Letters from Brazil: Rio De Janeiro, a Wonderful City of Fun and Hedonism…

My dear travelers and lovers of unusual journeys, welcome to the new series of travelogues on the Mr.M blog. April, as well as the following months, will be dedicated to one unusual continent – South America, I will show you the countries that I had the opportunity to visit and I am sure that you will enjoy it and want to spend your vacation in one of the destinations. At the very beginning, I would like to thank the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national and city tourism boards, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo) and other countries were created, as well as numerous fashion stories that you will have the opportunity to read during this series of posts, and I sincerely hope that you will enjoy the new adventure.

Posts from Brazil were created with the selfless help of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), EMBRATUR (National Tourism Organization of Brazil) – Visit Brasil, as well as numerous local partners that will be mentioned later.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization or Tourism UN (formerly UNWTO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that promotes responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. The seat of this organization is in Madrid. In addition to the head office in Spain, there are subsidiary other offices which include: the Regional Support Office for Asia Pacific in Nara, Japan and the Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Tourism UN serves as a global forum for tourism policy and a source of tourism research and knowledge. It encourages tourism competitiveness, innovation, education, investment and digital transformation. The organization also focuses on ethics, culture and social responsibility related to tourism, provides technical cooperation and includes the UN Tourism Academy and statistical work. This study-media trip was organized as part of a research and investment project in luxury tourism in South America. So in the coming period, I will show you the tourism development and potential of South America just to keep up with a goal of #BringingTheWorldCloser.

The first country I visited on this trip was the Federative Republic of Brazil, which is also the largest and easternmost country in South America. It is the fifth largest country in the world by area and the seventh largest by population with over 212 million people. The country is a federation consisting of 26 states and a federal district, in which the capital city of Brasilia is located. Its most populated city is Sao Paulo, followed by Rio de Janeiro, which you have the opportunity to see today. Brazil has the most Portuguese speakers in the world and is the only country in the Americas where Portuguese is an official language.

Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers. Covering roughly half of South America’s land area, it borders every other country and territory on the continent except Ecuador and Chile. Brazil includes a wide range of tropical and subtropical landscapes, as well as swamps, savannahs, highlands and low mountains. It contains most of the Amazon basin, including the largest river system in the world and the most extensive intact tropical forest. Brazil has diverse wildlife, diverse ecological systems and extensive natural resources that include numerous protected habitats. The country ranks first among 17 megadiverse countries, with its natural heritage the subject of significant global interest, as environmental degradation through processes such as deforestation directly affects global issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

Rio de Janeiro or simply Rio is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second most populous city in Brazil, after Sao Paulo) and the sixth most populous city in America.

Founded in 1565 by the Portuguese, the city was initially the seat of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, a domain of the Portuguese Empire. Later, in 1763, it became the capital of Brazil, a state of the Portuguese Empire. Not long after, in 1808, when the Portuguese royal court moved to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro became the seat of the court of Queen Maria I of Portugal. She later, under the leadership of her son, Prince Regent John VI of Portugal, raised Brazil to the dignity of a kingdom, within the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve. Rio remained the capital of the pluricontinental monarchy until 1822, when the Brazilian War of Independence began. This is one of the rare cases in history that the capital of a colonizing country was officially transferred to a city in one of its colonies. Rio de Janeiro later served as the capital of an independent monarchy, the Empire of Brazil, until 1889, and then the capital of Republican Brazil until 1960, when the capital was transferred to Brasilia.

Rio de Janeiro has the second largest municipal GDP in the country and the 30th largest in the world. The city is home to the headquarters of Brazil’s oil, mining and telecommunications companies, including the country’s two largest corporations, Petrobras and Vale, and Latin America’s largest telemedia conglomerate, Grupo Globo. Home to many universities and institutes, it is the second largest research and development center in Brazil, accounting for 17 percent of the national scientific output. Despite the high perception of crime, this city actually has a lower crime rate than most major cities in Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in the southern hemisphere and is known for its natural environment, carnival, samba, bossa nova and balneario beaches such as Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. In addition to the beaches, landmarks include the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Mount Corcovado, named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World; Glava Šećera mountain with its cable car; Sambodromo (Sambadrome) permanent parade avenue with stands used during carnival and Maracana Stadium, one of the largest football stadiums in the world.

Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics as well as the 2016 Summer Paralympics, making the city the first city in South America and the Portuguese-speaking world to ever host these events, and the third time the Olympics have been held in a southern hemisphere city. Maracana Stadium hosted the finals of the 1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2013 FIFA Pan American Games. The city hosted the G20 summit in 2024 and will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.

