Búzios Guide Part 2: Making the Most of Paradise

Last week, we wrote about how to spend the day in Búzios during a trip to Rio. If you are short of time, read our previous post and see how you can go to Búzios and be back to Rio in a day. As the city is simply amazing and most tourists decide to stay on for longer, we’ve prepared a Búzios guide for those planning to spend more than one day at this paradisiacal village and explore its beautiful surroundings once they've already visited Rio de Janeiro.

How to get to Búzios

You can take a day tour from Rio (and arrange with the operator to take your return trip another day), or go on your own by car or bus. It takes 1h30/2h, which means you have time to enjoy the first day fully in Búzios if you leave Rio in the morning.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Sign in Búzios entrance shows the international appeal of the city / source[/caption]

In three days, you can get to know the best attractions of Búzios, but if you have 5 to 7 days, you can explore the city surroundings, like Cabo Frio and Arrial do Cabo that have some of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil.

What to do in Búzios

Búzios has many attractions, like the exciting Rua das Pedras with all its restaurants and clubs that guarantee entertainment and nice food all day long. But the most important ones are the more than 20 beaches spread through the peninsula the city is on (like shown on the map below). [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Peninsular shape of Búzios with some of its beaches / source[/caption]

You can get to most of them by boat (on taxi boats or tours) and to all by car/bus and walking. Once you get to the city, grab a map to make it easier to explore the beaches of Búzios. Each one has its unique characteristics . We’ve made a list of the most famous ones:

Praia do Canto: In the city center, where the pier is. It is probable the most common of all, but is important to know since all boat tours and taxis leave from here. The famous Rua das Pedras (rock street) is parallel to it.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Canto Beach at the city center, from where boat rides leave / source[/caption]

Praia da Armação: The extension of Praia do Canto. On its shores you can find the famous statue of Brigitte Bardot. It is a tribute to the French actress who frequently visited Búzios when it was just a fisherman's village and made it famous worldwide.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="421"] An statue of Brigitte Bardot for its influence to Búzios / source[/caption]

Praia Azeda / Azedinha: two small and picturesque beaches you can get to by walking along the small trail from Praia dos Ossos or with taxi boats. Because of the beaches more complicated access, it attracts a younger crowd.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Azeda and Azedinha: paradisaical beaches / source[/caption]

Praia de João Fernandes / João Fernandinho: also a “double” beach, famous for the hotels and restaurants nearby. It’s mainly frequented by families, because of the structure it has.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="423"] João Fernandes beach: favourite of tourists from Argentina / source[/caption]

Praia da Ferradura: one of the most famous beaches in Búzios. Its horseshoe shape makes it perfect for kids since the water is very tranquil. On the left side of the beach, there are lots of restaurants, places to rent kayaks and other kind of entertainment options – so it is usually full of families on weekends. On the right side, it is almost deserted, mostly frequented by people who live nearby.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="419"] Ferradura beach: lake-like waters perfect for kids / source[/caption]

Praia de Geribá: the youngest favorite. It is frequented mostly by people from 18 to 25 years old and by surfers since it has lots of bars and more waves than others. It’s the second neighborhood of Búzios with the biggest concentration of hotels after the village center.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Geribá Beach: a surfers favourite, with the youngest crowd / source[/caption]

Búzios surroundings

After enjoying some of the best of Búzios beaches, we recommend you take a day or two to explore the village surroundings. There is a city only 30 minutes away called Arraial do Cabo that has some of the most beautiful beaches of Brasil, like Praia do Pontal do Atalaia and Prainha, with crystalline waters perfect to dive. Cabo Frio is also very close to Búzios, only a 15 minutes drive depending on traffic, and has great beaches as well like Praia do Forte and Praia do Peró.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Pontal do Atalaia: Caribe in Rio, just 30 minutes from Búzios / source[/caption] Excited about visiting Búzios? Don’t hesitate! Take advantage of  this great village and spend relaxing hours at amazing beaches, eating delicious food and enjoying its exciting night life. You can learn more about the city visiting this Búzios website.