Discover the real Rio de Janeiro with local host Isabella

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Rio de Janeiro host, Isabella, is a multilingual filmmaker with a passion for the outdoors. Her homestay is located right between the famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches yet it offers a tranquil oasis in this bustling, cosmopolitan city. An experienced host, Isabella has lots of local tips to share with her guests about what to do when they visit, from the best cycling routes through the city on one of her spare bikes to eating out in her favourite local restaurants.

Tell us about your local area, what are your favourite things about living there?

I live in one of the best places in Rio de Janeiro because I'm right in the middle of the two most famous beaches Ipanema and Copacabana and, at the same time, my place is quiet because it doesn't face the street.

Where are your favourite places to go in your neighbourhood?

My favourite places are the sunset from the Arpoador rock and breakfast at Copacabana Fortress.

What’s something great about your neighbourhood that only a local would know?

A local knows that, with a bike, you can go everywhere, the lake, the Botanical Garden, The Sugar Loaf. There are bike lanes that take us everywhere in 30 minutes tops.

isabella-in-ipanema

What is your ideal day in Rio de Janeiro?

Cycling along the lake to the Botanical Gardens for breakfast, then on to Horto for a natural shower, bike back to the beach, watch the sunset from Arpoador rock before a late lunch/early dinner at one of the many lovely restaurants with outdoor space in Ipanema.

What is something all visitors to Rio de Janeiro should do?

Everything I said above, plus they should visit the old quarter of Santa Tereza and then take a ride to Barra through the Tijuca Forest to see the immense contrast between the old and the modern in Rio and the breathtaking beauty of the city seen from the top.

What do you love about being a local in Rio de Janeiro?

I love being so urban and at the same time able to enjoy nature all the time; that proximity between the big city, the sea and the forest that only Rio de Janeiro has to offer.

What bars or cafes in your neighbourhood would recommend to visitors?

There's lots of great places to try in Ipanema, including the "kilo" restaurant Fazendola; ice-cream and lunch deals at Felice Café; the specials at Mini Mok Japanese restaurant; the caipirinhas at the kiosk Üruguay at Posto 9 beach; the cheap, always cold and old fashioned bottled beer at Osorio bar; the salads from Gula-Gula. In the Leblon area try the set menu at La Mole restaurant and the chocolate sundae at Envidia. In the Botanical Gardens, try the kilo buffet at Couver Flor and the croissants at La Bicyclette inside the Garden. In the Barra district try the shrimp risotto at Siri da Barra.

botanic-gardens-rio-de-janeiro Images courtesy of Felipe Magalhães.

Tell us about your experiences hosting guests via Homestay.com.

I had a bunch of homestay guests during the World Cup including a couple from Argentina, a couple from Australia, another from Washington DC, two friends from Mexico, a couple from California with their 3-year-old child, a girl from Sweden, a guy from South Africa, a father and a son from England and two friends from Malaysia. They all loved being at my place and it was a real pleasure for me to have them there. I took them places and helped them find their way around the local area so that they would enjoy the best the city had to offer during the World Cup. We had a lot of fun together and I can say for sure that I made new friends.

Do you have any tips for others thinking of becoming a host on Homestay.com?

My tip for people that want to be a host, don't do that for the money only - do it if you really love having people staying in your home like I do. Life can be a party for guests and hosts!


Keen to explore Rio de Janeiro like a local? Stay with Isabella in her homestay near Ipanema beach and Copacabana beach.

Want to be a host like Isabella? Sign up now


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