Rio de Janeiro Hotels

At 12 million people strong, Rio is a formidable enterprise. With the meridian of luxury and extravagance on the doorstep of shameful slums and poverty, the city is a study in division. The contrast is germane to the geography as well. Urban sprawl sits between vast forests and the lush mountains of Pão de Açúcar and Corcovado, with miles of Guanabara Bay and Atlantic Ocean coastline as a spectacular border.

Attractions

A New Wonder of the World, Christ the Redeemer looms over Rio de Janeiro with compassion and grace. On the summit of Corcovado Mountain in Tijuca Forest National Park, the concrete and soapstone sculpture is the icon of Brazil.

The South Zone of Rio, home to some of the wealthier neighbourhoods in the city, contains some of the best urban beachfront in the world. On the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Ipanema and Copacabana are the famous names that resonate, although Botafogo on the Guanabara Bay side is singularly beautiful.

Downtown Rio is the financial and historic heart of the city. With a surfeit of Belle époque and colonial-era architecture, the area is a step back in time. Principal attractions include the excellent National Museum of Fine Arts, National Historical Museum of Brazil and pre-eminent city park in South America, the Passeio Público. The central district also boasts a slew of impressive cathedrals in this bastion of Roman Catholicism, from the Baroque Candelária Church to the Old Colonial Cathedral and inimitable Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, whose conical shape colors the cityscape.

A cable car to the peak of Sugar Loaf, or Pão de Açúcar, may not be for the faint of heart but if you can stomach the elevation, the ride is well worth it. Superb views of Ipanema and Rio abound, as well as occasions to explore the mountain, courtesy a network of trails.

Events

Rio de Janeiro is synonymous with Carnaval, the foremost event in the world to mark the advent of Lent. Held in February, four days prior to Ash Wednesday, the phantasmagorical parade draws millions. Not for the bashful, the theatrical revelry of Carnaval is overtly profane.

Futebol is the famous national passion of Brazil. The sport is no less popular in Rio, where five clubs compete for city affections. Flamenga however, is head and shoulders above the rest, with over 40 million fans worldwide and capacity home crowds of 95,000 at Estádio do Maracanã.

Festas Juninas is a superb event held throughout the month of June that celebrates Brazil's rich folkloric heritage.

Other than Carnaval, December 31 is Rio's time to party. The city's beaches explode with brilliant fireworks displays, as millions usher in the New Year.

Climate

Rio de Janeiro is a tropical city, with temperatures that seldom dip below 20°C and hover just above 30°C. The shoreline areas receive cool breezes from the Atlantic Ocean, while inland, urban congestion can bring hot and sticky temperatures that soar above 35°C. To illustrate how even Rio weather is year round, the “cold” month of August has on average, minimum and maximum temperatures of 17°C and 23°C respectively.