What to do in Búzios, the land that enchanted Brigitte Bardot? The first answer is obvious: beach. There are almost 30 of them, including beautiful and quiet beaches, perfect for families with children, and also those with rough seas and searched by surfers. At nightfall, then the route is gastronomic, after all Búzios has several restaurants and bars.
This text is a complete guide of what to do in Búzios. Here you will know what are the main beaches, tours, restaurants and inns in the region. And also how to arrive, how many days to stay and when to go to Búzios.
See also:
Things to do in Búzios: The Beaches
Búzios has 26 beaches. We have listed some of them below.
Beach of Geribá, Búzios
One of the most famous beaches of Búzios. It has good structure of kiosks and is very popular for sports, especially surfing and windsurfing. It has many hotels and inns and a strip of sand of almost 2 km.
Praia da Armação, Búzios
The main beach and tourist spot of Búzios. There are bars, restaurants and also the statue of Brigitte Bardot. Several boat trips start on this beach, which, despite the location, is not very searched for sea bathing.
Beach of the B.S., Búzios
Central, near Rua das Pedras and next to Praia da Armação. Because of the presence of boats, it is also not a good option for bathing.
The Beach of Azeda
Small beach, calm sea and a wooden staircase that leads to the sand and forms one of the most beautiful postcards of Búzios. Good for the sea bath, but it usually gets very full, after all the strip of sand is small.
Azedinha Beach
As the name implies, it is next to the Azeda Beach. The two sisters are reputed to be the most beautiful in Búzios – but the competition is complicated. It has calm sea and quite shade of trees, but usually crowds on weekends, holidays and summer holidays.
Beach of João Fernandes
It has restaurants, stalls and some hotels. João Fernandes Beach is crystal clear and has a great tourist structure. It is another that fills in the high season. If you want tranquility there, go on a working day or in low season.
Beach of João Fernandinho
Next to João Fernandes. Small, surrounded by the forest and more complicated access, it is a slightly more empty beach, but still very crowded. The sea is calm.
Beach of the Turtle
Calm waters and one of the most crowded sunsets of Búzios. It is my favorite: beautiful and with great structure, including several kiosks standing in the sand. It has a kilometer of extension and usually is full on weekends.
the Brava Beach
Access is difficult for those without a car, but worth the trip. Located in the eastern part of Búzios, it is a wilder and less developed beach compared to some of the most central beaches in the city.
As the name implies, the sea by is agitated, which ends up attracting surfers.
Olho de Boi, the naturist beach of Búzios
At the end of Praia Brava (right corner) is the trail to Olho de Boi, which is the naturist beach of Búzios. The trail is about 1km and is a climb – wait for walking for about 30 minutes I’m up. At the end of it, the visitor finds a strip of wild sand and without tourist structure.
Because it is a naturist beach and difficult to access, it is usually empty even in high season. There are tourists who love it; but there are also reports of harassment in TripAdvisor, mainly of women who have been alone.
Beach of the Horseshoe
Because of the horseshoe shape, it is a calm sea beach. Shadow and some restaurants make Ferradura Beach one of the good ordinaries for families with children in Búzios. It is also very sought after for sports such as stand-up paddle, kayaking and snorkeling. The sunset there is beautiful and around the beach there are trails for viewpoints.
The Ferradurinha Beach
Ferradurinha Beach is accessed by boat or by a short trail in the left corner of Geribá Beach – it is therefore not accessible from Ferradura Beach. Quiet sea, small strip of sand and fame of being one of the most beautiful in Búzios.
How to know the beaches of Búzios
If you want to know the largest number of beaches in Búzios, but have little time, a great alternative is to take a boat trip, such as the catamaran that runs several beaches and islands and stops in three for bath, lasting three hours. This tour costs R$ 140 and can be booked online.
The schooner tour lasts 2h30 and runs through the Búzios peninsula. It is cheaper (R$ 65), but includes a larger number of people inside the boat. Online bookings at this link.
You can also visit the beaches of Búzios by land. For this, an interesting idea is to hire a local guide that will take you through the trails, lookouts, beaches and natural pools. A tour like this travels three kilometers on foot, lasts about two hours and costs R $ 120. Reservations here.
Walking tip: for those who have little time, the most complete tour of Búzios is a combo of boating, Rua das Pedras and gardener tour. This experience lasts seven hours and costs R$ 240. It’s a great idea for that first day in the city – so you know everything right away and stay free to relax only on the beaches the following days. Reservations here.
