Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 🇧🇷 Gringo's Guide

Everything you MUST know about the most beautiful beach city on earth...

Christ atop the Corcovado. Amazing nature. Fantastic beaches. Bunda of all colors, shapes and sizes. Insane nightlife. 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is considered by many the best beach city in the world. Yet, it is not as popular of a destination among expats/gringos as Medellín, Buenos Aires or CDMX

Why so?

In today’s post, I’m here to break down Brazil’s second largest city and talk a little bit about my own personal experience living in the Cidade Maravilhosa.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Population:

12,280,000 in the metro area

Weather: 

Rio’s weather is tropical. Humid hot. You are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean in one direction and jungle in all others, so it’s bound to be humid.

The daily mean is about 23.8 degrees, peaking at 25-26 degrees in the summer months (December-March) and finding its lowest in the winter (around 21). 

The summer months are also when it is the most rainy – not Costa Rica rainy, luckily. You can expect around 10 days of rain a month in summer and about 5 in winter.

I’m not gonna lie. During summer, Rio is hot. You’ll sweat when going outside. Still, it’s the best damn time to be around.

Why, you ask? Because that’s when everyone is in Rio.

Brazilians dream of spending their NYE in Rio. Vacationing in Rio. Going to Carnival in Rio. 

If you are looking to find mates or just, well, “mate”, summer is when you’ll find the most people in the city. 

It will be hot, but that’s why you have people selling cold Mate absolutely everywhere. And also why Brazilians have ACs. And why you are in a beach city, after all. Go for a dive.

Mate Gelado with Lemon. Tastyy

Still, if you prefer a milder climate, Rio is large enough that there is always something going on. Winter will be less crowded and cheaper, while still offering lots to do.