LGBT: Rio de Janeiro

Over the past few years, Rio de Janeiro has been rebranding itself as a top destination for LGBT tourism. While there is still an anti-homosexual presence in the Brazilian government, Rio de Janeiro boasts a progressive attitude that welcomes gay travelers from around the world, even releasing a video to advertise its gay-friendly neighborhoods.

About 26 percent of visitors to Brazil’s biggest cities identify as gay, and Rio de Janeiro’s 2014 Carnival owes just more than 30 percent of its revenue to LGBT tourists. If you venture out to São Paulo, you will find they have one of the biggest gay pride parades in the world with more than 3.5 million participants.

Rio is also home to some of the most popular gay beaches in the world. Copacabana is the city’s iconic beach neighborhood, whose crescent-shaped coast stretches for four kilometers. There are plenty of hotels to choose from, as well as interesting Art Deco architecture in the north. Copacabana is also the site for Rio’s legendary New Year’s celebration and LGBT Pride festival.

While Copacabana is world famous, LGBT tourists will cite the adjacent Ipanema as their top choice for a gay-friendly neighborhood. Travel Channel even listed it as one of the sexiest beaches in the world. There is plenty of gay nightlife, restaurants and shopping in the neighborhoods. Hotels are available in all price ranges, though they are a little more expensive than Copacabana.

To learn more about visiting Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, go to VisitBrasil.com.