‘The Marvelous City’ – Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

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Rio de Janeiro, nicknamed A Cidade Maravilhosa, which means ‘The Marvelous City’ is the capital of the State of Rio de Janeiro and the second largest city in Brazil. It is the most visited city in the whole of the southern hemisphere by tourists from across the world. Rio de Janeiro had been the capital of Brazil for almost 200 years during the Portuguese colonial era between the years 1763 to 1815, as the capital of United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarve from 1815 to 1821 and as an autonomous nation from 1822 to 1960.

Situated on the Brazilian Atlantic coast and in close proximity to the Tropic of Capricorn, Rio de Janeiro was established along the Guanabara Bay. The first Europeans to set foot into Guanabara Bay were the Portuguese, with an expedition led by Gaspar de Lemos in 1502. The Portuguese founded the actual city in 1565, before which Rio de Janeiro was home to several indigenous tribes, who either joined the French or the Portuguese community. The city is home to the largest population of Portuguese people living outside Portugal while their influence is greatly visible in some of the remaining architectural buildings of the colonial period.

Before Rio de Janeiro became a Portuguese stronghold, it was constantly attacked largely by the French, while pirates and buccaneers also plundered the city. It was during the booming sugar era that gold and diamonds were also found, making Rio a convenient port for exports. Due to an invasion of foreign immigrants, Rio de Janeiro became a city with different cultural and religious beliefs. The city flourished as an industrial sector and is today the second largest industrial city in Brazil producing textiles, chemicals, metal products, pharmaceuticals, ships, processed foods, petroleum products, furniture and clothing.

As for tourist attractions, Rio de Janeiro abounds in natural beauty besides it is well-known for its fascinating beaches that include the popular Copacabana, Leblon and Ipenema beaches and the grand carnival festivals that are a joyful extravaganza. The city’s landmarks include the colossal statue of Christ the Redeemer, named one of the Seven Wonders of the World, located on the peak of the Corcovado Mountain, the Maracanã Stadium, which is one of the largest football stadiums in the world, the Sugarloaf mountain, which rises out of the sea and the wonderful cable car that gets you to its summit and the Sambódromo, which is a parade avenue used during the Carnival.

The Centro, which is in the heart of the city, is the historic city centre and consists of some interesting places such as the Paço Imperial, residence for Portuguese governors built during the colonial period, the Candelária Church and the modern Rio de Janeiro Cathedral. At the Cinelândia square, you can find some well-known structures such as the Museu Histórico Nacional, Museu Nacional de Belas, the Municipal Theatre and the National Library. Apart from this you will find the 18th century public garden, Passeio Público and the Roman-style aqueduct, Arcos da lapa. There are several other attractions in Rio de Janeiro while the city has some dazzling nightclubs, restaurants and hotels. It is well-connected to other parts of Brazil while the Galeão – Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport receives tourists from across the globe.