Just three hours drive from Rio de Janeiro lies Búzios, a vibrant, cosmopolitan peninsula that’s been dubbed Brazil’s St Tropez.
What makes Búzios special?
Originally settled by European pirates and slave traders, this once modest fishing village shot to fame in 1964 when French starlet Brigitte Bardot came here with her Brazilian boyfriend to escape the hordes of paparazzi in Rio. The town didn’t even have electricity back then, but it still swept her off her feet. She publicly declared her love of the town and so began the stream of celebrity visitors, along with Brazil and Argentina’s wealthy elite. Over the years Búzios has welcomed the likes of Mick Jagger, Raquel Welch and Madonna. My my my, if these waters could talk.
Búzios is not a single town, but three settlements – Ossos, Manguinhos and Armação dos Búzios, each with its own unique feel. The further you travel along the peninsula, the more upmarket it becomes. Armação dos Búzios, towards the tip, is where most tourists end up. Here you’ll find Rua das Pedras – the cobblestoned main street – brimming with boutiques, bars, restaurants and hotels. It’s also where you’ll find Orla Bardot, a serene shoreline named after the actress (above), complete with bobbing boats and a steep, green island, so close you could swim there. Not a bad tribute, really.
Things to do in Búzios
During the day the pavements of Rua das Pedras (below) are heaving with gorgeous, well-heeled shoppers. However, at night the vibe changes – there’s live music, laughter, crowds eating, drinking, soaking it all up. In Rio, tourists are advised to dress down and are warned not to be ‘too flashy’ for fear of attracting unwanted attention. Such rules don’t seem to apply in Búzios.
With all the trappings of wealth, Búzios can often feel quite separate from the rest of Brazil, like its own little upper-class microcosm. Here, people don’t bat an eyelid at buying cocktails that cost the equivalent to what most average Brazilians earn in a day. After spending some time in Brazil, you become accustomed to seeing varying degrees of poverty – the run-down buildings, the simple, half-completed houses, the dirty streets. However, there’s a noticeable absence of this in Búzios. It’s as though the social problems that sometimes weigh the country down are simply left at the gates. Aesthetics and atmosphere are front of mind, the streets are leafy and spotless, the stores and restaurants pristine.
Where to swim in Búzios
For lovers of the great outdoors, Búzios has plenty of options, from snorkelling and diving to dune buggies and schooner boat tours. There are daily boat tours that will whip you around to many of the area’s best beaches and islands with some opportunities to swim and snorkel too. Or try the glass-bottomed catamaran if you prefer to stay dry. For the more co-ordinated and daring there’s kitesurfing, waterskiing, trekking and mountain biking. You can even hire a dune buggy and go exploring on your own!
With more than 20 stunning beaches, Búzios will leave you spoiled for choice. Brava Beach is spectacular, with great rolling waves, steep, rocky coastline and the Brava Club, where you can kick back on a daybed with a great meal and take in the view. If you’re serious about the surf, Geribá is the place to go. If you’re looking for some skinny dipping, head to Olho de Boi. João Fernandinho is small and calm with crystal-clear waters and some great bars and restaurants along the shore.
Where to eat in Búzios
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, you’re sure to find something you like in Armação dos Búzios.
- Balthazar Bakery Búzios is worth a visit for delicious sourdough bread (not easy to find in Brazil) as well as delicious sweet pastries and cakes.
- Chez Michou Crêperie on Rua das Pedras is very popular. This vibrant open-air restaurant serves delicious sweet and savoury crêpes. DJs from 9pm each night will help you work your way through the extensive cocktail list.
- Restaurante do David on Rua Manoel Turíbio offers a mix of seafood, Italian and Brazilian cuisine.
- Try the steak and seafood at busy Bar do Zé.
How to get to Búzios
By car – from Rio de Janeiro
Búzios lies some 175km east of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Travelling by car takes around 3.5 hours.
After crossing the Rio-Niterói bridge, take the left towards Rio Bonito. Shortly after Rio Bonito, turn right – Via Lagos, towards Araruama/Cabo Frio (Região dos Lagos). At the end of Via Lagos, continue for 5 km and go up a small overpass that accesses highway RJ-106, and take the direction of Macaé/Búzios. After 14 km (right after the gas station called “Até que enfim”), turn right and continue for about 10 minutes until Búzios.
By bus – from Rio de Janeiro
Viação 1001 depart daily from Novo Rio bus station and International Airport
To Búzios: (from Novo Rio) from 06h04 to 20h34 daily, (from Galeão Airport) at 10h30, 13h30, 17h30 and 21h daily.
From Búzios: (to Novo Rio) Monday to Saturday from 3h to 20h, Sunday from 6h to 20h, (to Galeão Airport) 3h, 10h e 14h daily.
By bus – from São Paulo:
Alternatively, numerous buses connect São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where you can switch to buses for onward travel to Búzios.
In high season, be sure to buy your bus tickets in advance!
Page last updated: 25 Nov 2023
Photo: Thiago Freitas – MTUR