Rio de Janeiro: City Overview

Few will argue that Rio de Janeiro is among the worlds most beautiful cities. Known as the "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro lies between Guanabara Bay, the beautiful beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and a tropically forested mountain range. The outstretched arms of Rio's Christ Redeemer Statue, set atop Corcovado Mountain's 2,307 ft. peak can be seen from virtually any place in the city. Pao de Acucar, (Sugar Loaf ) mountain and its cable car mark the location where Rio de Janeiro was founded in 1565. These two famous landmarks make Rio de Janeiro among the world's most recognizable cities.

The inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro are known as cariocas. The term carioca comes from the country's earliest European history, when it meant "white man's house" and was used to describe a Portuguese trading station. Today the word defines more than birthplace, race, or residence: It represents an ethos of pride, sensuality, and a passionate dedication to life. Much of the carioca verve comes from the sheer physical splendor of the city: seemingly endless beaches, sculpted promontories, and the ocean stretching to infinity. Nearly all of Rio de Janeiro's attractions are found in the affluent Zona Sul, the neighborhoods on or near the beach. It is here that hotels, restaurants, shops, and nightlife are concentrated.

While in Rio de Janeiro, prepare to have your senses engaged and your inhibitions lowered. You'll be seduced by a host of images: the joyous bustle of vendors at Sunday's Hippie Fair; the tipsy babble of a sidewalk café as latecomers sip their last glass of wine under the stars; the blanket of lights beneath Sugarloaf. Borrow the carioca spirit for your stay; you may find yourself reluctant to give it back.

During the day, Rio de Janeiro life focuses on the beaches, the most active of which remains Copacabana. To sense the Carioca spirit, spend a day on Copacabana Beach and walk from Copa's Avenida Atlântica, with its sidewalk cafés, high-rise hotels, and deluxe apartment buildings, to Ipanema, whose beach life is both more restrained and more seductive. The western extension, Leblon, is an affluent, intimate community flush with good, small restaurants and bars. The more distant southern beaches, beginning with São Conrado and extending past the Barra to Grumari, become richer in natural beauty and increasingly isolated.

Although Rio de Janeiro is more than 400 years old, it is in every respect a modern city. Most of the Rio de Janeiro's historic structures have fallen victim to the wrecking ball, leaving only a handful that can be visited by tourists. What's left is found in and around the downtown area in churches and other buildings scattered about the city center. Organized tours, both walking and in sightseeing buses, are highly recommended. If you are not on an organized tour, the best approach to visiting the historic sights is the subway, which seems to be mostly finished. The bus is another viable means of transportation — and better, perhaps, as above ground you can familiarize yourself with Rio de Janeiro's different neighborhoods.

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