there is a spectacular fireworks display at the top of the igreja da penha, second only to the epic show of lights in lagoa rodrigo de freitas in conjunction with the floating christmas tree, as well as shows at praia do flamengo, in barra da tijuca, the piscinão de ramos, on bica beach on ilha do governador, on praia da brisa at the pedra de guaratiba, on moreninha beach on paquetá island, and in the community square at iapi na penha.

some of the best places to see all the fireworks the city has to offer at new year's eve have only recently become accessible to outsiders, as in the past safety concerns have often limited new year's tourism to the  copacabana and ipanema areas, in the zona sul.

even in the zona sul itself, the pacification efforts of the brazilian government in the run up to the 2014 world cup and the 2016 Olympics have converted former no-go areas into prime locations from which to observe the spectacular fireworks of copacabana and lagoa from a great height and well removed from the hustle and bustle of the city streets.