Although not the country’s political capital city, Rio de Janeiro is certainly the beating heart of Brazilian culture and national identity. With such colossal icons as the annual Carnaval (the largest on Earth), the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Corcovado and Sugar Loaf Mountain and the glorious Copacabana Beach, Rio leads South America as the continent’s most impressively vibrant and eclectic city.
You could spend a lifetime getting to know Rio, most visitors spend just a few days. The following highlights will help you get the most from your stay.
In Rio, the problem probably isn’t going to be figuring out what to do while you’re there. It’s going to be forcing yourself to leave to head on to the next place on your itinerary. Unless you really don’t like being in cities at all, you’ll find plenty to do during the day and night. There are actually many excursions for nature lovers as well.
Of course, Rio is best known for Carnaval, held each year in either February or March. If you want to go there then, you’ll want to make your plans well in advance so that you can book your preferred hotel. But any of the year, you will find ample opportunities for music and dancing all night. Going to see a samba show, for example, is a great way to spend an evening.
The city is also known for its beaches, such as Copacabana, Ipanema, Aprador and many others that are less touristy. More than one person has said that Rio is full of some of the most beautiful people in the world and these beaches are perfect places for experiencing that. If lying on the beach isn’t enough for you, there are day cruises allowing for sights of such wildlife as dolphins, parrots, kingfishers and turtles.
A trip to Rio wouldn’t be complete without going to the 38-meter tall Christ Redeemer statue that overlooks the city. Getting there can be reached by a cog train or by a hike through a rainforest past some beautiful scenery including streams, waterfalls and vistas of the city.
Sugar Loaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) is another popular destination, from the top of which you can get some truly breathtaking views. Many people ascend the mountain by cable car but you can choose to hike it as well. All but experienced climbers will need to take the cable car the last bit of the way.
If you want to take a break from modern Rio de Janeiro, you can take some time out to visit the colonial architecture of Old Rio. Or, you might want to take the tram to Santa Teresa. Here, you’ll find the more bohemian side of town where colonial houses are now inns and art studios.
Make sure you’re clear about the various neighborhoods and where and where not to go. As with any large city, some places are safer than others so arm yourself with a bit of knowledge ahead of time so that, like most visitors, you can thoroughly enjoy your trip.
source:http://articles.submityourarticle.com/Terry-Philips-20426/brazil-243196.php
