Rio de Janeiro City - Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is located between some mountains and the sea. It is the most famous city of Brazil as well as its tourist capital. It is also considered the main entrance to Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro is called "The Marvellous City" or "The Fluminense Capital" too.

Its population is represented by 7 million people, a considerable number which makes it a cosmopolitan and cultural city.

Tourist Places and Attractions:

Lugares Turísticos:

Catedral Metropolitana
Cerro Pan de Azúcar
El Corcovado
Cristo Redentor
Parque Nacional de la Tijuca
Jardín Botánico y Lagoa Freitas
Jardín Zoológico - Inf.: (+55 21) 3983-8400
Monte de la Urca
Piedra Bonita
Río Paraibuna
Parque de Mónica
Faro de la Isla Rasa
Estadio Fútbol Maracaná - Inf.: (+55 21) 2299-2941
Planetario - Inf.: (+55 21) 2274-0096
Palacio Itamaraty

Museos:

Galería de Arte Brasilera
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
Museo Histórico y Diplomático - Inf.: (+55 21) 2253-2828
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes - Inf.: (+55 21) 2240-0068
Museo de Arte Moderno - Inf.: (+55 21) 2240-4944
Museo Internacional de Arte Naïf - Inf.: (+55 21) 2205-8612
Museo Histórico Nacional - Inf.: (+55 21) 2550-9224
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Niterói
Museo Villa Lobos
Museo Folclórico Edison Carneiro
Museo del Indígena
Museo Histórico Nacional - Inf.: (+55 21) 2220-2328
Palacio del Catete - Museo de la República - Inf.: (+55 21) 2558-6350
Fundación Eva Klabin Rapaport - Inf.: (+55 21) 2523-3471
Teatro Municipal - Inf:. (+55 21) 2299-1711

Atracciones Turísticas:

Centro Histórico
Palacio da Ilha Fiscal - Inf.: (+55 21) 2233-9165
Teatro Municipal - Inf.: (+55 21) 2299-1711
Biblioteca Municipal - Inf.: (+55 21) 2220-9484
Aqueducto da Carioca Arcos da Lapa
Real Gabinete portugues de Leitura - Inf.: (+55 21) 2221-3138
Centro Cultural de Justicia Federal - Inf.: (+55 21) 2532-5419
Palacio Tiradentes - Inf.: (+55 21) 2558-1251
Cinelandia
Confiteria Colombo
Academia Brasilera de Letras - Inf.: (+55 21) 3974-2500
Iglesia de San Francisco de Penitencia - Inf.: (+55 21) 2262-0197
Monasterio de San Bento - Inf.: (+55 21) 2291-7122
Iglesia N.S de Candelaria - Inf.: (+55 21) 2233-2324
Catedral Metropolitana - Inf.: (+55 21) 2240-2669

West Zone and Barra de Tijuana

Departing from the south zone, in the direction of The Niemeyer Avenue or The Zuzu Angel Tunel, it is possible to arrive to Barra de Tijuca which is also called "The Miami Carioca".

Other natural places like Prainha, Grumari and Recreo de Bandeirantes are located to the west.

Botafogo and Urca
These are ancient edifications of the Brazilian Aristocracy.

The Botafogo Neighbourhood joins the centre and south zone of the city. It still preserves some residences from The XIX Century.

In this sector, it is interesting to visit The Hortomercado Cobal bars.

Concerning to Urca, it is situated in the lower part of the mount that leads to The Pao de Azucar.

In this sector, it is interesting to visit The Urca Casino and The Guanabara Bay.

Centre Zone
In this part of the city there is a popular neighbourhood known as "The Centre", this denomination does not refer to its particular location, actually, it refers to the foundation area of Rio de Janeiro.

In this sector, it is interesting to visit The Central Avenue (inspired on French boulevards) and Cinelandia.

Nowadays, this neighbourhood is an opened museum, plenty of churches and historic constructions.

