Brazil

Designed by famous landscape designer Burle Marx, this 296-acre zone provides Cariocas (Rio residents) and visitors with a pleasant place to take a stroll, play volleyball, soccer or tennis or to have a picnic, in the largest urban park in the world. Enjoy the excellent views across the bay to the Rio-Niterói bridge and Corcovado. Three popular museums are found on the premises: the popular Museu Carmem Miranda, National Monument for those who perished during the II World War and Museum of Modern Arts.

A traditional bar established in 1934 near the Rodrigo de Freitas lake, one of the best places in Rio to watch the sunset. Built and decorated in traditional art deco style, with tables inside and outside, it is packed just about every day, despite the apparent bad temper of the waiters - no joke, this is part of the charm of the place and a famous conversation topic in town. The food is a mix of Brazilian and German treats, with excellent steaks, and a signature sausage with potato salad and ice-cold draft beer that is one of the all-time favorites.

Protected by the widespread arms of the huge Christ the Redeemer statue perched over the city, Rio de Janeiro is known for its beautiful people, beautiful beaches, good dance moves, even better soccer team and thumping carnival.

Copacabana and Ipanema are, by far, the most famous beaches. Those attracted by the much-celebrated  love of Brazilian beauties for minuscule bikinis should note that while itsy-bitsy doesn’t begin to cover it, actually going topless is illegal in Brazil.

Unfortunately, Rio is also known for its gang-riddled slums, or favellas. Obviously, travelers should avoid risky areas and use common sense to stay safe. If you do so, your trip to Rio is likely to be eventful only in the best sense of the term. So book a ticket for the two weeks of carnival, pack your sun block and smallest swimwear, and get ready to get your samba on.

The JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro is a luxury property situated in the heart of Copacabana overlooking the beach, approximately nine miles from Rio De Janeiro Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport. Local attractions include Sugarloaf, International Primitive Museum, Tijuca Forest, and Maracana Soccer Stadium.Hotel amenities include concierge, business center, safe deposit box, complimentary shoeshine, free newspapers, and onsite parking (fee). Guests may also enjoy the outdoor heated pool, fitness center, sauna, and jogging trail. Onsite drinks and dining are available at the lobby lounge, the terraneo bar, the terraneo restaurant, and the terraneo sushi bar.Guest rooms feature hairdryers, bathrobes, toiletries, dual-line telephones, voicemail, air conditioning, AM/FM alarm clock radios, coffeemakers, individual climate controls, in-room safes, satellite/cable TV, and minibars.

Protected by the widespread arms of the huge Christ the Redeemer statue perched over the city, Rio de Janeiro is known for its beautiful people, beautiful beaches, good dance moves, even better soccer team and thumping carnival.

Copacabana and Ipanema are, by far, the most famous beaches. Those attracted by the much-celebrated  love of Brazilian beauties for minuscule bikinis should note that while itsy-bitsy doesn’t begin to cover it, actually going topless is illegal in Brazil.

Unfortunately, Rio is also known for its gang-riddled slums, or favellas. Obviously, travelers should avoid risky areas and use common sense to stay safe. If you do so, your trip to Rio is likely to be eventful only in the best sense of the term. So book a ticket for the two weeks of carnival, pack your sun block and smallest swimwear, and get ready to get your samba on.

This is Latin America's largest shopping center, with more than 500 establishments, including an endless variety of stores for all tastes and budgets, restaurants and fast-food shops (pizza, salads, ice-cream parlors and even sushi). It also holds an extremely modern medical center with a panoramic lift, a business center, an external monorail that runs the entire length of the shopping center, an indoors amusement park, cinemas and a bowling area. You can find anything you need in one of the stores.

As famous as the neighborhood, Ipanema, the Beach is a favorite summer hang-out for locals and tourists alike. But with as many recreational options available, it is not surprising to find this place packed at any given time of the year. Come down to surf or sun bathe while gulping unlimited supply of cachaça—a traditional Brazilian drink. Gay-friendly, hep, youthful are some of the common adjectives used to describe this beach. Also popular for picturesque views of Dois Irmãos, this beach is surrounded by a plethora of eateries, shops and flee markets that add up to the long list of reasons that make this place a must-visit.

