Posts tagged travel blog

Letters from Chile: Santiago, The Vibrant City Below The Andes…

Adventure Travel May 20, 2025 2 Comments

My dear travelers and lovers of unusual journeys, welcome to the new series of travelogues on the Mr.M blog. May, 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 of today’s travelogue, where I will try to describe the capital of Chile – Santiago, I would like to thank the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organizations, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from several 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 Chile were created with the selfless help of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, the National Tourist Organization of Chile (Chile Travel) and Hotel Luciano K.

Chile, formally the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. Chile had a population of 17.5 million at the last census and has a territorial area of 756,102 square kilometers. This country is bordered by Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east and the Drake Passage to the south. The country also controls several Pacific islands, including Juan Fernández, Isla Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas and Easter Island and claims about 1,250,000 square kilometers of Antarctica as the Chilean Antarctic Territory. The capital and largest city of Chile is Santiago, and the national language is Spanish.

Spain conquered and colonized the region in the mid-16th century, replacing Inca rule, but they failed to conquer the autonomous Mapuche tribal people who inhabited what is now south-central Chile. Chile emerged as a relatively stable authoritarian republic in the 1830s following their declaration of independence from Spain in 1818. During the 19th century, Chile experienced significant economic and territorial growth, ending Mapuche resistance in the 1880s and gaining its current northern territory in the War of the Pacific, defeating Peru and Bolivia. In the 20th century, until the 1970s, Chile went through a process of democratization and experienced rapid population growth and urbanization, while increasingly relying on exports from copper mining to support its economy.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the country was marked by severe left-right political polarization and turmoil, culminating in the 1973 Chilean coup that overthrew the democratically elected left-wing government of Salvador Allende. This was followed by a 16-year right-wing military dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet, in which the 1980 Chilean Constitution was enacted with the consultation of the Ortuzar Commission, as well as several political and economic reforms, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths or disappearances. The regime ended in 1990, after a referendum in 1988, and was succeeded by a center-left coalition that ruled until 2010.

Chile has high incomes and is one of the most economically and socially stable countries in South America. Chile also scores well in the region in terms of state sustainability and democratic development. Chile is a founding member of the United Nations, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Pacific Alliance, and joined the OECD in 2010.

How did Chile get its name? There are various theories about the origin of the word Chile. According to the 17th-century Spanish chronicler, Diego de Rosales, the Incas named the Aconcagua Valley Chili, a corruption of the name of a Picunche tribal chief named Tilly, who ruled the area at the time of the Inca conquest in the 15th century. While another theory points to the similarity of the Aconcagua Valley with the Casma Valley in Peru, where there was a city and valley named Chili.

Some other theorists argue that Chile may come from a Native American word meaning either “ends of the earth” or “sea gulls” from the Mapuche word chilli, which may mean “where the earth ends” or from the Quechua chiri “cold”] or tchili meaning either “snow” or “deepest point of the Earth”. Another origin attributed to chile is the onomatopoeic chile-chile – a Mapuche imitation of the chirping of a bird known locally as a trile.

The Spanish conquistadors heard the name from the Incas, and the few survivors of Diego de Almagro’s first Spanish expedition south from Peru called themselves the “men of Chile.” Finally, Almagro is credited with universalizing the name Chile, after naming the Mapocho Valley as such. Older spelling The word “chili” was used in English until the early 20th century before it changed to “chile”.

Santiago, also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the central valley of the country and is the center of the metropolitan region of Santiago, which has seven million inhabitants, which represents 40% of the total population of Chile. Most of the city is located between 500-650 m above sea level.

Founded in 1541 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago has served as Chile’s capital since colonial times. The city has a downtown characterized by 19th-century neoclassical architecture and winding side streets with a mix of Art Deco, Neo-Gothic and other styles. Santiago’s cityscape is defined by several independent hills and the fast-flowing Mapocho River, which is bordered by parks such as the Bicentenario Park, the Forestal Park, and the Parque de la Familia. The Andes are visible from most parts of the city and contribute to the smog problem, especially during the winter due to the lack of rain. The outskirts of the city are surrounded by vineyards, and Santiago is an hour’s drive from both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Santiago is the political and financial center of Chile and hosts the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations and organizations. The executive and judicial branches of the Chilean government are located in Santiago, while Congress mainly meets in nearby Valparaiso.

How did this city get its name? The name Santiago was chosen by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia when he founded the city in 1541 as “Santiago del Nuevo Extremo”, as a reference to his native region of Extremadura and as a tribute to James the Great, the patron saint of Spain. The saint’s name appears in various forms in Spanish, such as Diego, Jaime, Jacobo or Santiago, the latter being derived from the Galician evolution of Vulgar Latin Sanctu Iacobu.[6] Apparently, there was no indigenous name for the area where Santiago is located, but the Mapuche language uses the adapted name Santiaw.

In Chile, several entities share the name Santiago, which can often lead to confusion. The Commune of Santiago, also known as Santiago Center, is an administrative unit that encompasses the area occupied by the city during the colonial era. It is managed by the municipality of Santiago, and is headed by the mayor. This commune is part of the province of Santiago, which is headed by a provincial delegate appointed by the President of the Republic, and is also part of the metropolitan region of Santiago, which is governed by a popularly elected governor.

When the term Santiago is used without further clarification, it usually refers to Gran Santiago (Greater Santiago), a metropolitan area characterized by continuous urban development. This area includes the municipality of Santiago and over 40 other municipalities, covering most of the province of Santiago and parts of neighboring provinces. The definition of a metropolitan area changed over time as the city expanded, encompassing smaller towns and rural areas. The inhabitants of the city and region are called santiaguinos (a term for men) and santiaguinas (a term for women).

What is interesting is the fact that only a few historic buildings from the Spanish colonial period remain in the city, because like the rest of the country, Santiago is regularly hit by earthquakes. Preserved buildings include the Casa Colorada (1769), the Church of San Francisco (1586) and the Posada del Corregidor (1750).

The cathedral in the central square (Plaza de Armas) is a landmark that ranks as the Palacio de La Moneda, the Presidential Palace. The original religious building was built between 1784 and 1805, and the architect Joaquin Toeska was in charge of its construction. Other buildings surrounding the Plaza de Armas are the Central Post Office building, which was completed in 1882, and the Palacio de la Real Audiencia de Santiago, built between 1804 and 1807. It houses the Chilean National History Museum with 12,000 objects on display. On the southeast corner of the square is the green cast iron building “Commercial Edwards”, which was built in 1893. To the east of it is the colonial building “Casa Colorado” (1769), which houses the Museum of Santiago. Nearby is the Municipal Theater of Santiago, built in 1857 by the French architect Brune of Edward Baines. It was badly damaged in the 1906 earthquake. Not far from the theater are the Villa Subercazo and the National Library, one of the largest libraries in South America.

The former building of the National Congress, the Palace of Justice and the Royal Customs Palace (Palacio de la Real Aduana de Santiago) are located close to each other. The latter houses the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. A fire destroyed the Congress building in 1895, which was then rebuilt in the neoclassical style and reopened in 1901. The Congress was overthrown under the military dictatorship (1973–89) of Augusto Pinochet, after which the dictatorship was reconstituted on March 11, 1990, in Valparaíso.

The building of the Palace of Justice (Palacio de Tribunales) is located on the south side of Mont Square. It was designed by the architect Emilio Dojere, and was built between 1907 and 1926. The building houses the Supreme Court of Chile. The panel of 21 judges is the highest judicial authority in Chile. The building is also the seat of the Court of Appeal of Santiago.

Calle Bandera leads to the building of the Santiago Stock Exchange (Bolsa de Comercio), completed in 1917, the Club de la Union (opened in 1925), the University of Chile (1872) and the oldest church in the city, the Church of San Francisco (built between 1586 and 1628), with its statue of Maria Virgen del Socoro (“Our Lady of Help”), brought to Chile by Pedro de Valdivia. North of the Plaza de Armas (“Weapons Square”, where the colonial militia assembled) are the Paseo Puente, the Church of Santo Domingo (1771) and the Central Market (Mercado Central), an ornamental iron building. Also in downtown Santiago is the Torre Entel, a 127.4-meter-tall television tower with an observation deck, completed in 1974; the tower serves as a communications center for the communications company ENTEL Chile.

The center of Costanera was completed in 2009 and includes residential, shopping and entertainment facilities. The project, with a total area of 600,000 square meters, includes the 300-meter-high Gran Torre Santiago (the tallest building in South America) and other commercial buildings. Four business towers are connected by highway and subway.

Within the metropolitan area of Santiago, there are 174 cultural heritage sites under the supervision of the National Council of Monuments, which include archaeological, architectural and historical monuments, settlements and typical areas. Of these, 93 are located in the municipality of Santiago, which is considered the historic center of the city. Although none of Santiago’s monuments have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, three have already been proposed by the Chilean government: the Incan sanctuary of El Plomo, the Church and Monastery of San Francisco, and the Palace of La Moneda.

In the center of Santiago there are several buildings built during the Spanish domination and which mostly correspond, like the Metropolitan Cathedral and the aforementioned Church of San Francisco, to Catholic churches. Buildings from that period are those located on the side of the Plaza de Armas, such as the seat of the Royal Audience, the post office or the Casa Colorado.

During the nineteenth century and the gaining of independence, new architectural works began to be built in the capital of the young republic. The aristocracy built small palaces for residential use, mostly around the Republika settlement, and they have been preserved to this day. These structures, which have adopted artistic trends from Europe, are joined by the Equestrian Club of Santiago, the headquarters of the University of Chile and the Catholic University, Central Station and Mapocho Station, Mercado Central, the National Library, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Paris-Londres district, among others.

Various green spaces in the city contain within and around various cultural heritage sites. Among the most important are the fortifications of Santa Lucia Hill, the Shrine of the Virgin Mary on top of San Cristobal Hill, the lavish crypt of the General Cemetery, Forestal Park, O’Higgins Park and Quinta Normal Park.

What should you visit when you find yourself in Santiago, the capital of Chile? If you are a big lover of architecture, you can enjoy the beauty of the facades of buildings from the colonial period and also in modern architecture. In addition, there are several hills in Santiago from which you can enjoy divine viewpoints from which you will see the capital of Chile in a completely different light.

San Cristóbal Hill (Spanish: Cerro San Cristóbal) – This 860m hill in downtown Santiago has a zoo and wine museum with an interesting gondola ride to the top, where you can see a statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the city.

Santa Lucía Hill (Spanish: Cerro Santa Lucía), also known in the Mapuche language as Uelen Hill, is a small hill in the center of Santiago. It is located between Alameda del Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins to the south, Calle Santa Lucia to the west and Victoria Subercazo to the east. The hill has an altitude of 629 m and a height of 69 m above the surrounding area. The hill is the remnant of a 15 million year old volcano. The hill includes a park of 65,300 square meters decorated with ornate facades, steps and fountains. At the highest point there is a viewpoint popular with tourists visiting the city and a meeting place for locals especially for a first date.

It was originally called Uelito o heutrecan by the inhabitants before colonization. However, the current name comes from the day Pedro de Valdivia conquered the hill, December 13, 1540. On that day, “Santa Lucia” is celebrated. It was first used by missionaries as a place of worship or prayer in the years of the smallpox epidemic in 1541. Later, in 1816, Manuel Olager Feliu, a brigadier in the Royal Engineers, designed and built two forts or castles on Santa Lucia Hill, one to the north and the other to the south of the hill. The fortifications were built of stone and lime and could hold eight or twelve guns each. In addition, Olager Feliu designed and built an auxiliary building for ammunition storage and garrison accommodation.

On one side of the hill, Fort Hidalgo was completed in 1820 as a defensive point. On the other hand, the terrain on the hillside was used as a “cemetery for dissidents”, people who did not follow the official Roman Catholic faith of the time or were considered unworthy of burial in the holy place. However, remains buried on the hillside in this manner were eventually moved to a secluded section of the General Cemetery, before said cemetery was, in turn, opened to all burials regardless of creed or social status.

In 1849, James Melville Gillis led an American naval astronomical expedition to Chile to more accurately measure solar parallax. The observatory was set up on the hill of Santa Lucia and was managed by Gillis. When the expedition ended in September 1852, the observatory and accompanying equipment were sold to the Chilean government and formed the nucleus of the first National Astronomical Observatory.

In 1872, Benhamin Vicuña Macena decided to implement a dramatic change in the urban atmosphere of the city of Santiago, among his many works aimed at improving the city, and so he initiated an extensive reconstruction of the hill. The works of 1872 consisted of a road which crossed the hill, and at the top led to a chapel which he also built there, lighted by the then new gas. The rest of the hill contains a park with fountains and viewpoints. The hill itself is watered by a sophisticated irrigation system. The now iconic yellow and white facade is also a product of Vicunja Makenene’s reconstruction. Vicunja Makena was assisted in the realization of his projects by the architect Manuel Aldunate, the constructor Enrique Henes and the stonecutter Andres Staimbuk.

A few years ago, Santa Lucia Hill received an improvement in its lighting and security system. Also, Fort Hidalgo has been restored and reopened to the public. Traditionally, the cannon shot is fired precisely at noon.

The Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts (Spanish: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes or MNBA) is one of the main centers for Chilean art and wider South American art. Founded in 1880, which also makes it the oldest in South America, the organization is managed by the Art Union (Unión Artística).

The current building, the Palace of Fine Arts (el Palacio de Bellas Artes), dates from 1910 and marks the first centenary of Chile’s independence. It was designed by the Chilean architect Emil Zequier in a fully developed Beaux-Arts style and is located in Parque Forrestal in Santiago. Behind it is the Museum of Contemporary Art (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo) of the University of Chile, which also houses the old School of Fine Arts (Escuela de Bellas Artes).

The Palace of Fine Arts, the current home of the museum, was built in the Neoclassical style of the Second Empire and the Baroque Revival style, strongly enhanced by Art Nouveau details and details of metal structural architecture. The central entrance is through a gigantically enlarged version of Borromini’s false-perspective window from the Palazzo Barberini, which includes a pedimented door completely surrounded by glass, characteristic of the Beaux-Arts style. Through a broken pediment, a square dome rises to the top. The interior layout and facade are modeled after the Petit Palais in Paris. The glass dome that crowns the central hall was designed and manufactured in Belgium, and was brought to Chile in 1907. The approximate weight of the armor of the museum is 115,000 kg, and the glass of the dome is 2,400 kg.

