6 reasons to visit Rio de Janeiro in the fall/winter.

A Rio de Janeiro with emptier beaches, sunny days, enjoying a mountain climate in the same destination and, what's more, making the most of it. This is the essence of Rio at this time of year.

Without a doubt, autumn is one of my favorite seasons. Especially if we're talking about Rio de Janeiro, which is where I live. But there are controversies, there are those who like it and others who don't, but that's part of life, right? I like it a lot because the city is relatively empty. It feels like your identity comes back to you.

Even outside Rio de Janeiro, I particularly enjoy traveling to places outside the high season. This way, not only are the prices lower, but I find I can enjoy the place more. And with that the tourist gets better attention, after all the restaurants aren't so crazy. We can even negotiate tours better and so on. On the other hand, off-season tourist towns are always busy, that's part of it.

At first, there are many people who believe that it is only worth coming to Rio de Janeiro during Carnival and New Year's Eve, or even during the summer, which is a waste not to give due importance to the fall and winter months.

A winter that looks like summer

If you happen to only have this period available, you don't have to think it won't be worth it. It may well happen that your days coincide with a cold front and your trip is restricted a little, but to your delight, rainy days are not usually prolonged.

Of course, even if it's cloudy and a little chilly, you can still go out and stroll around the city, even without enjoying the beach, but I'll tell you: even if it's cold and cloudy, the Ipanema and Copacabana promenades are very busy.

After all, there's no way around it, tourists have to enjoy it anyway, and already traveling, enjoying a different place and climate is good, so don't be sad if your dates have fallen on rainy and cold days, even though we know that rain and the beach don't go together.

Rio de Janeiro is a city that is hot all year round. And for us cariocas, when the thermometers show temperatures below 20 degrees, it's a harsh winter, so we take the opportunity to put our coats, boots and scarves out of the closet. Certainly be prepared to see cariocas in European style in the middle of the carioca winter. Of course, people who are used to the cold don't understand anything, but with these lower temperatures we're sure to freeze lol.

I've said enough, now let's get down to business.

I'm going to list 6 reasons why you should pay a basic visit here. There are undoubtedly many more reasons, but let's be objective, shall we?

1st reason - Emptier beaches 

Our Lady of the Crowded Beaches, do you have any idea what a beach is like at weekends? There's no place to stretch out your canga, the competition for a square meter is intense.

Once I was on the beach with some friends and it was so crowded that one yoke was stuck to the other. Then another friend came over and said hello to a group of people next to us, who neither he nor we knew, so he thought they were with us. Conclusion: we all laughed a lot.

However, for those of you who enjoy a good time, you may find the summer atmosphere in Rio a little different when the beaches are full every day, but I honestly love it when they are emptier and consequently I can stretch out my canga at a greater distance from people. By the way, because I like a quieter beach, I can give you a summer tip: go to the beach early if you want to be more relaxed.

Reason 2 - The colors of autumn are beautiful

First of all, I have to tell you about the landscape at this time of year. For me, this is when the color of the sea is at its most beautiful. I'm a nature lover and although I live here, I go out to enjoy the sea every day and at this time of year the color is incredible, clear and green. You have no idea of the pools that form because of hangovers. When the cold front arrives, the sea gets rough and always ends up taking up a large part of the sand, which is certainly another spectacle of nature. And as a result, when the hangover goes away, clear, green pools form, it's very beautiful, a spectacle that only this time of year can provide.

In fact, that's the good thing about Rio, we get 3/4 days of cold fronts and then sunshine so we can enjoy the beauty that the hangover has left behind.

If you don't manage to take advantage of the sun, which I think is difficult, your only three days may coincide with rain. The best thing to do is to go on more cultural outings and to go to bars. I'll give you some tips at the end of this post. Because, of course, when it rains, cariocas hide, cold and rainy, so Netflix and the comforter become a tourist attraction, the streets are deserted.

Reason 3 - Cheaper prices

What could be better than that?

This is undeniably the most interesting part. First of all, we can invest in more comfortable accommodation, for example, since the prices here are much higher. You know that little chair on the beach that costs R$15.00 in summer? So... in winter it costs R$5.00. And as a result, the caipirinha also gets a special price.

4th reason - Better service quality 

As the traffic is quieter, the quality of service improves, and in restaurants you don't have to wait for hours for your drink to arrive, so the waiter can give you better attention and the food is better too. 

Reason 5 - Milder temperatures

In Rio in the summer it can feel like 50 degrees in some neighborhoods like Bangu, where you can fry an egg on the asphalt.

Visiting the sights at this time of year is a highlight. Normally the tourist attractions are all open and here, even at 8am, it's hot as hell. First of all, think how beautiful it is to be able to enjoy the beauty of the place without melting. No kidding, I'm not singling Rio out, but what a beautiful place! Even with all the problems.

6th reason - The mountains are just around the corner

Having the beach and the mountains in the same destination, and one so close to the other, is Rio's thing.

Therefore, this would be one of the options if your days in Rio have entered that cold front. Even at the last minute, you can get good accommodation. For example, in Petrópolis, the Imperial City, which is about 70 km from Rio's South Zone.

Sipping wine, enjoying a fire, hot chocolate and the mountain atmosphere in a beautiful pousada is incredible, isn't it? I mentioned Petrópolis, but our mountain range here has other options: Visconde de Mauá, Teresópolis, Lumiar, as well as other cities. Normally at this time of year, these places have really cool winter festivals, so it's worth taking a look at the program before you buy your ticket. In fact, this is a tip that regardless of the season or the place you're going to, it's good to check and keep an eye on holidays, days when tourist attractions open and close.

So! Is it worth it or not?
What if your dates coincide with rainy, cold days? Guys, this can happen regardless of the season, anywhere you go, right? Of course, when it rains, outdoor excursions are limited, but make the most of what you can.

Here are some tips

The truth is that it's not very pleasant to walk around in the rain, let's be honest. But when you're traveling, the story changes a little. And what we can do is go for the more cultural programs, Rio goes far beyond beautiful beaches, it has a history and beautiful architecture.

A more cultured day

Getting to know the center of Rio de Janeiro is super cool, as well as the cultural tours, it's great for shopping.

Rua da Alfândega, better known as Saara, is an open-air shopping mall, where Cariocas go when they want to shop at the cheapest prices. You'll find everything from Carnival costumes to household products.

In the same way, I couldn't stop talking about Uruguaiana. You know that place where you can find everything electronic? So that's where you'll find it, but the provenance is dubious, there are a lot of counterfeits, but it's worth a stroll. Just make sure you don't go on Sundays, as not only are the shops closed, but there's also the security issue, so Monday to Friday is ideal.

Afterwards, you can visit the Municipal Theater, the National Library and have a delicious coffee at the traditional Confeitaria Colombo.

Museums are also a good idea, such as the Museum of Tomorrow, the Rio Art Museum and the Natural History Museum.

And to finish off, I'm going to give you a tip about a tourism agency, Heli Tours Turismo, which I know the owner of. His name is Eraldo and he runs various tours here in Rio, from transfers to day trips to the Lake District. Well worth a tip.

http://www.helitoursturismo.com.br

And finally, that sunrise on a winter's day that seemed more like summer. This is our winter with a summery feel.

Kiss Karol Teles

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