If you would like typical Amazonian food and atmosphere with a view of Lake Rio de Janiero, then Palaphita Kitch is a must see. Palaphita Kitch recreates a typical Amazonian retreat, designed with low impact, environmentally friendly architecture and landscaping. Only reforested wood, natural fibers, and renewable natural resources were used in the construction. The atmosphere reaches perfection with burning torches, a friendly parrot, background music, and reflections in Lake Rodrigo de Frietas. - Yves Schliebener

Físico e Forma is a network of several shops selling a wide range of sport accessories such as trainers, clothes, footballs and volleyballs among other items. Here you will find shoes and boots for a variety of sports, tennis and squash rackets and balls, inline skates and sports bags. Its clientele includes people of all ages interested in maintaining a healthy active life. Físico e Forma shops are located in the main shopping malls in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

A large steak house that brings together a lot of glitter, mulatas and samba every day after ten in the evening. The meat is excellent, especially the picanha, and one should not miss the side dishes, like the unforgettable and typically Brazilian cheese balls. The atmosphere is cheerful and very informal, and tourists abide at show time! The Tom Jobim Bar, named after the world-famous composer who was a regular patron, is one of the best places to find bohemian old-timers.

If you happen to be in the area, and you surely will be after coming down the Corcovado hill, be sure to visit this little square, a small colonial haven in the middle of town. Most of the houses in this old neighborhood date from the 19th century. Some are decorated with picturesque azulejos (Portuguese tiles), which have a colonial edge to them. There is also a charming fountain and old-style cobbled streets.

Tempt yourself at this trendy food center that is also a delicatessen, a wine cellar, a cookbook shop and a kitchen wares mart. Food is a mix of American, European and Japanese styles. The menu changes often, and the more than 30 types of homemade baguettes and rolls are a must. The snack bar, with a large variety of salads and pâtés, is very popular for breakfast and brunch, especially on weekends. The décor of this two-story centre is a reminder of London and Paris. The café is always very busy, occupying part of the ground floor and the mezzanine, where the wine bar is also located. The restaurant is in a separate area on the ground floor. Valet parking is provided in the evening, and booking is strongly recommended, especially for dinner.

Its all about the little touches at the Zaza Bistro Tropical, located on the corner of Rua Prudente de Morais and Joana Angelica in a pretty villa that by night is one of the city's most welcoming restaurants. Candles light the collection of tables on the outdoors terrace, whilst the few indoor tables are festooned with rich, deep colors, all waited on by friendly staff. The food is as good as the setting too, with a small but well considered menu offering delicate fusion foods, taking the best of Thai, Indian, and even Jamaican food, and giving it a Brazilian twist. The fish is invariably excellent, but if it's the cocktail menu that draws your attention, there is a middle-eastern flavored room upstairs laden with cushions for you to recline on and ease into your evening. - Doug Gray

A 15 minute ferry ride across Guanabara Bay from Praca Quinze in Downtown Rio brings you to the neighborhood of Niteroi. A further 5 minute taxi ride then delivers you to the entrance of one of Brazil's most iconic buildings, Oscar Niemeyer's Contemporary Art Museum. Though critics say that the building is usually more impressive than the art within, MAC still hosts a huge variety of exhibitions of international artists, talks by noted speakers, and cinema specials that should interest art lovers. If, however, the current displays do not interest you, the restaurant/café in the stomach of the building is an excellent and relatively inexpensive place for a bite to eat. The round building offers a panorama of the bay you will not see anywhere else. - Doug Gray

This beach is located right next to Ipanema at the far west end of the same stretch of sand. Some of Rio's most chic clubs, restaurants and boutiques lie on its nearby streets, which get very crowded during the summer months. Much trendier than Copacabana, this is the place to be seen. Don't forget the not too far hippy fair on the weekends in neighboring Ipanema. This is also a good starting point to see the Jardim Botânico and Jóquei Clube.

