Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
W
copador.com.br). Hotels will have lists of English-
speaking doctors (ask for a
médico
), and your consulate
should have a list of professionals who speak English.
Laundry
Most hostels have laundry facilities; hotel laundry
services are expensive. Good prices for service washes and dry
cleaning are offered by Lavanderia Ipanema, Rua Farme de
Amoedo 55, Ipanema (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-6pm,
Sun 9am-3pm), and Lavakilo, Rua Almirante Gonçalves 50,
Copacabana (Mon-Fri 7.30am-7.30pm, Sat 8am-5pm).
Money and exchange
Main bank branches are
concentrated in Av Rio Branco in Centro and Av N.S. de
Copacabana in Copacabana. Note that although most banks
remain open until 4.30pm, you can usually exchange money
only until 3pm or 3.30pm. Many travel agents will also change
money (often at better rates), and there are ATMs located
throughout the city, although not all will take foreign cards.
Newspapers and magazines
Foreign-language
newspapers and magazines are available in kiosks at
junctions along Av N.S. de Copacabana, Copacabana, on Rua
Visconde de Pirajá in Ipanema, and along Av Rio Branco in
Centro. The
Herald Tribune
and the
Financial Times
are the
most commonly available English-language newspapers,
and
Time
,
Newsweek
and the
Economist
are also easy to find.
Police
The beach areas have police posts located at
regular intervals. The Tourist Police (DEAT) are located at
Av Afrânio de Melo Franco (opposite the Teatro Casa
Grande), Leblon (
T
21 3399 7170); they are helpful, speak
English and e
ciently process reports of theft or other
incidents (open 24hr).
Post o
ces
Correios
are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Locations
include: Rua Primeiro do Março (corner of Rosario) in Centro;
Av N.S. de Copacabana 540 in Copacabana; Rua Visconde de
Pirajá 452, Ipanema; Av Ataúlfo de Paiva 822, Leblon.
Public holidays
In addition to the normal Brazilian public
holidays (see p.49), most things close in Rio on January 20
(Dia de São Sebastião) and March 1 (Founding of the City).
Visa and tourist-card renewal
If you're going to stay in
Brazil for over six months and need to extend your visa or
tourist card, apply in person at the Polícia Federal's Registro de
Estrangeiros, Aeroporto Galeão, 3rd floor, Terminal 1, Sector A
(Mon-Fri 10am-4pm;
T
21 3398 3182) - it's always best to
arrive early, before opening, to avoid a long wait in line.
1
Ilha de Paquetá
he
ILHA DE PAQUETÁ
is an island of one square kilometre in the north of Guanabara
Bay and makes an easy day-trip that's very popular with
cariocas
at weekends. It was
first occupied by the Portuguese in 1565 and later was a favourite resort of Dom
João VI, who had the São Roque chapel built here in 1810. Nowadays, the island is
almost entirely given over to tourism. About two thousand people live here, but at
weekends that number is multiplied several times by visitors from the city, here for
the tranquillity - the only motor vehicle allowed is an ambulance - and the beaches,
which, sadly, are now heavily polluted. The island makes a pleasant day's excursion -
with colonial-style buildings that retain a certain shabby charm - and the trip is an
attraction in itself: if possible, time your return to catch sunset over the city as you sail
back. Weekdays are best if you want to avoid the crowds, or come in August for the
wildly celebrated
Festival de São Roque
.
When you disembark at the ferry terminal, head along the road past the Yacht Club and
you'll soon reach the first
beaches
: Praia da Ribeira and Praia dos Frades. Praia da Guarda,
a few hundred metres on, has the added attraction of the
Lido
hotel's restaurant and the
Parque Duque de Mattos
, with its exuberant vegetation and panoramic views from the top
of the Morro da Cruz, a hill riddled with tunnels dug to extract china clay.
ARRIVAL AND GETTING AROUND
ILHA DE PAQUETÁ
By ferry
Ferries run from near Rio's Praça XV de Novembro
in Centro (every 90min 5.15am-11.45pm weekdays,
5am-1am weekends; last boat back 11pm weekdays,
midnight weekends; R$4.50).
By bicycle
The best way to get around Ilha de Paquetá
is by bicycle, which are available to rent very cheaply by
the ferry terminal.
By horse-drawn cart
You can take a ride in a small
horse-drawn cart (
charrete
), or rent one by the hour if you
want to take your time exploring and stop off along the
way - not that there's a great deal to see.
INFORMATION
Tourist o
ce
The island doesn't have a tourist o
ce as
such, but tourist information is available from the Casa de
Artes cultural centre, Praça de São Roque 31 (daily
10am-5pm;
T
21 3397 2124).
