio by flying into this tiny airport if you can (you need to be flying domestically), and ideally grab seats on the plane facing starboard. The views from the plane, of Christ the Redeemer and the whole city, are amazing.

Rio de Janeiro

Santa Teresa

Setting the stage