Rio de Janeiro is one of the most spectacular cities in the world. A natural harbour ringed by steep green mountains, with golden beaches curving along the coast and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue presiding over it all from the peak of Corcovado. No photograph does it justice — you have to stand on Sugar Loaf Mountain and take in the 360-degree panorama of Guanabara Bay, the city sprawling between jungle-covered peaks, and the Atlantic stretching to the horizon.
Rio is divided by a mountain range into two zones. The Zona Sul (South Zone) is where most visitors spend their time — this is where you will find Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and the city's most famous landmarks. The Zona Norte (North Zone) has the Maracanã stadium and the Sambadrome where Carnival parades thunder through each February. The Zona Oeste (West Zone) is home to Barra da Tijuca, a sprawling modern district with long beaches and mega-malls.
But one of Rio's most precious resources is its people. Brazil is a melting pot of races, colours and creeds, and Cariocas -- as Rio's residents are known -- are famously warm, fun-loving and welcoming. The city runs on music, from bossa nova born in Ipanema's bars to samba thundering through Lapa's streets every weekend.
Give Rio at least three or four days. You will want time to climb Corcovado, ride the cable car up Sugar Loaf, wander the colonial streets of Santa Teresa, eat feijoada in a neighbourhood boteco, and simply sit on the beach and watch the city go by. The Teatro Municipal and the Biblioteca Nacional anchor the grand belle époque boulevard of Avenida Rio Branco in Centro; the Museu do Amanhã and the Museu de Arte do Rio occupy the revamped Porto Maravilha waterfront. If the heat gets too much, escape for a day to the cool mountain town of Petropolis.
