1. Copacabana Beach
You knew this already, but you’ve got to see Copacabana at least once. Cariocas and tourists from ages 2 to 92 congregate here, especially on weekends, when the Avenida Atlantica is closed to traffic. This is where you’ll find the characteristic swirling-patterned sidewalks designed by Robert Burle-Marx. Copacabana is loud, crowded, and fun, and though pickpockets are a danger, it doesn’t keep the sun-seekers away.
2. Ipanema Beach
If Rio is where the so-called “beautiful people” live, then Ipanema is where they flock to see and be seen. Just as crowded as Copacabana, Ipanema somehow feels calmer. And no one here seems interested in doing much more than getting the perfect tan. Wear your sunglasses so you can get an eyeful of the girls in their fio dental (dental floss) bikinis, and guys in their sungas (Speedos) — yes, everyone wears them.
