Río de Janeiro, el agua
es tu bandera…
ciudad…
de claridad sin fin,
de hirviente sombra… Pablo Neruda

Located on the Atlantic coast in south-central Brazil, on the natural port of the Bahía de Guanabara (Guanabara Bay), Rio de Janeiro is an awe-inspiring city of contrasts: impossibly steep granite mountains jut out of the ocean between glorious stretches of golden sand, impeccable colonial buildings nestle in between modern glass skyscrapers and verdant forests tumble down hillsides into densely populated residential areas. It is a city high on life, a city of beach worship, football, samba and Carnival.
 
The statue of Christ the Redeemer at top of Corcovado Mountain, recently declared as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World is Rio’s most endearing iconic landmark and is a major draw card for thousands of visitors. The Sugar Loaf, Copacabana Beach, the Tijuca forest and the Quinta da Boa Vista are also many of Rio’s attractions.
 
The old and modern monuments show the political, economical and cultural importance of this city: from the Arcos de Lapa to Maracană Stadium, baroque churches, the modern Cathedral, the National Fine Arts Museum and the Modern Arts Museum.
 
It is a city with beautiful and famous beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, which inspired the bossa nova songs well known around the world. Its landscapes are among the best known in the planet. Who hasn’t seen a picture of Christ the Redeemer on top of the Corcovado or Sugar Loaf cable cars? The enormous garden from Aterro de Flamengo, Tijuca Forest, the biggest green area on an urban area in the world and the curves of Niemeyer Avenue almost at the sea are some of its fabulous landscapes.
 
Rio de Janeiro is musical. It is known as the “birthplace of samba”, the rhythm that represents one of the Brazilian culture’s pillars. At the morros (hills), the samba dancers (sambistas) created the escolas do samba (samba schools) and the exuberant show that constitutes the carnival.
 
The Carnival of Rio gathers around the frantic rhythm of the drums and the exuberance of the scolas de samba’s carts, thousands of people from all social classes, who parade for four days with their dazzling costumes.
 
Also for New Years Eve more than a million people gathered around Copacabana and Leme beaches, most of them dressed in white, taking part in the fireworks show and making peace offers.
 
Rio de Janeiro is the best world known Brazilian city. His fame stems from the concentration of the best in the country: an incredibly beautiful natural environment, hospitable people and cultural richness.
 
When you visit this city, you will realize why we say Rio de Janeiro is a fascinating city: the cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city).