Where to see the most stars per metre squared in the city
Cariocas with friends from out of time will definitely heard the same questions: “where can I see Rio’s celebs?” A popular question for good reason, as the main TV studio’s of the country are here,, not to mention many theatres and show venues. In other words Brazil’s show business is big business here in Rio and for the tourist-cum-paparazzo it is a veritable treat.
Don’t be surprised to see suspicious figures hiding behind bins and posts around Leblon Beach. They’re just the paparazzi, lenses focussed on the bikini-clad sun-kissed bodies of celebrities at the beach. Posto 12 in particular is a hotspot to see the stars, especially during the week. Around the intersection with Rua General Venâncio Flores is the area known as Baixo Bebê, an area frequented by the famous and their heirs. On the famous Leblon sidewalk you can also rub shoulders with the stars of television and music doing their outdoor exercise.
A well known backdrop from photos in celebrity magazines and websites, a hotspot for both national and international celebs, Sushi Leblon is a traditional Japanese restaurant right at the heart of Rio’s most exclusive neighbourhood on Rua Dias Ferreira. Even the likes of Madonna have come through the doors here. And if you have a few bob this place is an excellent option for a 5-star dining experience. But along this gastronomic corridor on this street, there are various other new restaurants that count celebrities among their regulars.
With its four theatres, it's very common to see artists circulating the halls of this exclusive shopping mall, whether before or after shows and on rehearsal days. Many of them usually toast to the end of their shift in nearby Baixo Gávea, a concentration of trendy bars and restaurants in the Gávea neighbourhood. Must-visits include Braseiro, Sushimar and Guimas.
Perhaps the most popular stretch of the Barra da Tijuca coast is the go-to spot for footballers, actors and ahem B-listers. Romário is just one of the superstars of football that you are likely to see playing footvolley on the white sands here.
If at one stage the Fashion Mall was the preferred place for the rich and famous to do their shopping, today the luxurious Village Mall, where prices are not for the wallets of mere mortals, has taken that spot in the city’s West Zone. Barra da Tijuca in general is the place to spot celebrities given its proximity to the somewhat remote Projac studios, where the Globo network films its telenovelas and TV programmes.
