State of Rio de Janeiro Southeastern Region of Brazil

Many areas of the state own the enchantment characteristic of the metropolis. The coast of the S-state one of most beautiful of Brazil, with its bays, coves and beaches of all the types and for all the pleasures. They extend from the Coast do Sun, to the north of the city of Rio de Janeiro, to the Green Coast, to the south of the capital. In the interior, in the middle of an ebullient vegetation, is the call mountain region.

In the old province of Rio de Janeiro the first plantations of coffee in Brazil were carried out, a culture that extended later, throughout century XIX, towards Vale do Paraíba, in Sao Paulo, and towards other regions of the country. Still today some colonial properties of Vale do Paraíba compose an excellent route for those who wishes to know history the time. In them, the small palaces of the barons of the coffee, transformed into centers of tourist visit, conserve the luxury and the refinement of the culture of the coffee in the colonial constructions and the decoration.

Rio de Janeiro, well-known world-wide like “Wonderful City�?, this located in a place privileged with natural beauties that go from the beaches that trim their coasts, like those of Arpoador, Ipanema and Copacabana, to the mounts that mark their landscape, like Bent and the Pão de Açúcar. In River it is the greater urban forest of the world, the one of Tijuca, totally reforested in second half of century XIX. The city is in addition one to the main centers irradiators of national culture, cradles of three Brazilian musical sorts: choro, samba and bossa novates. To its inhabitants it is called from Rio de Janeiro, tells to them on one animated nocturnal life, that joy is transmitted in its main celebration, world-wide well-known: the Carnival, celebration that mixes to rich, poor and to all the ethnic groups. In Carnivals, it is danced in the clubs and the streets and, from 1982 in the Sambódromo, the greater parade of schools of samba of the world, footbridge projected by the architect Oscar Niemeyer.

In the capital 40% live on the population of the state, almost 6 million inhabitants, distributed in more than 150 districts.

Redeeming Christ was deservedly elect by the inhabitants of the city like “the Wonder of River�?, with dimensions of 38 ms and 710 ms of the Nose do Bent, the Christ are the image of the faith and the affection of from Rio de Janeiro and Brazilian town. The monument that turned 70 years in 2001 was inaugurated the 12 of October of 1931, day of Nossa Senhora. Elevators and mechanical stairs take to the visitors until the base of the statue, that weighs 1145 tons. The ascent by the hard trencito near 20 minutes and is realized by the Railroad of the Bent one inaugurated by D. Pedro II in 1884.

Bondinho of the Pão de Açúcar, realized by Brazilian engineer August Ferreira Branches, and inaugurated the 27 of October of 1912, was the first cableway installed in Brazil and third party in the world, is one of the most important icons of from Rio de Janeiro tourism. From its inauguration, the cableway has transported to more than 32 million tourists.

National park of the Tijuca, to take a walk by the winding highways and to visit the attractions is program for a whole day. It is considered like the greater natural reserve in urban region of the country, the Park is to 20 km of downtown. It is divided in three nuclei: Floresta of the Tijuca, Serra gives From Rio de Janeiro and Pedra gives Pretty Gávea/Pedra. The flora was devastated in order century XIX to give rise to coffee plantations, later the reforestation brought species of the Atlantic Floresta like ipês, jequitibás, jacarandas and sapucaias.

Botanical garden, a true ecological sanctuary, one of 10 more important of the sort in the world. Besides sheltering the most exquisite species of the Brazilian flora and other countries, a true delight for which wishes to contemplate the nature. Registered by the Historical Patrimony and Artístico Nacional (IPHAN) by his historical, cultural, scientific and landscaping importance, also it was recognized internationally like a Museum Alive in the area of the Botany and defined by UNESCO like one of the reserves of the biosphere. It reunites imperial palms of the time of the foundation, in 1808, breeding grounds, sector of orchids, rosedal and lake with vitórias-regal. It also shelters to the two House Pilões, one old powder mill with archaeological excavations, and the breeding ground of insectivorous plants, reformed in 2004.

National museum of Beautiful Arts, is the greater collection of Brazilian art of century XIX. The institution also conserves a valuable foreign painting set, that includes fabrics of baroque the Italian, landscapes of the Dutch Frans Post and pictures of the French Eugène Boudin. The rooms are divided by subjects and always there are excellent samples and traveling exhibitions.

The Palace Itamaraty, eighth declared building prote'ge' in Brazil, constructed in the middle of century XIX by the son of the first Baron of Itamaraty, was soothes of the republican government from 1889 to 1898 and soothes of the Ministry of Outer Relations from 1899 to 1970. The identification of the diplomats with the palace who occupied during seven decades has caused that the Itamaraty name is synonymous of the Brazilian chancellery. The Itamaraty family gave the plant from the palace to two anonymous French architects, but the work officially consists as of Jose Maria Jacinth I rebel, disciple of Grandjean de Montigny, that was called when the necessity arose to solve the facade. Constructed in neoclassic style, with an inner garden where there is a wing of imperial palms, the palace, today Office of Representation of the MRE in the old capital, reunites a fantastic heap, especially in its Historical and Diplomatic Museum, the Historical File and the Mapoteca.

National library, the greater library of Latin America and eighth of the world owns a collection of 15 million publications, to a large extent available for consultation. Inaugurated in 1910, the building, of neoclassic style, with perron and columns of marble, forms along with the Municipal Theatro, the National Museum of Beautiful Arts and the Cultural Center of Federal Justice a quadrilateral of culture in the Cinelândia.

