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BRAZIL · 68 PAGES · SUMMER 2026

Rio de Janeiro

Where the city ends and the hills begin

Rio rewards the traveller who looks up — the view decks above the favelas, the ridgelines between neighbourhoods, the way light hits Guanabara Bay at six. This guide follows a month of living between Ipanema and Santa Teresa: which mirante is worth the climb, which beach stretch the locals actually use, and where to eat feijoada the way it was meant to be eaten — late, long, and unhurried.

That's the version he'll admit to. The rest of the story is paywalled on the Substack — subscribe and every guide comes with it.

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Rio de Janeiro city guide cover

WHAT'S INSIDE

Six chapters, written the way you'd explain it to a friend

01

Getting in and around

Airport transfers that don't overcharge, the metro lines that matter, when a ride-share beats the bus, and the two areas where you simply walk.

02

Where to stay

Ipanema vs. Copacabana vs. Santa Teresa — honest trade-offs, exact street ranges, and the guesthouses I'd book again.

03

The view decks

Six favela-facing lookouts and hilltops, with what each one is actually good for: sunrise, dusk, or just a cold coconut.

04

Eating late

Feijoada houses, kilo restaurants, the beach kiosks, and the botequim order that never fails — with prices as of this season.

05

Days out

The Lagoon loop on foot, the ferry to Niterói for the skyline shot, and a full itinerary for rain.

06

Staying smart

The honest chapter: which beaches to skip after dark, phone etiquette, and the small habits that keep Rio easy.

READER FAVOURITES

What people flip to first

  • 6 view decks with exact access notes
  • A full day-by-day 7-day route
  • Late-night food map, priced
  • Honest safety chapter, no fear-mongering

THE DETAILS

Everything practical

FORMAT
PDF · printable & phone-ready
LENGTH
68 pages
DELIVERY
Instant download after checkout
EDITION
Field-edited Summer 2026
Buy the PDF — $14

WRITTEN BY AUGUST VALE · DIGITAL ONLY

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