Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is a huge seaside city, with its famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, 38m statue of Christ the Redeemer and The Sugarloaf, a granite mountain visitors can ride up in cable cars. Rio's also famous for its spectacular soccer matches and its boisterous Carnival festival, considered the world’s largest. Lushly forested mountains border the city, glistening beaches follow the shoreline and tiny islands lie scattered along the waterfront. This seaside gem also has outstanding outdoor activities: hiking in the Tijuca rainforest, cycling alongside the beaches, sailing the Baía de Guanabara, and surfing, rock climbing and hang gliding around one of the world's most stunning landscapes.