More than just a pizzeria, this is one of the hottest spots in Ipanema, day or night. The Italians have created a new classification for their world famous pizza: di origini controllata, which means that amongst other things it must have a specific flour in its dough, very special tomatoes and mozzarella cheese and lots of love in it! Well, this is the only place in town where you can eat a pizza di origini controllata! The glass walls and roof, the Soho-like atmosphere and the location right at the corner of two busy streets of Ipanema make this place the right spot to be in order to see or be seen.

This is actually the first mile of the sandy crescent known as Copacabana. Located between the Morro do Leme and Avenida Princesa Isabel, this stretch is less touristy than its more famous cousin. Locals like to bring the family here, to play beach soccer or volleyball and relax under umbrellas while munching away on shrimp and grilled pieces of fish. On the edge of the rocks you can see a horde of fishermen trying to catch the fish of the day. At night, the clubs and discos are usually packed.

Resembling a huge, futuristic Mayan pyramid, it is impossible not to be amazed by this architectural downtown wonder. Inaugurated in 1976, while still incomplete, it has a capacity of over 20,000 people. The interior is a virtual cavern, with an open space 300 feet high, no supporting columns and a granite rock that forms the altar. No matter what you think about its unusual exterior beehive shape, the four huge stained glass windows will grab you. The underground houses the sacred arts museum.

One of the very best French restaurants in the country, owned by maitre Claude Troisgros, from the world-famous Troisgros family. Claude has been in Rio for more than ten years. Always putting his cooking know-how to work with Brazilian ingredients, a true alchemy of Brazilian foods: raviolis stuffed with potatoes baroa or quail with jabuticaba sauce—mouth-watering recipes with careful presentation. The restaurant is in a beautiful house classically decorated. The service is in the best French style.

An imposing domed building that dates back to the late 19th century in the heart of the downtown district, this is the country's best cultural center of its kind. It includes a cinema with high-quality art films, state-of-the-art theatres and a large exhibit of fine arts and photography, with some permanent exhibitions like the collection of Brazilian coins. Displays are diverse, ranging from photography to experimental film festivals. Daily newspapers will have the schedule of events, some of which are free of charge.

The best place to visit to get an idea of what Rio once looked like, with over 46 square miles of tropical rain forest, walking trails, stunning views of the city, waterfalls, creeks and wonderfully varied greenery. This is the largest urban reserve in the world and it only takes about 20 minutes to immerse yourself in nature. Serious hikers can climb to the 3320 feet summit of Pico da Tijuca, while others can simply enjoy the 115 feet waterfall, Cascatinha de Taunay, at the Alto da Boa Vista.

This store is in the Rio Sul Shopping Center and has an express developing and APS service in 1 hour with Kodak quality. Have your film developed while you do your shopping. The shop also sells cameras for professionals and amateurs, digital cameras and photographic materials from several manufacturers: Vivitar, Canon, Yashica, Sony, Pentax, Kodak and Tron.

This downtown drinking den is one of the liveliest places in Lapa to meet up on a Friday or Saturday night. The bar's name means 'Rainbow of Lapa', and here you'll find revelers of all colors, ages, social class, and fashion tribe. Once known as a 'pé sujo' (dirty feet) bar in reference to the dirty-footed working men who gathered here, the bar has been given a major facelift and is now the ideal place for a late-night beer and bite to eat. The house specialty is the Batata Frito Arco Iris Especial - potato fries with spicy sausage, onion, garlic and grated cheese, which goes perfectly with the bottles of national or imported lagers. - Lucy Bryson

Not many people, including Brazilians themselves, are fully aware of the country's involvement in World War II. In reality, the country sent many battalions and this monument is dedicated to those who lost their lives in the European theater of war, especially in Italy. The monument includes a small museum with military artifacts from those dark years, a mausoleum and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and is guarded by the three Armed Forces. Entry is free.

Admirers of nature and adventure will enjoy climbing this 2,800 feet mountain from which one has an impressive view of the city and the beaches below. The mountain was named for its shape, resembling a gávea (the upper part of a ship). Visitors can either walk on the trails or choose a guided tour to reach the summit. There are some inscriptions on the rocks and a lot of controversy over whether or not they are from civilizations past.