7 Best Day Trips from Rio de Janeiro Easily Accessible

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I know, Rio is amazing, why would you ever want to leave?! Well, sometimes you might need a little break, a little quiet time, possibly some slightly cooler weather… and these are the best day trips from Rio de Janeiro to make that happen. Rio is an unforgettable destination on its own but, when you’re craving something different, a quick escape from the city can show you another side of Brazil. Whether you’re after peaceful beaches, colonial towns, waterfalls or mountain air there’s plenty to explore just a few hours from Rio. Often just a bus ride away (and the intercity buses are SO comfortable!).

The best day trips from Rio de Janeiro give you cooler mountain air, imperial history, a car-free island or a proper beach day and most are one bus or ferry ride from the city. This guide is for anyone who has done the big Rio sights (Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Copacabana) and wants to see a slower side of Rio de Janeiro state.

Teresópolis, the mountain town two hours up the road is my hometown. It’s also where so many cariocas escape to for a bit of quiet.

Below you’ll find travel times, how to get to each place by bus, ferry or car and where a group tour is worth it. I’ve ordered the trips from shortest to longest journey. The last few are long days, so I’ve flagged where it makes more sense to stay the night. I’ll do a guide to weekend trips soon, make sure you’ve subscribed here to catch it!

Here are the best day trips from Rio de Janeiro perfect for adding variety to your Brazilian adventure.

Day trip	Journey from Rio	Best for
Niterói	About 20 minutes by ferry	Art, seafood and views back to Rio
Paquetá Island	About 70 minutes by ferry	A slow, car-free half day
Petrópolis	1.5 to 2 hours by bus	History and architecture
Teresópolis	About 2 hours by bus	Mountain views and cool air
Itatiaia National Park	About 2.5 hours by car	Waterfalls and nature
Arraial do Cabo	About 3 hours by bus	Clear water and beaches
Búzios	3 to 5 hours by bus, depending on traffic	A beach town (best overnight)

Niterói: Niemeyer’s Futuristic Museum and a Ferry with a View

Niterói sits right across Guanabara Bay and is the easiest trip on this list, so it works even if you only have an afternoon. Start at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), designed by Oscar Niemeyer. The futuristic building is as impressive as the art inside and the views back over the bay are a bonus.

For lunch, head to the Mercado São Pedro fish market, where many Rio chefs buy their fish. The restaurants upstairs serve affordable seafood and will cook whatever you buy downstairs for an agreed fee.

Then choose your beach. Itacoatiara is popular for surfing and Camboinhas is calmer. If you have energy left, the coastal trail at Costão de Itacoatiara has great views back towards Rio.

Getting there: Take the ferry from Praça XV (about 20 minutes) or a bus from Novo Rio or drive across the bridge. Either way it’s less than an hour from central Rio. Prefer to have the logistics sorted? Browse Rio day tours that include Niterói on GetYourGuide.

Paquetá Island: A Car-Free Escape by Ferry

Paquetá is a small island in the middle of Guanabara Bay with no cars, faded colonial buildings and a pace so slow it feels like a different century. The ferry ride across the bay is part of the experience and the island is one of the cheapest day trips you can do from Rio.

Rent a bike near the ferry terminal (there are hundreds) or hop in a horse-drawn cart and just wander. The beaches are modest rather than spectacular, so think of the island as a place to potter, not a beach holiday. The Parque Darke de Mattos has trails up to viewpoints, including one looking back towards Sugarloaf. If you can, time your visit for the monthly Sunday samba or the Festa de São Roque, held the weekend after 16 August.

Getting there: Ferries leave from Praça XV and take about 70 minutes, with roughly one departure every 90 minutes from around 7am. A return ticket costs about R$12, but check the current fare and timetable on the CCR Barcas website before you go. Weekends get crowded, so a weekday is better.

Petrópolis: Where Brazil’s Royal Family Spent Their Summers

If you think Brazil is just beaches, Petrópolis will change your mind. Tucked into the Serra dos Órgãos mountains about 1.5 hours from Rio, it’s where the imperial family escaped the summer heat and it’s still full of 19th-century architecture, leafy streets and a whole lot of history!

The Imperial Museum is the main event. It’s housed in the former palace of Dom Pedro II. Nearby, the Cathedral of São Pedro de Alcantara is where the emperor is buried and the glass-and-iron Crystal Palace is worth a stop too. Aviation fans should add the House of Santos Dumont, a small, quirky museum dedicated to the man often called the father of aviation. For something different, Cervejaria Bohemia, Brazil’s oldest brewery, runs tours and tastings.

