When people refer to Rio in Portuguese it's very common to hear "Rio de Janeiro a cidade maravilhosa" which literally means the marvelous city. After seeing Rio with your own eyes you'll understand why.

Usually the first thing people think of when they hear the word Rio is Carnival and beaches packed with tan scantily clad bathers. Rio is so much more. The history of so many different peoples and cultures all come together in Rio. Rio is a perennial tourist destination for those seeking a taste of the exotic, rhythmic, tropical atmosphere of South America, here at its best in the land of Samba.

It's the unique combination of dense sub-tropical forest covered mountains gradually disappearing into the sea, creating extensive natural bays and powdery sand beaches that make this a truly unique, breathtakingly scenic spot on the continent. It's really worthwhile taking a drive through the Tijuca Forest and visiting the other parks Rio has to offer. The drive up the mountains is refreshing after a rough day bathing oneself in the sun. The temperature change with altitude is quite noticeable. You can walk under some fresh mountain water to wash the salt-water feel away and see some spectacular views of the city, beaches, and the lake, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, down below.

In the middle of the elite south side of the city, it's between this lake and the ocean where the neighborhoods Ipanema and Leblon lie. City ordinances limiting the height of buildings has really helped maintain a special charm in Ipanema and Leblon is an even younger neighborhood as development spread towards Barra, only a short scenic drive from these traditional sections of the city. Often seen in post cards, the long stretch of tall buildings lining the well-known traditional and older neighborhood of Copacabana is separated from Ipanema and Botafogo by mountains and linked to other parts of the city by tunnels, nevertheless the system of tunnels necessary for the development of this city is an engineering feat in itself.

What continues to impress visitors more than the man-made constructions such as the statue of Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado, the cathedral downtown, or the numerous high-rise buildings of this enormous city is how relatively small all of these things seem among the immense mountains and vast bays of the area. Don't miss a view of exactly this from Sugar Loaf, where the character Jaws bit the cable car lines in the old 007 flick. Before you know it you'll be sambaing your way to the airport having to go back home remembering jumping off the cliff and hang-gliding over Sao Conrado Beach or maybe the Poupozudas on the beach in Barra, regardless of what sticks in your mind you'll find that Rio is a place like no other!