Architecturally, the floor plan of the museum is one with a central axis marked by the entrance and a large hall with a staircase to the second floor. In the great hall, above the balcony from the second floor, there is a carving in high relief depicting two angels holding a shield. They are located in a semi-vault above the heads of two caryatids rising from the balcony, carved by Antonio Coli and Pi.

Santiago, the capital of Chile, is a large metropolis with a diverse selection of shopping centers. If you have some free time and want to feel the charms of modern Santiago and enjoy a luxurious experience of incredible shopping, I highly recommend you to visit Parque Arauco. This luxury mall is known for its high-quality fashion and fine dining. The mall contains over 350 stores, including designer brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada.

And for true gourmets and hedonists, there is an excellent selection of gourmet restaurants and cafes. Arauco Park also has a cinema and theater and often hosts live music and cultural events throughout the year, making it a popular destination for shopping and entertainment.

In the next post I will delight you with a review of the famous Hotel Luciano K located in the bohemian heart of Santiago, so we will continue our exploration of the capital of Chile – Santiago.

My dear travellers, we have come to the end of this first special travelogue from Chile where we enjoyed the beauty of Santiago in the series of travelogues of Chile 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), the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, the National Tourist Organization of Chile (Chile Travel) and Hotel Luciano K in cooperation with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of daily life in Santiago. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Chile.

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.

I am honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate with many companies in the tourism sector and I would like to thank once again United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, the National Tourist Organization of Chile (Chile Travel) and Hotel Luciano K for this incredible adventure and for allowing me to feel the beauty of this very unusual Chilean culture in a different way and to feel the beauty of everyday life in Santiago.

How did you like my story about Santiago de Chile and the presentation of the vibrant city below the Andes? Have you had the chance to visit Santiago and beautiful Chile 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!

With Love from Santiago,

Mr.M

This post is sponsored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, the National Tourist Organization of Chile (Chile Travel) and Hotel Luciano K and other local partners. This post is my personal and honest review of the destination experience.

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Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel: The Best Place to Feel the Pulse of Buenos Aires

Adventure Travel May 16, 2025 5 Comments

My dear travelers and lovers of unusual journeys, welcome to the new series of travelogues on the Mr.M blog. May, 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 of today’s travelogue, where I will try to convey to you the beauty of the best place to feel the pulse of Buenos Aires and feel the luxury of comfort at Loi Suites Recoleta hotel, I would like to thank the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organisations, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from several 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 Argentina were created with the selfless help of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Sports of Argentina, Convention Bureau of the City of Buenos Aires and Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel.

If by any chance you missed reading the previous travelogues from Argentina or you want to remind yourself of some interesting things, take the opportunity to visit the following links:

Recoleta is a barrio or neighborhood in Buenos Aires, located in the northern part of the city, next to the Rio de la Plata. The area is probably best known for being home to the prestigious Recoleta Cemetery. It is a traditionally upper-class and conservative neighborhood with some of the most expensive real estate in the city, known for its Parisian-style townhouses, opulent former palaces and posh boutiques.

The name of this prestigious settlement comes from the monastery – the Recoleta Convent (Convento de la Recoleta) of the Recoleta fathers, members of the Franciscan Order, which was founded in the area at the beginning of the 18th century. They founded a monastery and a church dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Pilar with a cemetery. Recoleta Trail is almost the exact geographical center of the settlement and one of its highest points in the city, which at the end of the 19th century attracted wealthy families from the south of the city who wanted to escape the deadly yellow fever epidemic that began in 1871. Since then, Recoleta has been one of the best and most expensive neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires, home to private family villas, foreign embassies and luxury hotels, including the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel.

If you want to feel the real pulse and spirit of Buenos Aires, the Loi Suites Recoleta hotel is the ideal place for you. Buenos Aires is an ideal destination in South America that you can visit at any time of the year. If you enjoy long walks where you can explore the cultural content of the city or enjoy the beauty of architecture, museums and discovering tourist attractions, Buenos Aires is the right destination for you. Events, theater performances, concerts and a lively nightlife invite visitors to this incredible city to enjoy a variety of culinary offerings.

When we travel it is very important to choose the right hotel location because this decision will significantly affect your trip and in this way you can improve your experience while visiting the city’s neighbourhoods and ensure the best possible time during a day full of activities in Buenos Aires. The Loi Suites Recoleta hotel is the perfect choice for a true city experience. Loi Suits hotels consistently offer superior service, the best location and facilities tailored to the needs of guests, whether traveling for leisure or business.

Loi Suites Recoleta hotel is located in the heart of one of the most prestigious neighborhoods of Buenos Aires – Recoleta. This hotel is just steps away from the historic Recoleta Cemetery, surrounded by exquisite French-style architecture. It is close to the city’s best restaurants, bars, art galleries and historic squares. Ideal for a family holiday, a romantic holiday or just a break from the routine with friends, this hotel offers total luxury comfort, convenience, quality of service with the marked attention to detail that you can feel in a five-star hotel, with spacious and comfortable rooms.

The hidden gem of the facility is its stunning Winter Garden, where guests and locals alike can enjoy an exquisite gastronomic offer. Surrounded by exotic plants, it recreates a tropical atmosphere in the heart of Recoleta, with marble details and wicker chairs, creating an oasis where the atmosphere of spring reigns throughout the year. The space bathed in natural light thanks to the glass roof during the day, and exquisitely designed for pleasant dinners, makes this restaurant a unique option to enjoy all its culinary offers: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

When choosing to stay at Recoleta, guests have the opportunity to enjoy one of the most elegant and exclusive parts of Buenos Aires. Recoleta is known for its European-style architecture, wide green areas and rich cultural offer. In the immediate vicinity of Loi Suites Recoleta, hotel guests have quick and easy access to the National Museum of Fine Arts and the famous Alvear Avenue, perfect for luxury lovers. What’s more, the proximity of exceptional restaurants and historic cafes makes Recoleta an unbeatable place to immerse yourself in the rich Portenjo lifestyle.

The head chef of Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel, Dario Galizia presents a completely renewed menu every season to offer new delights to hotel guests and restaurant visitors. The cuisine is recognizable with strong Mediterranean influences, emphasizing the flavors of Italian and Spanish gastronomy. Special attention is paid to abundant local products, especially meat and fresh fish, which are carefully prepared following French culinary techniques. It is also worth noting that the distinctive classic “Garden Tea”, which contains sweet and savoury treats from the traditional “five o’clock tea”, is an excellent and complete offer, perfect for enjoying with friends, meetings or special celebrations.

During my visit to Buenos Aires, I had the opportunity to stay in the Executive Suite which is the jewel of the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel. A very spacious apartment of 42 square meters with a bedroom with a double bed, a separate living and working area and a kitchen is the perfect space to call your home when you come to Buenos Aires. This apartment is equipped with a small kitchen where you can prepare some quick meals, coffee or tea because the kitchen is equipped to meet the needs of the guests.

A spacious bathroom made of marble will make your free time for relaxation even better and more comfortable. The bathroom is fully equipped so you don’t have to think about hygiene items or a hair dryer. What won my heart were the little signs of attention provided by the staff of the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel like the chocolates they brought me every day.

During the trip, the hotel where we stay is very important to all of us, because the hotel is our home in the new destination and therefore it is very important to choose a good hotel in each destination. During my stay in the capital of Argentina, my Loi Suites Recoleta was my home, adorned with style, comfort and a beautiful atmosphere in the heart of Buenos Aires.

In addition to the hotel in the capital of Argentina – Buenos Aires, Loi Suites has its hotels in San Martín de los Andes, if you want to discover the beauty of Argentine Patagonia – Loi Suites Chapelco or if you want to be harmoniously immersed in the subtropical forest of Irjapu with the Loi Suites Iguazu hotel.

All guests of the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel can enjoy amenities such as an indoor pool and a gym. In addition to these facilities, guests can then relax with a therapeutic massage in the relaxation room. Of course, this hotel offers 24-hour medical assistance, laundry and dry cleaning for an additional charge, as well as parking for an additional charge.

In the next post, I will delight you with a new travelogue from Chile, where we will enjoy the beauty of the capital Santiago, as well as a fashion story and hotel review from Santiago.

My dear adventurers, we have reached the end of this third and at the same time the last special travelogue from Argentina where we enjoyed the beauty of comfort with Loi Suites Recoleta hotel in the series of travelogues of Argentina 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 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Sports of Argentina, Convention Bureau of the City of Buenos Aires and Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Buenos Aires. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Argentina.

I am honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with many companies and businessmen in the tourism sector and I would like to thank once again United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Sports of Argentina, Convention Bureau of the City of Buenos Aires and Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel for this incredible adventure and for allowing me to feel the beauty of this very unusual Argentinian culture in a different way and to feel the beauty of everyday life in Buenos Aires.

How did you like my story about Loi Suites Recoleta hotel? Have you had the chance to visit Buenos Aires and beautiful Argentina so far?

With Love from Buenos Aires,

Mr.M

This post is sponsored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Sports of Argentina, Convention Bureau of the City of Buenos Aires and Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel and other local partners. This post is my personal and honest review of the destination experience.

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Letters from Argentina: La Recoleta Cemetery, A Walk Through Argentina’s Rich History…

Adventure Travel May 9, 2025 4 Comments

My dear travelers and lovers of unusual journeys, welcome to the new series of travelogues on the Mr.M blog. May, 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 of today’s travelogue, where I will try to convey to you the beauty of Argentine history with a walk through the most beautiful cemetery in the world – La Recoleta, I would like to thank the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organizations, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from several 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.

In order to ever understand the present, we must understand the past. A cemetery does not necessarily have to be a place where the feeling of sadness prevails, but it can be a place where you can learn something about the history of a people, the culture of a country and enjoy the architecture.

La Recoleta Cemetery (Spanish: Cementerio de la Recoleta) is a cemetery located in the prestigious neighborhood of Recoleta in Buenos Aires. It contains the graves of notable eminent people, including Eva Perón, presidents of Argentina, Nobel laureates, the founder of the Argentine Navy, and military commanders such as Julio Argentino Roca. In 2011, the BBC named it one of the world’s best cemeteries, and in 2013, CNN included it among the 10 most beautiful cemeteries in the world.

The cemetery covers an area of 5.5 hectares and contains 4,691 tombs, all of which are built above ground, of which 94 have been declared national historical monuments by the Argentine government and are protected by the state. The entrance to the cemetery is through neoclassical gates with tall Doric columns. The cemetery contains many elaborate marble mausoleums, decorated with statues, in a wide range of architectural styles such as Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Baroque and Neo-Gothic, and most of the materials used between 1880 and 1930 in the construction of the tombs were imported from Paris and Milan.

At the beginning of the 18th century, friars from the order of Franciscan recollects arrived barefoot in the area where the Recoleta cemetery is currently located, then on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. In 1732, they built a monastery and a church at that place, which they placed under the patronage of the Virgin Pilar. Currently, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is a national historical monument. The locals called the Recollects church simply La Recoleta, a name that spread throughout the area.

When the order was dissolved in 1822, on November 17 of that year, the garden of the monastery was turned into the first public cemetery in the city of Buenos Aires. The people responsible for its creation were the then governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Martín Rodríguez (his remains rest in the cemetery) and his government minister Bernardino Rivadavia. Its first two tenants were the freed black boy Juan Benito and the young María Dolores Maciel.

In 1863, La Recoleta cemetery lost its status as a cemetery due to a conflict with the Freemasons, since the Mason Blas Aguero died that year, who refused to receive the holy sacraments, so the church denied him burial, but at the request of his nephew, President Bartholomew Mitre gave him permission, after which the archbishop’s status of the cemetery was not extinguished.

In the 1870s, as a result of the yellow fever epidemic that ravaged the city, many upper-class portens left the neighborhoods of San Telmo and Montserrat and moved to the northern part of the city in Recolet. When it became an upper-class neighborhood, the cemetery became the final resting place of the most prestigious and powerful families of Buenos Aires. At the same time, the Chacarita cemetery or Western Cemetery, unlike the North Cemetery, less commonly called Recoleta, was inaugurated.

At the very entrance to the cemetery, three dates are engraved on the floor: 1822, when the La Recoleta cemetery was created, 1881, when the first remodeling of the cemetery was carried out, and 2003, the year of the second remodeling of the cemetery. The Recoleta Cemetery is an emblematic burial monument in Buenos Aires, recognized for its artistic and historical value. Its main entrance has a portico formed by four Greek Doric columns, completed during renovations in 1881 under the supervision of Mayor Torquato de Alvear. The external and internal facades are decorated with Latin inscriptions: “Requiescant in pace” (Rest in peace) on the outside, and “Expectamus Dominum” (We await the Lord) on the inside, symbolizing the dialogue between the living and the dead.

On the front, above the pillars, are written the first symbols of life and death, presented in eleven allegories: the spindle and the scissors: the thread of life that can be cut at any moment. Cross and letter P: peace of Christ in cemeteries. Crown: a vow of lasting memory. Sphere and Wings: a process of life and death that is constantly spinning like a sphere. Cross and crown: death and memory. Bee: diligence. The snake bites its tail: the beginning and the end. Shroud over the urn: abandonment and death. Torches with flames pointing downwards: death. Owl: guardian, and according to some beliefs, heralds death. Water clock or hourglass: passage of time or passage of life.

The cemetery has 4,780 graves spread over 54,843 square meters, 80 of which have been declared national historical monuments. The cemetery contains several marble mausoleums, decorated with statues, in a wide range of architectural styles. La Recoleta cemetery is organized in the form of blocks, conceived as a small town, with wide rows of trees leading to side alleys lined with mausoleums and arches. There is a large central roundabout from which the main avenues depart, with a sculpture of Christ by the sculptor Pedro Zonza Briano, in 1914.

Mausoleums, built in a variety of architectural styles, are usually marked with a family name on the facade, and often contain bronze plaques with the names of the buried individuals. Among the famous people buried in this cemetery are figures from Argentine politics, culture and society.

