Ipanema Day Trips: Top 5 Adventures Awaits

Okay, so you’re chilling in Ipanema, soaking up the sun, right? Very cool, but hey, there’s just a whole bunch of other spots super close by that you totally gotta check out. We’re talking stunning beaches, like totally gorgeous islands, and experiences that, really, get you knee-deep in Brazilian culture. Finding those gems very near is really quite a good plan for the whole vacation. These trips, very short as they can be, are fantastic to enhance your vacation vibe from Brazil, while getting to see even more of it. It seems a bit much to expect, but keep on reading and see some awesome stuff, okay?

1. Escape to Ilha Grande

First off, there is Ilha Grande. That place is kind of like stepping into paradise. Very much tropical paradise that is. So, that place is just about a two-and-a-half to three-hour ride away from Ipanema (that is counting the ferry part, alright?), and that journey alone? Very picturesque. That is the opening for something incredible coming. It’s a place mostly famous due to not having cars. Yep, almost no cars, making it kind of like the ideal spot for walking trails, so the vibe is calm and all-natural. Walking around there makes you think, this is great, there is just the noise of nature here. And, also, a ton of history that seems to be alive when you hike, because it was an old pirate hideout and even a leper colony way back. Very cool if you get interested into learning what happened in the area, isn’t it?

Now, what is it that makes this place like this such a hit? Like the beach, very called Lopes Mendes, considered many times to be one of Brazil’s prettiest. With crystal-clear water that’s just so clear and white, smooth sand, and like really stunning scenery. And if you like to have some time practicing to do snorkeling, the Lagoa Azul’s waters could be exactly what you were desiring for, I believe? That part there is that full of sea life it just makes you drop your jaw! Seriously, getting into it there makes one to almost cry how pretty it is, like “we are so tiny.” You almost never forget it, right? I’d say there is just so worth the hop.

2. Historic Petrópolis

Right, so, let’s head uphill from the beach scenes a bit. You have to visit Petrópolis if you love history. A bit of a drive uphill to go there, more or less two hours, which is named after Emperor Pedro II, really. So, what Petrópolis can brag about to others? Well, that city served once like a kind of summertime getaway just for the imperial family! And because of this there is just way much things to see, I feel. Looking around and exploring and seeing so much of this makes the travel just almost insane of joy.

I bet you’ll find cool places such as the Imperial Museum. Which was where the imperial family partied once, but that turned into a museum? Absolutely perfect to have a time really looking into Brazil’s imperial past, I believe. Another killer spot there? The Catedral de São Pedro de Alcântara, alright? Quite an architecture piece just so amazing with some like super detailed construction and the tombs of the Emperor Pedro II and his wife there too! Petrópolis just almost throws a very unique kind of blend, so it just brings nature and historical scenes to it. And you gotta taste the german influences in there due to some of the immigrants in some restaurants and breweries. It’s actually worthy. It is pretty rad just because it’s a very nice hop from Ipanema for culture lovers and also history geeks. You just gotta plan it out just a bit.

3. Buzios: The Glamorous Getaway

Then there’s, Búzios. Think like Ipanema, but dialed just to eleven. Kinda known for when Brigitte Bardot made this town just almost so popular back in the 60s. So the whole town became just almost really popular since that. I gotta be honest. Well, Búzios got all those fancy restaurants, all the boutique shops, and for like, a bonus, stunning beaches to have some very awesome days out of the common! It is true when they say is the Brazilian Saint-Tropez for people that look for that. The comparison feels nearly identical, trust me!

What about spending the afternoon at Geribá Beach if you like a crowd?, right? Ideal to having your surfer skills on point. Fancy some calm views on Ferradura Beach?, perfect to spend your entire time in a relax state. Really depends on what you prefer! Then you can also find some charming spots for you, such as Rua das Pedras, that almost shows the essence of the town. Shopping around at all those boutiques there? Feels almost illegal that one gets everything very very quickly, just be careful if your wallet is sensible to shopping-spree temptations. What if your choice are those seaside restaurants?. Don’t expect those to be empty, but just almost have faith that a good meal in there really makes that worthwhile and all of a sudden worthy. Buzios will feel very right to someone that wishes for something a bit fancy on that beach escape, that is true. It’s something else from Ipanema in vibe, I can tell.

4. Tropical Paradise in Angra dos Reis

Now, there’s Angra dos Reis, which, oh boy, is almost another paradise on Earth. Well, let me say that this place shows more or less three hundred islands, and something around two thousand beaches! Quite much, right? Finding what to do there would only be as simple as deciding what would bring the most joy for you and the ones that came with you. It’s the dream.

You almost have to explore all the Ilhas Cataguases crystalline water and also take sunbaths into that really gorgeous sand, that I gotta admit, brings you just insane calm and satisfaction that not so many can compare, that is the thing. What if snorkeling calls you out and wants to play with the sea creatures?. No issues, as it has way more perfect spots like that in Ilha de Paquetá (it could very much likely have those scenarios). Now you wanna see it all from above and have a killer pic from your day out. All right!, what about climbing the Pico do Frade (it might test your fitness!). But those sights that can come to your vision from all of those vantage spots?. No comparison for me and just what it made to me. Very probably a sailing day or boating can just make that adventure top tier, if you happen to afford it, it gives a chance to you for seeing way more places and really feeling like a VIP guest. Those Angra isles just make one to almost not leave with all of their beauty that cannot just be described but it only gets achieved if you visit Angra at least once, truly!. From what I saw and remember. I would have no issue in going back one day!.

5. A Day at Rio’s Hidden Gems: Grumari & Prainha

What about wanting the most nearby places? Very possible if you feel tired of the other places far far away. This will likely ease your wishes due to those both being only a little bit outside Ipanema to Prainha and also Grumari! So for real! Less of all of that tourists and some just almost unspoiled scenes over those gorgeous places, that makes you calm at all, it does.

So Prainha gets really very sought to people that surfs because it have this incredible kind of waves, so people that want to learn how to surf will be so much happy that they are close to surfing classes! Otherwise wanna soak some sun. This place is what they sought since they wake up every morning! Then you will encounter Grumari, it’s protected by a nearby park!. So just almost expect that scene to never become urban! You are planning to munch your lunch or so?, not that much of an option since is not quite known about establishments here to do that. You must prepare ahead of the time to go! If this will never affect you, or that’s not a thing for you in what matters, there is no reason on why you cannot explore both of them since it is a really very pretty journey!. These two beaches provide a chill beach vibe that can happen to be very refreshing coming straight from Ipanema!. And that you gotta value it due to how chill it looks for someone to get there without much of an insane travel needed.