Exploring Cabo Frio in Brazil was a truly delightful surprise. While we were staying in Arraial do Cabo, we decided to take a day trip to the main city in the Lakes Region of Rio de Janeiro state, and it turned out to be an excellent decision.
Cabo Frio is a vibrant city with a population of 230,000 and boasts excellent infrastructure. The city is remarkably clean, pedestrian-friendly and features some of the most stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters, not to mention the beautiful Canal do Itajuru. It’s no wonder that it’s known as the “Little Princess of the Atlantic.”
Besides, the city has a rich history that dates back to before its founding in 1615, when Tupinambá tribes inhabited the region.
Cabo Frio (lit. ‘Cold Cape’) was named after a phenomenun that fascinated the old sailors: the local ocean currents had a substantially colder temperature than the normal temperatures of the Brazilian coast waters.
Cabo Frio is located about 160 km away from Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It takes about three hours by car to get there from Rio de Janeiro city. Cabo Frio Airport (CFB), which is only 11 km away from the city center, is another way to reach the city. Azul Linhas Aéreas operate direct flights from Belo Horizonte (CNF) to Cabo Frio (CFB).
The Lakes Region in Rio de Janeiro state covers an area of 2,004.003 km² and consists of the municipalities surrounding the lagoons of Araruama, Saquarema, and Maricá. Cabo Frio, Arraial do Cabo, and Buzios are the Lakes Region’s main tourist spots.
In this article, we’ve presented a 1-day itinerary for Cabo Frio’s main attractions, but we highly recommend that you spend more time exploring this beautiful city. We covered the itinerary on foot, but there are other means of transportation available as well. Check it out!