The writer Jorge Luis Borges expressed in one of his poems his desire to be buried in this place, although he was finally buried in Geneva. The Recoleta Cemetery can be considered a “city within a city”, as its architectural configuration, layout and sculptures make it one of the most famous places in Buenos Aires. This cemetery is a unique space that, with its urban layout, reflects an organization similar to that of a city.

Its layout is characterized by orthogonal streets that divide the land into regular plots, creating avenues, alleys and diagonals. These features structure the space so that each part of the cemetery has its own identity, while the sculptures commissioned by the families who own the vaults visually enrich the environment, with different artistic representations of life and death.

In the center of the cemetery, a large central roundabout serves as a reference point, from which the main avenues diverge. In this area there is a sculpture of Christ made by the sculptor Pedro Zonca Briano in 1914, which forms a large cross, a symbol of the sanctity of the place.

From the very beginning, the cemetery area has had extensions, significant and reference elements, which thicken the experience of the place. The cemetery maintains a practical relationship of identification with the city itself: a spatial arrangement in grids, from which the blocks built on the Recoleta land arise, a geometric design with streets, avenues and diagonals. The walls contain, define and protect it as a sacred space.

The plan was requested from the Director of the Department of Architectural Engineers of the Province of Buenos Aires, Eng. Prospero Catelin. With the plan approved and already in execution, a government decree was issued on September 3, 1823, which determines the scale of prices according to the location of the plots and which is interesting for the purpose of this work, because it determines that “the most desirable graves are occupied by the bodies of those people whose virtues or relevant services to society have earned them power and a notable place forever in the society of citizens. duty to perpetuate the memory of such worthy citizens by disposing of their ashes.”

It is significant that the Government, following the tone of the explanation of the decree, reserves for itself “some graves to officially assign them to those people who stand out due to merits contracted in any branch of public service”, thereby reserving space for grave plots for the pantheon of meritorious citizens, to the right of the main entrance street to the cemetery.

La Recoleta Cemetery is the eternal home of numerous eminent personalities who in some way left their mark on Argentine history. Some of them are:

General Bartolome Mitre

The mausoleum of General Bartolomé Mitre is located opposite the old entrance gate at 1720 Junin Street. Sculpted in marble, his sculptures were made by Eduardo Rubino, born in Turin, and represent “Liberty”, “Duty” and “Justice”. Today, on its top, the hero’s name is framed between winged figures. Miter was a military man, journalist, poet and historian, who crowned his career as the president of the united nation in the period 1862-1868. year.

Eva Duarte de Peron

On one of the streets in section 16 is the Duarte family vault, in the Art Deco style, notable for its pilaster and pediment treatment framing the bronze doors, richly decorated with festoons, flowers and stylized foliage. The building is crowned with a burning brazier, a symbol of eternity. Eva Duarte de Perón, who did extensive social work for the poor during the first presidency of her husband, General Juan Domingo Perón, died in 1952 at the age of 33. After the 1955 coup, his remains were stolen and hidden by the Liberation Revolution until this restitution and final transfer in 1976.

Julio Argentino Roca

Its vault is built on the corner formed by one of the diagonals of this necropolis and one of its main streets, a location that allows it to be distinguished from different places. A soldier and statesman born in Tucumán in 1843 and killed in Buenos Aires in 1914, he fought in the campaign against Paraguay and conquered the desert. President of the Republic in two terms: 1880-1886 and 1898-1904. The vault has mannerist features, and its walls and the fence surrounding it are richly decorated with arabesques, angels and fallen torches. The domestic character of its main door, which is preceded by a small atrium, attracts attention; It has a rich decoration of the classical repertoire.

Juan Manuel de Rosas

The hero rests in the family crypt of Ortiz de Rozas next to his wife Encarnacion Escura, who died in 1838 and is also buried there. The vault, covered in granite, was built in 1845 after the death of Agustina López Osorio, Rosas’ mother, and remodeled in the first decade of the 20th century, when one of the entrance doors was closed to make room for the altar. Rosas died in exile in England in 1877, after the defeat at the Battle of Cazeros, and his remains were returned and interred in this mausoleum on September 30, 1989 during the government of Carlos Menem, after years of efforts led by sectors of historical revisionism.

Manuel Dorrego

The remains of Manuel Dorego rest in a vault located on the main street of the cemetery, near the Central Christ. His tomb is a truncated pyramid with an acropter at the corners and artistically wrought iron doors, which allow one to see inside the white marble urn where the hero lies. Dorego, the governor of Buenos Aires, was an ardent defender of federalism. Deposed by Juan Lavalle in 1828, he was executed by order of the latter near Navarre. His remains were transferred to Recoleta in December 1829 by order of Juan Manuel de Rosas.

Facundo Quiroga

The tomb of Juan Facundo Quiroga is surrounded by low iron railings that end in a spearhead. In its center, on a quadrangular pillar, stands the “Dolorosa” made of Carrara marble, the work of the Italian sculptor Antonio Tantardini (1829-1879), which is considered the first work of art in the cemetery. Quiroga, born in 1788 in Llanos de La Rioja, was governor of that province and fought against the Unitarians, defeating Lamadrid at ‘El Tala’ and José María Paz at ‘La Tablada’. His life ended tragically in 1835, when he was killed in Baranca Yaco. His remains were originally placed in the Cemetery of Canons, next to the cathedral in Cordoba, and the following year they were transferred to this tomb.

Rufina Cambaceres

In the corner of section 13 is the vault of Rufina Cambaseres next to her family, which bears the name of Antonio Cambaseres, Rufina’s uncle, in reference to Mr. Cambaseres, a landowner and man of great wealth who held the position of director of the provincial bank of Buenos Aires and the railroad. Rufina’s father, Eugenio, was a distinguished writer who left behind interesting works. Her daughter died on May 31, 1902. , her 19th birthday, probably buried under a cataleptic fit. Her mother decided to build a tomb for her daughter next to the family vault. The result was an important Art Nouveau monument with a stylization of curved lines and an abundance of stems, leaves and flowers. It is the work of the German Richard Eigner. Rufina is shown standing in front of a door, holding the handle as if to open it. This artistic performance, complete with the circumstances of her sudden death.

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento

The tomb of this hero is located in one of the inner streets of the 17th part of this necropolis. On the podium with a quadrangular base covered with mosaic stands an obelisk crowned with a bronze condor, at the bottom of which is the inscription “Civilization and Barbarism”. Sarmiento was an educator, writer and soldier. He was the governor of his province and the president of the nation in the period 1868-1874.

Federico Leloir

We can say that it is one of the most impressive vaults in this cemetery, which was designed by the French architect A. Guilbert. The Leloirs are originally from the French low Pyrenees, and arrived in these countries around 1820. Dr. Luis Federico Leloir rests here. Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1970. The monument consists of three characteristic parts. Large cubical base, faced with polished granite: middle part; composed of a bronze drum, which supports the dome, an element transformed into a skylight through which light reaches the refined chapel. This is presided over by Christ, the work of the Italian Leonardo Bistolfi (1859-1933). The entire structure is crowned by a small temple surrounded by Ionic columns, on which rests a large dome, inside which the Redeemer is represented in tiles of different colors.

Carlos Pellegrini

The mausoleum of Dr. Pellegrini is located on the central path, closing the street that starts at the Peristyle. This circumstance gives it a wonderful perspective, further emphasizing the inherent values of the work. It was commissioned by the Jockey Club to house the remains of its founder and first president. It is the work of the French sculptor Marins Jean Antonin Mercie.

Doctor Salvador María del Carril

This vault is a monumental construction in which the most prominent part is the needle-shaped canopy crowned with the image of Cronus – the God of Time. Inside the pavilion is a statue of the jurist, and above the entrance to the crypt is a bust of Da Tiburcia Dominguez, his wife. The tomb was made by Camilo Romairon Del Carril (1798-1883) who was governor of his native province of San Juan: Minister of Government and Foreign Affairs during the governorship of Laval.

General Juan Lavalle

A bronze grenadier watches over the sleep of the brave soldier Chakabuka, Maipu, Riobamba, Pichincha and Ituzaing, among other military actions. It is a sober vault made of black granite, with refined doors that stand out. He was the governor of the province of Buenos Aires and as head of the unit he intervened in Navarre’s action.

The tomb of José Clemente Paz (1842-1912) is one of the monuments of the exceptional sculptural group of the Frenchman Gilles Félix Coutant (1848-1939), who performed works on behalf of the Paz family, in honor of their late son, José Jacob Paz, a year later in Eight Gainza Paz4. In 1912, the president of La Prensa, José Clemente Paz, was buried in this vault.

Felix Coutant was a famous French sculptor of his time. His works stand out for their attention to detail and pleat work. He created sculptures in bronze and marble with a neoclassical approach and arranged them to be seen from the front, contained in the rear supports, making them part of the architecture.

The tomb has a cubic volume covered with black granite, a bronze door that serves as a pedestal for two large angels, placed from right to left of the door, one on an anchor and the other with a crown at the feet. Another sculptural group of three figures renews the drama: a half-subdued woman, almost fainting, letting go of an extinguished lamp.

In ascending order, in the same line, we see an urn with a half-open lid called a sarcophagus, from which appears a female figure representing the human soul, moving towards an angel with outstretched wings and pointing with the index finger towards infinity, eternity. The entire work is made of white marble, with meticulous details and great dynamics. The Tomb of the Paz Family is a sculptural work that can be seen as a “monument, not a charm”, as it is valued for what it was originally intended for.

Grave of Olivera De Pigneto

This tomb is located in section 9 and was made by Louis Perlotti in 1946. It is important to note that both the panels and the relief are made of dolomite stone that could have come from the Olavaria quarry, Buenos Aires province, and the base is made of granite. It shows the image of a woman with raised hands, in which simplicity, purity and sobriety can be seen. Due to the southern orientation of the front part of the tomb and its delimitation by the adjacent wall, the tomb is closed, creating a very humid microclimate that favors the development of microorganisms, which makes it difficult to read the work. The development of plants was observed at the junction of the plate and the relief. Microcracks have been identified in most stones. Erosion was also evident in the form of aggressive agents such as rain and wind, leading to a lack of surface cohesion and loss of surface finish. Because of all these omissions, it was necessary to carry out the restoration of the tomb. It is important to note that the relief, although exposed, was integrated into the overall composition of the tomb after the restoration.

Mausoleum of Doctor Nicolas de Avellaneda

This mausoleum is located in section 20 and was created by Parisian sculptor Gilles Coutant in 1910. This monument is made entirely of Carrara marble by carving and assembling slabs. Its dimensions are 3m high, 2.50m wide and 2.3m deep. It consists of a tall column with an allegorical figure of a woman in the act of prayer on its shaft, a capital with a portrait of a hero and a plinth with ornamental decoration. This monument was previously restored in 1968, due to the fact that the work is exposed without any protection and suffers from general surface erosion. Only in the sectors protected from the rain by their orientation (northeast) and morphology, a record of the original polishing could be observed.

In the right profile, the sculpture has a thin black layer produced by biological agents that covers almost the entire surface and is embedded in the structure of the stone. Also on the face of the allegory, erosion was observed with the loss of the finish, as well as the sticking of black bark. Structurally, the movement of the column that closes the mausoleum was observed. The lack of a metal chain attached to the pillars as a closure of the monument was also noticed. The intervention enabled a quick interpretation of the monument considering its location at the end of one of the cemetery streets. Standing near the sculpture, one can clearly see the different treatments on the same material.

Mausoleum of Colonel Federik Brandasen

This mausoleum is located in section 9 and was built by Carlos Romairone in 1905. The load-bearing material of the monument is Carrara marble with veins, except for the bust, which is made of unearthed Carrara marble. The memorial plaques and ornaments placed at the opening of the monument were cast in bronze. The dimension is 5m high, with a base of 2m by 2m. A visual comparison between the historical documentation and the current state of the monument revealed some differences, such as the addition of steps to the front of the monument. Both the allegory and the portrait of the colonel represent a significant accumulation of surface society and a change in granulometry.

This is observed in areas exposed to rain incense and extends along runoff lines generated by the morphology. Added to this is the mechanical effect of sandblasting done in the previous changes. Marble presents significant cracks as well as a film of oxide from metal decorative elements. Cracks and cracks were also observed, some of them with the application of cement mortar products of previous interventions. The criteria for the intervention included the relocation of the memorial plaques, which were placed in front of the monument, which, due to the proximity of the entrance to the cemetery, enables a quick inspection.

Tomb of Maria Sánchez de Thompson and Mandeville

This tomb is located in Section 3 and was created by an anonymous artist in 1870 using the turning technique, with Carrara marble assembled in sections. Its dimensions are 2m high and 2m wide and 1.7m deep. The biggest concern about this work, when it came to its conservation, was its structural deterioration, the result of ground movement under the influence of nearby tree growth. Its square base and orientation create a significant difference in wear between the front with direct exposure to rain and wind compared to profiles that have less wear. Ornaments and plaques show pronounced erosion, the progress of which reveals veins of marble in relief. A high percentage of oxidation can be observed on the front side of the tomb, which is quickly visible. The constructive maintenance of the tomb is the result of technical availability related to its historical moment, which has been revalued over time.

From the beginning of the 19th century, the political circumstances that unfolded on both sides of the River Plate, from the English invasions onwards, reinforced a special commitment to military glory, and especially posthumous honors given to the heroes of the Reconquest and the entry into the era of independence to the military heroes of independence. This recognition was reflected in significant funerary celebrations, with commemorative rituals reminiscent of royal burials during the colonial period and ephemeral architectural and artistic objects of admirable material and artistic investment. These were supplemented by funerary monuments placed in the public cemetery beginning in the late 1820s.

In the next post, I will delight you with a review of the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel, so that you can learn more about this fantastic hotel in Buenos Aires and consider staying here during your stay in the Argentine capital.

My dear adventurers, we have reached the end of this second special travelogue from Argentina where we enjoyed the beauty of Buenos Aires in the series of travelogues of Argentina 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 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Sports of Argentina, Convention Bureau of the City of Buenos Aires and Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel in collaboration with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Buenos Aires. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Argentina.

How did you like my story about La Recoleta cemetery and the presentation of Argentine history in this way? Have you had the chance to visit Buenos Aires and beautiful Argentina so far?

