Getting there  The cog-train leaves Cosme Velho station every hour, on the hour and half past the hour. Tickets cost R$36 for adults and R$ 18 for children. Sit on the right hand side of the train for

Popularized by the song "The Girl from Ipanema," this world-famous beach gives foreign visitors a sense of life in Rio, displaying a cross-section of different lifestyles, chic boutiques and eateries and luxurious apartment buildings.

You’ll find historical spots, spectacular views, a beautiful waterfall, a small chapel and unusual trees in this dense, tropical national park, probably best explored by jeep tour.

In keeping with the flavor of the times; when they were building hothouses and exotic gardens in England and the Continent, the royal family created their own botanical garden, the Jardim Botanico, in

world's biggest Soccer stadium

This complex, situated on the beautiful grounds of the former imperial palace, contains the Museu Nacional, the Jardim Zoologico, pools and statues.

Whether to attend a show or take a tour, it’s worth seeing this lavish 1909 theater, filled with gilded mirrors, statues, murals, stained-glass windows and sparkling chandeliers.