Rio de Janeiro
A great place to retire after a day of exploring, Bar Léo serves ice-cold brews with just the right amount of froth. The setting on a pretty cobblestone lane makes for great people-watching, particularly in the evening when the neighboring bars spring to life.
It's also a popular lunchtime destination, with meaty daily specials of Brazilian and German fare (oxtail with polenta, feijoada, pork and sauerkraut and the like; mains R$45 to R$65).
3.42 MILES
The Tijuca is all that's left of the Atlantic rainforest that once surrounded Rio de Janeiro. This 39-sq-km tropical-jungle preserve is an exuberant green…
3.37 MILES
Seen from the peak of Pão de Açúcar, Rio is undoubtedly a Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). There are many good times to make the ascent, but sunset on…
4.82 MILES
A magnificent confluence of land and sea, the long, scalloped beach of Copacabana extends for some 4km, with a flurry of activity along its length: over…
6.33 MILES
One long stretch of sun-drenched sand, Ipanema Beach is demarcated by postos (posts), which mark off subcultures as diverse as the city itself. Posto 9,…
4.13 MILES
Standing atop Corcovado (which means ‘hunchback’), Cristo Redentor gazes out over Rio, a placid expression on his well-crafted face. The mountain rises…
3.59 MILES
Rio’s Maracanã stadium is hallowed ground among football lovers. The massive arena has been the site of legendary victories and crushing defeats. Maracanã…
5.53 MILES
This exotic 137-hectare garden, with more than 8000 plant species, was designed by order of the Prince Regent Dom João (later to become Dom João VI) in…
6.74 MILES
This beautiful cultural center hosts impressive exhibitions, often showcasing the works of some of Brazil's best photographers and artists. The gardens,…
0.04 MILES
Beautiful two-story colonial town houses line this narrow cobblestone street leading off Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro. The archway (Arco de Teles)…
0.07 MILES
The archway leading into Travessa do Comércio was once part of an old viaduct running between two buildings.
0.08 MILES
Naval enthusiasts shouldn't miss this waterfront museum, a short stroll from Praça XV. It contains the Riachuelo submarine, which you can wander through,…
0.09 MILES
In a grand edifice dating from the 1920s, this cultural center houses three spacious floors that host a creative lineup of changing exhibitions, mostly…
0.1 MILES
In a neoclassical building dating from 1820, the Casa França-Brasil sponsors small-scale exhibitions that often deal with political and cultural facets of…
6. Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
0.1 MILES
Housed in a beautifully restored 1906 building, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil hosts some of Rio's top exhibitions. Facilities include a cinema, two…
7. Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro
0.11 MILES
The first residents on this historic site were Carmelite fathers who built a convent here in 1590. It later came under the property of the Portuguese…
8. Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Antiga Sé
0.12 MILES
This beautifully restored church and former cathedral dates back to the 1770s, and it played an important role in the imperial days of Rio. The…