It is famous for its spectacular natural setting, its Carnival celebrations, samba and other music, hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon and pavements decorated with black and cream swirl pattern mosaics.

Some of the most famous local landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer “Cristo Redentor” atop Corcovado mountain; Sugarloaf mountain “Pão de Açúcar” with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a giant permanent parade stand used during Carnival; and Maracanã stadium, the world’s largest. Rio also boasts the world’s largest forest inside an urban area, called Floresta da Tijuca, or “Tijuca Forest”.

Rio de Janeiro is located at 22 degrees, 54 minutes south latitude, 43 degrees 14 minutes west longitude (22°54′S 43°14′W). The population of the City of Rio de Janeiro is about 6,094,183 (2005 IBGE estimate), occupying an area of 1,182.3 square kilometres (456.5 sq mi). The larger metropolitan area population is estimated at 11-12 million. It is Brazil’s second-largest city after São Paulo and was the country’s capital until 1960, when Brasília took its place. Residents of the city are known as Cariocas. The city’s current mayor (2006) is Cesar Maia. The official song of Rio is “Cidade Maravilhosa.”

You can listen to music, get a shiatsu massage, design a henna tattoo, buy a nose ring, or get yourself pierced. Tip: The market makes a great stop after touring the nearby Botanical Gardens.

It also sells a great selection of high-quality leather purses.

The store offers a wide range of jewelry and loose gemstones including emeralds, aquamarines, imperial topaz (mined only in Brazil), tourmalines, citrines, and Brazilian opals. The staff is friendly and low pressure. Items can be delivered to your hotel.

It’s trendy in newly health-conscious Rio to add on a scoop of protein powder for strength, guaraná for energy, or pollen for general health. Bibi also sells hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and a variety of Brazilian savory pastries.

Expect a lineup during primo lunch hours (12:30-2:30pm). In the evenings, the a la carte menu offers a range of dishes such as pasta, pizzas, grilled steak, and chicken as well as a number of Japanese dishes. For those who resist the urge to order dessert, the deli section provides one last temptation on the way out. Strategically placed by the door, its glass cases contain a cornucopia of pastries, sweets, and sorbets.

Interesting starters include fresh grilled palm hearts (very different from the canned varieties) and the pumpkin cream soup with prawns, tart apple and cream. A popular main course is the peixe tropical, grilled fish in an orange sauce, served with coconut rice and baked bananas. A more hearty dish is the grilled lamb chop au jus and couscous. Desserts are best savored slowly.