RIO DE JANEIRO STATE

Travelers visiting the city of Rio de Janeiro often overlook the incredible attractions just an hour or two away in Rio state. Along the coast north of Rio are beaches famous for their clear blue water and fine white sand. The long stretch of coast that is Cabo Frio remains one of the nation’s most spectacular beaches, perfect for swimming, excellent for surfing, and a favored destination for getting some sun. The peninsula of Buzios has more than a dozen fabulous beaches, from the quaint and nearly deserted inlet of Ferradurazinha to the popular Tartaruga Beach with its excellent beachfront restaurants and offshore pools for snorkeling. In town, you’ll find a shopping and nightlife mecca. If you prefer quietude, choose a secluded hotel in the Ferradura area and get away from it all.

Just an hour or two inland of Rio are some of the most lush, tropical mountains in the country. There, you can practice white-water rafting, mountain climbing, rappelling, and camping. The principal area is the Serra dos Orgãos National Park, where you’ll encounter the Finger of God, among other spectacular sights. There are campgrounds right inside the park or you can stay in a hotel in the mountain town of Teresópolis. The area also has numerous hotel-fazendas, working ranches that provide great country meals and lodging for guests. Many travelers stay in Rio de Janeiro and take day or weekend excursions to the mountains or northern beaches, but for others, the mountains and northern beaches are the main attraction in the state.