What an awesome, first, full day in Rio. We woke up, had breakfast at the hotel, and then went out to find an easy way to get to Christ the Redeemer. We ended up getting tickets with “Parque Nacional da Tijuca,” which provided us with safe vans up and down Corcovado (for only 61 Reals per ticket!). We’re happy that we went to Christ the Redeemer, but it was definitely very touristy (see us and the rest of the tourists below)!
We also took a selfie, just to make sure we blended in with the rest of the tourists.
After a quick, authentic Brazilian BBQ lunch at Siqueira Grill, we went to Sugarloaf Mountain. There are two peaks on the mountain, so we made sure to get tickets to both (for 80 Reals per ticket). These views were even more breathtaking than the views from Christ the Redeemer. For those planning a trip to Rio with limited time, definitely do Sugarloaf Mountain over Christ the Redeemer.
We then came back to the hotel and got ready for dinner at Aprazível. We found the restaurant online and HIGHLY recommend it. It was definitely a fancy meal (which we don’t plan on doing often 😬). We shared a bottle of wine while sitting at a table overlooking the entire city. It was beautiful!
We also ordered an appetizer of hearts of palms which they gave us straight from a palm tree…who knew?! 🤣
We took an Uber to and from the restaurant; it definitely seems to be the safest, most-reliable form of transportation (knock on wood). Anyways, time for bed! Boa noite! 😴
Melanie & Cody 