Rio de Janeiro is the city of dreams, mystique and escape known as "The Marvelous City." It is where nature's splendor meets human appetite. Rio is famous for Carnaval, samba, Bossa Nova, beautiful beaches and beautiful people. The most famous postcards from Rio are Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado Mountain and the Sugarloaf Mountain. It is home to the largest samba parades and one of the world's largest football stadiums.

Volcanoes carved out Rio's Guanabara Bay creating a cluster of beaches. The city spreads out anywhere there is space. The Cariocas – residents of Rio – speak with a fast lilt that is as infectious as the landscape. The Portuguese first discovered Rio on January 1, 1502 and named it January's River. The discovery of gold made Rio a mecca for business. With natural ports for exporting, Rio became the capital of Brazil from 1763 until 1960.

While always a popular destination, Rio gained its fame as a party-going beach haven in the 1930's when Copacabana Palace Hotel was the definition of luxury for Europeans and Americans. Beaches are segmented and range from young beach, gay beach, "hippy " beach etc. While Rio has different zones to explore, the most popular is the South Zone, known for its famous beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Arpoador, Leme and Santa Teresa. You can enjoy the most popular activity on the beach: people watching as well as hand-glide or hike. Rio is home of the Tijuca National Park, the largest inner city park and urban forest in the world. Rio is also famous for its samba parades, for which they built a designated stadium.

The North Zone is home of the Maracanã stadium which can hold almost 200,000 people. It was the site of the 1950 World Cup final and will be home to the final game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

Rio is a destination that can overwhelm the senses. When traveling with True Brazil Travel, we will ensure you experience the most authentic locations, not just the tourist destinations. During the summer (October – March), monthly average temperatures are 68º – 86ºF / 20ºC while during the winter (April – September) they can range from 64º – 79ºF / 18ºC.