Carioca Calling!

Why wait for Carnival and the 2016 Summer Olympics when Rio de Janeiro flows year-round with alluring color, chic, cocktails, and culture!

By Elyse Glickman

Rio is most identified by the Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado Mountain and Pão de Açúcar/Sugar Loaf Mountain. Both stunning locales are can’t miss, whether you’re a hiker or history buff. However, it is also interesting to note that even with the recent anointment as the 2016 Olympic city, the Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau works hard to let people know visiting Rio is as glamorous a place as decades of Hollywood movies have promised.

Since 1923, the “it” hotel has been The Copacabana Palace, immortalized in the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musical Flying Down to Rio. Its legend looms so large, in fact, the venue is often sold out. That said, there are many other chic lodging options that offer different ways to experience the city. The Leblon neighborhood has its 21st century answer to the Palace in the Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro, resplendent in mid-century modern design and interpreted by Brazilian designer Sergio Rodrigues, melded with the magic touch of Phillippe Starck. The rooftop pool bar, cocktails, and views, likewise, are to die for.

Though the InterContinental Rio is a little off the main drag (a 30 to 45-minute jaunt to Ipanema and Copacabana), it is ideal for meetings and conventions, with the added appeal of being on the edge of posh residential São Conrado, a stone’s throw from one of the city’s best malls, a sprawling beachfront, and picture postcard vistas. In addition to brunch, the hotel offers a hearty Feijoada (a stew of beans with beef and pork), served in a clay pot with sausage, bacon, carne seca (dried meat), pork loin, and other manly delights.
In the other direction (literally and figuratively) the Hotel Santa Teresa offers a foray into Rio’s artier side. While the hilltop location boasts views of Guanabara Bay, Corcovado, and a touch of the rainforest, the space and eco-friendly approach to décor, food, and spa makes one forget he is in one of the largest cities in the world. Colonial architecture is retrofitted with handcrafted accents from the Amazon, Pará, Minas Gerais, and Brazil’s Northeast to mirror the neighborhood’s multi-cultural vibe. It is also proximate to live music epicenter Lapa via the impressive Selaron Staircase or the neighborhood’s Yellow Trolley.

To get the Carnival experience off-season, try to connect with locals, who may squire you to Lapa’s Rio Scenarium (a three-level antique emporium turned live music club, bar, and steakhouse); the Salgueiro Samba School, to see a 3,000-person strong dance rehearsal; Sambadrome, to try on some of the costumes for a couple of bucks; and City of Samba, where floats and dreams are constructed. With sports becoming the city’s economic savior in the current millennium, a visit to Maracana Stadium, a shrine to soccer, is a mind-blower, especially for those with an early case of Olympic fever.

Speaking of mind-blowing, cachaça (rum’s wild cousin) has put Brazil on the map for mixology enthusiasts and foodies. While Leblon, Sagatiba, and Cabana introduced the curious to the spirit, you’ve not really had cachaça until you pay a visit to Leblon’s Academia de Cachaça. The neighborhood pub/museum hybrid stocks a selection of rare and artisanal varieties so prolific that the owners took over a second restaurant space next door. Whether you take your spirit in shots or in an exotic cocktail, you will take away knowledge you can use to impress your friends at bars back home.

Academia de Cachaça’s food is rich and substantial, as to be expected from a country where it is said cows sometimes outnumber people. Steak lovers should also not miss out on enjoying the churascuria in its native habitat, and Porcão is the place to do it. Dining out in Rio, however, should not be just about bountiful portions. Tia Penha offers extraordinary Portuguese-style seafood, while trendy Gula Gula has a fun do-it-yourself approach to tailoring a meal from appetizers to main courses. Want a hangout with interesting pizza? Head to Garota de Ipanema, inspired by the same woman who inspired the famous song and operates a swimwear boutique next door. While Palaphita Kitsch’s Amazon-inspired food may be an acquired taste for some, the caipirinhas and chic outdoor lounge are sure-fire. In downtown Rio, minutes from the city’s cultural institutions, cathedrals, and Carmen Miranda Museum, the towering 1894 landmark Columbo Coffee House feels like a great ocean liner of the age, down to its sensational buffet and coffee.

Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer notwithstanding, it is interesting to note the headquarters of jeweler-to-the-stars H. Stern—a mix of jewelry emporium, gemology museum, and workshop—is Rio’s fourth most popular attraction. While visitors will be fascinated by impressive gems on display, others will appreciate the first-hand look at the hard work craftsmen put into pieces coveted by the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Angelina Jolie.

“Mr. Stern wanted to transform the act of selling into a memorable experience visitors can keep with them forever,” quips H. Stern spokesperson Marcelo Novaes, who offers serious shoppers a caipirinha before they enter the museum-cum-luxury shopping destination.