Nicole & Bruno
Nicole & Bruno
Travel
Visa
Please verify the visa requirements to visit Brazil from your passport-issuing country here. Note that the visa requirement for US passport holders was delayed until April 2024 (So no visa required to attend our wedding)!
Transportation
We recommend flying into Rio de Janeiro via Galeão International Airport or Santos Dumont Airport. Our wedding ceremony will be *very* early (5am for sunrise) on Saturday the 17th. Thus, if you are just coming for the wedding, we would recommend to arrive by Thursday the 15th - if you arrive late on Friday, February 16th you'll probably have a hard time enjoying the wedding to the fullest)! You can then get a departing flight on Sunday, February 18th. However, there is so much to experience in Rio and Brazil in general - we highly recommend staying longer if you can!
Note: We will be in Rio the week leading up to our ceremony (starting February 9th), as the country will be celebrating Carnaval (February 9th to 14th), the biggest festival in the world - where the streets come alive all day with music, dancing, and costumes. Please let us know if you'd like to celebrate Carnaval as well! Accommodation options start to fill up 9 months before - so we recommend booking early.
For transportation during your stay, we recommend either uber/taxi (which is generally reliable and affordable) or renting a car from the airport.
Places to Stay
For the wedding weekend, we recommend staying in Barra da Tijuca (before post 5) which will be close to the wedding events. We suggest the Windsor Barra Hotel or the next-door Windsor Oceanico Hotel (use code BRUNOENICOLE for 5% off at either). Shuttle transportation for our ceremony will leave from here.
If you will be staying longer to get to know the city, we also recommend staying in the neighborhoods of Leblon, Ipanema, and Jardim Botânico.
Things to do
Below, find some highlights you won't want to miss!
Food & Drink
Barra da Tijuca
- Temakeria (sushi)
- Churrasquearias: Tourão, Rio Brasa, Fogo de Chão
Jardim Botânico
- Parque Lage
Zona Sul
- BB Lanches
- Fasano Hotel Bar (rooftop)
Centro
- Confeitaria Colombo
Carnaval
From February 9th to 14th, experience Rio come alive with music, dancing, costumes, and a lot of glitter in open street parties called blocos during the day, and professional Samba schools performing at night. It's an unforgettable experience!
Bondinho Pão de Açúcar
Enjoy a 1 hour hike or take a cable car from Praia Vermelha to get to Morro da Urca, and then take the connecting cable car to reach the landmark peak overlooking Rio de Janeiro and the entrance of Guanabara Bay - one of the 7 natural wonders of the world!
Parque Lage
Explore these beautiful gardens at the foot of the Corvocado Mountain with a view of the Cristo Redentor monument. The grounds include an art school, cafe, hidden caves, and 52 hectares of the Tijuca Forest.
Ipanema Beach
Enjoy a day of beautiful views and the best beach snacks including: mate (Brazilian iced tea), bizcoitos Globo, and queijo coalho (fried cheese). We recommend picking a spot around posts 9 or 10. You can expect a beautiful sunset, and can also explore the neighborhood further to find leafy streets, fashion boutiques, fine-dining, and relaxed bars playing bossa nova.
Barra da Tijuca Beach
A wide, 18km beach with many food kiosks. This beach offers a bit more relaxed vibe, though you'll still find all kinds of beach sports and the famous beach kiosk Quiosque do Pepê.