By Air

Direct Flights: American Airlines, Aerofloat, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss Air

Statue of Christ Redeemer
Atop Corcovado Mountain, at 2,330 feet, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer ranks among the world s best-known and most-visited monuments. The Statue, faced with a soapstone mosaic in art nouveau style, is reached via steep steps. The climb is worth it, with the view of Tijuca National Park spreading out below nothing short of spectacular.

Museum of the Indian
Dedicated to native Brazilians, their art and culture, this museum showcases, pottery, wood, straw and feathers used by tribes from throughout the sprawling country.

Sugarloaf Mountains
Symbol of the city s stand guard over the magnificent base & the vast expenses of skyscraper lines sandy beaches.

Sandy Beaches
Copacabana is a hot spot day and night with lifeguard posts, public showers, hotels, bars and open-air restaurants. Ipanema with its elite shops and restaurants, while more subdued, are a bit more sophisticated. Leblon is also popular and Barra beach, the city s largest and favored by the younger crowd, is known for surfing and windsurfing.

Iguassu Waterfalls
Considered to be the worlds most beautiful, a grandiose natural spectacle which is second to none is one and half hour flying time from Rio.

Botanical Gardens
More than 7,000 varieties of plants, herbarium, aquarium and a library are at these gardens founded in 1908. Bird-watchers are advised to show up early morning since 140 species have been spotted including flycatchers and tanagers, plus the American hawk.

Sugar Loaf
The summit is reached by a two-step cable car. The first stage arrives at the Morro da Urca, at 550 feet, which has a restaurant, amphitheatre, and a good view of the Botafogo Bay and the Yacht Club. Stage two proceeds to Sugar Loaf itself, named for resemblance to loaves of sugar used by the Portuguese shortly after discovery. Sugar loaf is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

SAARA, the largest ethnic market in downtown Rio, dazzles with knockdown prices for clothing and exotic foodstuffs. Big sales take place in January and August. Rio is known the world over for beachwear. Precious stones, from amethyst and aquamarine to topaz and tourmaline can be good buys. Open-air markets unfold at the end of the day on the Copacabana beachfront between Rual Miguel Lemos and Rua Djalma Ulrich and on Sundays at the Feirarte, known as the Hippie Market on Praca General Osorio in Ipanema.

Buses are the primary form of long-distance transportation for the vast majority of Brazilians, and services are generally excellent and relatively cheap. Taxis or private car hires are the best way to get around short distances in the country.

Raajmahal Natraj
Guilda

Baixo Farme
Terreirão do Samba
Sobre as Ondas
Casa da Lua