The large city of Rio de Janeiro is the bright city in Brazil, the city that shows the good side of South America, the traditional, beautiful side that is often overlooked.  Usually people are drawn to the violence and the sketchy side of South America, without pausing at Rio de Janeiro to see the beauty that is Brazil and its culture.  Between the rich lagoons, high peaks, and timeless beaches, Rio de Janeiro has become a world-renown site of beauty. 

Though you may think you have never heard much about Rio de Janeiro, you are probably mistaken, its famous beaches have found their way into film, song, and books.  You may have heard of the three beaches, Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon.  These beaches have been muse to many things that are famous throughout the world, they are responsible for songs like “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Desafinado” and of course, “Copacabana.”  Copacabana is a vast seafront expanse filled with vendors, sunbathers, soccer games, sand castle sculptors and school classes.  Along the walk you will see kiosks full of retirees, soccer fans, moms, gays, teens, bikers, and more from all walks of life, ending up here to drink, socialize, gossip, and bask in Rio’s beautiful weather.  On the opposite side of the beach you will stumble upon some of the city’s most popular hotels, such as Copacabana Palace, Excelsior Copacabana, and Portinari Design Hotel.

Also found in Copacabana is the rich culinary wonders of Brazil.  The Marius Crustaceos is a Rio institution where seafood is mandatory.  This all-you-can-eat establishment offers anything from the local seas cooked traditionally and deliciously, along with a seafood bar.  Also, specific to Brazil, feijoada is a local feast consisting of a black bean stew simmered for hours with large portions of pork, beef and sausages in a clay pot.  The only draw back to feijoada is the fact that this national dish is served traditionally only on Saturdays.  But now there is an alternative.  Casa de Feijoada is a modest restaurant that is frequented by locals and visitors alike.  This restaurant, located on an Ipanema side street, serves feijoada every day and at all hours, accompanied by dishes full of rice, cassava, collard greens and crispy hot fried pork rinds with orange slices.  And you can keep with tradition and follow this feast up with a cachaca, the potent sugar cane liquor that is the base to Brazil’s national drink, the caipirinha.

 Rio de Janeiro is not only frequented for its hotels, beaches and food, but for the Christ of the Redeemer, a 130-ft. Art Deco that was completed in 1931.  After a 2,300-ft. climb you can reach the feet of this masterpiece that was recently selected as on of the “New Seven Wonders of the World,” which makes it the only modern site on the list.

 In Brazil, Rio de Janeiro’s carnival is one of the greatest parties on Earth.  In the beginning of February, the dancing begins, with parties in the streets, the Samba parade, and much more.  Brazilians like foreigners to at least try to dance, and most of the larger samba groups allow tourists to join them as long as they wear the costumes, known as “fantasias,” which travelers can order online for costs from $282 to $1,412.  If you don’t dance you can watch from the stadium as the city’s top 12 samba groups, each with an 80-minute long spectacle that features hundreds drummers, thousands of dancers and a dozen flamboyant parade floats follow along the stadium’s half-mile-long runway.  The stadium has a capacity crown of 88,500.

 A easier and cheaper way to celebrate is at Rio’s street carnival, where no tickets or costumes are needed.  You can dance along with the Bandas, which play hits of carnivals past, or the blocos, which write a new song for each carnival and play it repeatedly.  The Banda Ipanema is one of the most famous carnival bands, the fans of the Carmelitas bloco like to dress as nuns, though it is not required, and the Cordao de Bola Preta is one of the city’s most traditional carnival bands, and is a favorite for families with young children.