Timetable Rio De Janeiro: time difference and opening hours

Time difference Rio De Janeiro

There is a 3 to 5 hour time difference between France, Switzerland or Belgium and Brazil, depending on summer or winter schedules and time zones. When you arrive in Rio, you'll need to set your watch back (when it's 3pm or 5pm in Paris, Geneva or Brussels, it's midday in Rio). Brazil spans three time zones: the South, Sudeste, Nordeste and the eastern part of the North and Centre-West are at GMT-3h, while the rest of the country is at GMT-4h, with the exception of Acre and the extreme west of Amazonas, which are at GMT-5h.

In practical terms: when it's 3pm or 5pm in Paris, Geneva or Brussels, it's midday in Rio; it's 10am in Montreal and 3am in French Polynesia. Almost the whole country lives on Brasilia and Rio de Janiero time, except Boa Vista, Cuiabà, Manaus and Porto Velho; in the west, it's an hour earlier. When it's noon in Rio, it's 11 a.m. in Manaus.

Opening hours Rio De Janeiro

To see / To do Rio De Janeiro

As in France, museums are open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8 or 9am to 5 or 6pm. However, this is only a very general indication, as opening times vary greatly depending on the season, the city... or the museum. The Sugarloaf Park in Rio is open from Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 7pm. During the high season (school vacations in December, for example), tourist areas, museums and monuments are very busy. City centers in general, and Rio in particular, should be avoided in the evening and from Saturday afternoon onwards. They are dangerous and not very busy.

Enjoying yourself Rio De Janeiro

Depending on the type of restaurant, opening times will vary. Some establishments will operate mainly between 11am and 3pm, serving buffets and food by the kilo. Others operate at lunchtime and in the evening (generally from 11am to 3pm and from 7pm to 11pm). More often than not, those offering buffets and food by the kilo at lunchtime only offer à la carte dishes in the evening. Brazilians often eat out with their families on Friday evenings or weekends. Waiting times can be a little long. For some establishments, reservations are strongly recommended.

Take a break Rio De Janeiro

Pastry shops, cafés and tearooms can be found in every town. Here again, opening hours vary widely, depending on the city, the season and the day of the week. On the whole, they are open from 9am to 6pm, or even 10pm in some cases, when they are part of a café. Days off vary. On Sunday, in the city centers, remember, everything is deserted because everything is closed. For example, the magic confeitaria Colombo in downtown Rio is closed on Sundays. On other days, it closes at 6 or 5 pm. At its branch in the Banco Do Brasil cultural center, it's only closed on Tuesdays. It is closed on Mondays at its Copacabana Fort address.

Bars often close at midnight on weekends, or even later, until the last customer has left. On weekdays, if there are few customers, they close earlier. Many bars also offer food.

(To) please yourself Rio De Janeiro

Shopping hours vary, but in general, most establishments are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. Grocery stores and some supermarkets are generally open Monday to Sunday, 10am to 9pm. Street shops are generally open on Sundays from 9am to 6 or 8pm. In the "commercial" city centers of the big cities, Sundays are synonymous with desert - everything is closed and these are places to be avoided. Coastal and seaside areas are generally very lively at weekends, with shops often open. There are 7 national holidays in Brazil: January 1, April 21, May¹, September 7, November 2, December 15 and December 25. On these days, opening hours are modified, as well as on Carnival days, of course...

Get out Rio De Janeiro

Brazil has a reputation for being a party country. And this reputation is far from usurped. In Lapa or Flamengo, in Rio, in Savassi or Belo Horizonte, the party is in full swing at the heart of the night. The notion of nightclubs or clubs is a rather broad and variable concept, and it's sometimes difficult to differentiate between music bars and nightclubs. In all of these places, bands perform with spectators who dance and sing along. Nightclubs and music bars often open at 8pm and close on Mondays. On weekends, they stay open until very late. All musical genres (sertaneja, MPB, electro) and moods (alternative, rock, LGBT...) can be found. Billiard halls, cinemas and other cultural and entertainment venues exist but are less popular than in France, except in the big cities for the last two, such as Circo Voador in Rio, for example.