With Love from Buenos Aires,

Mr.M

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Letters from Argentina: Buenos Aires, City of Art, Tango and European Architecture

Adventure Travel May 6, 2025 7 Comments

My dear travelers and lovers of unusual journeys, welcome to the new series of travelogues on the Mr.M blog. May, 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 of today’s travelogue, where I will try to show you the capital of Argentina – Buenos Aires, I would like to thank the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organizations, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from several 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.

Argentina, officially the Republic of Argentina, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of approximately 2,800,000 km2, making it the second largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourth largest country in the Americas, and the eighth largest country in the world. Argentina shares most of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west, and is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast, Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south.

Argentina is a federal state divided into 23 provinces and one autonomous city, which is the federal capital and the nation’s largest city, Buenos Aires. The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions, but they exist under a federal system. Argentina claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and part of Antarctica.

The earliest recorded human presence in modern Argentina dates back to the Paleolithic period. The Inca Empire expanded to the northwest of the country in pre-Columbian times. The country has its roots in the Spanish colonization of the region during the 16th century. Argentina rose as the successor state to the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata, a Spanish overseas viceroyalty founded in 1776. The declaration of July 9, 1816 and the struggle for independence (in the period from 1810 to 1825) were followed by a prolonged civil war that lasted until 1880, when it was reorganized as a federation. The country enjoyed relative peace and stability thereafter, with several waves of European immigration, mainly Italian and Spanish, influencing its culture and demographics.

The National Autonomist Party dominated national politics during the period called the Conservative Republic, from 1880 until the 1916 election. The Great Depression led to the first coup d’état in 1930 led by José Félix Uribura, which began the so-called “Infamous Decade” (1930–1943). After that coup, four more followed in 1943, 1955, 1962 and 1966. After the death of President Juan Peron in 1974, his widow and vice president, Isabel Peron, ascended to the presidency, before being ousted in a final coup in 1976. where thousands of political critics, activists and leftists were killed in the Dirty War, a period of state terrorism and civil unrest that lasted until the election of Raúl Alfonsín as president in 1983.

Argentina is a regional power and maintains its historical status as a middle power in international affairs. This country is the main ally of the United States outside of NATO. Argentina is a developing country with the second highest HDI (human development index) in Latin America, after Chile. It maintains the second largest economy in South America and is a member of the G-15 and G20. Argentina is also a founding member of the United Nations, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, Mercosur, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, and the Organization of Ibero-American States.

Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and largest city of the Argentine Republic. It is located in the southwest of Rio de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha-Global City, according to the Globalization and Global Network for Cities (GaVC) 2024 ranking. The city itself has a population of nearly 3.1 million and an urban area of 16.7 million, making it the 20th largest metropolitan area in the world.

The city of Buenos Aires is neither part of the province of Buenos Aires nor its capital, it is an autonomous district. After the civil war in Argentina, in 1880, Buenos Aires was federalized and separated from the Province of Buenos Aires. The city limits were expanded to include the cities of Belgrano and Flores, both now urban areas. With the constitutional amendment of 1994, the city gained autonomy, hence its formal name Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Thus, in 1996, the citizens elected their first head of government, previously the mayor was directly appointed by the president of Argentina.

The conurbation of Greater Buenos Aires includes several surrounding cities, located in neighboring districts of the province of Buenos Aires. It is the fourth most populous metropolitan area in America. It is also the second largest city south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Buenos Aires has the highest human development of any of Argentina’s administrative divisions and its quality of life was ranked 91st in the world in 2018, one of the best in Latin America.

Buenos Aires is known for its preserved eclectic European architecture and rich cultural life. It is a multicultural city that is home to multiple ethnic and religious groups, contributing to its culture as well as the dialect spoken in the city and some other parts of the country. This is because since the 19th century, the city, and the country in general, has been the main recipient of millions of immigrants from all over the world, making it a melting pot where several ethnic groups live together. Thus, Buenos Aires is considered one of the most diverse cities in America.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism in Argentina’s capital has grown continuously since 2002. In a survey conducted by travel and tourism publication Travel + Leisure Magazine, visitors voted Buenos Aires as the second most desirable city to visit after Florence, Italy. Buenos Aires is an international hub for a very active and diverse nightlife with bars, dance bars and nightclubs that stay open well past midnight.

Visitors have many travel options such as going to a tango show, an estancia in the province of Buenos Aires, or enjoying a traditional asado. Recently, new tourist circles have developed, dedicated to Argentines such as Carlos Gardel, Eva Perón or Jorge Luis Borges. Before 2011, due to the favorable exchange rate of the Argentine peso, shopping centers such as Alto Palermo, Paseo Alcorta, Patio Bullrich, Abasto de Buenos Aires and Galerías Pasifico were frequented by tourists. Today, the exchange rate significantly hinders tourism and especially shopping. In fact, major fashion brands such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton have left the country due to the exchange rate and import restrictions. The city also hosts music festivals, some of the biggest being Quilmes Rock, Creamfields BA, Ultra Music Festival (Buenos Aires) and Buenos Aires Jazz Festival.

The most popular tourist locations are located in the historic center of the city, more specifically in the Montserrat and San Telmo districts. Buenos Aires was conceived around the Plaza de Mayo, the administrative center of the colony. East of the square is the Casa Rosada, the official seat of the executive branch of Argentina’s government. To the north, the Metropolitan Cathedral which has stood in the same location since colonial times, and the Banco de la Nacion Argentina building, a parcel of land originally owned by Juan de Garay. Other important colonial institutions were the Cabildo, in the west, which was renovated during the construction of Avenida de Mayo and Julio A. Roque. To the south is the Congreso de la Nacion (National Congress), which currently houses the Academia Nacional de la Historia (National Academy of History). Finally, to the northwest is the Town Hall.

Buenos Aires also became known for LGBT tourism, the legalization of same-sex marriage on July 15, 2010, making it the first country in Latin America, the second in the Americas, and the tenth in the world to do so. His Gender Identity Law, passed in 2012, made Argentina “the only country that allows people to change their gender identity without facing obstacles such as hormone therapy, surgery or a psychiatric diagnosis that marks them as having an abnormality.” In 2015, the World Health Organization cited Argentina as an exemplary country for providing transgender rights. Despite these legal advances, however, homophobia remains a hotly contested social issue in the city and the country.

Buenos Aires has different types of accommodation ranging from five-star luxury hotels in the city center to budget hotels located in the suburbs. Regardless, the city’s transportation system provides easy and cheap access to the city. Most of the hotels are located in the central part of the city, in close proximity to most of the main tourist attractions.

What tourist attractions should you visit in Buenos Aires? Teatro Colón is a historic opera house in Buenos Aires. National Geographic considers it one of the ten best opera houses in the world. According to a survey conducted by acoustic expert Leo Beranek among leading international opera and orchestra directors, the Teatro Colón has the best acoustic room for opera and the second best for concerts in the world. The current Colon replaced the original theater that was opened in 1857. At the end of the century, it became clear that a new theater was needed, and after a 20-year process, the current theater opened on May 25, 1908, with the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verdi.

The Teatro Colón was frequented by the most prominent singers and opera companies of the time, sometimes traveling to other cities including Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. After this period of huge international success, the theater’s deterioration became clear and plans were made for a massive renovation. After initial restoration work on the landmark began in 2005, the theater was closed for renovations from October 2006 to May 2010. It reopened on May 24, 2010 with a program for the 2010 season. The theater was declared a national historical monument in 1991.

Obelisco de Buenos Aires is a historical monument, which is considered an icon of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. It was built in 1936 to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the first founding of Buenos Aires by Pedro de Mendoza. The work was designed by Argentinian architect Alberto Prebish and built by the German consortium GEOPE-Siemens Bauunion-Grun & Bilfinger. The obelisk has a height of 67.5 meters, culminating in a Roman-style point of about 40 cm. It has a single front door and four windows at its top. It is located in Plaza de la Republica, at the intersection of Corrientes Avenue and 9 de Julio in the San Nicolas neighborhood of Buenos Aires.

Ateneo Grand Splendid is a bookstore located in the Recoleta neighborhood. It stands out for the fact that it is located in the place where the Grand Splendid theater used to be, since it has preserved the original architecture of the said theater, but at the same time it has been re-adapted to function as a bookstore. In 2008, the British newspaper The Guardian chose it as the second most beautiful bookstore in the world, and in 2019, National Geographic declared it the most beautiful in the world.

Located on Santa Fe Avenue in Barrio Norte, the building was designed by architects Pero and Torres Armengol for impresario Max Glicksman, and opened as a theater under the name Teatro Gran Splendid in May 1919. The building of eclectic architecture features ceiling frescoes painted by Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi and caryatids sculpted by Troyano Troyani, whose work also adorns the wreath along the Palacio de la Legislatura de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.

The theater had a capacity of 1,050 seats and hosted various performances, including performances by tango artists Carlos Gardel, Francisco Canaro, Roberto Firp and Ignacio Corsini. In 1924, Glucksmann started his own radio station (Radio Splendid), which broadcast from the building where his record company, Nacional Odeon, made some of the early recordings of the great tango singers of the time. At the end of the twenties, the theater was converted into a cinema, and in 1929 the first sound films shown in Argentina were shown.

Today this is one of the most beautiful libraries I have ever seen in my life and I took the opportunity to buy a book in Spanish from a writer I have been looking for a long time because I wanted to get back to learning Spanish.

The Pink House (in Spanish: Casa Rosada) is the presidential work palace of the first man of the Argentine Republic, located in the very heart of Buenos Aires. The palace is officially known as Casa de Gobierno (“House of Government”). Normally, the President lives in Quinta de Olivos, the official residence of the President of Argentina, located in Olivos, Greater Buenos Aires. Casa Rosada’s signature color is baby pink and it is considered one of the most emblematic buildings in Buenos Aires. The building also houses a museum, which contains items related to former presidents of Argentina. It was declared a national historical monument of Argentina.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana de la Santisima Trinidad) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Buenos Aires. It is located in the city center, overlooking the Plaza de Mayo, at the corner of San Martín and Rivadavia streets in the San Nicolas neighborhood. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and had the rank of the primary church of Argentina from 1822 to 2024. The cathedral was declared a national historical monument in 1942.

Plaza de Mayo is the square located in front of the Casa Rosada, the seat of the National Executive. It was created in 1884, as a result of the unification of Plaza de la Victoria and Plaza del Fuerte, by the demolition of the building called Recova Vieja, which separated them. It is located in the place where the second founding of the City took place in 1580. It is located in the Montserrat district, more precisely, in the so-called center of Buenos Aires, surrounded by the streets of Hipolito Yrigoyen, Balcarsa, Avenida Rivadavia and Bolívar in the Montserrat district. From its western side originate three important avenues: President Julio A. Roca, President Roca Sáenz Peña and Avenida de Mayo. In its surroundings there are several main monuments and places of interest: the historic Cabildo, the Casa Rosada (where the executive branch of the nation is located), the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Buenos Aires City Government Building, the headquarters of the Banco Nacion and the headquarters of the Customs Collection and Control Agency.

The Cabildo of Buenos Aires (Spanish: Cabildo de Buenos Aires) is a public building in the city of Buenos Aires, which was used as the seat of the city council during the colonial era and the government house of the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata. The building was also the seat of other institutions, such as the Royal Audience of Buenos Aires, the highest court of second instance in the territory, which operated from April 6, 1661 to January 23, 1812, when it was replaced by the Appeals Chamber. Then, during 1810, the Primera Junta created the Public Library of Buenos Aires, which Cabildo was its first location in two years. However, the institution that worked longer in that building was the prison of Buenos Aires, from 1608 to 1877, when their prisoners were transferred to the missing national penitentiary in Calle Las Heras, when it was inaugurated. The Cabildo was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1933 and opened to the public as a museum in 1938.

What you must not miss if your road leads you to Buenos Aires is the famous Caminito street, which means “little path” in Spanish. Caminito is a street museum and traditional alley, located in La Boca, a district of Buenos Aires. The place gained cultural significance because it inspired the music for the famous tango “Caminito” from 1926, composed by Juan de Dios Filiberto.

In the 1800s, a small stream that flows into the Riachuelo River ran along the same route as where Caminito is now. Later, this area of the stream became known as Puntin, a Genoese diminutive for the small bridge that allowed people to cross the stream there. When the creek dried up, tracks for the Ferrocarril Buenos Aires and Puerto de la Ensenada were laid on the site. Abandoned paths remain at the end of the Caminito, along Via Garibaldi.

In 1954, the railroad was closed, and the area where Caminito was located became a landfill and the laughing stock of the neighborhood. Over the next three years, Argentinian artist Benito Quinquela Martin, who lived nearby, painstakingly prepared the walls facing the deserted street, applying pastel colors and by 1960 had installed a stage at the south end, the wooden plank stage was replaced by a nearby theater in 1972. The artist was a personal friend of Argentine tango composer Juan de Dios Philibert, who created the well-known melody of the same name from 1926.

La Boca (Spanish meaning “The Mouth”, probably of the Matanza River) is a neighborhood (barrio) of Buenos Aires. Its location near the port of Buenos Aires meant that the area became a melting pot of different cultures during the 20th century, when millions of immigrants from Europe and Asia arrived in Argentina. In particular, many of its settlers are originally from the Italian region of Liguria. The neighborhood became a cornerstone of portenjo culture, being an important place during the early development of tango. Today it is mostly known for being the home of Boca Juniors, one of the two biggest soccer teams in Argentina.

After a long general strike in 1882, La Boca seceded from Argentina, and the rebels raised the flag of Genoa, which was immediately torn down by the then president Julio Argentino Rocca. Among sports fans, Boca is best known for being the home of the world famous football club Boca Juniors. The club plays its home games at the Alberto J. Armando Stadium, popularly known as La Bombonera (Spanish: “candy box”).

La Boca was home to the Garra or fighting spirit that was represented in the hard working, no nonsense people of Bari and reflected in the most popular club on the pitch, Boca Juniors. During the first half of the 20th century, the citizens of La Boca were characterized by rejecting “art for art’s sake” and adopting a working-class attitude to work and life, unlike the wealthier citizens of the north, often represented through their River Plate Club. In 1907, La Boca became its own micronational republic. Their first attempt was short-lived, but two later attempts were more successful. The first lasted from 1923 to 1972, and the second was established in 1986. Republican graffiti was still present in the barrio.

