Samba in a circle at Bip Bip, a tiny Copacabana bar

Leme is the quieter, more residential end of Copacabana, a good base if you want the beach and the south zone without the constant noise. Guides describe Copacabana itself as lively day and night, and Leme as the calmer option, popular with families. Ask about street noise and distance to the metro when you compare…

Copacabana Palace opened in August 1923, designed by the French architect Joseph Gire, and is listed as heritage at federal, state and city level. Its past includes a casino that later became a show venue, and a pool added in 1934. The hotel's own page says the Pool Wing, spa and Cipriani restaurant are closed for…

April 23 is a state holiday in Rio for São Jorge, and the biggest celebration is at the Igreja Matriz de São Jorge in Quintino, with fireworks at dawn and masses through the day. In Centro, the church on Praça da República beside Campo de Santana holds masses and is easy to reach by public transport. Expect large…

Every 20 January Rio celebrates São Sebastião, its patron saint, as a local holiday. In the afternoon a procession walks about five kilometres from the basilica in Tijuca to the Metropolitan Cathedral downtown, a route recognised as city cultural heritage in 2014. It ends with the Auto de São Sebastião on Avenida…

Saara is a maze of downtown streets around Rua da Alfândega, Senhor dos Passos, Buenos Aires and Andradas, packed with small shops. It works best for home goods, toys, costume jewellery and party or carnival supplies, and bargaining is part of the game. The Uruguaiana metro station is very close. Avoid December and…

On Mondays the old stone steps of Pedra do Sal in Saúde fill with a free open-air samba roda that draws locals and visitors. It is a listed monument tied to Pequena África, where freed people kept their music and dance alive after Abolition. Come in the early evening, grab a drink from the stalls and stay for the…

Every Sunday Praça General Osório fills with the Feira Hippie, running since 1968 and recognised as part of Rio's intangible heritage. Dozens of stalls sell crafts in glass, ceramic, wood, silver, seeds, fabric and resin, which makes it a good place for small souvenirs. Go after the beach for a relaxed browse. Guides…

Vista Chinesa is an oriental-style pagoda lookout built in the early 1900s inside Tijuca National Park, with views of Sugarloaf, the lagoon and the Zona Sul coastline. There is parking beside it, and most visitors arrive by car, taxi or bicycle rather than public transport. Pick a clear day so the skyline is sharp…