Best time to visit Rio de Janeiro

Rio is warm all year, and the distinction is between a hot, wet, festive summer from December to March and a dry, mild winter from June to September. Summer brings Réveillon on Copacabana and Carnival, the two biggest parties on the planet and the most expensive weeks, along with afternoon storms and temperatures above 35 °C. Winter is the best for sightseeing: clear skies for the Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf views, comfortable walking weather, cheaper hotels, and beaches still warm enough for cariocas, if not for swimming every day.

April, May, September and October are the quiet, good-value shoulder months. Christ the Redeemer sells timed tickets for the train and the vans; cloud at the summit can hide the view on any day, so check the webcams before going up. The Metro reaches Ipanema and the Olympic park; the beaches are patrolled and numbered by lifeguard post. For the best balance of weather, visibility and price, take May or September.