1. Ipanema, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro Most travelers will see their first beaches in Rio, which does have some remarkable, if crowded shores. Of the famed Zona Sul beaches, Ipanema is a classic choice.

A five-mile stretch along Copacabana and Ipanema beaches crackles with energy. By Seth Kugel For first-timers, a five-mile stroll along Copacabana and Ipanema beaches — Rio de Janeiro’s two ...

Copacabana, Ipanema and Leme are three of the premiere beaches in Rio. Historian Raul Melo, who owns a tour company called Rios de História, said the beachfront was farmland until the early 1900s.

1. Ipanema, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro Most travelers will see their first beaches in Rio, which does have some remarkable, if crowded shores. Of the famed Zona Sul beaches, Ipanema is a classic choice.