Friday 8 March 2013

Travel Brazil: Rio De Janeiro and surroundings


Rio De Janeiro is a truly beautiful and unique city. It is a cultural centre for Brazil and South America and plays host to the world famous Rio Carnaval. From a tourist’s point of view, the Zona Sul is the most important.

The Beaches

This part of the city revolves around three famous beaches; Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. Each of these beaches are surrounded by fashionable and usually expensive districts. The beaches are a centre focus for socialising and entertainment, during any major event in the city. For a visitor to Brazil, these beaches can be a great place to people watch and take in ‘Carioca’ life.
                                     Image courtesy of wikipedia and Author Artyominc

Christ the Redeemer

However, there are many more great sites that are world renowned. One such site is statue of Christ the Redeemer which sits on top of one of the numerous steep hills that surround the coastal parts of the city. From this statue, the views are spectacular, with a panoramic view of the cities primary beaches.

Other sites of  interest

Sugar Loaf Mountain with its impressive cable car are a must for any tourist. Again the views are spectacular from this beautiful location. Maracana stadium is also a very popular place to visit in the northern part of Rio De Janeiro.
 
Favelas and Social Issues
                                         Image courtesy of wikipedia and Author Chensiyuan

Brazil and Rio are famous for a high crime rate and social inequality. You will notice in parts of Rio, many million dollar apartments, which are overlooked by favelas (slums) on the hillside. Many famous Brazilian moves like City of God and Elite Squad have illustrated this issue. However, Brazil has witnessed a period of extended economic growth. This has led to an improvement in the living standards of many people. Furthermore, with the onset of the Olympics and World Cup in Rio De Janeiro, the authorities are actively improving these issues in Brazil.

Day Trips

Rio is surrounded by small and beautiful beaches and islands. These towns are definitely worth a visit. We will focus on the beautiful island of Ilha Grande, which is a piece of nature close to a large city. There are no roads or cars on the island and some beautiful scenes to witness.

Paraty is a nearby town on the mainland, with stylish Portuguese colonial architecture. Paraty is like a little Venice, as the central streets flood during the high tide and drain on low tide. The town is popular with foreigners and Brazilians. There are great restaurants and bars in the town and it even has a colourful and loud carnaval. The harbour is full of boats which can take you on memorable boat trips in the crystal clear inlets between the mainland and the numerous islands. There is also usually great fish barbeques available on board.
                                         Image courtesy of wikipedia and Author Fontela01

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