This is the most known Brazilian city overseas and it was the capital of Brazil until 1960 and nowadays, it is one of my main economic, cultural, and financial centers in the country. It is named by Brazilians as the “Marvelous City”, and holds such internationally recognized icons as, the Sugarloaf Mountain, Corcovado Hill, the statue of Christ Redeemer, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the Maracanã Stadium, and the Lapa bohemian section and its arches.
“Cariocas”, as the people who are born in this city are called, they are one of the attractions, as they are so relaxed and spontaneous. “Reza a Lenda” is the first name of this city, as Gaspar de Lemos, the Portuguese explorer, who arrived here in January 1502; he believed the Guanabara Bay was a river. The city grew along the edges of a bay. “Dona” is exuberant beautiful, the nature of Rio de Janeiro includes beaches, forests, lakes, hills, and islands.
In the middle of the city is Tijuca Forest, covering over 4,200 hectares and it is the home of around 200 species of birds and other animals. In the hills, everyday life goes on in the “favelas” (shantytowns), home to millions of Cariocas. All this landscape diversity was recognized in 2012, when that part of the city was classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.
Rio de Janeiro also breathes culture. There are countless museums and cultural centers and an important film festival, besides all the popular festivities, such as the famous Carnival parade, which is the most sought after site for Réveillon on New Year’s Eve in Brazil. Bossa Nova and Samba express a little of the musical soul of the city, a home for noteworthy writers, musicians, and other artists. Rio is also the home of two of the most important companies in Brazil — Petrobras and Vale, and the main petroleum and telephony companies in the country. And furthermore, it is the second largest research and develop center in Brazil.
Now, the city is preparing to host for the first time, the Olympic Games. A mega sporting event that isadded to the circuit of this city; as it is used to being so many cities in just one.