Rio de Janeiro: Downtown Historical District
Rio, blog (December 14, 2008)
Many travelers come to Rio de Janeiro and never once set foot in the historical district. The beaches and attractions in the Zona Sul are so compelling that they overwhelm other agendas. That’s a shame, because the historical architecture, museums, churches, age-old bars, and coffee shops in the downtown area make up the city’s rich and fascinating history. Most of the main attractions are within a few city blocks of each other and you can easily create a nice walking tour of the area. I suggest starting at the pier with a trip out to the Palace on Fiscal Island. From there, you can make a J-shaped loop around the Centro Histórico. That puts you in a great area for sitting with a cup of coffee or cold drink at one of the city’s legendary coffee shops or bars at the end of your tour. The downtown area is safe during the day and full of historical architecture, colorful people, and interesting activities. That being said, a simple reminder can never hurt: don’t bring a lot of money, credit cards or valuables with you on your walking journey downtown (or anywhere in Rio for that matter)…just enough for the day’s activities.
Here are some of the sites in the downtown historical district. I’ll update this article with more sites, so come back to see the rest.
Historic Sites:
Sao Bento Monastery
Palace on Ilha Fiscal
