Copacabana Beach is one of the popular tourist attractions in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Rio is known for its extravagant carnivals and excellent beaches. The origin of the name of Copacabana is Bolivian. Many historians trace the name to the 17th century picture of Our Virgin Lady of Copacabana. The image was brought by the Portuguese from a village around Lake Titicaca and installed in a chapel. The chapel was later demolished and Forte de Copacabana was constructed on the site.
Till the late 19th century Copacabana, Rio De Janeiro, was a fishermen’s village with sand dunes. It started to grow after the opening of the Tunel Velho which connected the downtown area of the city with Botafogo. Another major turning point in its history came with the opening of Avenue Atlantica along the beach. With the opening of the Copacabana Palace Hotel in 1923, Copacabana became a place for glamor and romance. You will see a number of buildings of the Neoclassical and Art-Nouveau architectural styles here.
Copacabana is one of the most eclectic neighborhoods of the city of Rio De Janeiro. The area has a number of bars and restaurants which are a lovely place to spend a lazy evening. The beach of Copacabana stretches from Avenida Princesa Isabel to Copacabana Fortress. The beach is a popular place for sunbathing and in summer international championships of volleyball, beach soccer and other sports are conducted here.
Must Visit Places
Some of the popular places to visit while you are at Copacabana, Rio De Janeiro, are Forte de Copacabana, Hotel Copacabana Palace, Fishermen’s Corner, Bairro Peixoto and Lido. The Bairro Peixoto is a landmark art-deco district in the middle of the city. The lido is the area between Copacabana palace and Avenue Princesa Isabel. It features a number of landmark art-nouveau and neoclassical buildings. For shopping in Copacabana you can visit the area between Rua Santa Clara and Avenue Copacabana.
Due to its popularity as a most picked tourist destination, the Copacabana beach has a high concentration of world-class hotels.
Check out >> Top things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Copacabana Beach Map
Copacabana Beach Facts
- It has been the official venue for most of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup tournaments.
- The balneario (seaside resort) beach, Copacabana covers an area of 4 kms.
- The Copacabana, Rio De Janeiro is the venue of the New Year’s Celebration which draws more than 2 million people annually.
Where is Copacabana Beach?
Copacabanca is located in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It takes around 30 minutes to reach Copacabanca from the International Airport Rio de Janeiro by road.
Best time to visit Copacabana Beach
The spring season from September through October is a perfect time to visit Copacabana. The humidity level is low and there are a few rainy days.
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Nearby Attractions : Manoel & Juaquim – Bar e Botequim, Botequim Informal, Pavão Azul, and Bar Bukowski.
Related : Copacabana Beach Infographic
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