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The beach is a daily event in Rio with a steady flow of people from sunrise to sunset - a place to relax, to meet and chat, to work out and catch the big wave. Amongst the endless miles of superb beaches, Copacabana and Ipanema are the most famous.
The vast statue of Christ the Redeemer towering over the city, arms outstretched in welcome, astride the Corcovado, is the most famous of images of Brazil. From the summit you can see the city flowing around the mountains along the coast, an exhilarating experience with the whole of Rio and Guanabara Bay laid out before you.
Reached by cable car for another spectacular view of the city, Sugar Loaf Mountain rises where Guanabara Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Best of all at sunset on a clear day when the lights of the city start to twinkle.
A walk through the Tijuca Forest which covers an area of approximately 120 square kilometers. There is no other city in the world that can boast a downtown rainforest, home to ocelots, three toed sloths and a paradise for bird watchers.
A visit to one of the samba dance halls is an excellent way to spend a Saturday night when rehearsals are held.
The Botanical Garden is half natural jungle and half laid out in impressive avenues with immense Imperial Palms dating from the garden's inauguration in 1808. It now contains over 5,000 plant species, not to mention numerous monkeys and parrots.
Built in 1950 for the World Cup, Rio's Maracana Stadium, the world's largest, holds nearly 200,000 people. Great silken banners wave across the stand, shrouded by smoke from fireworks, while support for each team is proclaimed by the insistent rhythm of massed samba drums.
The Hippie Market in Ipanema is held every Sunday at the Praca General Osorio. Artisans from all over Brazil sell everything from jewelry to cushion covers.
The national ritual of Feijoada, a stew of pork, sausage and smoked meat cooked with black beans and garlic, garnished with slices of orange, served throughout the city's restaurants at the weekend.
For a purely carnivorous experience spend an evening at a Rodizio. Originating from the macho gaucho south of Brazil, these are cavernous eateries which specialize in one thing and one thing only - meat.
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