"Looking for the girl from Ipanema " a Rio de Janeiro Travel Page by nomadic

Send Photo to a Friend

I was in Rio Jun 9-20, 2001. It was an unexpected trip. A friend called on June 1 to see if I wanted to go to San Juan because there was a cheap flight from San Francisco plus 3 day resort stay for less than $300USD. I love to do these crazy jaunts at a moment's notice as that's my preferred way to travel. However I didn't want to just sit on the beach, so I suggested Rio. We quickly agreed to hit Rio and got a flight/hotel package and visas in a week. I convinced my boss at work that I needed a mental health break (I didn't but it worked), and the rest, as they say, is history... We stayed there for about 6 and half days. It felt just about right. So I would recommend a 7 day / 7 night stay for Rio. Furthermore, most people would visit Rio during the Carnival. But one might consider going there during their 'winter' months: June-July. This is the least touristic season, things are cheaper during this time, and the temperature is on average 85F degrees during the day and about 70-75F at night. We saw very few tourists except in the tourist traps. It was just perfect. Rio is one of these cities in the world where people seem to have a tremendous amount of civic pride -- that they actually like where they live. Now why won't anybody want to visit them and see them and celebrate that pride with them? I will go back again to be there and to be with the Cariocas. And I think that's the highest compliment a traveler can pay to a city and its people.