Rio de Janeiro: a city of magic and charisma
Rio de Janeiro sits on Brazil's Atlantic coast. People know it for beautiful beaches, busy culture and famous sights. A big statue called Christ the Redeemer stands on Mount Corcovado. A cable car carries visitors up the mountain - from the top they see the ocean plus the whole city. Each year Rio holds Carnival. Parades fill the streets with drummers, dancers in bright costumes and crowds who come from every part of the world.
Top places to visit include the Tijuca Zoo, where guests look at animals from many continents - Sugarloaf Mountain, a rock peak that gives wide views, best at sunset; but also the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. The garden covers 54 hectares and holds more than 6,500 kinds of plants, some close to extinction as well as old statues and buildings.
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Culture keeps the city awake. Samba music or dance drive local parties, above all during Carnival. Art galleries, museums and theatres show works also plays from Brazil and abroad - people who love art next to heritage feel at home.
Food and drink shape the Rio visit. A thick stew of meat, rice plus beans, fills plates at midday. A fish and shellfish stew with spices but also coconut milk, carries the taste of the coast. To drink, a caipirinha mixes cachaça spirit, lime and sugar - the cold glass suits the tropical heat.
Rio de Janeiro joins striking land as well as sea views to a deep cultural weave. Travelers who hike, watch, eat or dance leave with memories that stay.
