Interesting Facts

- Portuguese sailors who slipped up and presumed that the entry of Guanabara Bay was the mouth of a river, discovered Rio de Janeiro on 1st January in 1502. It was also the first time in the world that someone set their eyes on Sugarloaf Mountain.

- Rio de Janeiro was established in 1565.

- ‘Rock in Rio' was organized in January 1985 and opened to a crowd of 1.38 million. It is believed to be the largest rock show of all times so much so that it can be measured as the equivalent of five Woodstock's.

- The propagation of tropical orchids to Britain commenced in 1818, when William Swainson sent a box from Rio de Janeiro.

- The statue of Christ the Redeemer stands tall with outstretched arms on the Corcovado Mountain. The statue is 98ft high, weighs 1145 tons and the space between Christ's fingertips is measured at 91ft.

- Rio de Janeiro in Portuguese means river of January.

II. Destinations & Sight-Seeing

A. Copacabana

Copacabana is one of the world's most well known and spectacular beaches. Around 25000 people per sq km live on this fine strip of land, which runs only 4.5 km (3 miles) down the Atlantic. The region is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. The area is buzzing with activity all through the day and night with lots of eating, drinking and partying. Activities include volleyball and water sports. Futevolei (foot volleyball) also played on the Copacabana beach. There are plenty of inexpensive places to stay near Copacabana beach. Towards the southwest of Copacabana is Arpoador, a small beach with fine surfing options, during the day as well as night. There is a giant rock that extends out into the ocean from where you can enjoy a great view.

B. Ipanema

Along the coast, at a small distance away from the Copacabana beach, is Rio's richest and most stunning beach known as Ipanema. This beach is a little calmer than Copacabana beach, as it less crowded and is also safer and cleaner. Different areas of the beach attract different types of crowds. Garota de Ipanema beach, just off Rua Vinícius de Morais, is also referred to as the Cemitério dos Elefantes because of the old collectivists, hippies and artists who spend time there. The beach opposite Rua Farme de Amoedo, also known as Land of Marlboro, is a gay beach. Ipanema is an Indian expression for 'dangerous, bad waters.' The waves can get big and the undertow is often feisty. Be careful, and swim only close to where the locals swim. Ipanema is more notably referred to as the ‘family beach' amongst all Brazil beaches. Scores of traditional volleyball enthusiasts have made it their second home. Great soft white sand and cool blue water makes Ipanema extremely famous among those who wish to do a little swimming with sunbathing.

C. Pão de Açúcar

Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) is one of Rio's most renowned attractions. Two cable cars lift you up to a height of 396m (1300ft). From this height, you can have a magnificent view of the Baía de Guanabara with the Botafogo beach towards the North, the Copacabana beach towards the South, and the wild scenery of Rio in between. The two-stage cable cars depart around every 30 minutes from Praça General Tibúrcio in Urca. There are 50 well-known climbing routes, and one of the most excellent hikes is up the backside of Pão de Açúcar. You must see the old open-air cable car put on show, which was used around the '30s.

Address

Praia Vermelha, Urca,

Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil

Phone No.: +55 21 25413737

D. Parque Nacional da Tijuca

Tijuca is all that is remaining of the tropical jungle that formerly bounded Rio de Janeiro. This is the most excellent place to visit to get an idea of what Rio looked like once. It takes about fifteen minutes to travel from the concrete forest to Copacabana tropical jungle of Parque Nacional da Tijuca. This jungle is dense, with beautiful trees, streams and waterfalls, rocky terrain and high peaks. The tropical forest is also home to a wide variety of birds and wildlife, including iguanas and monkeys. This place also offers walking trails with several good day hikes and stunning views of the city. This is the biggest urban reserve in the world. Professional hikers can climb to the 3320 feet peak of Pico da Tijuca, whereas others can simply enjoy the 115 feet waterfall, Cascatinha de Taunay, at the Alto da Boa Vista. The center of the forest is the attractive Alto da Boa Vista with several waterfalls (including the 35m/115ft Cascatinha Taunay), peaks and restaurants. Parque Nacional da Tijuca is open from 8am to 6pm daily.