What to visit in Rio de Janeiro? The most famous tourist attraction in Rio is Christ the Redeemer (Portuguese: Cristo Redentor). This is an art deco statue of Jesus in Rio de Janeiro, made by French-Polish sculptor Paul Landowski, and built by Brazilian engineer Albert Silva, French engineer Castacootejn. Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida sculpted the face. Built between 1922 and 1931, the statue is 30 meters tall, excluding the 8 meter plinth. The arms stretch 28 meters in width. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone. Christ the Redeemer differs considerably from the original design, as the original plan was a large Christ with a globe in one hand and a cross in the other. Although the project organizers initially accepted the design, it was later changed to the present-day statue, with outstretched arms.

The statue weighs 635 metric tons and sits atop the 700-meter Corcovado Mountain in Tijuca National Park overlooking the city. This statue is the largest Art Deco sculpture in the world. A symbol of Christianity around the world, the statue has also become a cultural icon of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil and has been declared one of the new 7 wonders of the world.

One of the most beautiful views can be seen from the top of the Corcovado mountain, so you can enjoy the beauty of Rio de Janeiro and spend quality time at this famous viewpoint. Keep in mind that this tourist attraction is the most visited, so it’s always crowded, but that won’t stop you from taking a nice picture to remember. The only cost you have is the cable car ticket that goes directly to the statue.

Escadaria Selarón, locally known as “Lapa Stairs” (Escadaria da Lapa) because it is located in the “Lapa” neighborhood, is a set of world-famous stairs in Rio de Janeiro. These stairs are the work of the Chilean artist Jorge Celarón who did it as a sign of gratitude to the Brazilian people, for accepting him nicely. Almost more than 30 years ago, in 1990 to be exact, Mr. Selaron began renovating the dilapidated steps that ran along the front of his house.

At first, his neighbors mocked him for his choice of colors as he covered the stairs with fragments of blue, green and yellow tiles, the colors found on the Brazilian flag. It all started as a hobby and because of his great love for art and painting, but soon this venture became a real obsession. During the renovation of the stairs, Mr. Selaron ran out of money, so he kept selling his paintings to finance his work. It was a long and exhausting job, but he completed his idea, eventually covering the entire flight of stairs in tiles, ceramics and mirrors.

Running from Calle Joaquim Silva and Calle Pinto Martins, officially known as Calle Manuel Carneiro, the steps extend through the Lapa and Santa Teresa neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro. There are 215 steps 125 meters long that are covered in over 2000 tiles collected from over 60 countries around the world. As soon as one part of the stairs was “finished”, Mr. Selaron started working on another part, constantly changing it so that it is an ever-evolving work of art. Mr. Selaron considered the work “never finished” and claimed that “this crazy and singular dream will only end on the day of his death.”

Initially, the tiles for the works were collected from various construction sites and piles of urban waste found on the streets of the city, but later most of the tiles were donated by visitors from all over the world. Of the over 2,000 tiles, 300 were hand-painted by Selaron depicting a pregnant African woman. Many wondered why she was the muse for his work and on one occasion he stated that it was one of his problems from the past, there is no more information about his work.

Many curious passers-by and tourists admired this creative endeavor of artist Selaron during the day, while during the night hours he guarded the stairs from drunkards and selflessly received compliments for his work. He really loved those steps in front of his house because they were his home. At any time of the day, you could find Mr. Selaron hard at work, beautifying this poor part of town. There are many legends about his death, some say that he was killed by his assistant a young boy who joined him in working on the stairs, while some say that he was killed by a drunkard and that numerous burn marks were found on his body. The body of this artist was found on January 10, 2013 on the stairs in the early hours of the morning.

Today, the Selarón steps have become the second most visited tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro and I strongly advise you to go there and enjoy the beauty of colors and unusual street art.

In the immediate vicinity of the stairs is the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, better known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro or as the Cathedral of Saint Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro de Janeiro. This religious building is the cathedral of the Catholic Church and the seat of the Archdiocese of São Sebastián. The cathedral houses the cathedral of the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro. The church is dedicated to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro.

The cathedral was designed by Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca in a modern style based on the pyramid style of Mayan architecture. The current cathedral was built between 1964 and 1979 and was replaced as the seat of the Archdiocese. A series of churches have served as cathedrals since 1676, the latest and most significant of which is the Church of Our Lady of Carmel of the Ancient See, now known as the Old Cathedral, built in the 18th century and declared the Cathedral of Rio in the early 19th century.

