How To Explore Copacabana In Iconic Style
Follow in the famous footsteps of the illustrious former guests of Copacabana Palace, a Belmond Hotel, with a vacation right in the heart of Rio de Janeiro’s legendary beach district. Here’s how to experience the city like an insider…
Well positioned on one of the most famous beaches in the world, Copacabana Palace, a Belmond Hotel (or Copa, as it is referred to by the locals) has become a destination almost as iconic as its location. The hotel has long played host to the glitterati who come to soak up the city’s pulsating culture – whether ringing in a new year with oceanside fireworks, reveling in the carnival celebrations in spring, or absorbing the local vivacity any day in between.
Since it opened its doors in 1923, the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Dionne Warwick and Ella Fitzgerald have all laid their heads here, so today’s guests follow in legendary footsteps through the majestic hotel’s old-meets-new art-deco glamour. Every room comes with a view, taking in landmark sites and sweeping seascapes – but the most spectacular vistas are enjoyed from the plush penthouse suites on the sixth floor.
While Rio might be best known for its vibrant festivities, the wellness offering at Copacabana Palace makes it a truly restorative setting, too. At the spa, ingredients are sourced from açaí and guaraná fruits, while white Amazonian clay is utilized to form a rejuvenating menu of massages, wraps and scrubs. The hotel also invites guests to appreciate a tantalizing gastronomic offering – from authentic South American cuisine at Pérgula to the renowned pan-Asian Mee restaurant (the only pan-Asian eatery in Rio to have received a Michelin star) and a Michelin-starred Italian fine-dining experience at Cipriani. Then, to toast your vacation in true Brazilian style, a cocktail at the Piano Bar is the only way to top a wonderful evening in style.
Here, designer Francisco Costa, a Rio insider and founder of the all-natural skincare brand Costa Brazil, shares his most-loved locations in the city
The places you should visit while you’re there…
Instituto Moreira Salles, tucked away in the Carioca Jungle, offers the city’s most extensive photography archive for a visual history lesson on Rio. Meanwhile, Jardim Botânico (Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden) dates back to the 1800s and showcases the city’s vibrant flora archives as well as iconic landscape architecture. Be sure to stop by the public park Parque Lage afterwards for a spot of sightseeing in the sun, too.
To fully explore the city…
Get outside and hike! First stop, Corcovado to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer – an official Wonder of the Modern World. Elsewhere, Pão de Açúcar, known as the Sugarloaf Mountain, comes a very close second.
To enjoy the most spectacular view…
Journey through enchanting woodlands to experience Vista Chinesa – a Chinese-style pavilion with panoramic views over the mountains and surrounding nature in Tijuca National Park.
“Botecos are small, laid-back bars – they’re not necessarily written up as the places to visit, but they’re where to mix with the city’s locals at night
”Francisco Costa
To get an insight into the local environment…
Head to Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow), which is a science center focusing on ecology, sustainability and conservation – values that are also integral to the work we do at Costa Brazil.
Where the enduring love with Rio comes from…
In no particular order: the beautiful beaches, the unique landscape that merges the urban environment with nature and the mountains; the healthy lifestyle; the year-round good weather; the warm, welcoming people… I could keep going!
Don’t leave without seeing…
Beaches that aren’t on the tourist map: Prainha, Itacoatiara, Grumari, plus the Museu Burle Marx, which used to be the landscape artist and architect’s home, and was recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Plus, any of the botecos, which are small, laid-back bars – they’re not necessarily written up as the places to visit, but they’re where to mix with the city’s locals at night.