Floresta da Tijuca,

Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil

Phone No.: +55 21 4922253; +55 21 4925002

E. Corcovado

Mounting straight up from the city to 710m (2330ft), the Corcovado Mountain presents a stunning view of Rio and its surroundings. Its outstanding feature is the statue Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). In the night, this statue is brilliantly lit and can be viewed from all over the city. Christ's left arm points in the direction of the zona norte, and Maracanã is easily visible in the forefront. Opposite Christ is Pão de Açúcar, in its classic postcard pose. This statue is reachable by a steep train or winding car journey followed by several staircases, but it is worth the walk to see this 98-foot statue from close and the entire Rio below.

Rua Cosme Velho 513,

Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil

F. Museu Nacional

This museum and its majestic imperial entrance are still grand and magnificent, with a splendid view of the royal palms from the balcony. Since it is located on the northern side of the city, you can see a fine cross-section of Cariocas. There are a lot of interesting displays: dinosaur fossils, sabre-toothed tiger skeletons, fine-looking pieces of pre-Columbian ceramic objects from the littoral and planalto of Peru, an enormous meteorite, numerous stuffed birds, mammals and fish, and exhibits on the peoples of Brazil.

Address

Quinta da Boa Vista

Rio de Janeiro 20940-040,

Brazil

Phone No.: (21) 254 4320,

Fax (21) 568 8262 ext.232

Email for contact: museu@acd.ufrj.br

G. Museu Nacional de Belas Artes

Constructed in 1908, inspired by the Louvre, and with over 800 unique paintings and sculptures in collection, this museum is Rio's greatest fine arts museum. The main gallery is the Galeria de Arte Brasileira, with 20th-century classics such as Cândid Portinari's Café. Additionally, there are galleries that display the work of contemporary and foreign artists. This place is open from 10am to 6pm from Tuesdays to Fridays and 2pm to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Address

Av. Rio Branco, 199, Centro,

Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil

Phone No.: +55 21 22409869

H. Catedral Metropolitana

Work on the unconventional, cone-shaped Catedral Metropolitana started in 1964 and it was inaugurated in 1976. Apart from its sculptures, wall paintings and other masterpieces, it is worth visiting this place to see its four vivid and huge stained-glass windows that stretch 60m (196ft) to the ceiling. The cathedral is located behind the Petrobras building and can accommodate as many as 20,000 worshippers. Other amazing places of worship are the extravagant Igreja São Francisco da Penitencia, overlooking the Largo da Carioca; Nossa Senhora de Candelária, which was constructed between 1775 and 1894 and was the main and wealthiest church of imperial Brazil; and Mosteiro de São Bento, one of the premium examples of grand church architecture in Brazil. The Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art) in the basement includes numerous historical objects, such as the baptismal font used at the baptism ceremony of royal princes and the throne of Dom Pedro II.

Address

Avenida Chile, 245, Centro,

Rio de Janeiro, 20031-170

Brazil

I. Centro Cultural do Banco do Brasil (CCBB)

The finest cultural center of Rio is the CCBB and almost more than 1,00,000 tourists visit this pace every month. This is a magnificent arched building that dates back to the late 19th century and is located in the center of the downtown district. Its top-notch amenities include a cinema with high quality art films, state of art theaters and plenty of trade fair space. Some of the exhibitions held here are free of cost. There is a permanent display of Brazilian coins. Exhibitions are diverse, varying from photography to experimental film festivals. In close proximity is another cultural center, the Casa França-Brasil that holds varied exhibitions.

Address

Rua Primeiro de Março, 66,

Centro,

Rio de Janeiro, 23010-080

Phone No.: +55 21 28082020

J. Maracanã

This is one of the world's largest stadiums and is Brazil's temple of soccer. It is a giant amongst coliseums and can easily accommodate more than 100,000 people at a time. You can watch a game of football here, if possible a championship game or one between local rivals Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense or Botafogo. The sports museum within the stadium has photographs, posters, cups and uniforms of soccer greats.

Rua Professor Eurico Rabelo s/n,

São Cristóvão,

Rio de Janeiro,

20271-150 Brazil