Brazil Travel Guide: Rio de Janeiro & Búzios (What It’s Really Like, Especially While Pregnant)

In April 2023, I traveled to Brazil while 5 months pregnant, splitting our time between Rio de Janeiro and Búzios. This trip was equal parts breathtaking, eye-opening, and humbling.

If you’re planning a trip to Brazil (especially if you’re pregnant, don’t eat red meat, or want a culturally respectful experience), this guide will give you a realistic picture of what to expect—from language barriers and food struggles to beaches that genuinely take your breath away.

Getting to Brazil: Flights & Logistics

We flew American Airlines from Chicago O’Hare Airport, with a layover in Miami followed by a direct 7-hour flight to Rio de Janeiro. The travel itself was manageable, even while pregnant, but I highly recommend: compression socks, hydration packets, and choosing aisle seats for frequent bathroom breaks (hello pregnancy bladder!).

Another point I want to make, we went for two full weeks and it was entirely too much time in Brazil. If you’re primarily staying in Rio, and maybe going up to a beach town, then I think 7-8 days is plenty of time to sightsee and explore.

First Impressions of Brazil (What Surprised Me Most)

Before breaking down Rio vs. Búzios, here are a few overarching takeaways:

Portuguese is essential. Spanish will not get you far. Brazilians are proud of their language, and rightfully so—download Google Translate or learn basic Portuguese phrases before you go.
The people are incredibly kind and welcoming. I have never been treated more nicely than how I was treated in Brazil while pregnant. It was so refreshing to see a country that value women and take care of them, especially pregnant women.
The beaches in Rio are stunning.
Food was a challenge for us. Brazil is very carnivorous, especially when it comes to red meat which we don’t eat. This made dining in Rio difficult.
Pregnancy changed the experience. We didn’t do nightlife or high-energy activities, so we didn’t get the “full Rio experience” everyone raves about. We’ll definitely be back for that chapter.

Rio de Janeiro: Beautiful, Complex, and Overwhelming

Where We Stayed

Hotel Emiliano Rio. A luxury hotel in Copacabana with great service and views. I can’t speak any more highly of the staff! They were so accommodating, attentive, and kind. Truly made our stay there memorable. And the rooms were modern, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.

Neighborhoods We Explored

Copacabana
Ipanema
Little Africa (highly recommend—more on this below)

Food in Rio: Honest Take

If you don’t eat red meat, Rio can be tough.

Restaurants we tried:

Satyricon (Michelin-starred) – fine, but not memorable
Angu do Gomes (Little Africa) – tried angu (corn & cassava dish), not for me
Venga Chiringuito – decent
Terra Brasilis – hands down the best meal we had in Rio

Must-try Brazilian foods (if you can find good versions):

Coxinha
Pão de queijo
Tapioca recheada
Caipirinha (Brazil’s national cocktail)

Excursions in Rio

Little Africa Walking Tour (Highly Recommend)

One of the most meaningful experiences of the trip. The tour focuses on Afro-Brazilian history and culture. We learned so much about slavery in Brazil, the African religious roots, and how African culture was ultimately weaved into create what is Brazilian culture today. The walking tour was 3 hours long; it was educational, respectful, and grounding. Here is the tour link.

Christ the Redeemer & Sugarloaf Tour (Mixed Feelings)

It was a half-day tour combining Christ the Redeemer (one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and must see!) and Sugarloaf. There was an early 7am pickup and still extremely crowded. In hindsight, we could’ve Ubered to Christ the Redeemer ourselves, moved at our own pace, and skipped Sugarloaf altogether as the views you see from Christ the Redeemer is nearly identical to that of Sugarloaf. Here is the tour link.

Favela Walking Tours (Please Don’t)

I strongly advise against them. They are often demeaning, voyeuristic, and rooted in poverty tourism. You wouldn’t tour American inner-city neighborhoods for entertainment—don’t do it abroad either.

Pedra do Telégrafo

This is not a quick activity! And that is where we went wrong. We woke up one day and decided to do the hike, failing to realize it’s an entire day commitment, not something to squeeze into a short window. So unfortunately, we had to skip it. Here are some Good to Know Facts:

It’s a 90 minute drive from Copacabana
The hike itself takes an hour
30+ minute line for the famous photo
Photographer at the top charges ~$5–$10

Búzios: The Place I Fell in Love With

Búzios is a 3-hour drive north of Rio, and for us it was everything Rio wasn’t: smaller, calmer, better food and a better pace. I loved Búzios significantly more than Rio.

Where We Stayed

Hotel Pousada Brava Club. Beautiful views, private beach, nice location, and perfect for a slower trip (or pregnancy). Note that Buzios is a beach town and the hotels truly reflect that. It was hard to find a luxury hotel similar to the one we stayed at in Rio. However, it was very nice to have our own private beach and beach club to enjoy when we wanted to get away from the main scene.

Food in Búzios

The food scene here was far more aligned with our preferences—especially if you love seafood.

Favorites:

CasaBlanca Steakhouse – surprisingly great
Nami – Japanese cuisine
Balthazar Bakery – perfect for breakfast
Canto – phenomenal seafood. Order the octopus, scallops, and seafood paella.

Excursions in Búzios

There aren’t many excursions to choose from in Buzios since it’s a beach town. Therefore, your main activities will be beach hopping (it’s what Búzios is known for- visit Arraial do Cabo and Praia Grande), exploring the nightlife, and doing a boat tour—we loved ours!