Confeitaria Colombo (Colombo Confectionery), Rio de Janeiro (must see)

Confeitaria Colombo is one of Rio de Janeiro’s most celebrated historic cafés and a defining landmark of the city’s Belle Époque. Founded in 1894 by Portuguese immigrants, it was conceived as a refined European-style confectionery at a moment when Rio was reinventing itself as a modern capital. Today, it is frequently listed among the most beautiful cafés in the world.

The cafe’s architecture and interior design are central to its appeal. In the early 20th century, Colombo was remodeled in the fashionable Art Nouveau style, reflecting European trends of the time. Much of the wooden furniture was handcrafted by the artisan Antonio Borsoi, while towering mirrors imported from Belgium are framed in jacaranda wood. Portuguese tiles decorate the walls, and a large stained-glass skylight from France crowns the space, flooding the interior with light. An upper floor and tearoom were added in 1922, offering a quieter vantage point overlooking the main hall below.

Beyond its beauty, Colombo Confectionery has long been a place of conversation and influence. Heads of state and royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II of England, have visited, as have Brazilian presidents such as Getúlio Vargas. The café also served as a meeting place for Brazilian artists, musicians, and writers; composer Heitor Villa-Lobos and writer Lima Barreto were among those who gathered here.

Alongside coffee and traditional Portuguese pastries, Colombo offers classic Brazilian sweets. Trying a brigadeiro—made with condensed milk and chocolate—is almost obligatory.