The first capital of Brazil from 1763 to 1960 is Rio De Janeiro. It is the second major city of Brazil. The city was established by the Portuguese colonists in the middle of 1500s. It became the harbor for the delivery of gold from the domestic mining areas. Rio has several tourist attractions the high mountains range behind it, Sugar Loaf soaring above its port, and its long curved beaches. It has a beautiful landscape with renowned buildings from each era of its history and numerous urban parks and green belts. The location of Rio De Janeiro is so unique that UNESCO declared it the beautiful location for one of the world’s biggest cities. There are loads of interesting things to do in Rio De Janeiro.
Top Things to do in Rio De Janeiro:
1.) Sugar Loaf
Rio De Janeiro’s most attractive landmark is the rocky peak of Sugar Loaf. It has a massive height of 394 meters above the port. It sits on the tip of land that soars out into the bay. It covers its port and is linked to the city by a strip of land. Cable car runs from Praca Tiburcio to the peak of the Morro Da Urca. From there a second cable car runs to the peak of the Sugar Loaf. From the top, you can see the whole mountainous shore that covers the bay and its neighboring islands. Exploring to this place is one of the best things to do in Rio De Janeiro.
2.) Carnival
It is one of the most popular celebrations that takes place each year in Rio De Janeiro. The celebrations begin after the New Year and attracts tourist from all over the world. Different Brazilian cities, have fun in this Carnaval but Rio’s are the most attractive. The most stunning events are the display of the samba, which are held at an exclusive venue designed by famous Brazilian architects. The Sambodromo is a big stadium designed so that up to 40,000 viewers can watch the parades of brightly costumed performers as they perform. The parade track is 600 meters long and 10 meters wide. Going to this carnival is one of the fun things to do in Rio De Janeiro.
3.) Cristo Redentor
The giant sculpture of Christ is one of the major tourist attractions of Rio De Janeiro. The world renowned attraction was built between during 1922 and 1931. It was financed entirely by the charity from Catholics of Brazil. The statue was formed by Polish sculptor Paul and was built by the engineer Silva Costa. Made of unbreakable concrete, the statue itself is 30 meters tall. The arms of the statue stretch 28 meters and weighs around 630 metric tons. Below the statue is a park where fun events and picnic is a common thing. Experiencing this gigantic statue is one of the greatest things to do in Rio De Janeiro.
4.) Tijuca National Park
Tijuca National Park conserves the Tijuca Forest from extinction. From the park, you can view Cristo Redentor, the big sized sculpture of Christ. To travel around the park, you can board the train up to midpoint Corcovado and follow the path through the woods. The Tijuca Forest is one of the world’s prime forests within a city that was planted in the year 1850 on land that had been damaged by coffee farms. Most of the trees are local species and provide habitat for Colorful toucans, monkeys and many other species of wildlife. All these wildlife can be explored while traveling through the forest. Visiting the national park is one of the fantastic things to do in Rio De Janeiro.
5.) Escadaria Selaron
One of Rio’s best tourist attractions was opened for public in 1990 by artist Jorge as a gift to the people of Brazil. He covered the steps of stairs in front of his residence with pottery and tiles. The mirrors are in different color like blue, yellow and green. The steps, grab the attention of visitors and they began bringing tiles and pottery for decoration. The steps are a famous film site and were displayed in Rio’s 2016 Olympic video.
6.) Santa Tereza
Santa Tereza is Rio’s most impressive tourist attraction. It is a district of steep and narrow streets having century old houses. Its cafes are favorites of performer who add to the attractive atmosphere. The most amazing thing is to wander in streets, which have beautiful views and several attractions. The Museum has an art collection of contemporary works, including those by Matisse and Picasso. A leisurely walk in this street is one of the free things to do in Rio De Janeiro.
7.) Quinta Da Boa Vista
The villas and garden palaces of Sao Cristo are now museums and public parks. The prime one of which is Quinta Da Boa Vista. The palace was earlier the residence of the royal family and was later rebuilt as the Palacio. It has the National Museum, which has the biggest botanical, zoological and archeological documents in the country. Inside the park is a zoo having 1,000 species of birds and mammals from Brazil. Going to the zoo is one of the joyful things to do in Rio De Janeiro with kids.
8.) Cathedral De Sao
The famous architect Fonseca designed the latest cathedral of Rio. He got his inspiration from Mayan pyramids, displaying their soaring forms in a contemporary context. It was built during 1964 referred to as the modern cathedral to distinguish it from its predecessor. The church has the capacity of 4,000 seats in its 90-meter interior. The glass windows rise 65 meters from the floor to pass natural light.
9.) Paqueta Island
The island of Paqueta covers an area of a square kilometer that is located in Guanabara Bay. It became a stylish resort in the beginning of the 1800’s, when Portuguese ruler Dom Joao lived here. Solar Rey, a fortress is among the attractive old buildings attracting tourist from all over the world. You can explore the island on foot or by hiring a bicycle. Exploring the island is one of the nicest things to do in Rio De Janeiro.
10.) Copacabana
Few cities in this world are blessed with a beautiful sand beach at its heart. The major attraction from its golden sands is Copacabana Palace. It has the narrow streets where you’ll find attractive old buildings, cafes and fine hotels. It was built in the 1920s and now declared as a national monument. Exploring this lovely palace is one of the exclusive things to do in Rio De Janeiro.