Best of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, often simply referred to as Rio, is a municipality in Brazil and the capital of the state with the same name, situated in the Southeast region of the country. It is the most popular international tourist destination in Brazil, Latin America, and the entire Southern Hemisphere. Rio de Janeiro is the most recognized Brazilian city overseas, serving as a national "mirror" or "portrait," whether positively or negatively. It is the second-largest metropolis in Brazil, following São Paulo, and the sixth-largest in America. The city is often referred to as The Marvelous City, and those born there are known as cariocas. A portion of the city has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is one of the country's primary economic, cultural, and financial hubs, internationally renowned for several cultural and scenic landmarks, such as Sugarloaf Mountain, Corcovado Hill with the statue of Christ the Redeemer, the beaches of the Copacabana, Ipanema, and Barra da Tijuca neighborhoods, Maracanã Stadium, the bohemian Lapa neighborhood, the Tijuca and Pedra Branca forests, Paquetá Island, Copacabana's New Year's Eve celebration, the Rio Carnival, Bossa Nova, and samba. Rio was the capital of Brazil, from the Portuguese colonial period until 1960, when the government's office was relocated to the newly constructed Brasilia. Welcome to this marvelous city, considered one of the most beautiful in the world.