Another of Argentina’s most popular clubs, River Plate, originally started in La Boca. However, in 1938 the club moved to the Núñez neighborhood on the northern edge of the city and became more identified with the elite of Buenos Aires than with the lower class citizens of La Boca. Land in and around La Boca was often controlled by the state or wealthy corporations in the first half of the 20th century, due to its location near the docks, which made it difficult for citizens to access soccer fields.

La Boca is a popular destination for tourists visiting Argentina, with its colorful houses and Caminito pedestrian street, where tango dancers perform and tango memorabilia is sold. Other attractions include the La Ribera theater, many tango music clubs and Italian taverns. The area frequented by tourists is only a few blocks long and has been very actively developed for tourism in the last few years, with many markets and restaurants catering to tourists. Outside of this tourist area, it is a fairly poor area where petty crimes are regularly reported.

The Japanese Gardens of Buenos Aires (Spanish: Jardin Japones de Buenos Aires) are a public space managed by the non-profit Japan Argentina Cultural Foundation in Buenos Aires. These gardens are among the largest Japanese gardens in the world outside of Japan.

After the demolition of a similar, smaller garden in the Retiro area, the Japanese Argentine Cultural Foundation secured ownership of 2 hectares at the northeast corner of the city’s large Tres de Febrero park for the purpose of creating a replacement park. Completed in 1967, the gardens were officially opened on the occasion of the state visit of the then Crown Prince Akihito and Japanese Princess Michiko to Argentina.

One of the garden’s entrances leading to Figueroa Alcorta Avenue led to the garden’s cultural center, a restaurant, a greenhouse known for its collection of bonsai trees, and a gift shop with a large selection of Asian garden seeds, as well as handicrafts made by artisans on the grounds. The central lake is crossed by the Divine Bridge, which traditionally represents the entrance to heaven, and the Trunk Bridge, which leads to an island where Japanese medicinal herbs are grown.

The lake is surrounded by the flora of Japan, such as sakura, katsura, momiji and azalea. In the park, however, there are also complementary species that originate from South America, especially type trees and silk trees. The lake itself is inhabited by carp. A small number of epiphytic bromeliads of the genus Tillandsia can be seen, as well as one orchid of the widespread and diverse genus Oncidium. The park is also adorned with a Japanese peace bell and a large ishidoro, as well as numerous other granite sculptures. A Japanese Buddhist temple is maintained on the grounds and the Institute also hosts regular cultural activities for the general public. Alfred Zucker designed an outdoor theater for the park.

Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance that originated at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It usually has a 2/4 or 4/4 time signature and two or three parts that repeat in patterns such as ABAB or ABCAC. His lyrics are marked by nostalgia, sadness and lamentation for lost love. A typical orchestra has several melodic instruments and the bandoneon gives it a special look. It continued to grow in popularity and spread internationally, adding modern elements without replacing the older ones. Among its leading figures are singer-songwriter Carlos Gardel and composers/performers Francisco Canaro, Juan D’Arienzo, Carlos Di Sarli, Osvaldo Pugliese, Elvira Santamaria and Astor Piazzolla.

The origins of the Argentine Tango are unclear as there are few historical documents from that era. In recent years, several tango lovers have undertaken a thorough investigation of that history, so that today it is less mysterious than before. The dance is generally considered to have developed in the late 19th century in the working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was practiced by Argentine dancers, musicians, and immigrant workers. Like other Latin American countries, Argentine elites rejected racial mixing with darker-skinned Argentines. Argentinians repeated the stereotypes that were common in Europe in the colonial era: non-white people were forced to live in the ghetto. Tango was practiced in the streets and in the courtyards, especially in the dark corners of the streets. In addition, Afro-Argentines played an important role in the evolution both musically and choreographically of the early tango. The term “tango” originated from Afro-Argentine dance forms, and black people were still associated with tango well into the 20th century. Tango developed as an expression of the political struggle of the black community and was loved by many immigrants who lived in poverty and wanted to change their socio-economic situation.

Argentine elites viewed tango as a dangerous association of people and a gathering place for the lower class. However, as famous tango stars such as Alberto Castillo gained popularity in Argentina, a positive image of blackness associated with tango began to spread in Argentine mass culture during the 1930s to 1950s. Tango lyrics often challenge the images of Argentina created by foreigners: the real Argentina was a country with black and white people who created tango, not rich people who danced the foxtrot. In addition, Argentine tango lyrics presented humility as a major theme, and mass culture promoted tango to encourage humility as a national identity.

To end this travelogue, I would like to give you an honest recommendation and review for a hotel to stay in Buenos Aires. During the trip, the hotel where we stay is very important to all of us, because the hotel is our home in the new destination and therefore it is very important to choose a good hotel in each destination. During my stay in Buenos Aires, the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel was my home, boasting style, comfort and a beautiful atmosphere in the elegant heart of Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires is undoubtedly an ideal destination at any time of the year. If you are wondering which is the best area to find a hotel in Buenos Aires, my honest recommendation is the Recoleta area. It is ideal if you are looking for a hotel because it makes it easy to explore the city, visit museums and discover cultural attractions right in the heart of the city. Events, theater performances, concerts and lively nightlife in Buenos Aires simply invite visitors to enjoy a varied and enjoyable culinary program. Without a doubt, choosing the right location will enhance your experience as you tour the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and ensure the best possible time during your action-packed trip.

Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel is the perfect choice for the best experience of the city. With the quality of service offered by Loi Suites hotels, their team consistently always offers superior service, the best location and facilities tailored to the needs of all guests, whether you are traveling for tourism or business reasons. Located in the heart of one of the most prestigious neighborhoods of Buenos Aires – Recoleta, Loi Suites Recoleta is just a few steps from the historic Recoleta Cemetery, surrounded by an exquisite French style of architecture. The hotel is located in the immediate vicinity of the city’s best restaurants, bars, art galleries and historic squares.

In one of the next posts from Argentina, I will share with you my personal review of the hotel, as well as the quality of service of the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel, so that you can consider this hotel if your trip takes you to Buenos Aires.

In the next post I will write you a special travelogue about the Recoleta Cemetery, so we will continue our exploration of the capital of Argentina – Buenos Aires.

My dear adventurers, we have reached the end of this first special travelogue from Argentina where we enjoyed the beauty of Buenos Aires in the series of travelogues of Argentina 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 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Sports of Argentina, Convention Bureau of the City of Buenos Aires and Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel in collaboration with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Buenos Aires. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Argentina.

I am honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with many companies and businessmen in the tourism sector and I would like to thank once again United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Sports of Argentina, Convention Bureau of the City of Buenos Aires and Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel for this incredible adventure and for allowing me to feel the beauty of this very unusual Argentine culture in a different way and to feel the beauty of everyday life in Buenos Aires.

How did you like my story about Buenos Aires and the presentation of the city of art, tango and European architecture? Have you had the chance to visit Buenos Aires and beautiful Argentina so far?

With Love from Buenos Aires,

Mr.M

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Letters from Uruguay: Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa, Tango inspired Opulence

Adventure Travel April 29, 2025 4 Comments

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 of today’s travelogue, where I will do my best to show you the beauty of the luxury of the Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel, I would like to thank The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organizations, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from several 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 Uruguay were created with the selfless help of the The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa.

Hotel Casino Carrasco, also known as Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa is a hotel and historic building in Montevideo, located on Rambla de Montevideo in the Carrasco neighborhood.

What is the historical background of this imposing hotel? The construction of the Hotel Casino Carrasco began in 1921, with the formation of a corporation called “Balneario Carrasco”, which was conceived by Alfredo Arocena with the aim of building a hotel in the former Spa Carrasco. This corporation was responsible for recruiting the French-Argentinean landscape designer Carlos Theis to design and transform the entire area into a magnificent garden complex. Then the construction of the Carrasco Hotel, named in honor of the first owner of the land, Sebastián Carrasco, began.

The construction of the hotel began in 1912, under the leadership and design of the architects Gaston Malet and the Swiss Jacques Dinan, who also collaborated with the Uruguayan architect Felix Elena. The outbreak of World War I interrupted and halted construction, leaving it abandoned for nine years. The municipality of Montevideo subsequently received the land and the unfinished monumental building to continue construction and finally opened it on January 29, 1921.

This building enjoyed its golden age until the middle of the 20th century. Many celebrities have stayed in its rooms, such as the physicist Albert Einstein during his visit in 1925 and the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca in 1934.

The building closed its doors in 2009 to begin renovation work by Carrasco Nobile Sociedad Anonima, which was completed in 2013. The hotel is currently managed by the Sofitel hotel chain (a luxury hotel brand from the Accor Group) and the Codere casino company. The hotel was officially reopened on March 7, 2013. The opening of the building and the activities carried out there brought economic and social changes in the Carrasco neighborhood, especially with real estate and business investments.

Just a few minutes from the international airport, the historic Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel enjoys a privileged location facing the beach. It is located near the La Plata River, one of the most prestigious locations in the city.

The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel has 116 rooms, a lobby bar, a 450-seat conference center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a fitness center. It is also the first Sofitel brand hotel in the region to have a casino. This hotel also offers a French gastro restaurant called 1921, which refers to the year the hotel was founded.

Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel also has in its offer the new exclusive Sofitel So SPA concept, a modern large space for the well-being of the mind and beauty. According to the management of the Sofitel hotel brand, Montevideo is an important destination in Latin America because of its potential for growth, its tourist attraction and its stable economy. What I noticed is that Montevideo is a city with quite a lot of potential and that the Sofitel has managed to position itself as one of the most luxurious hotels of its class in the region, including a luxury casino with a space for holding special events.

During my visit to Montevideo, I had the honour and pleasure to feel the charms of luxury and convince myself once again of the superior Sofitel service by staying in the IMPERIAL SUIT with one King size bed with a beautiful view of the Río de la Plata. Exclusive access to sophisticated luxury, where you can enjoy the exclusive comfort of the Imperial Suite, where the furnished terrace offers a beautiful view of Carrasco and Rio de la Plata.

The interior of the apartment is decorated with wooden paneling, rich textures and plush furniture, evoking the endless elegance and lightness of refined architecture. Moments of indulgence at the Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel include long soaks in the Roman bath and restful mornings with use of the in-room yoga equipment. It’s the kind of rest we all always need.

This suit of 180 square meters can accommodate a maximum of 3 people and for comfort there is the possibility of adding one extra bed for an adult or for a child upon notification to the Sofitel reservation team. You always have access to high-speed Wi-Fi internet and you always have fresh still bottled water and a mini bar. All Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa rooms are elegantly and refinedly designed so that you can fully indulge in enjoyment and relaxation during your visit to Montevideo.

For true hedonists who know how to enjoy rich flavors, the Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel has the best entrant on the lists of the best restaurants in Montevideo, Restaurant 1921 revives the elegant and sophisticated regional culinary tradition with the ardor of a modern sensibility. Experience classic food based on local flavors and sustainable practices. While our sommelier helps you choose the perfect wine, immerse yourself in the feeling of retro luxury created by the rich decor and historic architecture. Restaurant 1921 is dedicated to local and organic products and carbon-free production methods.

Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa is where indulgence is the new wellness. Soothing music and fragrances set the scene for transformative experiences at the Sofitel Spa. Enter a world of rejuvenation and a touch of luxury where you will renew your mind and body, where you can strengthen your immune system in the hammam before enjoying a restorative massage or facial. After a workout in the fitness center, find your balance in the dry sauna or in the peaceful secret garden. Indoor and outdoor heated pools also offer serene relaxation. Planning a special occasion? Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure before choosing the perfect outfit.

In the next post I will share with you a fashion story from Montevideo, I am sure you will enjoy it. My dear travellers, we have come to the end of this second special travelogue from Uruguay where we enjoyed the review of the Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel in the series of travelogues about Uruguay 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), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa in collaboration with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Montevideo. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Uruguay.

I am honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate with many companies and businessmen in the tourism sector and I would like to thank The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa for this incredible adventure and for allowing me to feel the beauty of this unusual Uruguayan culture in a completely different way and to feel the beauty of everyday life in Montevideo.

How did you like my story about the Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa Hotel and the presentation of this Uruguayan Tango inspired opulence that adorns the heart of this unusual capital of a country in South America? Have you had the chance to visit Montevideo and beautiful Uruguay so far?

With Love from Montevideo,

Mr.M

This post is sponsored by the The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa and other local partners. This post is my personal and honest review of the destination experience.

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Letters from Uruguay: Montevideo, City of Wine, Football and Urban Beaches…

Adventure Travel April 25, 2025 5 Comments

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 of today’s travelogue, where I will try to show you the capital of Uruguay – Montevideo, I would like to thank The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organizations, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from several 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 Uruguay were created with the selfless help of The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa.

Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (in Spanish: Republica Oriental del Uruguai) is a country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the west and southwest and Brazil to the north and northeast, while it borders the Rio de la Plata to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. It is part of the Southern Cone region of South America. Uruguay covers an area of approximately 176,215 square kilometers. This country has a population of about 3.5 million people, of which almost 2 million live in the metropolitan area of the capital and largest city – Montevideo.

How was Uruguay formed? The area of present-day Uruguay was first inhabited by hunter-gatherer groups 13,000 years ago. The predominant tribe at the time of European arrival was the Charrua people. At the same time, there were other tribes, such as the Guarani and the Chana, when the Portuguese first established Colonia do Sacramento in 1680, Uruguay was colonized by Europeans later than neighbouring countries.

The Spanish founded Montevideo as a military stronghold in the early 18th century due to competing claims to the region, while Uruguay gained independence between 1811 and 1828, after a four-way struggle between Portugal and Spain, and later Argentina and Brazil. It remained under the influence and interventions of foreign countries during the first half of the 19th century. From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, numerous pioneering economic, labor and social reforms were implemented that led to the creation of a highly developed welfare state, which made the country known as the “Switzerland of America”. However, a series of economic crises and the struggle against far-left urban guerrilla warfare in the late 1960s and early 1970s culminated in a coup in 1973, which established a civil-military dictatorship until 1985. Today, Uruguay is a democratic constitutional republic, with a president who is both head of state and head of government.

