24 HOURS IN RIO DE JANEIRO

POST:

EruditeSheep

DATE:

Nov 17, 23:30

I have 24 hours to spend in Rio de Janeiro between flights, and my dilemma is whether to stay at the Linx hotel [at Galeao International airport] or to throw caution to the wind and take a taxi to one of the more luxurious properties on the city’s famous beaches. For a flight arriving at 2300, there won’t be a bus service to Copacabana or Ipanema, and taxis are expensive. Any advice?

Ekond222 Nov 18, 01:35

It depends which day of the week you arrive (if midweek, stay at the Linx) and the time it takes to clear immigration and travel to a beach hotel – it will be at least 0200 when you check in. Personally, I would use the airport hotel as a base.

EruditeSheep Nov 18, 12:32

Thanks. On the basis of your comment about ETA, I will probably opt for the Linx.

Hermes1964 Nov 18, 13:28

This is Rio for goodness sake, not Dusseldorf! It doesn’t matter what time it is, get to one of the decent hotels on Ipanema. What do you want to see when you open your curtains in the morning? I did a 48-hour version of this last year. Get online and find a personal tour guide. Expensive but really good value if you get the right one. I’d recommend Neyla – look her up on Tripadvisor. I had one of her other guides, Mathilde, who was knowledgeable and entertaining. You can agree your itinerary in advance. An early start may not be feasible given your late arrival, but the guide can take you around all the sights with speed and ease. Book your taxi online in advance – local pickups are not recommended for tourists.