The cable car swings out over the bay and the city drops away beneath your feet. Copacabana curves off to the south, Christ stands in the haze across the water, and someone is already selling you a cold beer at the top. Air Transat flies Dublin to Rio for €551 return.
✈️ The deal
- From: Dublin, Ireland
- To: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Airline: Air Transat
- Stops: 1 stop
- Price: €551–€599 return
- When: May 2027
Example dates:
05/05/2027 – 30/05/2027
12/05/2027 – 30/05/2027
19/05/2027 – 30/05/2027
Check dates on Kiwi
💰 How far does your money go?
The flight is the expensive part. Rio takes it easy on you after that. A draught chopp on the beach is R$11, about €1.70, when a pint in Dublin now averages €7.07. Fresh coconut water from the shell is R$12. A prato feito lunch, meat, rice, beans and salad, runs R$38, around €6. A coxinha from a street counter is barely €1.20. Eat and drink well all day in Ipanema and you will still spend less than one night out on Camden Street.
☀️ The weather
May is one of the best months to be in Rio. The summer humidity has broken, highs sit around 26°C and nights stay near 19°C. The sea holds about 23°C. Rain is less frequent than in high summer and the sky stays clear for longer stretches, which makes the Christ the Redeemer viewpoint a safer bet. Bring a light layer for the evening and nothing more.
🏨 Where to stay
Copacabana for the noise, Ipanema for the calm.
Arena Copacabana Hotel — 8.4/10 · from €70/night Straight across from the sand at Copacabana, rooftop pool, a short walk to the metro.
Miramar Hotel by Windsor — 8.8/10 · from €120/night Beachfront at the quieter Posto 6 end, with a rooftop bar looking straight down the Copacabana curve.
Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana — 9.0/10 · from €260/night Two infinity pools facing the beach, right where Copacabana meets Ipanema at Arpoador.
🎯 What to do
Beach in the day, samba when it cools.
Sugarloaf cable car — Two stages of glass cable car from Praia Vermelha to the summit. Go late for the sunset and the city lighting up.
Christ the Redeemer by cog train — The rack railway up through the Tijuca forest to the statue. Early slots have the thinnest crowds and the clearest air.
Escadaria Selarón — The tiled staircase between Lapa and Santa Teresa, 215 steps covered in ceramic from all over the world. Free and open, best early.
Lapa on a Friday night — The arches, street bars and samba clubs like Rio Scenarium. This is where the city actually dances.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Rio is the gateway to the coast on either side of it.
Ilha Grande — Car-free island of rainforest and empty beaches. Bus to Angra dos Reis, then a ferry, around 3 hours in total.
Paraty — Colonial port town with cobbled streets and offshore islands. Roughly 4 hours west by bus.
Búzios — Beach peninsula with 20-odd coves and a busy main strip. About 2.5 hours east.
Petrópolis — The mountain town where the emperors summered, cooler air and a palace. Under 2 hours north.
A trip to Rio for €551 does not sit around long. Pick your dates and book it.
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