Parking in Rio.

Rio de Janeiro is a very big city. The sensible thing to do in a campervan is to drive round it about 100 kilometres away! But we had read in one of our guide books that you could park a campervan in the centre of Rio at the Marina Gloria (the yacht marina). So we drove right into the heart of Rio in the Monday morning rush hour! After some heroic navigating by K-Nine we arrived at the delightful Marina Gloria. And yes they knew all about the guide book that said you could park there, but no you can't!

But they did say we would be able to park "just across the road" at a 24 hour parking lot (Estacionamento 24hs). And rather surprisingly they were right! The "road" however is two dual-carriageways each of six lanes, so getting to the parking lot was quite complicated.

Should you wish to park here (and if you must bring a campervan into Rio you probably should) then head south on the Avenue Infante Dom Henrique/Aterro de Flamengo past the Modern Art Museum, past the National War Memorial and past the Hotel Gloria on your right (you have now passed the parking lot on your right, but you can't get into it from the main road). Continue south about two kilometers and take the first right, signed to Flamengo (turn at S22.943438 W43.173948) then immediately right again (i.e. do a "U" turn to the right). You should now be heading north on Avenue Beira Mar parallel to the one you were on. After two kilometers, as you approach the Hotel Gloria again (now on your left) you will see a Petrobas fuel station on your right. Just before the fuel station is the entrance to the parking lot "Gloria Park" at S22.921502 43.172445. Good luck!

The parking lot is big, secure, noisy and costs between $15USA and $25USA per 24 hours depending on the size of your campervan. But what the hell it is in the centre of Rio de Janeiro.

It has rained most of the time we have been here. Neither Ipanema nor Copacabana beaches look good in the rain. We did manage to get a glimpse of the iconic Christ statue (top right) whilst on top of the Sugarloaf Mountain in the bay (top left).