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Flat 1
Flat 2
Rio info.
A copy of one of the best guidebooks is more or less essential if you're a first-time visitor. The Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide are excellent.
Not to be missed :
The Sugar loaf. Get a cable car to the summit from the base at Urca. There are cafes up there and an astonishing view.
The Christo Redentor statue ( or Corcovado ). A small train takes you to the top. Recently awarded ' Wonder of the World ' status.
The beaches.
If it's Carnival time - the carnival.
New Year ? The beach at Copacabana usually gets 2 to 3 million visitors late on the 31st. Nearby Ipanema hosts electronic music events. Dress in white and take some flowers.
Practical info.
Check visa requirements before leaving ! There's rumours that visa requirements
may be introduced for UK residents from 2009. ( Thanks to Gordon
Brown. )
At the time of writing ( late 2008 ) visitors get an automatic three months visa on arrival. It can be extended ( with some difficulty ) up to a six months maximum.
Keep the green immigration slip which you'll be asked to fill-in on the airplane - don't lose it. You have to show it again on exit - or pay a fine.
Get a photocopy of the main-page of your passport - you're supposed to carry it at all times for ID purposes.
At present ( late 2008 ) there's no need for vaccinations - but if you're planning travel to the North of Brazil you might need a yellow fever jab - check with the consulate.
If you arrive by plane at Rio's Galeao airport ( confusingly also known as Tom Jobim airport ) don't get a yellow taxi to the flats. There are booths operated by CooTramo and Transcoop inside the airport just by the departure gates - you pay in advance with a credit card. The taxis are red, blue or white. It will cost around R$ 70 - but it's well worth the extra. Trust us.
Bring a selection of credit cards. Visa and Mastercard are prevalent everywhere - but the systems don't always work 100%. Cashpoints which work with the cards aren't available in every bank. Look for the Banco 24Hrs sign - or any machine with the Visa / Mastercard logos.
Try not to walk in the street or on the beach with visible expensive jewelry / watches / laptops etc.
If your mobile is ' unblocked ' you might be able to get a SIM-card which works. They cost R$ 20 from Lojas Americanas ( see map ). Get one for Oi, Vivo, Claro, or TIM.. You'll get a new 8 digit local number - in the form nnnn nnnn. If someone wants to call you from outside the country, they dial 55 21 then the 8 digits. There are widely available top-up cards to charge your phone from newstands etc.
Getting around.
One word - Taxis.
They run with a meter, and aren't too expensive. A ten minute trip might cost around R$12 or so.
There are hundreds of different buses and minibuses going all over the city. But there's no ' busmap ' or timetables, and they're not 100% safe - especially if you look like a tourist. The ' Metro ' bus ( which stops outside the flats ) is an exception though. It's airconditioned and takes you directly to the Metro station in Copacabana for less than R$ 3. Keep the ticket, it includes the metro fare as well.
Metro map here. The stop outside the flats is called Jardim de Alah ( on the light-blue line )