Ipanema - What to Do?

The new favorite with tourists coming to Rio de Janeiro is Ipanema. While Copacabana still hosts the vast majority of hotels and hostels, more and more places open in its smaller neighbor. The simple fact that the beach is a lot better is a obvious reason but by far not the only one.

Safety
In times when crack has made its presence in Rio the streets have gradually become more unsafe. In Copacabana the change to the worse is quite obvious while in Ipanema street crime is still quite rare. It may be tht fact that the neighborhood is a lot smaller and easier to manage that grants the better security. In Copacabana street prostitution has long been a common view and such activities always attract other criminal elements - in Ipanema working girls is not seen walking the streets.

Surfing and Sunsets
The best wave for surfing in the city of Rio is on the Ipanema side of Arpoador rock, it is an extremely crowded wave and is almost always surf able. The strong presence of resident surfers give the area a special atmosphere. From the beach you can catch sunsets during summer, something the angle in Copacabana do not permit.

Exercise
Along the beach you have numerous options for free exercise, open air gyms, volleyball nets and football goals. The beach walk is great for skateboarding, walking, bicycling or running. Another great alternative is to go down to the lake (Lagóa in Portuguese). The 7.8 kilometers around is also great for exercise and leisure. In the evening there are many small restaurants and bars that are open, some of them have live music.

Shopping
In Ipanema you have some of the more exclusive shops in Rio. Along the main street Visconde de Pirajá you can find surfwear, bikinis, high end fashion and great book stores. Another great feature is some good markets of which to deserves special attention. The first is "The Hippie Fair" on Praça General Osório Sundays - from 9 AM until about 6 PM you can find jewelry, art, handicraft and lots more on display in a open air market. The second is on the same square Tuesdays, from early morning until midday fruits, vegetables and fish is sold from numerous stalls. The variety of tropical fruits is a true feast for the eye.

Nightlife and Food
Some of the best restaurants in Rio de Janeiro are located in Ipanema. Italian, contemporary, Asian - there is something for everyone. While lunch options are many and cheap, almost all that is available for dinner are quite expensive. For nightlife you have a few good alternatives. Along Rua Farme de Amoedo you have a high concentration of nice bars. For nightclubs Baronetti on Rua Barão da Torre 354 is posh and high end while Dama da Ferro on Rua Vinícius De Moraes 288 attract a more alternative crowd.

Gringo-Rio Ipanema
This is the page about Ipanema on the Rio de Janeiro travel site Gringo-Rio.