Stage of Maracanã, considered by many lovers of soccer the “Temple of the Gods�?, is one of the majors stages of the world. It was constructed in 1950 to be soothes of the Glass of the World, and projected to receive to more than 160,000 people. It is being reformed again, now to receive to the competitions of the Pan-American Games of 2007.

Church Nossa Senhora in center gives to Candlemas, located financier of the city, in a rich area in cultural spaces, makes an impression by its majesty. Constructed in century XVIII, it has Latin cross design, inner marble coating, worked stone facade, doors worked in bronze and all their history reflected in the murals of the interior. She is one of the most beautiful churches of all Rio de Janeiro.

Monastery of São Bento, the works of the Church of Nossa Senhora de Montserrat and of the Monastery of São Bento were initiated in 1617, extending until 1669. In the meantime, a century later, many reforms still were realized with the aim of extending and recovering their facilities. Considered World-wide Monument by UNESCO, the Monastery it makes an impression by the resistances of austere style of his facade, with triangular fronton and the intricado work of stature sea bream of the interior of his church. The painting works, the art works, the conception of the chapels, the ceiling of the ship - remanecientes of century XVIII and the choir of Gregorian song they do whereupon the Monastery of São Bento enchants to all those visit that it.

Between known beaches more they are the one of Ipanema (is, without a doubt, a famous point of contact of Rio de Janeiro and one of the most famous beaches of the city. It is scene of events like the World-wide Championship of Beach Volleyball). Copacabana (filled with bars, place of encounter to drink a beer in at the end of afternoon. The wide sand strip extends of the Avenue Princess Isabel until the fort of Copacabana). Leblon (calm beach, with good structure for practice of sports and one crushes for bicycles. It has 1.3 km of extension and this separated one of Ipanema by the Garden of Wing, channel that unites the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas to the sea). Prainha (small beach with strong waves, is one of the favorites for the practice of surf. The noses to his around still are covered by the rich Atlantic Floresta). It gives Bar gives Tijuca (releases and built-up, it has strong waves with some dangerous and nonadvisable stretches to bathe. A place of encounter practices for it of surf).

Búzios is considered as one of the best locations of the country for the practice of nautical sports, and between their beaches are Foca, Geribá, Brave, do Forno, Olho-of-boi (area difficult where practices the naturismo) and two Loves (also naturismo center).
Cabo Cold is well-known by its historical past and reflects the colonial monument architecture like the Forte de São Mateus, constructed in 1650. It has immense white and fine sand dunes.
Arraial do Cabo, whose population, of 19,000 inhabitants, is formed, in its majority, by fishermen. Its main attraction is the Pontal do Atalaia, stone that is entered in the sea and from where can be seen banks of dolphins.
River gives Oysters is a calm city, frequented by which they look for calm places for the fishing.
Maricá, although next to the State Capital, for that reason did not lose the aspect of small village.
Saquarema is famous by the festival of surf that there is annually in the month of May in the beach of Itaúna.
Angra two Kings owns an ideal bay for excursions in boat, schooner, yacht or boat, has innumerable places with good conditions for the fishing or the diving. Every year, the day 1º of January, is realized Marine Procesión of New Year, a great stroll in boats of all the types, some with Carnival on board. The Great Ilha is the most remarkable place of Angra, its mountainous relief and their vegetation contrasts with the wealth of the coast, where the coves predominate. Their 193 km2s can be crossed by footpaths, that give access to half-wild beaches, as the one of Song, Abrãozinho, Morcego and Grande it give Palms.
Parati, considered the major and more complete city-monument of the colonial period of Brazil, is borders of the bay of the same name, an prolongation of the bay of Angra two Kings. Their old collection of houses and the pavement of the narrow streets forms a scene of great historical beauty. The occupation of the place took place in century XVI, to obtain a communication channel between the provinces of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais with the one of Rio de Janeiro. Between main historical monuments of the city is the church of San Rita, important reference of its architectonic profile. The beaches and islands of Parati enjoy famous beauty and a special enchantment. Trindade concentrates prettiest, like the Brave one, two Farms, Figueira and Caxadaço.
Located in the Serra it gives Mantiqueira, in the limits of the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, the National Park of Itatiaia, created in 1937, is considered today like a zone of protection in Brazil, of extraordinary fauna and flora. The region of Itatiaia has like attractive tourist: Engenheiro Passos, Visconde de Mauá and Penedo, zones protected within a sustainable tourism; thus the constructions realized like for example the inns, coexist in harmony with the ebullient vegetation and the visitors find in the region the magic provided by the nature, this splendor complements themselves with innumerable water jumps, like the Véu de Noiva, located in the affluent of the Marombá, with a waterfall of more than 30 M.s
Petrópolis, located in Serra two Orgaos, place that was born and developed like city imperial, since its origin was a property acquired by D. Pedro II, turned that it into the preferred stay of the monarch, and that became later residence of summer of the real family and Imperial Museum, it even lodges the crown of D. Pedro II. Later he was colonized by Swiss immigrants and Germans who left their influence in the customs, culture, habits, etc.
Teresópolis, their origins date from first half of century XIX, was well-known as of 1821 when the Portuguese of English origin George March acquired and I transform a property that was in the place and that I finish in generating the first town, also has received the influence of the Swiss immigrants and German.
Nova Friburgo, is a beautiful rustic city and mountainous with fort it influences Colonizing Swiss and German that is reflected in its architecture and gastronomy. In rustic or sophisticated the place there is cosy hotel-property that proposes a series of activities outdoors. The contours are propitious for the scaling, long long walks or trekking, cycling of mountain, strolls in cableway or simply for the practice of nature tourism. Excellent panoramic view raising the cableway.