Copacabana
The Copacabana Neighbourhood has 150.000 residents. It is one of the most important localities of Rio de Janeiro.

Its roadway is very famous thanks to a huge floor tile, made of Portuguese stones, that imitates the movement of the waves.

There are three primary avenues which connect Copacabana: The Barata Ribeiro, Nuestra Sra. de Copacaba and The Atlántica.

In the nightfall, this place is frequented by prostitutes and travesties.

Gloria, Catete and Flamengo
The grandiose frontage of The Glória Hotel, on Russel Street, is the main reference of one of the most ancient neighbourhoods of the city.

Close to this place, Catete is located. It holds a piece of the Brazilian History. It was the Government See when Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil. In Catete, an interesting site to visit is The Museum of The Republic.

The Flamengo neighbourhood is formed by antique buildings, offices and bars distributed between The Senador Vergueiro and Marques de Abrantes Streets.

Ipanema
Ipanema is famous, at a world level, thanks to the music of Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Morais.

Its beach is the favourite one for Cariocas (people from Rio de Janeiro).

The Ipanema Beach extends itself from The Arpoador Beach (ideal for surfing) to The Jardim de Alá.

The popular Viera Souto Avenue is situated in front of the sea. It is a frequented tourist area.

In the proximity of The Nossa Senhora da Paz Beach, there are several restaurants and bars. An increasing nocturnal life.

The Farme de Amoedo Street is the favourite point for the gay community.

Lagoa, Jardim Botanico and Gávea
Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is placed in the heart of the south zone of the city. It is one of the principal tourist locations.

The Epitácio Pessoa and Borges de Modeiros Avenues are popular because of their residential and luxurious neighbourhoods, with many bars, restaurants and an exiting nocturnal life.

Moreover, The Jardim Botanico (The Botanic Garden) is located in the south zone. It is considered one of the most quiet and charming places of Rio de Janeiro.

Passing The Equine Club, The Gávea Neighbourhood is situated, a popular location also called "Baixo Gávea" (The Bohemian Neighbourhood).

Lapa
This is an ancient aqueduct that distributed the waters of The Caioca River. The Ercos de Lapa is the entrance gate to this location where the legendary samba was born.

Furthermore, there are a lot of bars and restaurants which present some samba shows. In this section, it is interesting to stopover in The Flying Circus.

Lapa is also the point of encounter of prostitutes and travesties.

Laranjeiras and Cosme Velho
Laranjeiras is the succession of The Botafogo Street. It begins in the upper part of The Farani Street.

This is a residential sector, pertaining to a university. It also contains many bars.

Cosme Velho is placed next to Laranjeiras. It is well known because of its green areas and colonial constructions.

This site is near to the train station that goes towards The Corcovado.

Leblon
At first sight, Leblon seems to be just a prolongation of Ipanema, but, it is, in fact, a particular and exceptional place.

This neighbourhood is exceptionally "carioca" (a typical place of Rio). It possesses one of the finest views of the city.

Leblon begins in the popular and frequented Dias Ferreira Street.

In this location, it is easy to find good and different bars, restaurants and stores.

Santa Teresa
The major symbol of Santa Teresa is its "Yellow Tranway" that crosses the whole neighbourhood.

Santa Teresa is very admired thanks to its various colonial buildings and churches, its parallelepiped streets and its famous ateliers, where many carnival costumes are designed.

The "Yellow Tranway" Station is located in The Lélio Gama Street, in the centre of the neighbourhood, passing through The Arch of Lapa.

North Zone and Sao Cristovao
This is a recognized aristocratic place from The XIX Century.

The entire zone commences in The Quinta Da Boa Vista Street and it includes The Sao Cristovao Palace (a national museum) and The Zoo Garden.

This is a concentration point of several traditions belonged to the north of Brazil.

The most important neighbourhoods of this region are: Villa Isabel, Terra de Noel Rosa, Maracana and Tijuca.