Attractions

Most visitors to Brazil start or end their visit in Rio de Janeiro. A wise choice. There may be wider beaches in the north, higher mountains in the south, and larger jungles in the Amazon, but nowhere else on earth is there that wonderful combination of white-hot sand and tall green peaks, with a blaze of urban humanity filling all the spaces in between. Most people stay in the beachfront neighborhoods of Copacabana and Ipanema. They're great places to soak up the sun and to people-watch. But even if your time is limited, it's worth making the effort to explore further. In the historic downtown neighborhoods of Centro, Lapa, and Santa Teresa you'll find narrow cobblestone streets, grand plazas, gold-covered churches, and buildings of the baroque, Beaux Arts, and Art Deco styles. Shoppers will be in heaven; browse the crafts markets for souvenirs or check out the small shops in downtown's pedestrian streets. Upscale shoppers will love the Rio Sul mall and the fancy boutiques in Rio's tony Ipanema. If you have the energy, Rio's stunning setting offers numerous recreational activities: hiking, hang gliding, surfing, rock climbing, and kayaking are just a few options. Taking in a game of soccer is an adventure in itself. Nowhere are the crowds larger or livelier than at Rio's Maracanã stadium. The city's vibrant cultural scene comes to life in the evening and never disappoints: See some of the local samba bands in Lapa, or emerging talents at the city's many live music venues, or splurge to see a big national star such as Caetano Veloso.

Welcome to Smile City -- Residents of Rio often refer to the city of Niterói across the bay as "Smile City." It's not a compliment on the friendliness of Niterói's inhabitants (known as Fluminenses), but rather a dig at Niterói's reputation as an affordable but somewhat dull second best to the cidade maravilhosa itself. The name comes, say the oh-so-smug Cariocas, as a result of what happens when you ask a Fluminense where he lives: an embarrassed giggle is followed up with a sickly smile, and only then do they blurt out the awful truth: "Niterói."

Exploring What's Beyond the Saucer -- From Niemeyer's saucer-shaped museum, it's only a short stroll to Niterói's main beach, Icarai. The beach itself makes for a pleasant walk and the views of Rio are fabulous. One of Niterói's main shopping streets, Rua Coronel Moreira Cesar, runs parallel to the beach, 1 block up. The stretch between Rua Miguel Frias and Rua Otavio Carneiro is lined with boutiques and galerias (small shopping centers). You can take a break at the bakery Confeitaria Beira Mar, Rua Coronel Moreira Cesar 149, corner of Rua Pres. Backer (tel. 021/2711-1070). For an excellent kilo lunch try Buzin, Rua Pereira da Silva 169 (tel. 021/2711-5208), just 2 blocks past Rua Colonel Moreira Cesar. For wonderful salads, crepes, pasta, and sandwiches, check out Vitral Bistrô, Rua Lopes Trovão 19 (tel. 021/2611-8713). Closed Saturdays. To return to the ferryboats, catch any bus on the waterfront that says "Barcas." You can also catch a van straight to Ipanema via downtown and Copacabana (R$4/US$1.65).

Squares & Plazas -- What's the difference between a largo and a praça? Simple, although not really. A praça is a city square, and a largo is, well, also a city square except a largo is always bigger than a praça, except -- like with the Largo de Boticario -- when it isn't.

Tucked away just a few hundred meters uphill along Rua Cosme Velho from the Corcovado Train Station is one of Rio's prettiest squares, the Largo de Boticario, named for the druggist Luis da Silva Souto who settled there in 1831 (boticario is an old-fashioned Portuguese word for druggist). It's a gem of a spot, with five gaily painted colonial houses encircling a fountain in the middle of a flagstone square. Mature fig trees overhead make for abundant shade, while traffic noise seems completely drowned out by the soft gurgling of the Rio Carioca (from which residents of Rio derive their nickname) taking its last few breaths of air before disappearing forever beneath the city streets. Calm and picturesque, it's well worth the 5-minute detour if you're going to the Corcovado anyway.

The best way to arrive in Praça XV de Novembro is by sea -- if not on a sailing ship from Portugal then a ferry from Niterói will do the trick. Rio's most important square, Praça XV is also its most abused. Earlier generations of city planners took this main ceremonial square, ran six lanes of traffic in front of it, a freeway over the top of it, then knocked down most of the old structures used to frame the space, and erected 20-story glass blocks. Still, some of the old charm shines through (and six lanes of traffic have been sunk in an underground tunnel, which helps). To your right as you arrive, beyond a statue of Dom João VI on a horse, is the Chafariz do Mestre Valentim, an ornate fountain that marks Rio's former coastline.

Perhaps the city's prettiest square (next to Cinelândia) is the Largo do Machado in the Catete neighborhood. Perfectly proportioned, the square is dominated by the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Glória, a strange but rather elegant combination of traditional Greek temple, and a three-story bell tower. As an added bonus, there's a number of Parisian-style sidewalk cafes on the square's northern flank.

Also well worth a visit is the Largo de São Francisco de Paula in Rio's old shopping district. There's an outdoor market on one side of the square, and on the other the huge baroque-style Igreja de São Francisco de Paula.