Things to do in Búzios beyond the beaches
Beyond the beaches, but still in the sea. There is no shortage of different activities in Búzios, options for those who want more for the holidays than just shade, coconut water and occasional dives.
This is the case of the buggy ride in Búzios, which is a great choice for those who seek more adventurous experiences or simply without a car and have difficulty moving around the peninsula. The tour costs R$ 90, lasts 1h30 and guarantees panoramic views of Búzios. Reservations here.
For those who like nature, Búzios is a full plate. There is no shortage of trails surrounded by native forest, including routes to reach some of the beaches, such as Olho de Boi and Ferradurinha. A trail that deserves attention is the one that leads to Ponta do Pai Vitório, a hidden (and beautiful) viewpoint.
According to legend, Father Vitório was a priest who once climbed on a hill in Búzios to try to help a boat that had collated with the stones. In Civitatis has a three-hour walk (and five kilometers) that leads there, with the right to bathe by sea at the end of the hike. It costs R$ 120 and can be booked here.
Things to do in Búzios with rain
Búzios is known for its gastronomy. There is no shortage of good bars and restaurants there, especially in Rua das Pedras.
In Búzios you will also find some art galleries, such as the Zanine Cultural Space, craft shops and also the sculptures of Christina Motta, a Brazilian artist and sculptor who is known internationally.
The most famous statue, of course, is that of Brigitte Bardot, but there are eight works of it in Búzios, including The Three Fishermen, men who launch fishing nets at sea – in 2015, these sculptures were chosen as the most beautiful in the world by a gringo site.
Another place worth the visit is the Church of Our Lady Untie Us. Speaking of temples, Búzios also has the Church of Sant’Anna and the Mother of Santa Rica de Cássia.
Finally, it is worth checking the schedule of Gran Cine Bardot.
Things to do in Búzios
The tip of the cinema, which closed the previous topic, remains valid when it comes to what to do in Búzios at night. Also, keep an eye on the schedule of events and shows in the city.
But the truth is that the nightlife of Búzios takes place in Rua das Pedras and the Bardot, which are the addresses where everyone goes. Find a bar or restaurant that pleases you and the night in Búzios will be guaranteed.
Diving of baptism in Búzios
How about diving with an oxygen cylinder and getting to know Búzios underwater? If you have never done this, do not be alarmed by the proposal: this is why it is called baptism’s dive.
It is not necessary to have prior certification for a baptismal dive, but you need to fill out a medical form and participate in a brief guidance on diving techniques – 20 minutes. The instructor will accompany you during the dive, which lasts about thirty minutes.
A dip in bastism in Búzios, between the beaches of João Fernandes and João Fernandinho, costs R$ 250, with the right to photos and videos. Go for me: it’s worth every penny. It is not for free that this is one of the best evaluated experiences of Búzios. Reservations here.
Photo of my baptismal dive, which was not in Búzios, but serves as a stimulus: dive!
Things to do in Búzios with children
Many beaches in Búzios are suitable for children, with calm and shallow waters. This is the case of Turtle Beach, Praia dos Ossos and Praia da Ferradura Beach.
Boat trips also usually attract the little ones, as well as water sports classes such as the stand-up paddle, kayaking and windsurfing.
Buggy tours, especially for teenagers, are also indicated.
The story of Búzios and Brigitte Bardot
For Brigitte Bardot, Búzios remembers happiness. “It was in this little lost and unknown town that I was happiest. It had nothing, not even electricity – but sublime and wild landscapes, and deserted beaches, dream beaches!” the actress wrote in her own hand, in 2014, to thank for a film festival that would be held in her name.
But it is Búzios who has a lot to thank the actress, in exactly the same way that happened with Saint-Tropez, a resort in France where Brigitte decided to live, attracting with it a crowd of visitors. It was her two visits – at the time the maximum symbol of cinema – that placed Búzios on the world tourism map. To this day this former fishing village of the Lagos Region is one of the Brazilian champions in the ranking of foreign tourists.
Brigitte Bardot spent four months in Armação de Búzios, which was still a district of Cabo Frio. The first passage was between January and April 1964. The actress would return the same year, in December, again with her boyfriend and some friends. There, Brigitte managed to escape the photographers and relax, contrary to what had happened during his time in Rio.
50 years later, Búzios changed. It is full of charming inns and restaurants, it has had infrastructure improvements, but it also ceased to be that totally bucolic place that fascinated the actress. And although Brigitte never returned, her presence there has not been forgotten: she is eternalized in the Bardot Rim, a promenade where a bronze statue resembles the illustrious visit.
