Full Guide to Visiting Copacabana Beach in Brazil
Last Updated on April 7, 2024 by Kelly
Copacabana Beach is a breathtaking beach that’s located in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilians often call this world-famous beach Princesinha do Mar (Little Princess of the Sea). If you’re planning a trip to Rio de Janeiro, you absolutely have to visit Copacabana Beach. The beach is one of the cultural hubs of the city. We recommend that you listen to some bossa nova music while you drink a caipirinha or two. During our recent trip, we strolled the promenade, explored the historic fort, and walked along its golden sands. We loved visiting this iconic beach, and we’re excited to share with you everything we learned. In this post, we’ll share all of our tips for visiting Copacabana Beach.
Best Things to Do at Copacabana Beach
1. Relax on the Golden Sands of Copacabana Beach
The first thing you should do while at Copacabana is check out the beach! The beach is about 3 miles long (5 kilometers), and it’s one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen. The beach is surrounded by epic hills and mountains, including Sugarloaf Mountain. Not everyone swims in Copacabana Beach, though. There have been times where the water quality has been too poor for swimming. Just be sure to check current conditions when you visit. When we visited, there were plenty of people swimming.
2. Walk the Copacabana Promenade
We also recommend that you take a walk along the Copacabana Promenade, which is arguably the most famous promenade in the world. It was first built in 1906 using imported stones from Portugal. The stones are arranged in a mosaic wave design that mimics the waves of the ocean. As you’re walking along the promenade, you might notice the statue of a man sitting on a bench. That’s a statue of Carlos Drummond de Andrade, a famous poet and artist.
| Be sure to see our full guide to Ipanema Beach too! |
3. Shop and Dine Along the Avenida Atlântica at Copacabana
This seaside avenue runs parallel to Copacabana Beach. It’s filled with shops and restaurants. You can stop and have gelato at Sorveteria Momo Gelato. They even have gelato cakes, which are like ice cream cakes but with gelato instead of ice cream. (Yum!) You also will want to check out Bibi Sucos, which is located just past Avenida Atlântica. They are well-known for their acai bowls, which you have to try at least once while you’re in Rio. For beachside drinks, we recommend heading to Gosto de Mar. (Order a caipirinha!)
4. Visit Copacabana Palace
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The Copacabana Palace is the most iconic hotel on Copacabana Beach. This art-deco style hotel opened in 1923 and has been the hot-spot on the beach ever since. In addition to being an excellent hotel in Rio de Janeiro, it also has several dining options: Pergula Restaurant, Mee (which has a Michelin star), and Ristorante Hotel Cipriani.
5. Walk to Fort Copacabana
Fort Copacabana is located on the southern end of Copacabana Beach. This fort was built in 1914 to provide military protection to the bay. The fort is home to the Museu Histórico do Exército (Army Historical Museum). We really enjoyed walking through the museum and learning about the Brazilian Army. But whether or not you’re interested in military history, we highly recommend that you visit this fort. It has outstanding views of Copacabana Beach.
The fort also has two very nice cafes with outdoor seating. We had one of our favorite meals in Brazil there. The food was delicious, and we had unbeatable views of one of the world’s most famous beaches. The cafes can be busy, so we recommend putting your name in for outdoor seating, and then perhaps walking around for awhile until your table is ready.
6. Visit Duque de Caxias Fort
On the northern end of Copacabana Beach is Duque de Caxias Fort. This military fort is also known as Forte do Leme. The fort is open to the public, and it has excellent views of Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana Beach, and the Cagarras Islands. To reach the fort, you’ll need to hike up a short but steep trail. The trail is .81 miles in length with 325 feet of elevation gain.
7. Take photos at Mureta do Leme
Mureta do Leme is an observation point at the northern end past Copacabana Beach. (It’s technically on Praia do Leme, which is adjacent to Copacabana Beach.)
8. Spend New Year’s Eve at Copacabana Beach
One of the best fireworks displays in the world happens every year at Copacabana Beach. Barges line up along the coast and at midnight there’s a fantastic fireworks display. It’s tradition to wear white, so be sure to pack some white clothes for the event. My brother and sister-in-law attended the New Year’s Reveillon celebration, and their video footage from that night was surreal!
9. Visit Copacabana During Carnival
The Carnival festival in Rio de Janeiro is famous all over the world. Carnival occurs every year before Lent. People celebrate in the Sambadrome, at Copacabana Palace, and in many street festivals. The first Carnival in Rio de Janeiro took place in 1723, and the tradition continues!