Getting there: Buses leave from Rodoviária Novo Rio and take 1.5 to 2 hours. Midweek you can also catch one from Menezes Cortes in downtown Rio. By car it’s around 1 hour 10 minutes. Not keen on planning it yourself? Compare Petrópolis day tours from Rio on GetYourGuide or Viator.

Read more: 10 Facts About Brazil You Should Know Before Your Trip

Teresópolis: Mountain Air in My Hometown

My beautiful hometown is a laid-back mountain refuge about two hours from Rio, known for its cool(ish) climate, green views and cosy vibes. Plenty of Rio residents come up for a weekend to decompress and a day is enough to get a good taste of it. Many own places in town where they spend weekends and holidays.

Start with the views from Mirante do Soberbo, then explore the small but lively Feira do Alto if you’re there on a weekend. Teresópolis has great local food, plenty of green spaces and cafés where you can happily lose an afternoon. It’s a place for relaxing and experiencing the real Brazil with the locals.

I’d HIGHLY recommend the following cafes and restaurants:

• Gaia for breakfast, lunch or dinner in a beautiful setting
• Fino House for the best cakes, coffee and matcha
• Alem Tejo for Brazilian-Portuguese snacks, sweets and coffee
• Cafe Recoleta for the best cakes in the city centre
• Taberna Alpina for lunch/dinner; one of the oldest restaurants in the city, it’s iconic and the food is SO GOOD!
• Dona Irene, a Russian restaurant that offers a tsarist-style banquet; people come from all over Brazil to try it!
• Peixe Frito for seafood

A while ago I found this post by a Swedish traveller who planned a quick visit to Terê and ended up staying two weeks. That tells you something!

@everyoneshouldliveabroad

You can see Rio in the distance 🇧🇷 Had you heard of Teresopolis before? #teresopolis #teresopolisrj #parquenacional #parnaso #riodejaneirobrasil #montanhismo #trilhando #mountaineering

♬ Nature sound – Aram

Want to hike? Give it more than a day

Teresópolis is part of the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, which stretches between Teresópolis and Petrópolis and has well-marked trails, waterfalls and jaw-dropping views. Short walks are fine for a day trip. I did the “Cartão Postal” one with my partner in one morning and we had lunch nearby after! The big hikes need more time: the Dedo de Deus trail is for experienced hikers and the popular trail to Pedra do Sino is well maintained but needs decent footwear and an early start. Doing the whole traverse in one day is only for the very skilled and you’d miss the views, so three days is the most recommended. May to September is the best time, because summer is rainy season, with a lot of lightning. It’s not worth the risk. At the moment it’s free to get into the park but there are fees for certain activities.

Teresópolis is actually the mountaineering capital of Brazil! There are other parks and hikes as well. I think I’ll do a separate post about it…

Getting there: Take a bus from Rodoviária Novo Rio. It’s two hours or less and the last 30 to 40 minutes up the mountain are STUNNING (and phone signal-free, so no excuses not to look out the window). Midweek you can also catch a bus from Menezes Cortes in downtown Rio, which I usually prefer tbh. If you’d like to stay over, I’d recommend Gaia, a gorgeous hotel with delicious food in the best area of town, Comary.

Itatiaia National Park: Waterfalls and Forest in Brazil’s First National Park

If you want a proper nature day, Itatiaia is the one. It’s Brazil’s first national park and the lower section, the easiest part to visit on a day trip, has waterfalls and shorter forest trails you can do without any mountaineering experience. The high plateau section is a different story: it needs more time, your own transport or a guide, so save it for an overnight stay.

Getting there: By car it’s about 2.5 hours from Rio along the Via Dutra (BR-116) to the town of Itatiaia, then a short drive to the park entrance. By bus you can reach the terminals in Itatiaia or Resende and take a local bus to the park, but it only runs a few times a day, which makes a day trip tight. A group tour or rental car is easier. Check opening days, entrance fees and the latest bus times on the park’s official visitor guide before you go, and see whether a group tour from Rio is available on GetYourGuide or Viator.

Arraial do Cabo: Clear Water and Boat Tours for a Long Beach Day

Arraial do Cabo is the trip for anyone who wants Rio’s state without the Rio crowds: clear water, small beaches and boat tours that take you around the bay. It’s often nicknamed the Caribbean of Brazil and it’s a long day (around three hours each way), so leave early and plan to be back late. If you’d rather split it, stay the night and see the weekend trips from Rio guide.

Getting there: Buses run from Rodoviária Novo Rio and take roughly three hours (check current times and prices with the bus company, 1001, before you go). Driving is a similar journey, so it’s easier if you share the cost. Boat tours are the highlight, so book one in advance in high season: see Arraial do Cabo boat tours and day trips from Rio on GetYourGuide or Viator.

