Cidade Maravilhosa, full of a thousand charms… well, we know that. And so do the tourists! No wonder millions of people visit Rio de Janeiro every year to admire the many beauties that exist here – beautiful beaches, historic buildingsbreathtaking landscapes. But do you know what the most visited tourist attractions in Rio have been in recent years? We’ll tell you!
Beaches lead the way among Rio’s most visited tourist attractions
For some Cariocas, it may be an ordinary place. For others, it may not even be their favorite place. In fact, the belief that all cariocas live by the sea isn’t true and can even irritate those who live here.
But for those who are visiting Rio for the first time or who want to experience the carioca style so often portrayed in soap operas, the destination is certain: the beaches!
So much so that only Copacabana beach with the most famous promenade in the world and where megashows and New Year’s Eve also take place, received more than 6 million visitors in 2023 alone.
In addition to the Princesinha do Mar, other famous beaches such as Ipanema, Leblon, Arpoador and Barra da Tijuca are also on the list of the most visited tourist spots in Rio de Janeiro.
Some sights surprised, others didn’t even appear
However, some very famous tourist attractions that also receive many visitors every year are not on the top ten list. This is the case, for example, with Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Botanical Gardens.
On the other hand, other tourist attractions, such as Flamengo Park, were surprisingly on the list. This is because, in the last two years, the site has attracted around 4 million visitors, earning it second place in the ranking.
Check out the list of the ten most visited tourist attractions in Rio
This survey was carried out by Rio ‘s City Hall on the number of visitors to 20 of the city’s main attractions.
To arrive at the result, the study was based on the geolocation of cell phones, with DDI and DDD from outside the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, the survey removed devices registered more than 14 days ago from the count, in order to exclude possible residents and workers from each location.
If you were curious to know which were the most visited tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro in recent years, according to the number of visitors, here are the top 10:
1. Copacabana Beach and Leme Waterfront – 6.9 million
2. Flamengo Park – 4 million
3. Ipanema/Leblon/Arpoador Beach – 2.8 million
4. Barra da Tijuca Beach – 1.8 million
5. Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon – 1.6 million
6. Recreio/Macumba/Pontal beaches – 1.5 million
7. Lapa – 1.4 million
8. Vidigal – 965 thousand
9. Maracanã – 939 thousand
10. Rocinha – 544 thousand