Rio de Janeiro Travel Forum

I posted before. I won a trip to Rio in August. We will be staying in the Sofitel Hotel. We will be part of a group of 100 and most of our itinerary is pre-planned.

I love Latin American dancing and therefor Rio is perfect for me.

What should I take with me in the form of clothes?

I have fear of hights. Will I be able to go up sugar loaf and cristo redentor?

If you like dancing, you should plan on a couple of nights in the Lapa neighborhood, listening and dancing to live samba. You could try the clubs Carioca da Gema and Scenarium.
Thursday through Sunday are the best days for most clubs.
There's more information in the club section of the site www.ipanema.com

Dress in Brazil, unless for business, is pretty casual. During the day, board shorts and T-shirts are popular. (Cargo shorts aren't so popular.) For nights, lightweight linen pants and a nice button down shirt for the clubs. If you're used to wearing jeans and tennis shoes in hot weather, they would do, but for me they're uncomfortable.
Here's a chart with average temps and precipitation:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001730

I would encourage you to see Rio from the vista points. Usually you go up Corcovado on a little cog railway (or taxi, access rules have changed lately). There is a substantial platform at his feet with stairs; entry is by elevator and escalator from the cog rail station. I would guess that if you didn't stand right next to the stone railing to look out, you'd be OK, but I don't know you. Sugarloaf has two stages of trams of the type used at some ski mountains, so that might not be so comfortable. Once at the top, you are just at the top of a mountain with terraces and paths. The neighborhood at the bottom, Urca, is quite nice to wander around in or sit having a coffee or beer, if you have to wait for your group. You can also find barracas at the nearby Praia Vermelho. There are other popular vista points in the Tijuca Park that you could see by hiring a taxi to take you there.

Have fun.

If you have fear of hights don't go to Sugar Loaf. A cable car will carry you up.
Have you fear of road's abyss? The transportation to Cristo Redentor is car, or, ratchet drive trains.
Sofitel Hotel is located between Copacabana and Ipanema fronting the beaches.
There's a some historic bars in Ipanema: Vinicius de Morais and Antonio Carlos Jobim (Tom Jobim) made this site crowded with theirs musics. So Ipanema honours these brazilian composers. I am sending below some links concerned in
Ipanema's night time:

http://www.garotaipanema.com.br/eng/default.htm

http://www.viniciusbar.com.br/

http://www.ipanema.com/rio/nite/e/nite.htm#top

There's Samba City concerned in Escola de Samba (Carnival) issues. Samba City is not so near to Ipanema/Copacabana but is worthy of paying a call upon.
I believe the best clothes to Samba City is bermuda shorts, leather sandals and a shirt.

http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/riotur/en/pagina/?Canal=343

http://www.samba-choro.com.br/casas/rio

Have fun.
Cassiovieggore

The scary part of the cable car's ascension to the top of Sugar Loaf -- the second of two cable cars you'll need to take -- is just before the cabin reaches the top. It stops moving and just hangs there for a few seconds. I've heard people gasp thinking something's gone wrong. Nothing has: it's just part of the docking procedure. Still, if you're really afraid of heights. . . .

But it would be a shame to miss the spectacular views from the top.

Waht kind of dancing do you mean ?

Rio Scenarium is one of the places to go suitable for all ages, although not the best to dance.

fear of hights - better not go to sugarloaf - but don't worry, the view from down here is as nice as up there.
Bring light close and casual too.