Búzios: Bardot’s Beach Town (Better as an Overnight)

If you’re craving cobblestone streets, charming boutiques and turquoise beaches, Búzios is a glamorous seaside town that feels worlds away from Rio. Brigitte Bardot famously discovered it in the 1960s and it has kept its bohemian French Riviera vibe ever since. There are over 20 beaches, each with its own personality, so it’s perfect for beach-hopping or lounging with a caipirinha in hand. Rua das Pedras is the heart of town, full of restaurants, shops and nightlife. It’s popular with both Brazilians and gringos.

Fair warning: this is the longest journey on the list. As a day trip it means well over six hours on the road, so only do it if you’re short on time and happy to leave early. You’ll probably want to stay longer, and I cover Búzios as a stay in the weekend trips from Rio guide.

Getting there: Viação 1001 buses leave Rodoviária Novo Rio roughly every two hours from early morning. The journey takes about 3 to 5 hours depending on traffic and tickets start at around R$93, with prices rising for more comfortable seats (check current times and fares with the bus company). A group tour takes the stress out of the long drive: browse Búzios day tours from Rio on GetYourGuide or Viator. If you decide to stay the night, search Búzios hotels on Booking.com.

Which Day Trip from Rio Is Right for You?

• Only half a day to spare: Niterói or Paquetá Island
• History and architecture: Petrópolis
• Mountain views and cool air: Teresópolis
• Waterfalls and forest: Itatiaia National Park
• A proper beach day: Arraial do Cabo (or Búzios, ideally overnight)

Paraty, Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis are better as a weekend, so I’ve kept them for my weekend trips from Rio guide. If you’d rather stay in the city, Prainha, Grumari and Sítio Burle Marx are all inside Rio itself and are covered in my Rio de Janeiro itinerary.

Tips for day trips from Rio

• Leave early, especially for the longer trips, to make the most of your day.
• Weekends are busier, so go midweek if you can.
• Check the weather before any outdoor or beach trip.
• Bring cash, because some smaller towns don’t take cards everywhere.

Resources for Planning Your Day Trips from Rio

• Group tours and boat trips: GetYourGuide and Viator for Petrópolis, Arraial do Cabo, Búzios and Itatiaia tours with pickup
• Hotels if you decide to stay the night: Booking.com and Hotels.com for Teresópolis chalets and Búzios stays
• Bus tickets: Omio to compare long-distance buses from Rodoviária Novo Rio
• What to pack: comfortable walking shoes and a light rain jacket on Amazon for the mountain trips

FAQ: Day Trips from Rio de Janeiro

What are the best day trips from Rio de Janeiro? Petrópolis for history, Teresópolis for mountain views, Niterói for art and seafood, Paquetá Island for a slow car-free day, Itatiaia for waterfalls and Arraial do Cabo for beaches.

What is the closest day trip from Rio? Niterói, which is about 20 minutes by ferry from Praça XV. Paquetá Island is the next closest, at around 70 minutes by ferry.

Can you do day trips from Rio without a car? Yes. Buses from Rodoviária Novo Rio cover Petrópolis, Teresópolis, Arraial do Cabo and Búzios and ferries from Praça XV cover Niterói and Paquetá. Itatiaia is easier by car or on a group tour.

Can you visit Paraty as a day trip from Rio? Technically, but the bus takes 4 to 4.5 hours each way, so it works much better as a weekend. See my weekend trips from Rio guide.

Can you visit Iguazu Falls as a day trip from Rio? Only by flying there and back on the same day, and it makes for a very long and expensive day. I’d give Iguazu at least a night.

Can you visit the Amazon as a day trip from Rio? No. The Amazon is much too far for a day trip and needs a flight and a few days.

What is the best day trip from Rio for beaches? Arraial do Cabo for clear water and boat tours. Búzios has more beaches and nightlife but is better as an overnight.

Which One Should You Pick?

If it’s your first escape from Rio, go to Petrópolis: it’s the easiest to do by bus, the history is easy to enjoy and you’ll be back for dinner. If you want mountain air (and to see where I’m from), take the bus up to Teresópolis. Now, if all you want is a beach day, Arraial do Cabo is worth the early start. And if you’re tempted by Búzios, give it a night or two so you’re not spending most of the day on a bus.

Have you done any of these as a day trip? Tell me in the comments!

You might also like:

• Top 12 Things to Do in Rio de Janeiro
• 10 Interesting Facts About Brazil
• Brazilian Street Food: the Ultimate Guide

This was a post about the best day trips from Rio de Janeiro.