Even travelers who like to avoid anything remotely “touristy” can not resist the urge to walk the sands of Ipanema while drinking a caipirinha and admiring the beautiful bronze bodies. The rich texture of gay Rio de Janeiro extends beyond the rainbow beach towels of the city’s tourist section, but it’s a great place to start!

After fun in the sun on the sands of Copacabana and Ipanema, gay travelers can visit Lapa, Rio de Janeiro’s wild-and-free bohemian neighborhood filled with restaurants and live music venues where few locals allow homophobia to get in the way of a good time.

The VamosGay 2020 Guide to Rio de Janeiro presents the most up-to-date resource of places to visit. Click below for A-to-Z listings of the city’s bars and clubs, and most popular gay-friendly restaurants, places to stay, and places to hook up.  Also, try our Google Map to gay Rio de Janeiro!