Rio Christmas Trees Lit Only 5 Weeks in 2025

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BRAZIL · CHRISTMAS IN RIO

The Rio Christmas trees are two giant floating light towers, on Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas and in Botafogo Cove. As of Wednesday 28 October 2026, the city has not published 2026 dates for either tree.

This guide uses the 2025 season, published by Riotur, the city’s tourism company, as the reference for what to expect. If the 2025 pattern repeats, the Rio Christmas trees mean evening-only lighting, about five weeks of display and free attractions at Botafogo.

What the Two Trees Are

Both Rio Christmas trees are floating structures covered in lights, built on the water so that much of the city can see them. Rio’s city hall, known in Portuguese as the Prefeitura, and Riotur promoted both Rio Christmas trees in 2025.

Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is a large lagoon in Rio’s Zona Sul, the southern part of the city that includes Ipanema, Copacabana and Botafogo. Botafogo Cove, called Enseada de Botafogo in Portuguese, is the bay in front of the Botafogo neighbourhood.

Riotur said the two Rio Christmas trees were expected to draw about 2.15 million visits through January 2026. The city projected an economic impact of R$96.9 million (about US$18.1 million) for the Christmas season.

The Lagoa tree is the older tradition, and 2025 was its first appearance in five years. The Botafogo tree was a debut, and Riotur called it the first floating tree ever placed in the cove.

Both are installations you watch from the shore, and both are lit only in the evening. That makes the Rio Christmas trees an after-dinner plan rather than a daytime sight.

The Lagoa Tree in 2025

The Lagoa tree was 60 meters (about 197 feet) tall and carried 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) of LED and Neon Flex lighting. Neon Flex is a flexible tube light, and Riotur said the display could be seen from many points around the lagoon.

Opening night was Saturday 6 December 2025, and the lights stayed on until Tuesday 6 January 2026, Three Kings Day. In Brazil that holiday, called Dia de Reis, officially closes the Christmas season.

Its creators planned 45 light sequences, which they called moments of light. One of them copied Van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night, with each star standing for one of Brazil’s 27 states.

On opening night a button on a totem sent light beams from the tree’s base toward the Christ the Redeemer statue. The city said it did this with the Christ the Redeemer Sanctuary, the church body linked to the statue.

The opening night also had live orchestra music and the bois of Parintins, a bull-themed folk tradition from the Amazon. Large screens at Parque dos Patins and Mirante do Cantagalo let people watch from other spots.

Each evening a person or group was invited to switch on the lights. Hours were 19:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays and 19:00 to midnight from Sunday to Thursday.

The Botafogo Floating Tree in 2025

The Botafogo tree opened on 30 November 2025 (a Sunday) and was due to stay lit until Tuesday 6 January 2026. It stood 80 meters (about 262 feet) tall and used 2.3 million LED lights.

Its builders designed it to resist the strong winds that blow along Rio’s waterfront. It stood in the middle of the cove so people could see it from the beach and from the neighbourhood.

Riotur said the Botafogo attractions were free and open to the public until 6 January. Daily lighting ran from 19:00 to midnight.

A water ballet and a light show repeated every 30 minutes each evening. Opening night on 30 November 2025 began at 17:00, with a Brazilian Navy choir at 17:30 and the lighting show at 20:00.

Riotur’s programme for opening night also listed live music, a food village and fireworks. Those extras were tied to the launch, and nothing says they return on other nights.

What It Means for US Visitors

US citizens need a visa to enter Brazil, and the US State Department says tourists have needed one since 10 April 2025. The department points travelers to the government-authorized portal at brazil.vfsevisa.com.

Check the portal for the current fee and processing time, because we have not confirmed either. Do not book non-refundable flights for the trees before your e-visa is approved.

The State Department’s Brazil page warns that armed hold-ups can happen, including at or near public beaches. It also advises against walking on beaches after dark and says crime occurs on public transportation.

The Rio Christmas trees are lit only after dark, so those warnings apply to your evening plans. Our advice is to leave valuables at the hotel, travel in a group and arrange your ride home before you go.

Costs are low if the 2025 pattern holds, since the Botafogo attractions were free. Dinner, drinks and transport are the real expenses, and none of them are priced by the city.

How to Plan an Evening

In 2025 the two Rio Christmas trees were lit in much the same hours, so choose one per evening. The Lagoa tree ran until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, which suits a late dinner nearby.

Botafogo’s 19:00 start and half-hourly light show make it an easy first stop. Arrive a little before 19:00 if you want to see the lights come on.

Rio’s official events calendar is called No Rio o Ano Inteiro, or In Rio All Year. The trees also post updates on Instagram under the name @onataldorio.

Riotur’s 2025 Christmas guide also listed Santa’s arrival at the Yup Star Ferris wheel on 5, 12 and 19 December. It listed a Christmas village at the Sugarloaf cable-car park from 5 to 25 December, and those were 2025 dates.

A separate Christmas event is already on the calendar, since US pop star Mariah Carey plays Rio on Saturday 21 November 2026. Our Mariah Carey guide explains that show.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

We found no 2026 announcement on Riotur’s website as of Wednesday 28 October 2026. The city’s visit.rio site did not open for our reader, so check it as well.

No primary source we read says whether either tree returns in 2026, or on what dates. The Lagoa tree was absent for five years before 2025, so a return is not guaranteed.

Prices, entry rules for the Lagoa tree, opening-night programmes and viewing spots for 2026 are all unknown. Check Riotur’s site and @onataldorio before you book a trip around the Rio Christmas trees.

Until a date is published, treat any date you see online as unconfirmed. We will rewrite this guide once the city announces the 2026 season.

What Comes Next

For what else is on in the city, read our What to Do in Rio in November 2026 and our Rio de Janeiro city guide. Both cover the neighbourhoods around the lagoon and the bay.

For background on the country, see our Brazil explainer. Return to this Rio Christmas trees guide when the city publishes 2026 dates.

More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the Rio Christmas trees lit in 2026?

The city has not announced 2026 dates as of 28 October 2026. In 2025 the Botafogo tree opened on 30 November 2025 (a Sunday) and the Lagoa tree on Saturday 6 December 2025.

Is it free to see the Rio Christmas trees?

Riotur said the Botafogo tree attractions were free and open to the public in 2025. It did not state an entry rule for the Lagoa tree, so check before you go.

Do US citizens need a visa to see the trees in Rio?

Yes, the US State Department says US citizens have needed a visa or e-visa for tourism in Brazil since 10 April 2025. Apply through the government-authorized portal at brazil.vfsevisa.com.

Sources: Riotur (Rio’s tourism company), Árvores de Natal da Lagoa e de Botafogo iluminam o Rio e impulsionam a economia (hours, heights, projected impact), 8 December 2025; Riotur, Árvore de Natal da Lagoa retorna com luz, arte e interação com o Cristo Redentor (Lagoa tree, opening night), 28 November 2025; Riotur, Enseada de Botafogo estreia árvore flutuante de 80 metros (Botafogo tree, free attractions, opening night), 28 November 2025; Riotur, O Rio em clima de Natal (2025 Christmas programme), 28 November 2025; US State Department, Brazil country information page (visa since 10 April 2025, safety advice), read 28 October 2026.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error

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