Hotels Near Copacabana Beach
PortoBay Rio de Janeiro
When we visited Rio, we stayed at the PortoBay Rio de Janeiro. We absolutely loved this hotel, and we highly recommend it to anyone looking for lodging in Rio de Janeiro. My brother and sister-in-law travel to Brazil as often as they can to visit family, and this is also their preferred hotel. The hotel is located right across the street from Copacabana Beach. Many of the rooms have either excellent views of the beach, Mount Corcovado, or Sugarloaf mountain. Our room had a view of Christ the Redeemer statue, and my family had a view directly of the beach.
PortoBay Rio de Janeiro also has a lot of amenities. We were greeted with sparkling wine at check-in and they had an incredible rooftop pool. They also have a beach service, transfer service to the airport, and doctor available upon request. For dining options, there’s a rooftop bar, lounge downstairs, and a restaurant on-site. We easily walked to Copacabana Beach, and we were within walking distance of Ipanema Beach. We were really pleased with this hotel and we were glad we chose it for our trip.
Here’s a few hotels you might want to consider:
- Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana: This luxury hotel has two swimming pools and an excellent restaurant.
- Copacabana Palace, a Belmond Hotel, Rio de Janeiro: If you’re looking to go all out, the Copacabana Palace is arguably the most iconic hotel on Copacabana Beach. The rooms are light and airy with luxury finishes.
- Hilton Rio de Janeiro Copacabana: Many of the rooms have views of the ocean, plus there is a rooftop pool with spectacular views of the city and beaches.
- Mirasol Copacabana Hotel: We stayed here our first night in Rio de Janeiro. We especially loved the views from the roof top!
What to Bring to Copacabana Beach
Here’s a few items we recommend bringing with you to enjoy the beach:
- Waterproof Pouch: You’ll want a waterproof pouch to place your cell phone, hotel key, cash, and any other valuables while you’re out swimming. You won’t want to leave any valuables unattended on the beach, so having a waterproof pouch will give you peace of mind.
- Quick Dry Towel: These towels pack up small and they dry quickly. They’re perfect for an impromptu trip to the beach. You’ll be able to walk around town or head to a restaurant without carrying a bulky bag full of towels.
- Portable Cell Phone Charger: Whenever we travel, we rely heavily on our phones for navigation and for taking photos. We always carry a fully-charged power bank so our cell phones never run out of battery while we’re on the go.
- Water Bottle: Be sure to bring a water bottle that filters tap water. That way, you can safely drink tap water while your’e traveling.
- Travel Backpack: Place all of your belongings in an anti-theft backpack. It’ll give you peace of mind as you walk around town.
How to Get There
To reach the city of Rio de Janeiro, you’ll most likely fly into the main airport of Rio de Janeiro/Galeão – Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport. (Airport code: GIG). The airport is commonly called by its original name, Galeão International Airport.
Copacabana Beach is approximately 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the airport. Expect the drive from the airport to take between 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic. You can book a taxi for a flat rate inside the airport. This may be slightly more expensive, but if you don’t speak Portuguese and you aren’t as knowledgeable about the area, it’s the most convenient option in our opinion.
You can also take a guided full day tour of Rio de Janeiro, which includes Copacabana beach.
History of Copacabana Beach
Copacabana wasn’t always a long stretch of sandy beach, and it wasn’t always called Copacabana. The indigenous people called it Sacopenapã. The name ‘Copacabana Beach’ came about after a chapel was built in the 18th century and was named Nossa Senhora de Copacabana. (Fort Copacabana is currently in the place where the chapel was once located.)
Prior to 1970, the beach was quite small. The sea often pressed right up against Avenida Atlântica. In 1970, the coastline was re-structured to allow for a better sewage system and to prevent the sea from reaching the avenue.
Once the beach was built, people started flocking to the area. Hotels and restaurants quickly established themselves along the beach as well. The most famous hotel, Copacabana Palace, became a symbol of the prospering coastline.
Summary
If you’re traveling to Rio de Janeiro, you absolutely must make time to visit Copacabana Beach. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Brazil! We couldn’t get over the unreal views of the bay of the surrounding mountains. Enjoy your trip!
Disclaimer: We always strive for content accuracy. Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information.