In 2023, Uruguay was categorized as a “full democracy” by the Economist Democracy Index and ranked highly in international measures of government transparency, economic freedom, social progress, income equality, per capita income, innovation and infrastructure. The country has fully legalized cannabis (the first country in the world to do so), as well as same-sex marriage and abortion. He is a founding member of the United Nations, OAS and Mercosur.

Montevideo is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city itself has slightly more than 1,300,000 inhabitants on an area of 201 square kilometers. Montevideo is located on the south coast of the country, on the northeast bank of the Rio de la Plata. A Portuguese garrison was established in what is now the city of Montevideo in November 1723, the Portuguese garrison was expelled in February 1724 by the Spanish soldier Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amid the Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platinum region.

There is no official document on the founding of the city, but the “Diary” of Bruno Mauricio de Zabala officially mentions the date December 24, 1726 as the date of the city’s foundation, which is confirmed by the witnesses present. Complete independence from Buenos Aires as a real city was achieved only on January 1, 1730. It was also briefly under British rule in 1807, but the city was eventually retaken by Spanish Criollos who defeated a British invasion on the River Plate. Montevideo is the headquarters of the administrative headquarters of Mercosur and ALADI, the leading trade blocs of Latin America, a position that has drawn comparisons with the role of Brussels in Europe.

In Mercer’s 2019 Quality of Life Report, Montevideo was rated first in Latin America, a ranking the city has held consistently since 2005. As of 2010, Montevideo was the 19th largest city economy on the continent and the 9th largest revenue earner among major cities. In 2022, it has a projected GDP of $53.9 billion, with $30,148 per capita.

In 2018, it was classified as a beta global city that was eighth in Latin America and 84th in the world. Montevideo hosted every match during the first FIFA World Cup in 1930.

Described as a “vibrant, eclectic place with a rich cultural life” and a “thriving technology center and entrepreneurial culture”, Montevideo was ranked eighth in Latin America in 2013. The city has historic European architecture and is actually considered one of the cities with the greatest Art Deco influence. Montevideo is Uruguay’s center of commerce and higher education, as well as its main port and financial center, anchoring a metropolitan area of about 2 million inhabitants.

What should you visit in Montevideo? Plaza Independencia (translation from Spanish for “Independence Square”) is the most important city square in Montevideo, laid out in the 19th century on the area occupied by the Montevideo Citadel. In its center is a monument to General José Gervasio Artigas, and below it is his mausoleum.

Located in the barrio Centro, on the border with Ciudad Vieja, the square has been used for numerous political demonstrations and official public events. Prominent buildings facing the square are Palacio Salvo, Solis Theater, Estevez Palace, and the Executive Tower.

The Andes 1972 Museum (Spanish: Museo Andes 1972) is located in the Old Town of Montevideo. It is a museum about the story of the famous Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 related to the plane crash in the Andes in 1972 involving a group of Uruguayan rugby players, their friends and relatives who were traveling to Chile when the plane crashed. Some of them belonged to Old Christians Rugby Club. Their story of how they survived the tragedy has been shared around the world through books, documentaries, pictures and conferences and has been the inspiration for the movie Alive and many books.

The museum honors the memory of the 29 people who died in the plane crash in the Andes and those who risked their lives to save the others. It is a reminder of those 16 Uruguayans who came back to life after 72 days in the Andes in harsh weather conditions without food and proper clothing. It is a private enterprise that has been declared of cultural and tourist interest by the MEC and the Ministry of Tourism and Deportation of Uruguay.

Salvo Palace (Spanish: Palacio Salvo) is an eclectic skyscraper at the intersection of Avenida 18 de Julio and Plaza Independencia in Montevideo. Completed in 1928, the 27-story Palacio Salvo is 105 m tall. For a short time it was the tallest building in Latin America, and upon completion it was the tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world. It was designed by architect Mario Palati, an Italian immigrant living in Buenos Aires, who used a similar design for his Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires. Since 1996, the Salvo Palace has been a national historical monument of Uruguay.

Gateway of the Citadel (Spanish: Puerta de la Ciudadela) is the last remaining piece of the old wall around Montevideo. It’s just an archway with a fairly small piece of rock surrounding it, but overall it’s quite impressive and interesting. It is also set up to serve as the entrance to the Plaza Indepencia and is a great photogenic spot to photograph both the gate itself and the rest of the wall, as well as the view through it. The view towards the square, and in the background you can see the Palacio Salvo is really something special. This is a place you should not miss if you are walking around the old part of the city of Montevideo.

The Solis Theater (Spanish: Teatro Solis) is the most important and famous theater in Uruguay. It was opened in 1856. The building was designed by the Italian architect Carlo Zucci. It is located in the Old Town of Montevideo, right next to Plaza Independencia. The theater was named after the explorer Juan Diaz de Solís, who was the first European explorer to come to modern-day Uruguay.

In 1998, the Montevideo government began a major reconstruction of the theater, which included two columns designed by Philippe Starck. The reconstruction was completed in 2004, and reopened in August of the same year. The acoustic studies of the rehabilitation project were entrusted to Jerome Falala from the French studio Avel Acoustique. Thomas Giribaldi’s La Parisina, which is considered the first Uruguayan national opera, premiered in Solis on September 14, 1878.

The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica is the main Catholic church in Montevideo. It is located in the Old Town, facing Plaza Constitucion or Plaza Matriz. It was listed as a national historical monument in 1975. The origins of the basilica date back to the colonial era, when a brick church was built in 1740 on the site now occupied by the cathedral. Later, in 1790, the foundation stone was laid to start the construction of a new building, which is in the neoclassical style and was designed by Thomas Toribio. The temple was finally consecrated in 1804, when the country had not yet gained independence, so in 2004 its bicentennial was celebrated.

Later, in 1870, it was titled as a small basilica, and on July 12, 1878, Pope Leo XIII elevated it to the status of a cathedral. In 1897, it was declared a metropolitan basilica, naming the suffragan dioceses of Salto and Melo. Important ceremonies are held in this cathedral presided over by the Archbishop of Montevideo. However, there is also a parish priest who performs his duties, as well as those who are in charge of other parishes. Weddings and choir concerts are often held in this spacious temple. As was the custom in the 19th century, here rest the remains of famous people who died in the city, whether they were religious or not.

Plaza de la Constitucion (Spanish for “Constitution Square”), also known as Plaza Matriz, is the oldest town square in Montevideo. Located in the barrio of Ciudad Vieja, from 1726 he was the mayor of the city fortress of San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo, which was the only open public space. It is the center of the city’s historic district and is surrounded by important buildings, such as the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo. It is one of the most important tourist spots in the city.

Founded in 1726, two years after Montevideo was founded, the square was a dusty plain until the late 18th century, when buildings were erected around it. From that moment on, official manifestations and celebrations, both civil and military, were held in the area, as well as bullfights, since the square also housed an arena. It is currently the tourist and commercial axis of the barrio together with the Pedestrian Sarandi. Offices, government buildings, banks, numerous shops and cultural institutions are nearby.

What is not known is that in 1868 the construction of a steam pumping plant and a 60 km pipeline to supply the city with water began. In addition, a water fountain was built on the square. On May 13, 1871, water pumped from the Santa Lucia River reached the Plaza Constitucion for the first time. Finally, the fountain was officially opened by President Lorenzo Batle i Grau on July 18. in 1871. The fountain was designed by architect Juan Manuel Ferrari, and consists of a circular pool with an ornate column in the center that takes the form of three dishes that open to a smaller size. In the center are four griffins alternating with different symbolic elements, such as the national coat of arms.

Montevideo Centenary Stadium (Spanish: Estadio Centenario) is a stadium in Parque Batlle in Montevideo, which is primarily used for football matches. The stadium was built between 1929 and 1930 to host the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930, as well as to mark the centenary of Uruguay’s first constitution. FIFA listed it as one of the classic football stadiums in the world. The turning point was on July 18, 1983, when FIFA declared it the first historical monument of world football, to this day the only building to receive this recognition in the world.

Estadio Centenario is the national stadium of Uruguay and the main home of their national football team. Uruguay have always been a threat when playing at their home stadium, consistently beating top teams. Even top-ranked Brazil have managed just three wins in 20 attempts, two of which were official games during World Cup qualifiers in 2010 and 2018, but one was Uruguay’s heaviest defeat at the stadium when they lost 4-0 to Brazil in 2009.

Old City (Ciudad Vieja in Spanish) is a barrio (neighborhood or district) in Montevideo. Located on a peninsula at the mouth of Montevideo Bay, it is the city’s historic district. It was founded in 1724 as a walled city by the Spanish Empire. After Uruguay’s independence, it became an expanding quarter of the city that quickly outgrew the original fortress, which was later demolished.

As one of the city’s central districts, it forms part of its central business district alongside Centro and Cordon. It serves as a key office district, housing several commercial banks and other financial institutions, government buildings, as well as museums, cultural venues, theaters and art galleries. The district also has a high concentration of Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Neoclassical buildings.

Until 1829, it was surrounded by a wall that protected it from possible invasions. After the wall was demolished, the only part of it that was preserved was the main gate of the Citadel, which remains the emblem of Montevideo to this day. Some street names recall the presence of the wall, such as Ciudadela (citadel) or Brecha (breach), named after a breach in the wall that the British managed to open to enter the city during the British invasion of 1807 and the brief occupation of the city before they were defeated.

In 1992, the main street of Sarandi was turned into a pedestrian path, which increased its commercial and tourist attractiveness. A few years later, in 2005, it was expanded beyond the Constitution Square. Ciudad Vieja has elegant buildings from the colonial era and the first decades of independence. The Cabildo (built between 1804 and 1812), the Solis Theater, the Metropolitan Cathedral and several museums, such as the Museo Torres Garcia are among the most impressive. Also, several designer shops and recycled loft floors flourish on the streets near the port.

Pocitos is an upscale seaside barrio of Montevideo. It is bordered by Buce to the east, Batlle Park to the north, Tres Cruces, Cordon and Rodo Park to the west and Punta Carretas to the south. Pocitos is politically included in the CH municipality of Montevideo, and located along the banks of the Rio de la Plata, it is one of the most famous beaches in the city. The neighborhood is an affluent area of the city, characterized by the presence of high-rise residential buildings overlooking the Rambla and the main boulevards, along with old neoclassical and eclectic villas.

Punta Brava Lighthouse (Spanish: Faro Punta Brava), also known as Punta Carretas Lighthouse, was built in 1876. The lighthouse is 21 meters high, and its light reaches a distance of 24 km, with a flash every ten seconds. The lighthouse was modernized in 1962 and became electric. The lighthouse is important for guiding boats to the port of Banco Ingles Buceo or the entrance to the Santa Lucia River.

Batlle Park (Parque Batlle) is the main public central park, located south of Avenida Italia and north of Avenue Rivera. Along with Park Prado and Park Rodo, it is one of the three large parks that dominate Montevideo. The park and its surroundings form one of the 62 settlements (barrios) of the city. Barrio Parque Batlle is one of the seven coastal barrios, the others being Buceo, Carrasco, Malvin, Pocitos, Punta Karetas and Punta Gorda.

Barrio Parque Battle includes four former districts: Belgrano, Italiano, Villa Dolores and Batlle Park itself and borders the neighborhoods of La Blancueada, Tres Cruces, Pocitos and Buceo. It has a high population density and most of its households are middle-high or high-income. Villa Dolores, a sub-district of Parque Batlle, takes its name from the original villa of Don Alejo Rossell i Rius and Dona Dolores Pereira de Rossell. On their land, they started a private collection of animals that became a zoo and ownership was transferred to the city in 1919, and in 1955, the Planetarium of Montevideo was built within.

Parque Batlle is named in honor of José Batlle y Ordoñez, president of Uruguay from 1911 to 1915. The park was originally proposed by the Law of March 1907, which also designed wide boulevards and avenues. The French landscape architect, Carlos Thais, began planting in 1911, and in 1918 the park was named Parque de los Aliados, after the Allied victory in World War I. On May 5, 1930, after a significant expansion, it was again renamed Parque Batlle y Ordonez. Since 2010, the park covers an area of 60 hectares and is considered the “lungs” of the city of Montevideo due to the large number of trees planted here.

The Prado Park (Parque Prado in Spanish) was opened in 1873 and is the largest of the six main public parks in Montevideo with an area of 260 hectares. Located in the northern part of the city, the Miguelete stream flows through the park and the neighborhood of the same name. It is surrounded by Agraciada, Obes Lucas, Joaquin Suarez, Luis Alberto de Herrera avenues and Castro and Jose Maria Reyes streets.

The most visited areas of the park are the Rosedal, a public rose garden with pergolas, the Botanical Garden, the area around the Hotel del Prado, as well as the Rural del Prado, a seasonal livestock and domestic animal fair. Rosedal contains four pergolas, eight domes and a fountain; her 12,000 roses were imported from France in 1910. There are several jogging trails along the Miguelete River.

The presidential residence is located behind the Botanical Garden. Founded in 1930, the Juan Manuel Blanes Museum is housed in the Palladian Villa, a National Heritage Site since 1975, and includes a Japanese garden. The Professor Attilio Lombardo Museum and the Botanical Garden were founded in 1902, and the National Institute of Physical Climatology and its observatory are also located in the Prado Park.

In the next post, I will write about the Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel, which is a representative of classic Uruguayan luxury. Hotel Casino Carrasco is a historic five-star hotel and casino, located on the Rambla, the hotel is the center of the urban plan designed for the barrio Carrasco, in the first decades of the 20th century, by the French landscape architects Charles Thais and Edouard Andre.

My dear travellers, we have come to the end of this first special travelogue about the capital of Uruguay – Montevideo, 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), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa in collaboration with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Montevideo. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Uruguay.

How did you like my story about Montevideo and the presentation of the Uruguayan center of entertainment and hedonism that adorns the heart of this unusual country in South America? Have you had the chance to visit Montevideo and beautiful Uruguay so far?