The new cathedral, as it is sometimes called, is located in the center of the city. It has a conical shape and an internal diameter of 96 meters and an external diameter of 106 meters and a total height of 75 meters. The interior has an area of ​​8,000 square meters and enough 5,000 seats, while it has a standing capacity of 20,000 people. The cathedral’s four rectilinear stained glass windows float 64 meters from floor to ceiling.

The next recommendation is the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro or Jardim Botanico is located in the district of Jardim Botanico in the southern zone of Rio de Janeiro. The botanical garden shows the diversity of Brazilian and foreign flora. There are about 6,500 species (some endangered) that are spread over an area of ​​54 hectares out of a total of 130 hectares, as well as numerous greenhouses. There are monuments of historical, artistic and archaeological importance in the garden. There is an important research center, which includes the most complete library in the country specializing in botany with over 32,000 volumes.

It was founded in 1808 by the Portuguese king John VI. Originally intended for the acclimatization of spices such as nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon imported from the West Indies, the garden was opened to the public in 1822. The 140-hectare park of the total 350 hectares lies at the foot of the Corcovado mountain, far below the right arm of the statue of Christ the Redeemer, and contains more than 6,000 different species of tropical and subtropical plants and trees, including 900 species of palms. A 750-meter line of 134 palm trees forms the Avenue of Royal Palms leading from the entrance to the gardens. All these palm trees come from one tree, Palma Mater, which was destroyed by lightning long ago. Only about 40% of the park is cultivated, and the rest is the Atlantic Forest that rises up the slopes of Corcovado. The park is protected by Patrimonio Historico e Artistico Nacional, and UNESCO declared it a biosphere reserve in 1992.

The botanical garden has an important research institute, which develops a wide range of botanical studies in Brazil. The Institute has taxonomists who specialize in the identification and conservation of Neotropical flora. The gardens feature collections that include bromeliads, orchids, carnivorous plants and cacti. It includes Brazil’s largest botanical library and collections of dried fruits, rare Brazilian plants and many photographs. The painted cast iron fountain of the Muses was made in Derby, UK and until 1895 was located in Henrique Lage’s villa on Largo da Lapa, as part of a landscape design by the English painter John Tidal.

The park contains 140 species of birds, many of which have become accustomed to humans and are therefore much easier to observe than in the wild. These include the channel-billed toucan, rusty-edged guan and the endangered endemic white-necked hawk. Capuchin monkeys and tufted-eared marmosets are also frequently seen in the botanical garden. Features of interest include the old gunpowder factory, the Victoria Lilies in Lago Frei Leandro, the Japanese Garden and many sculptures and fountains.

Here you can spend a quiet and pleasant afternoon because this is an oasis of nature and peace, and you will also cool off a little since the temperatures in Rio are sometimes quite high.

In the immediate vicinity of the Botanical Garden, there is Parque Henrique Lage, a public park located in the Jardim Botanico neighborhood at the foot of the Corcovado, at the top of which is Christ the Redeemer. The land was previously the residence of industrialist Henrique Lage and his wife, singer Gabrielle Besanzoni. In the 1920s, Lage had the villa remodeled by the Italian architect Mario Vaudret, with interior paintings by Salvador Pajols Sabate.

The National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) listed Parque Lage on June 14, 1957 as a historical and cultural heritage of the city of Rio de Janeiro. In the 1960s, the land became a public park, with walking trails through the subtropical forest. The Escola de Artes Visuais do Parkue Lage (School of Visual Arts of Parkue Lage) and a cafe open to the public operate from the former mansion.

The villa has been used as a catering house for the British Olympic team and was featured prominently in the 2003 music video for Snoop Dogg’s single “Beautiful”.

The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading is a Lusophone library and cultural institution, located on Luis de Camoes street, in the center of the city of Rio de Janeiro. It is included in the list of the State Institute for Cultural Heritage. Voted the fourth most beautiful library in the world by TIME magazine, the Cabinet has the largest collection of Portuguese literature outside of Portugal.

This institution was founded in 1837 by a group of forty-three Portuguese immigrants, political refugees, in order to promote culture among the Portuguese community in the then capital of the Empire of Brazil. It was the first association of this community in the city.

The current headquarters building, designed by the Portuguese architect Rafael da Silva e Castro, was built between 1880 and 1887 in the Neo-Manueline style. This architectural style evokes the exuberant Gothic-Renaissance style in effect at the time of the Portuguese discoveries, called Manueline in Portugal because it coincided with the reign of King Manuel (1495–1521).

