Rio De Janeiro

Catete Palace.
The former official residence of Brazil's presidents now houses the Museu da
República (Museum of the Republic). Its three floors display presidential memorabilia, including period furniture and paintings.

Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer).
Since it was placed at the top of the 2,300-ft peak of Corcovado in 1931, this figure, a statue of Christ with his arms apart as if he were embracing the city, has been one of the most famous symbols of Rio. It stands 100 ft tall on a 20-ft pedestal, weighs 700 tons.

Copacabana.
Two blocks from the beach and running parallel to it is Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana,
The neighbourhood's main commercial street, whose sidewalks are always crowded with the colourful characters that give Copacabana its special flavour.

Feira Nordestino (Northeastern Fair).
Held every Sunday morning at the Campo de São Cristóvão, the crowded, noisy fair is a social event for northeastern Brazilians living in Rio.

Grumari
What preserves this spectacular beach is precisely the fact that it has not yet been "discovered." Located near Ipanema on a road that hugs the coastline, Grumari can be reached only by car. It is a glorious beach and quiet cove backed by low hills covered with tropical vegetation.

Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden)
One of Rio's most striking natural attractions contains more than 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants and trees, including 900 varieties of palm trees. The garden makes for a marvellous afternoon stroll, especially on a hot day when the temperature here is usually a good 10 degrees cooler than it is on the street.

Museu Chácara do Céu
This outstanding modern-art collection includes originals by such modern masters as Picasso, Braque, Dalí, Degas, Matisse, Modigliani, and Monet. It also contains works by Brazil's leading modernists, such as Portinari, Volpi, and Di Cavalcanti.

Museu Histórico Nacional (National History Museum)
An intriguing collection of colonial buildings houses an archive of rare documents and colonial artefacts.

Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts
View works by Brazil's leading 19th and 20th century artists, including canvases by
The country's best-known modernist, Cândido Portinari.

Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeire
This elegant 1720's church, with its bell tower and carved ceiling, is a prime example of colonial Brazilian Baroque architecture.

Paço Imperial
One of Rio's few restored colonial buildings, this two-story structure is notable for its thick stone walls and entranceway, and its courtyard paved with huge stone slabs.

São Bento Monastery
The ornate interior, with gold-leaf-covered woodcarvings, is extraordinarily rich and beautiful, and the view of Guanabara Bay is one of the most peaceful in Rio.

Santa Teresa.
With its cobblestone streets, this is Rio's most delightfully eccentric neighbourhood. Gabled Victorian mansions are intermingled with alpine chalets and more prosaic dwellings, often hanging at unbelievable angles from the flower-encrusted hillside.