City Center of Rio de Janeiro
Dowtown (Centro in Portuguese) includes the surrounding areas to the site of the original settlement, when Rio de Janeiro was founded. But there are lots of skycrappers and moderm buildings in the City Center as well. A wide range of archtectural styles can be seen. Most of the colonial and historic buildings are in the City Center beteewen Praça Mauá, Cinelândia, Lapa and Praça XV areas. Praça XV and its closest surrounding areas can be called as Historic Center for being the oldest site of the City that is still preserved with many old buildings.
Downtown | City Center
Most of Dowtown (Centro) areas are bustle during the day and deserted at night or weekends. Its the center of finance and commerce.
You can go by bus os metro/tube. If you go by bus you can enjoy the view of Botafogo bay and Flamengo Park. Take a bus at Copacabana Avenue and get off at 1th of March st. or at Praça XV (15 Square).
If you want to go to Dowtown and Cinelandia Square, take the tube/subway and get off at Cinelandia Station.
Cinelandia
Cinelandia is the main and most popular square of Rio and its bars, restaurants, movie theaters are popular day and night. The square is lively even in the weekends and you always find taxis and buses. You see a great mix of Cariocas (locals) here than in any other section of the city. The Amarelinho Bar at Cinelandia is very popular and probably every Carioca has been here, at least once in his life.
Cinelandia is at the southern edge of the business district, in the beggning of Rio Branco Av.