Rio de Janeiro is synonymous of tourist sites: the Bent one, the Sugar Bread; and famous beaches: Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Bar of Tijuca and San Conrado.
The city has a unique combination of noses (hills), open beaches and long costaneras avenues that they invite to cross them. Near the coast two areas destined to strolls exist exclusively in addition: the National Park Tijuca and the Lagoon Rodrigo de Freitas.
Rio de Janeiro has all the problems of the great cities of Latin America: semi-contaminated water beaches, traveling traffic, salesmen and multitudes of swimmers looking for space to spend the day. For that reason it is not a good destiny for those who tranquility and rest look for.
Rio de Janeiro is a city of great resistances: elegant hotels and expensive restaurants mix with favelas and people who live in the streets. Although the security has improved lately, it is necessary to have precaution, not to take at sight value objects and of mobilizing itself only with the money that is essential.
Ipanema counts on a commercial center with good stores on the Rua Visconde de Pirajá and many restaurants and several hotels in its environs. Its beach is calmer than Copacabana. Near Ipanema it is the Lagoon Rodrigo de Freitas, ideal place to walk, to walk in bicycle or to have lunch outdoors.
Leblon is next to Ipanema towards the south. In the Nose two Irmãos there are a footpath and viewpoints with excellent views of the beach and the Freitas Lagoon. In the internal streets of Leblon are some hotels and several of the best restaurants of the city. Its beach is less concurred. To few pictures is the Botanical Garden, an excellent stroll. San Conrado (São Conrado) is to about two kilometers the south of Leblon.
In his beach Cucumber they contract to launchings in wing delta from the Pretty Stone incline. The tourist infrastructure in San Conrado is very limited, but it counts on shopping of exquisite stores - Fashion Mall. Faithful to the resistances of Rio de Janeiro, in San Conrado are Rocinha and Vidigal, favelas more famous of the world.
Bar of Tijuca extends by several kilometers throughout the coast, to about three kilometers to the south of San Conrado. Its infrastructure grows quickly and already it counts on a variable range of good restaurants and the major shopping of the region - Shopping Bar. Its beach extensive, is abierta, calm and safe.
The center of Rio de Janeiro is noisy and very concurred during the labor days, but the week ends offer calm to visit some interesting places like the Monastery of San Benito, the Museum of Beautiful Arts, the Cathedral and the Museum of the Republic in Catete.
In the costanera avenue that unites Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon the transit closes the week ends and 19 hs. crafts positions mount. The bars of Leblon have live music and are very visited by tourists.
By the Pasteur Avenue - in Botafogo- it is acceded to the facilities of the cableway that takes to the Sugar Bread. A first section finalizes in the Nose of Urca from where there are beautiful panoramic views of the city and a helicopter can be taken to cross Rio de Janeiro from the air. The second section arrives at the Sugar Bread, that unfolds all the beauty of the place since it includes 360 degrees.
The Bent one shelters in its summit the Redeeming Christ, statue of 30 M.s that can be seen from any point of the city. It is arrived in car until the top, but he is very recommendable to raise with the train that is taken in the Rua Cosme Velho. In the top incredible views of all the south of Rio de Janeiro are had.
The National Park Tijuca was created to preserve the flora and local fauna. Account with 3,200 hectares of Atlantic bush, and is possible to cross it walking, in bicycle or car through footpaths especially delimited. In all the stroll cascades exist, natural streams and viewpoints with very beautiful views of the city and the ocean. It is recommended not to realize this stroll alone; only in groups and accompanied by local people.
The most popular beach of Rio de Janeiro is Copacabana. The contaminated beaches less are Ipanema and Leblon. The best beaches of the zone are in Bar of Tijuca.