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Rio de Janeiro or 'River of January' Brazil's capital until 1960 is today the second biggest city after Sao Paulo. Tucked between rainforest clad mountains and the sea Rio de Janeiro is endowed with a natural beauty that is brimming with colour, sound and rhythm. Rio de Janeiro is still one of the main sources of national culture and is the cradle of three types of Brazilian music - the choro, the samba and the bossa nova. The city is famous for the hotel-lined tourist beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema, for the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer on the Corcovado mountain and Brazil's most popular festival, Carnaval. The golden age of the city of Rio de Janeiro has left a legacy of major works of art and public buildings such as the Municipal Theatre, the National Museum of Fine Art, the Itamaraty Palace, the National Museum at Quinta da Boa Vista and the National History Museum. Other attractions include the Catedral Metropolitana that holds 20,000 people, Maracana Stadium, Parque Nacional da Tijuca and Pao de Acucar or Sugar Loaf that can be reached via cable car.
Rio de Janeiro-Galeao, Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) is situated 21km (14 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro city centre.
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Rio de Janeiro guide