Rio de Janeiro
Golden beaches and lush mountains, samba-fueled nightlife and spectacular football matches: welcome to the Cidade Maravilhosa.
There's no other place like Rio. It's the combination of many things that I find so captivating: walking through parks inside the city and seeing monkeys and toucans, spending the evening catching music jams around Lapa, joining a few friends amid the roaring crowds at Maracanã or greeting the sunrise (after an early morning or late night) from Copacabana beach. It's those precious moments when you realize you're hooked. I also love the carioca spirit, spontaneous and good-natured, with the urge to live life to the fullest. It's no wonder that in a 2013 survey, Rio was rated the world's happiest city. Tropical Landscapes Standing atop the 710m peak of Corcovado, you will see why Rio is called the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). Lushly forested mountains fringe the city, with shimmering beaches tracing the shoreline and a string of tiny islands scattered along the seafront. Far from being mere cinematic backdrop, this seaside beauty hosts outstanding outdoor adventures: hiking the Tijuca rainforest, cycling alongside the lake and beaches, sailing across Baía de Guanabara, and surfing, rock-climbing and hang-gliding amid one of the world's most stunning urban landscapes. Joie de Vivre Speaking of Carnaval, Rio knows how to party. Whether you call it joie de vivre, lebensfreude or lust for life, cariocas have it in spades. Carnaval, and the build-up to it, is the most obvious manifestation of this celebratory spirit. But Rio has many other occasions for revelry – celebrations after the big Flamengo (or Vasco, Fluminense or Botafogo) soccer match, weekend samba parties around town, baile funk parties in the favelas and boat parties on the bay, not to mention major fests like Réveillon (New Year's Eve) and the Festas Juninas. |
Captivating Beaches
Rio's beaches have long seduced visitors. Copacabana beach became a symbol of Rio during the 1940s, when international starlets jetted down for the weekend. Hogging the spotlight these days is Ipanema beach, its fame and beauty unabated since bossa nova stars Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes introduced the world to its allure in the 1960s. For cariocas (residents of Rio), the beach is Rio's backyard – a playground that's free and open to all, offering endless enjoyment in the form of football, volleyball, surfing, snacking, drinking or simply relaxing amid the passing people parade. The Rhythms of Rio
Music is the lifeblood of Rio, with a soundtrack comprising rock, old-school bossa nova, hip-hop, funk and Brazil's many regional styles. Above all, there's samba, a rapid-fire style of music with African influences and an infectious beat that is synonymous with Rio. You can hear it all over town, but the soul of samba resides in Lapa, an edgy, red-light district that is home to dozens of live-music halls and an enormous weekend street party that draws revelers from all walks of life. Samba is also the integral sound during Carnaval and the danceable backing music to street parties and all-night parades. |
Around Rio
If you thought Rio was just a city, think again! Right next door, the equally enticing state of Rio de Janeiro is home to some of Brazil’s greatest treasures, all within an easy drive of the state's capital.
Inland you'll find Itatiaia, Brazil's oldest national park, and the spectacular Serra dos Órgãos, whose whimsically shaped peaks test the mettle of international climbers and form the backdrop for the former imperial city of Petrópolis. |
East along the coast are the dunes, lagoons, white sands and limpid blue-green waters of the Costa do Sol, an ever-popular playground for surfers, divers and suntan-seeking urban escapees.
West lies the Costa Verde, a gorgeous patchwork of bays, islands, waterfalls and forest-draped mountains. Highlights here include the 18th-century architecture of colonial Paraty and the vast island paradise of Ilha Grande, where dozens of hiking trails lead to more than 100 of Brazil’s most secluded beaches. |
ParatySet amid jutting peninsulas and secluded beaches, with a backdrop of steep, jungled mountains plunging into an island-studded bay, Paraty is one of Brazil’s most appealing and exquisitely preserved historical gems. Paraty’s colonial center is remarkable not only for its centuries-old architecture, but also for its lack of automobile traffic. The irregular cobblestone streets are closed to motor vehicles, making it a delightful place to stroll about. Elegant white buildings adorned with fanciful multihued borders and latticed windows blend harmoniously with the natural beauty that envelops the town. Dozens of pristine beaches are within a couple of hours of Paraty by boat or bus, while inland, the Parque Nacional da Serra da Bocaina provides protection for a lush remnant of Mata Atlântica (Atlantic rainforest). The Brazilian government has recognized Paraty as a National Historic Site since 1966. Paraty is crowded and lively throughout the summer holidays, brimming with Brazilian and European vacationers. The town’s cosmopolitan flavor is further enhanced by the large number of artists, writers and chefs, both Brazilian and foreign, who have settled here and opened shops, galleries and restaurants. The historic center is small and easy to navigate, although street names and addresses can get confusing. Some streets have more than one name, and house numbers don’t always follow a predictable pattern.
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Ilha GrandeThe fabulous island retreat of Ilha Grande owes its pristine condition to its unusual history. First it was a pirates’ lair, then a leper colony and, finally, a penitentiary where political prisoners were held alongside some of Brazil’s most violent criminals. All that remains of those days are some half-buried stone foundations, but the island’s unsavory reputation kept developers at bay for a long time. Consequently, beautiful tropical beaches and virgin Atlantic rainforest (now protected as state parkland) abound on Ilha Grande, and there are still only a few settlements on the island.
Vila do Abraão, the island's biggest town, was itself a sleepy fishing village until the mid-1990s, when Ilha Grande’s infamous penitentiary was destroyed and tourism on the island started in earnest. Over the years, a veritable thicket of pousadas (guesthouses), restaurants and bars has popped up, but this palm-studded beachfront town, with its tidy yellow church, is still incredibly picturesque, and remains small by mainland Brazilian standards. Except for Abraão’s lone garbage truck, fire engine and police vehicle, cars are not allowed in town, so the only transport here is by foot or boat. The village comprises a few dirt roads, and everybody congregates down near the docks and beach at night. On weekends and during high season it can get a bit claustrophobic in Vila do Abraão, but you can easily escape the crowds by hiking a few steps out of town in any direction.
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BúziosBeautiful Búzios sits on a jutting peninsula scalloped by 17 beaches. A simple fishing village until the early ’60s, when it was ‘discovered’ by Brigitte Bardot and her Brazilian boyfriend, it’s now one of Brazil’s most upscale and animated seaside resorts, littered with boutiques, fine restaurants, villas, bars and posh pousadas. The Mediterranean touch introduced by the Portuguese has not been lost – indeed, the narrow cobblestone streets and picturesque waterfront contribute to Búzios’ image as Brazil’s St Tropez.
Búzios is not a single town but rather three settlements on the same peninsula – Ossos, Manguinhos and Armação de Búzios. Ossos (Bones), at the northern tip of the peninsula, is the oldest and most attractive. It has a pretty harbor and yacht club, plus a few hotels and bars. Manguinhos, on the isthmus, is the most commercial. Armação, in between, is the heart of town, with the most tourist amenities; it’s here that you’ll find Rua das Pedras, the hub of Búzios’ nightlife, and Orla Bardot, the town's picturesque beachfront promenade.
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Arraial do CaboArraial do Cabo, 45km east of Saquarema, is surrounded by gleaming white sand dunes and offers breathtaking beaches without half the touristy fuss of neighboring Búzios. Arraial is home to a working fishing port, Porto do Forno, which lends it a welcoming working-class demeanor.
Some of the best beaches – pristine swathes of gorgeous sand and bright-green waters – are within an easy 15-minute stroll of the downtown bus station, while others are just a short boat ride away. Arraial is a renowned diving destination, and it’s also a good place to observe humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), whose migration routes pass directly offshore. |