Welcome to the North Zone, the District in Rio de Janeiro Tourists Never See

The best-known attraction in the North Zone is Maracanã Stadium, the largest football stadium in Brazil and one of the largest in South America. Known internationally for hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup games and the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, it is known locally as the venue for many of the country’s most important matches among national teams. It is also occasionally repurposed as a concert hall and has seen the likes of Paul McCartney, Madonna, and The Rolling Stones perform there. It’s possible to do a tour of the stadium with multi-lingual guides who will show you the inside and behind the scenes of the venue.

One of the world’s most important public health research institutions, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation is the main hub in Rio de Janeiro for research and development in the social and biological sciences. It plays a critical role in maintaining the health and well-being of the population that live in Brazil by developing vaccines, drugs, serums, and diagnostic kits that help treat everyday illnesses as well as outbreaks and epidemics. For visitors, the Museum of Life has fascinating exhibitions that combine history and biological sciences and there are also restaurants and the surrounding gardens to enjoy.

Rows of palm trees that surround perfectly maintained lakes make Quinta da Boa Vista one of Rio de Janeiro’s most picturesque public parks. It was once the garden of the Imperial Palace where the Emperors of Brazil lived during the 19th century. Nowadays, the palace is home to The National Museum, whose collections of archaeology, ethnology, and natural history are among the most important in Brazil. The vast park also hosts the city’s Zoo Gardens, home to significant populations of Brazilian monkeys and birds among the 2,000 species of animals that live there.

The CADEG Market is a large market in the North Zone and provides a glimpse into local life as well as an opportunity to sample great food and buy unique souvenirs. There is the Portuguese Party every Saturday afternoon which comes with traditional folk music and famous Portuguese sweets and dishes – including the famous bacalhau (cod). Among the hundreds of stalls that sell local cheese, fruits and vegetables, wines, olive oils, cakes, and souvenirs, are dozens of restaurants that serve homemade Brazilian and Portuguese food in generous portions at cheap prices.