I was an idiot and booked my flight for the wrong day which meant I had only 3 days to pack in ALL the touristy stuff I wanted to do in Rio, so let’s rattle it off as quickly as I did it.

Escadaria Selarón – way bigger than I thought! I had imagined that it was just one flight of colourful steps but it’s actually multiple. Everyone is right though, it’s best to get there early because 1) the people, and 2) it’s fucking hot.

Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading, (ie., the Portuguese Reading Room) – don’t bother.

Confitería Colombo – the setting is so grand and ornate – it’s really beautiful. It’s defo fun to experience but I’ve had better sweet treats in my local coffee shop, so don’t expect the world when it comes to the food itself.

Christ the Redeemer – I was fully ready to fight many people, in the literal eyes of the Lord. I feel like the brain cells of many tourists simply *poof* disappear on the train ride up. The statue is no Michelangelo but it’s pretty impressive. There’s a little chapel at the back where you can say a prayer/have a little moment but really and truly, get up, take a look, take a pic, and get back down.

Museu do Amanhã – I’m not convinced I necessarily learnt anything new and I have a fresh sense of impending doom for humanity, but there’s a specific bit about the human experience in different countries/cultures which was really interesting. Overall, it’s a good, wholesome, air conditioned way to kill a few hours.

Football match at the Maracaná – Wembley could never ever. The game itself was a bit dead, (I think the score was something like 5-1), but the energy in the stadium was unreal. Hostels and hotels will charge you an obscene amount of money, (some R$230), but if you buy online, tickets can be as low as R$40. You have to do the biometrics and everything which is an initial faff, but it does mean that when you reach the stadium, you essentially walk straight in – it’s super efficient. This was easily one of my favourite things I did in Rio.

That was it for my whistlestop tour of touristy Rio. I don’t think I fully deeped that my time in Brazil had come to an end. What had been a dream for basically my entire life had passed by in a 6 week blur of fun, new experiences, new people, new information and a real rollercoaster.

I headed from the football game, to Lapa to grab my last Brazilian caipirinhas and straight to the airport to board my flight to Colombia.