Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is an inviting city with a lovely combination of beach and city. When I finished college I decided to take my first trip on a plane to Rio de Janeiro, my first proper trip outside of Sao Paulo. I invited three of my work colleagues to join me on this adventure. At the time, I was living in Sao Paulo so it was a quick trip of 55 min on the plane.
On arrival, we got a transfer to the Marina Palace Rio Leblon. If you are not from Brazil, you might decide to stay in Copacabana or Ipanema, the most famous beaches in Brazil. However, I chose Leblon because of the soap operas as I mentioned above. Marina Palace Rio Leblon has a rooftop pool where I enjoyed watching the sunset and drinking some caipirinhas with my friends and just contemplating the beauty of Rio de Janeiro.
Leblon is a sophisticated neighbourhood, known for its glamour from the telenovelas. It is the most expensive neighbourhood in Brazil surrounded by several international restaurants, Brazilian steak houses, bars, nightclubs, and bookstores 24/7. When I was there I went to this traditional restaurant called Jobi. The restaurant had a lovely ambience, great service, and good prices. You should try the codfish croquet & jerked beef.
If you enjoy shopping, Leblon Shopping and boutique shops are within walking distance from the hotel. Distance from the Hotel Marina Palace Rio Leblon 1km from Ipanema beach 2km from Botanical Gardens 4km from Copacabana beach 25km Rio de Janeiro's Galeão International Airport
Leblon is still my favourite neighbourhood to stay in Rio de Janeiro. It sounds silly but I had my experience exactly like the soap operas and it was amazing to feel the vibe there. It doesn’t matter if you are staying in Ipanema, Barra da Tijuca, Lapa “bohemian neighbourhood” or Leblon. I am sure you will have a great experience in Rio de Janeiro.