Guide to Visiting Rio for the Olympics, From Safety to Samba

Guide to Visiting Rio for the Olympics, From Safety to Samba
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - FEBRUARY 05: Aerial view of Maracana and Maracanazinho with six months to go to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on February 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
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RIO DE JANEIRO—With the Olympics just a few weeks away, Brazil faces a litany of problems: an economy in freefall, the Zika virus and a political crisis with an impeached president. But for those brave — or foolhardy — enough to make the trip, Rio de Janeiro is a city rich with potential rewards. Broadcasters have already deemed the city’s backdrop for the Summer Games the most telegenic ever. But no matter how good this teeming seaside metropolis — where the urban jungle and the literal jungle meet — looks on TV, footage simply can’t compare with the experience of actually being here.

Here’s a Q&A on tips for visiting Rio, from staying safe to samba parties:

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Q: Is Rio safe?

A: With an estimated 85,000 police and soldiers patrolling the streets during the games — twice the security contingent in London in 2012 — Olympic and local officials have insisted Rio will be “the safest city on earth” during the Aug. 5-21 games. Still, violent crime is a fact of life in this city, starkly divided between haves and have nots, so it’s best to keep a low profile.

For Cariocas, as Rio’s 6 million residents are called, low-key dressing is de rigueur for both safety and practicality. Havaianas, the Brazilian flip-flop brand, are Rio’s uncontested footwear of choice. And the city’s golden-sand beaches make board shorts and T-shirts, or hot pants and tank tops, a uniform for rich and poor alike. (While Rio’s Southern Hemisphere winters tend to be mild, thermometers can dip in August into what Cariocas consider the bone-chilling depths of the mid-60s, so pack a sweater or light jacket.)

(rocharibeiro/Shutterstock)
rocharibeiro/Shutterstock