Emperor Pedro II (1831–1889) laid the foundation stone of the building on June 10, 1880, and his daughter Isabella, Princess Imperial of Brazil, together with her husband, Prince Gaston, Count of Eu, opened it on September 10, 1887.

Rio de Janeiro is Brazil’s primary tourist attraction and resort. It receives the most visitors annually of any city in South America with over 3 million international tourists annually.

Attractions in the city include about 80 kilometers of beaches, the Corcovado and Sugar Loaf mountains, as well as the Maracana Stadium. Rio de Janeiro is an international hub for a very active and diverse nightlife with bars, dance bars and nightclubs that stay open well past midnight. The city is an important global LGBT destination, with one million LGBT tourists visiting each year.

Copacabana Beach, located on the Atlantic coast, stretches from Posto Dois (Lifeguard Watchtower Two) to Posto Seis (Lifeguard Watchtower Six). Leme is in Posto Um (lifeguard tower one). There are historic forts at both ends of Copacabana Beach, Fort Copacabana, built in 1914, is located at the southern end by Posto Seis and Fort Duque de Caquias, built in 1779, at the northern end. There are many hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and residential buildings in the area. On Sundays and holidays, one side of Avenida Atlantica is closed to cars, giving residents and tourists more space for activities along the beach.

Copacabana Beach hosts millions of guests during the annual New Year’s celebrations, and was the official venue of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup for the first three editions of the tournament.

Now we come to the most famous event and the most visited tourist attraction, the true symbol of the city – Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. This festival, which takes place every year before Lent, is considered the largest carnival celebration in the world, with over two million people a day on the streets of the city. The first carnival festival in Rio was held in 1723.

A typical Rio Carnival parade is filled with parties, floats and decorations from the many samba schools located in Rio (approximately more than 200, divided into five leagues/divisions). A samba school is composed of a collaboration of local neighbors who want to attend the carnival together, with some kind of regional, geographic and common origin.

There is a specific order that each school must follow when registering for the parade. Each school starts with the “comissao de frente” (which means “Front Commission”), that is the group of people from the school that appears first. Made up of ten to fifteen people, the comissao de frente represents the school and sets the mood and style of their presentation. These people have choreographed dances in elaborate costumes that usually tell a short story. After the “comissao de frente” is the first float in the samba school, called “abre-alas” (“Opening the wings”). Next come the Mestre-sala and the Porta-Bandeira (“Master of Ceremonies and Flag-Bearer”), with one to four pairs, one active and three reserve, to lead the players, including veterans of the old guard and “ala das baianas”, with a battery of drums at the rear and sometimes a brass section and guitars. This brass section was included in the early 20th century as part of a more diverse musical ensemble that began to be offered at that time.

I will write a separate dedicated blog post about this experience, how I spent my time at the Rio Carnival 2025.

In the next post, I will write about the Copacabana Palace Hotel, which is a representative of classic Brazilian luxury located in a refreshing natural environment. This exceptional Belmond hotel allows you to relax in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, which you should consider if you decide to visit Rio de Janeiro, the most colorful pearl of the South Atlantic Ocean. My dear adventurers, we have come to the end of this first special travelogue in the series of travelogues about Brazil where we had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this unusual country in South America.

Today’s travelogue would not be possible without the selfless help of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), EMBRATUR (National Tourism Organization of Brazil) – Visit Brasil, Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel in cooperation with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Rio de Janeiro. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Brazil.

A person is rich in soul if he has managed to explore the world and I am glad that I always manage to find partners of my projects who help me to discover new and unusual destinations in a completely different way.

It is an honour to have the opportunity to cooperate with many companies and businessmen in the tourism sector and I would like to thank once again the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) and EMBRATUR (National Tourism Organization of Brazil) – Visit Brasil for this incredible adventure and for allowing me to feel the beauty of this unusual Brazilian culture in a completely different way and to feel the beauty of everyday life in Rio de Janeiro.

How did you like my story about Rio de Janeiro and the presentation of the Brazilian center of entertainment and hedonism that adorns the heart of this unusual country in South America? Have you had the chance to visit Brazil so far?

If you have any question, comment, suggestion or message for me you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via email or social networks, all addresses can be found on the CONTACT page. See you at the same place in a few days, with some new story!

In the following stories from Brazil, we will discover some other interesting sights that you should visit if your journey takes you to this far away country!

With Love from Rio de Janeiro,

Mr.M

This post is sponsored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), EMBRATUR (National Tourism Organization of Brazil) – Visit Brasil, Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel and other local partners. This post is my personal and honest review of the destination experience.