Marvelous City with Devilish Charm

The very first Europeans to discover Rio de Janeiro in 1502 knew that they had found a very special location. It has been said that the most beautiful city in the world is: “By the hands of man, Paris. By the hands of God, Rio de Janeiro…” Today those words still ring true. The city blossomed with the arrival of the Portuguese court in 1808 and to this day, Portuguese is the official language of Brazil.

Fun-loving Rio de Janeiro, home of the samba, the bossa nova and Carmen Miranda, is the most physically beautiful city in the world. Sprawling along a sensuously undulating shoreline of white sandy beaches and luxury skyscrapers, the city is divided by startling green-crested mountain peaks with names like Corcovado (hunchback) and Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf). The city pulsates with its own rhythm, surrounded by the aquamarine-blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

One of the main attractions probably remains the popular culture of the bossa nova (who can forget Tom Jobim’s “Girl From Ipanema?”), the samba, the lifestyle as exemplified by the beaches and the incomparable yearly celebration of the Carnival at the end of February. Bossa nova lovers still flock to the Garota de Ipanema Cafй and pay homage to the table where, according to legend, Jobim wrote his famous song.

Beach Life

This very pastoral and idyllic quality has caused some visitors to view this great metropolis as a beach resort. True, the legendary beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, and their luminous beach culture featuring the national game of futevolei (soccer), acrobatic volleyball, gymnastics and multicolored hang gliders fluttering down from the sky are extraordinary sights. The pavements and paths that run along the top of the beaches are the playground for the city’s cyclists, roller skaters and the people who simply want to walk, jog or sit and enjoy the scenery from a bench or the comfort of a small beach cafй. Musical extravaganzas and free concerts can also be seen throughout the year on the beaches of Rio, culminating in the New Year celebration which attracts millions of people to the beaches to commemorate the arrival of the new year and witness a truly spectacular fireworks displays.

History and Gems

For those interested in Brazilian history and gemology, there is the fascinating H. Stern museum and workshop, where one can follow the path of the rough gem through cutting, polishing and mounting. H. Stern provides free roundtrip taxi service from every hotel to the museum where refreshments are offered upon arrival.

Stern emigrated from Germany in 1939 and built a worldwide jewelry empire based in Rio, and his story alone makes this well worth a visit. The variety of Brazilian stones is startling: aquamarine, amethyst, topaz, tourmaline, emerald, diamond and other precious and semiprecious stones. Gems are available mounted or unmounted, and can be put into the setting of your choice (18-karat gold, silver or platinum) within 24 hours.

A Taste of Rio and Nightlife

Rio has what is considered to be the most traditional Brazilian dish of them all, the feijoada, a wonderful mix of rice, black beans, sausage, pork, beef and greens. It is traditionally served for Saturday lunch. Another popular Brazilian dish in Rio is the barbecue, which comes in all shapes and sizes. One of the most famous is a churrascaria; a barbecue house, where for a set price varied barbecued delicacies until the customer is satiated.

Rio also has its traditional drinks, many of which are based on a locally produced sugar cane spirit known as cachaзa. Cachaзa is the basis to fruit batidas and also the caiphrinha, a drink that is the usual accompaniment to the feijoada. Rio de Janeiro is a city that never sleeps. In Rio the night gets underway as darkness falls, although for the Cariocas it is a question of the later the better. Cariocas rarely eat out before 9pm and most restaurants only start to fill up after 10pm.

Carnival

Every year during the four days preceding Ash Wednesday, the most chaotic celebration in any city of the world gets underway: Carnival (or locally, Carnaval). Taking up the best part of a week, Carnival, as a period of celebration, is more important to the average Brazilian than Christmas, the New Year, or even winning the World Cup. It is a mixture of street parades, some featuring competitions among the city’s famous samba schools. Nearly fifty thousand people parade the last two nights and are watched by a live crowd of around eighty thousand. Millions more watch live on television as the show evolves and plays out into the early morning.