Let’s put the past aside. If you, like Brigitte, realized that Búzios is worth it, the question is another: how to plan the trip.
How to get to Búzios from Rio de Janeiro
If you leave Rio, you will pass by the Rio-Niterói bridge and then take Via Lagos – there are tolls on the stretch, with value between R$ 12 and R$ 22, depending on the day of the week. It is 176 km away.
Cabo Frio (23 km) and Arraial do Cabo (36 km) are in the vicinity. Travel time varies – expect to find traffic in high season.
The trip between Rio and Búzios is operated by 1001. The exits are from the Novo Rio bus station, on average every 2h, between 6h and 21h. The trip lasts 3h15 and costs between R$68 (conventional) and R$ 102 (executive).
Búzios: with or without a car?
It depends on. I went by car, in New Year’s Eve, that is, very high season. And I’m convinced it was better to go without the vehicle. It is that in these times the city is packed, traffic is chaotic and it can be difficult to stop the car near the beaches. In addition, many inns in the center do not have parking, so also calculate this spent if you go motorized.
On the other hand, with the city a little more empty the car can be an advantage. Búzios has dozens of beaches, all scattered across a peninsula. They are not very far from each other, but a vehicle helps a lot in locomotion – there are stretches that you can not do on foot.
Consider the time of year and the pros and cons before deciding whether you will go with or without a car. If you choose to go by bus, a tip: if you host in the center. If you decide to rent a car, I recommend reading the text in which we explain how to book a vehicle with the best cost / benefit.
For those who decide to go without a car, an alternative is to walk the beaches on a tourist train. The tour through twelve beaches and two viewpoints lasts three hours and costs R $ 80. Reservations here.
Accommodation Tips in Búzios
In fact, staying in the center is one of the best options in Búzios. So you will be near Rua das Pedras and the Bardot, where the night happens.
It is also possible to go to some beaches walking, such as Armação, Canto, Ossos, Azeda and João Fernandes. For others it is necessary to go by car, either your own or a taxi.
- Pousada Marittima – Great location, has cozy rooms and is perfect for couples. Daily at R$ 180
- Pousada Casa das Rosas – Good, cheap and 70 meters from Rua das Pedras. Daily at R$ 250.
- Rua das Pedras – Great location, rooms for families (up to four people) and daily rates at R$ 250.
- Villa Santa Fe – Comfortable and new rooms, central and daily location at R$ 260.
- Walk of Palmeiras – In the center, but a few steps from the waterfront and beaches. Daily at R$ 450.
When to go to Búzios: best time
The rainy season runs from November to February, but it’s nothing that scares it – the typical rain that can disrupt the beach one day or another, but doesn’t drive away the traveler. In fact, it even attracts, since these are the busiest months in the city.
The big question when it comes to planning your trip has more to do with the season than the temperature. Those who go on extended holidays or on summer vacation will find a crowded city. Bottles, queues for dinner and crowded beaches are common problems in these times.
It is not a reason to stop going, after all the capacity occurs precisely because it is in these times that everyone can travel, but it is good to leave the house knowing this.
How many days stay in Búzios?
There is no maximum number, but there is certainly a minimum: spend at least two nights in Búzios. Due to the proximity, many people know the region from a bate-turn of Cabo Frio (or the opposite).
This is a mistake and Búzios deserves more. If you can, stay there at least five days.
What to do in Búzios: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best viewpoints in Búzios? The Viewpoint of the Oven and the Mirante of João Fernandes offer panoramic views. The viewpoint of Ponta do Pai Vitório is also beautiful
What are the most recommended beaches for families with children in Búzios? Due to the calm waters, the Turtle Beach and the Ferradura Beach are the best options.
Is it safe to walk at night in Búzios? In busy areas, such as Rua das Pedras, it is generally safe to walk at night.
What is the best beach in Búzios? That depends on it. For those traveling with children, beaches of calm waters are the best, such as the Turtle. For those who want to play water sports, Geribá is usually a good option. For surfing, the best is Praia Brava; while Olho de Boi offers the naturist experience.
What is the most beautiful beach in Búzios? Another question that has no right answer, after all beauty is subjective. João Fernandes Beach is usually pointed out as the most beautiful of Búzios by many people. For me, it was Tartauga’s. Horseshoe and oven are also beautiful beaches.
