Rio de Janeiro
As the Brazilians say, 'God made the world in six days, the seventh he devoted to Rio'. Founded by the Portuguese in 1565, Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil from 1763 until 1960. Nestled between jagged mountains, verdant forests and azure sea, Rio de Janeiro is unsurpassed for its natural beauty. Its magnificent shoreline boasts Sugar Loaf Mountain and the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, while the mountains above Rio play host to the world-famous statue of Christ the Redeemer - one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and the largest natural urban park in the world, Tijuca National Forest.
The city's eight million inhabitants, known as "Cariocas", are a friendly, carefree people who always seem to find time for the pleasures of good living. The city itself never sleeps. This attitude is reflected in exuberant New Year celebrations but also in Rio's famous Carnival, when, for one week, the city's residents stop everything to dance and sing to rhythmic Samba music.
For more information on your holiday to Rio de Janeiro, or for advice on your holiday to Brazil, please contact Oliver, our Brazil specialist on 01285 885 333.