With Love from Montevideo,

Mr.M

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Letters from Brazil: Feel the Charm of Sao Paulo Skyscrapers with Hotel Emiliano…

Adventure Travel April 18, 2025 5 Comments

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 of today’s travelogue, where I will try to convey the beauty of Hotel Emiliano, as well as the exciting Brazilian city that many say is the city of skyscrapers – Sao Paulo, I would like to thank The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organizations, 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, Visite São Paulo, Hotel Emiliano as well as numerous local partners that will be mentioned later.

If by any chance you missed reading the previous travelogues and fashion stories from Brazil or you want to remind yourself of some interesting things, take the opportunity to visit the following links:

Letters from Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, a Wonderful City of Fun and Hedonism… (Travelogue)
Brunello Cucinelli: A New Dose of Refined Spring Elegance…(Fashion Story)
Letters from Brazil: Carnival in Rio, Discover the Magic of the Biggest Show in the World! (Travelogue)
Letters from Brazil: Copacabana Palace Hotel, the Jewel of the Most Famous Beach in the World… (Travelogue)

Sao Paulo is the capital of the state of Sao Paulo, as well as the most populated city in Brazil, America, and also in the western and southern hemispheres. This city has significant international influence in commerce, finance, art and entertainment. São Paulo is the largest urban area by population outside of Asia and the most populous city in the Portuguese-speaking world. How did this city get its name? The city’s name honors the apostle Paul, and the people of the city are known as paulistanos. The city’s Latin motto is “Non ducor, duco” which translates to “I am not led, I lead.”

São Paulo was founded in 1554 by Jesuit priests, the city was a center of bandeirantes during colonial Brazil, but only became a relevant economic power during the Brazilian coffee cycle in the mid-19th century, and later consolidated its role as a major national economic center with Brazil’s industrialization in the 20th century, which made the city home to the largest Arab cosmos, the Italian cosmos. of the world, with ethnic settlements such as Bixiga, Bom Retiro and Liberdade and people from more than 200 other countries. The metropolitan area of the city, Greater São Paulo is home to more than 20 million inhabitants and ranks as the most populous in Brazil and one of the most populous in the world. The process of conurbation between metropolitan areas around Greater São Paulo also created the macrometropolis of São Paulo, the first megalopolis in the southern hemisphere, with more than 30 million inhabitants.

São Paulo is the largest urban economy in Latin America and one of the world’s largest financial centers, representing about 10% of Brazil’s GDP and slightly more than a third of the GDP of the state of São Paulo. The city is the headquarters of B3, the largest stock exchange in Latin America by market capitalization, and has several financial districts, mainly in the areas around Paulista, Faria Lima and Berini avenues. São Paulo is home to 63% of established multinational companies in Brazil and is the source of about one-third of Brazil’s scientific output. Its main university, the University of São Paulo, is often considered the best in Brazil and Latin America. São Paulo is among the top 100 science and technology clusters in the world. The metropolis is also home to several of the tallest skyscrapers in Brazil, including Alto das Nacoes, Platina 220, Figueira Altos do Tatuape, Mirante do Vale, Edificio Italia, Altino Arantes Building, North Tower and many others.

The city is one of the main cultural centers in Latin America and is home to monuments, parks and museums such as the Latin American Memorial, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, Pinacoteca, Cinemateca, Itau Cultural, Ipiranga Museum, Catavento Museum, Football Museum, Museum of Portuguese Language and Painting and Sound Museum. Sao Paulo also hosts relevant cultural events such as the Sao Paulo Jazz Festival, Sao Paulo Art Biennial, Sao Paulo Fashion Week, Lollapalooza, Primavera Sound, Comic Con Experience and the Sao Paulo Pride Parade, the second largest LGBT event in the world. São Paulo has also hosted many sporting events such as the 1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, the 1963 Pan American Games, the São Paulo Indy 300 and the NFL Brazil Games, in addition to hosting the annual Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix and the Saint Silvester Road Race.

What should you visit in Sao Paulo? The Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and Saint Paul (Portuguese: Catedral Metropolitana de Nossa Senhora da Assuncao e Sao Paulo), also known as the Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brazil. Its current and seventh metropolitan archbishop is Dom Odilo Pedro Cardinal Scherer, who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on March 21, 2007 and installed on April 29 of the same year. The construction of the existing Gothic Revival style cathedral began in 1913 and was completed four decades later. It was ready for its dedication on the 400th anniversary of the founding of the then modest villa of São Paulo by the chief or Casico Tibiricha and the Jesuit priests Manuel da Nobrega and José de Anquieta. Despite its Renaissance-style dome, the Metropolitan Cathedral of São Paulo is considered by some to be the fourth largest neo-Gothic cathedral in the world.

The Municipal Market of São Paulo (Portuguese: Mercado Municipal Paulistano or Mercado Municipal de São Paulo) is a large public market in São Paulo. The market building was designed by architect Francisco Ramos de Azevedo and opened on January 25, 1933 as a wholesale and retail facility specializing in fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, spices and other food products. The market is located in the Mercado neighborhood, the name referring to the market, in the historic center of São Paulo. It is located near the Tamanduatei River in the old Varzea do Carmo, a river floodplain now primarily used as Dom Pedro II Park. The market was officially named Mercado Municipal Sao Paulo in 1995.

The first floor of the market is occupied by traders with stalls, while on the second floor the mezzanine serves as a restaurant. Mercadao occupies 12,600 square meters and has about 1,500 employees working in various jobs. What the guide told me as interesting is that over 450 tons of food in more than 300 boxes pass through this market every day.

The facade of the Municipal Market is the work of Felisbert Ranzini, an Italian-Brazilian who worked in the architectural office of Ramos de Azevedo. Mr. Ranzini, who also helped build the San Francisco Law School, used a mixture of Ionic and Doric columns on the Municipal Market building. The massive columns allow for large glazing areas in the market which in turn provide a large source of natural light.

The market building is famous for its 72 stained glass windows, arranged in 32 panels. These stained glass windows are the work of artist Conrado Sorgenicht Filho and his office Casa Conrado Sorgenicht. This artist is known for his work on the windows of the Sao Paulo Cathedral and 300 other Brazilian churches. Unlike the stained glass window produced as a sacred work, the market windows depict various aspects of food production in the greater São Paulo region.

Paulista Avenue (Avenida Paulista in Portuguese) is one of the most important avenues in São Paulo and represents the modern heart of the city. This incredible avenue stretches for almost 2.8 kilometers and runs from northwest to southeast. The northwest point is Praca Marechal Cordeiro de Farias at the intersection with Rua da Consolacao, while the southeast point is Praca Osvaldo Cruz at the intersection with Treze de Maio, Bernardino de Campos, Desembargador Eliseu Guilherme and Dr. Rafael de Barros. The main intersections are on Rua Augusta, Rua Haddock Lobo and Avenida Brigadeiro Luis Antonio. Parallel to this street are Cincinito Braga, Joaquim Eugenio de Lima on the Bela Vista/Paraiso side and Alameda Santos and Coronel Oscar Freire on the Jardins side. Avenida Paulista cuts through parts of the neighborhoods of Paraiso, Bela Vista, Jardim Paulista, Cerqueira Cesar and Jardim America, ending in Higienopolis.

The headquarters of many financial and cultural institutions are located on Paulista Avenue. As a symbol of São Paulo’s center of economic and political power, it has been the focus of numerous political protests beginning in 1929 and continuing into the 21st century. It is also home to a large shopping area and the most comprehensive fine art museum in South America, the São Paulo Museum of Art. Being one of the highest points in São Paulo, it is full of radio and television masts, primarily TV Gazeta. Paulista Avenue is the main hub of the city’s metro and bus lines.

Tenente Siqueira Campos Park, better known as Trianon Park, was opened on April 3, 1892, just one year after the opening of Paulista Avenue. It was designed by the French landscape artist Paul Villon. Trianon got its name because of the Trianon restaurant that opened in 1916, founded and founded by the brothers Vicente Rosati and Luigi Rosati, Italian immigrants in the premises of Belvedere da Paulista located in front of the park, where today the São Paulo Museum of Art is located. The owner of the elegant bar and restaurant chose the name derived from the Grand Trianon Palace in Versailles, which was owned by Marie Antoinette, because of the similarities between the buildings. From 1911 to 1914, during the administration of the Barons of Duprat, the architect Ramos de Azevedo developed the project for the so-called Belvedere, built in 1916 and demolished in 1951 to make way for the first edition of the São Paulo Art Biennale.

The park was purchased by the City Hall with the financial assistance of the City Council in 1911, and 20 years later, in 1931, it received its current name in honor of one of the heroes of the Revolution in the Copacabana Fort, during the Tenentist Rebellion of 1924, Lieutenant Antônio de Siqueira Campos.

The Paulista Museum of the University of São Paulo, better known as the Museu do Ipiranga is a Brazilian history museum located near the site where Emperor Pedro I proclaimed the independence of Brazil on the banks of the Ipiranga Stream in the southeastern region of the city of São Paulo, then the “Caminho do Mar” or road. It contains a vast collection of furniture, documents and historically relevant works of art, particularly related to the era of the Brazilian Empire. The most famous work of art in the collection is a painting by Pedro America from 1888 called “Independencia ou Morte” (Independence or Death).

A few months after Brazil’s declaration of independence, people began to propose a monument at the place where the declaration was made, although they were not sure what kind of memorial structure to build. Finally, in 1884, the Italian architect Tommaso Gaudenzio Bezzi, who was hired to develop the project, chose to build a building in an eclectic style similar to the French Palace of Versailles with impressive and perfectly landscaped gardens and a fountain.

The Independence Monument of Brazil (Portuguese: Monumento a Independencia do Brasil) is a granite and bronze monument located in Independence Park in close proximity to the Paulista University Museum (Museu do Ipiranga). It is also known as the Ipiranga Monument (Monumento do Ipiranga) or the Altar of the Fatherland (Altar da Patria). The monument is located on the bank of the Ipiranga stream, at the historical place where Prince Regent Pedro (later Emperor Pedro I) proclaimed the country’s independence on September 7, 1822. The monument was designed and built by Italian sculptor Ettore Jimenez and Italian architect Manfredo Manfredi to celebrate the first centenary of Brazilian independence in 1922.

Inside the monument there is a crypt and a chapel. The crypt was built in 1972 to house the remains of Emperor Pedro I (also King of Portugal as Pedro IV) and his wives, Maria Leopoldine of Austria and Amelia of Leuchtenberg. The crypt was consecrated as a Catholic chapel, as requested by the head of the Brazilian imperial family at the time, Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza. He agreed to allow the remains of his ancestors to be transferred to the monument on the condition that the site be dedicated as a Catholic burial place, with a Catholic altar, where masses could be celebrated. The remains of Pedro I and Amelia of Leuchtenberg were transferred from the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza in Lisbon; while Maria Leopoldina was moved from the imperial mausoleum of the Monastery of Saint Anthony in Rio de Janeiro.

To end this travelogue, I would like to give you an honest recommendation and review for a hotel you can stay at in Sao Paulo. During the trip, the hotel where we stay is very important to all of us, because the hotel is our home in the new destination and therefore it is very important to choose a good hotel in each destination. During my stay in Sao Paulo, Hotel Emiliano was my home, adorned with style, comfort and a beautiful atmosphere in the modern heart of Sao Paulo.

Located in one of the most charming and trendy neighborhoods of São Paulo, Hotel Emiliano is located in the heart of the Jardins (Garden District) on Oscar Freire Street, which is also a symbol of the city. The hotel is surrounded by shops, art galleries, renowned restaurants, cozy cafes and large offices. It is located just two kilometers from the two main financial centers of the city, between Paulista Avenue and Faria Lima Avenue.

During my stay in Sao Paulo, I had the opportunity to feel the charms of comfort and luxury of a special type of Hotel Emiliano suite, called the Emiliano Suite. This apartment covers an area of 84 m², which is divided into an apartment and a living room. This exquisite suite features an LCD TV with DVD system as well as a 5.1 digital home theater located in the living room. There is also the possibility to relax in your favorite bath and watch movies because the LCD TV is located above the bathtub. At Hotel Emiliano, you always have access to high-speed WiFi.

The bathroom is decorated with Carrara marble with pressure showers. There is also a separate English Victorian style bath. Japanese seats with temperature control and electronic bidet. For complete comfort and enjoyment, there are Egyptian cotton sheets and Hungarian goose down pillows, as well as a Charles Eames armchair and an Italian leather sofa. What delighted me were the unusual windows and of course the King size bed.

Feel authentic Brazilian hospitality as Hotel Emiliano provides a unique and unforgettable experience, offering exclusivity and sophistication in every detail: through personalized service, a selection of special amenities, exceptional cuisine, a comfortable, minimalist decor, which combines designer pieces and artworks and the magnificent Cocoon art piece in the lobby by artist Siron Franco. Every detail is designed to provide more comfort and make you feel at home. The butler team is always attentive to meet and anticipate your every need. Located in the heart of Jardins, on Rua Oscar Freire, an address that is also a symbol of the city, the hotel is surrounded by art galleries, renowned restaurants and various shops, for easy access to what you need when you find yourself in São Paulo.

The Emiliano Hotel team always strives to provide all guests with an outstanding experience that will make their guests feel valued, behaving responsibly and in harmony with society and nature. In an environment of continuous learning, the Hotel Emiliano team constantly strives to awaken the potential and talent of each team member, so that the competition sees them as an inspiration for better further work and development of services.

In the next post, I will delight you with a fashion story from Sao Paulo, so that we will once again enjoy the beauty of this Brazilian metropolis, which is famous for its skyscrapers.

My dear travellers, we have come to the end of this fourth special travelogue from Brazil where we enjoyed a review of the Emiliano Hotel in a 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, Visite São Paulo, Hotel Emiliano in collaboration with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in São Paulo. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Brazil.

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, Visite São Paulo and Hotel Emiliano 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 Sao Paulo and the presentation of Hotel Emiliano? Have you had the chance to visit Sao Paulo and beautiful Brazil so far?

With Love from São Paulo,

Mr.M

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

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Letters from Brazil: Copacabana Palace, the Jewel of the Most Famous Beach in the World…

Adventure Travel April 15, 2025 5 Comments

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 of this travelogue about Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel, 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, Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel.

Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel is one of the most luxurious historical hotels in Rio de Janeiro, which represents the real gem of the most famous beach in the world – Copacabana. It was designed by the French architect Joseph Guiret, and was opened on August 13, 1923. This hotel is owned by Belmond Limited. It has 243 rooms, of which 116 are luxury rooms and 127 suites in the main and annexes. The hotel has been declared the best hotel in South America several times, including in 2009 when it won the World Travel Award.

What is the history of this amazing hotel? The Copacabana Palace was built by Octavio Ginle and Francisco Castro Silva in the period from 1919 to 1923. year, on the initiative of President Epitasio Pessoa, who wanted Rio de Janeiro to have a large hotel to host eminent visitors attending the International Exhibition of the Centennial of Independence. The federal government granted the developers tax breaks and they received a license for the casino.

The hotel was the first large building on Copacabana beach, facing Avenida Atlantica, which had just been completed in 1919 by the engineer Paulo de Frontin. French architect Joseph Guiret drew inspiration from two famous hotels on the French Riviera: Hotel Negresco in Nice and Hotel Carlton in Cannes. The structure was built by the engineer Cesar Melo e Cunha.

The Copacabana Palace Hotel was opened on August 13, 1923, months after the exhibition closed, due to numerous delays in construction, caused by difficulties in importing Carrara marble and Bohemian crystal, as well as complex foundation works that required a special depth of fourteen meters, as well as the lack of modern technology and experience in the country for such construction. During the construction of this hotel, there were major problems with violent underwater water that destroyed Avenida Atlantica in 1922, causing damage to the lower floors of this hotel.

The opening ceremony was attended by the French singer, actress and star Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois, who was known by her stage name Mistinget. Despite having “the most beautiful legs in the world”, she is forbidden to show them at the party. Because of the delayed opening, President Arthur Bernardes tried to revoke the casino hotel license in 1924. After a 10-year legal battle, the Guinle family won the case. The hotel’s casino proved essential to the hotel’s success for decades to come.

This exceptional hotel witnessed many events, and one that is still remembered today is May 23, 1928, when President Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa was shot in this hotel by his lover, the 28-year-old Italian marquise Elvira Vichy Maurich. President Lewis was hospitalized, with what was officially shared in the media at the time due to “appendicitis”. Four days later, the young marquise was found dead. From the police report, the public could conclude that it was a suicide. A few years later, in 1934, the hotel added a swimming pool. While 4 years later, more precisely in 1938, the hotel’s “Golden Room” was officially opened, in which the French actor, cabaret singer and entertainer Maurice Chevalier performed.

In April 1946, President Eurico Gaspar Dutra banned gambling in Brazil. The casino was converted into a concert hall, and the hotel underwent a major renovation, designed by the architect Vladimir Alves de Sous, and the renovation was completed in 1949. Supervised by engineer Cesare Mello e Cunha, the renovation increased the hotel’s capacity by adding a side pergola and a rear annex.

The capital of Brazil was moved to Brasilia in 1960, and the hotel experienced an unexpected period of decline in guest visits, as more modern resort hotels overtook it in the 1970s. This hotel faced demolition in 1985, however the Copacabana Palace was declared a cultural asset, registered at the federal (IPHAN), state (INEPAC) and municipal (SEDREPAHC) levels.

Sometime later, in 1989, the Guinle family, represented by José Eduardo Guinle, sold the hotel to James Sherwood, chairman of Sea Containers, a London-based shipping company with a 42% stake in Orient Express Hotels, which took over management of the hotel. Sherwood renovated Copacabana Palace at great expense. What happened more recently is that in 2014, Orient Express Hotels changed its name to Belmond Limited and the hotel was renamed Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel. Belmond was sold to luxury goods conglomerate LVMH in 2018.

I managed to find out some interesting facts, which is that the guests of the Copacabana Palace Hotel were famous people like Walt Disney, Marlene Dietrich, Ginger Rogers, Brigitte Bardot, Jane Mansfield, Paul McCartney, Janis Joplin, Madonna, Mick Jagger, Princess Diana, Carla Bruni, Halle Berry, Lana Del Rey, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus.

During my stay in Rio de Janeiro I had the distinct honor and pleasure of staying in one of the Penthouse suites that have full ocean views. Everyone who is familiar with the service of the Belmond Hotel knows that their penthouse suites represent a real crown jewel in the realm of hotel luxury. During my stay of a few days, I was able to discover what the ultimate enjoyment looks like at the top of one of the most glamorous resorts in Rio de Janeiro. Each of the suites has a private terrace, and the interior of each apartment is decorated with works of art and fine French fabrics that you will enjoy at first touch. What delighted me was the large marble bathroom that has a separate bathtub and a separate shower.

What can you expect in the Penthouse Suite? What will surely meet your expectations are a king size bed, perfectly decorated marble bathrooms, a private pool and a sun terrace, the size of these apartments starts from 105 square meters and you have the service of a personal butler. Enjoy a range of luxury services when staying in these suites, including access to the exclusive sixth floor pool, VIP welcome amenities with Moët Chandon champagne, as well as daily sunset canapés and a fully stocked bar with complimentary soft drinks replenished daily.

In Copacabana Palace Belmond hotel, you can feel the real nightlife and the beauty of Copacabana cuisine. Celebrating cosmopolitan Rio, Copacabana Palace flavours immerse you in the vibrant culture of Brazil and beyond. Try authentic South American food at Pergula, or indulge in Pan-Asian delights at Michelin-starred Mee Restaurant. I decided to enjoy an Italian feast at Ristorante Cipriani, which also has Michelin stars, but I didn’t forget to add a non-alcoholic cocktail to my Brazilian adventure at the Piano Bar, and I must admit that it was an exceptional pleasure.

I have to admit that I was blown away by the depth and richness of the Northern Italian flavours of Ristorante Cipriani, which proudly holds a Michelin star since 2019, while the menu of celebrated chef Nello Cassese is an extraordinary mix of cultures.

In the next post, I will write about São Paulo, an exciting Brazilian city that many say is the city of skyscrapers. What can definitely be said about São Paulo is that it is a megapolis, the largest city in Brazil and America, the largest in the southern hemisphere. This city is the cultural, social and economic center of modern Brazil.

My dear travellers, we have come to the end of this third special travelogue from Brazil where we enjoyed the review of the Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel 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 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.

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, Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel 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 Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel and the presentation of the Brazilian iconic jewel of the most famous beach in the world that adorns the heart of this unusual city in South America? Have you had the chance to visit Rio de Janeiro or maybe some other city in Brazil so far?

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.

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Letters from Brazil: Rio Carnival, Discover the Magic of the Biggest Show in the World!

Adventure Travel April 11, 2025 8 Comments

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 of this travelogue about Rio Carnival, 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.

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the largest open-air party in the world, visited by several million people around the world every year. It is the manifestation by which Rio has become recognizable at the world level and therefore the carnival gets better every year due to the possibility of bigger budgets that samba schools invest in their performances every year. You are probably wondering what the organization of this famous outdoor party looks like?

The Carnaval Experience team is here to give you an exclusive peek behind the scenes of the organisation of the Rio Carnival! During ten years of rich experience, the Carnaval Experience team has perfected the organization of special tourist visits for all interested visitors who want to feel a unique and authentic experience suitable for all ages! The Carnaval Experience team came up with the idea to present the universe of Samba schools in Rio de Janeiro, to allow all visitors to see and feel the magic of the creation of a show like Carnival in Rio, as well as the history of Samba and Carnival itself.

This was made possible by the non-governmental organization Pimpolhos da Grande Rio. In partnership with its “mother school”, Academicos do Grande Rio, the Carnaval Experience team opens the doors of the Carnival’s playful universe for the general public to be enchanted by the characters of this beautiful world cultural manifestation. Pimpolhos da Grande Rio is a children’s samba school and non-governmental organization. Their mission is to promote social integration and education through carnival. The Carnaval Experience tourism program is part of the Pimpolhos da Grande Rio pillar of socio-economic sustainability and arises from the need to ensure the continuity of socio-cultural projects.

The Carnaval Experience is the only tour that allows you to peek behind the scenes of the Carioca Carnival, the most famous carnival in the world all year round, if you are unable to visit the carnival. When you’re in Rio, you simply have to experience Samba! This special tourist tour shows the artistry and imagination of all those who deeply believe and invest their true love and passion in creating the magic of Carnival and allows you to peek behind the scenes of the biggest show in the world! Allow yourself to live a unique and authentic experience, exploring behind the scenes, secrets and familiar people who make preparations for the parade.

During the tour, you will witness the process of creating and manufacturing floats and more than 3,000 costumes for the parade. Guided Tour of the 2022 Carnival Champions Warehouse – Samba School, Grande Rio. This tour offers an exhibition on the history of samba and carnival. Finally, don’t miss the opportunity to dress up in exclusive parade costumes, feel the rhythm of samba and enjoy the delicious caipirinha that is there to welcome you.

What you can expect from this Carnaval Experience tour:

Guided tour of the Academicos da Grande Rio warehouse – one of the main samba schools (30 min).
Lecture in the exhibition room: you will learn a little about the history of samba and carnival parades (20 min).
Entertainment: dressing up in costumes from previous parades and taking photos (20 min).
A taste of samba: Caipirinha welcome (10 min).
Little samba class with one of their dancers! (10 min).

Have you ever wondered how the preparation calendar for the Rio Carnival works? Do you know what it looks like behind the scenes? After completing a small carnival school with the Carnaval Experience team, I will try to explain to you step by step the conceptual creation process, as well as the organization of this world spectacle!

All fans of this world sensation called Carnival in Rio know that this parade takes place every year in February or March at the Sambadrome Marquis de Sapucai in Rio de Janeiro. Many people from Europe think that the Carnival with beautiful costumes takes place in the streets of Rio de Janeiro, that was once upon a time, but today all the main activities of the carnival and the presentation of the samba school are held exclusively at the Sambadrome. What you must know is the fact that Brazilians are extremely proud of this event and that for them it is not just an event but a way of life. Carnival in Rio represents a real explosion of emotions, colors, glitter and joy! What many do not know is that the preparation of the production for the biggest show on earth lasts all year long. Preparation for the next Carnival begins immediately after the Carnival is over and it looks something like this:

MARCH

Immediately after the last held parade, samba schools evaluate what worked and what needs to be changed for the next Carnival. In addition, work begins on the dismantling of floats and other used materials from the last carnival. During this period, samba schools also define what will be used and what will not be used during the next Carnival. Materials for recycling and sale are separated.

APRIL and MAY

During this period, the plot of the next carnival is chosen and the samba schools start the carnival planning process again. In short, the plot of the carnival consists of a story and a theme.

JUNE

Schools already have conceptually ready, sketched and drawn costumes and allegories.

JULY, AUGUST and SEPTEMBER

During this period, schools have already made samples (trial versions) of costumes and floats (parade floats). During this period, one can already see how the next carnival is slowly taking shape and getting its new form. If you visit a samba school with the Carnaval Experience team during this period, you can see the secrets and surprises of samba schools. I would just ask that you remember not to take pictures of the floats.

OCTOBER

The beginning of carnival fever in full swing: the official samba plot is chosen and filmed. Essays Begin and take place in samba schools as well as on the street. They involve community members who will parade: you have to have the samba theme on the tip of your tongue, be willing, excited and have a lot of love for the associations!

NOVEMBER

The beginning of the reproduction of costumes and sculptures, as well as the painting of fantasies and allegories.

DECEMBER

The production of costumes begins with an emphasis especially on those that will be on top of the floats and are very luxurious, opulent and special.

JANUARY and FEBRUARY

These are the two most intensive months during the organization of the carnival due to production work and numerous rehearsals that are in full swing. And then it’s time to start the parade!

Finally, after all these efforts and this extraordinary dedication, the samba schools can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for a moment. The sense of duty is fulfilled!

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.

Next come the Mestre-sala and the Porta-Bandeira (“Master of Ceremonies and Flag-bearer”), with one to four couples, one active and three spares, 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.

How did the Rio Carnival come about? The origins of the Rio Carnival celebration date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Carnival was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese colonizers between the 16th and 17th centuries, manifesting itself initially through the ‘Entrudo’, a popular festival where public games and carefree derision ran rampant through the streets. Over time, the festival acquired other ways of expression, such as the use of masks and costumes. O Moleque by Lima Barrett, depicts the emergence of a costume originally used in carnival, tracing its European cultural roots. The costumes are symbolic of the political and cultural themes of the time, which were then integrated into the carnival. The popularization of entertainment among the poor also contributed to the appearance of carnival societies created by the monarchical elite.

In 1840, the first masquerade ball was held in Rio, and polka and waltz were in the center of attention. Later, in the early 20th century, the Samba and Batucada rhythms classically associated with the Rio Carnival were introduced by Afro-Brazilians and Pardos, adapting various cultural inputs to create a new musical genre. During this period, Carnival assumed its position as the most popular festival in Brazil.

During the 1920s and 1930s in Rio, samba schools began to become popular as a way for the blocks to increase their legitimacy and prevent police oppression. Blacks at the time were often harassed by the police for any street carnival activities due to the city’s attempt to become a European-style capital at the time.

There was no carnival in the period from 1915 to 1918, due to the First World War, as well as during the period 1940-1945. because of World War II. This event was once again canceled with strict warnings against clandestine celebrations in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and postponed to 2022 for similar reasons. The carnival is back with a bang in 2023.

The previously existing traditions of ‘Entrudos’ and other popular festivities such as ‘ranchos’ and ‘Cordao Carnavalesco’ dating back to the Empire would eventually be combined into carnival blocks by the 1920s and evolve into their final form – the samba schools of Rio.

The Estacio de Sa, together with the Portel and the Estacao Primeira de Mangueira, first paraded in the city in 1929. All three were former carnival blocks that were transformed into schools with professional staff and city support. A little later, in 1930, seven schools were already operating in the city. With the works in Avenida Presidente Vargas, the parade moved there, and from 1942 to 1945 the parade was held in Sao Januario.

From 1952, temporary audience stands were assembled annually, and in 1961 paid tickets debuted to take advantage of growing international and national interest and increasing tourist arrivals. In 1974, due to subway construction, the parade was held on Avenida Presidente Antonio Carlos, from where it was also broadcast on color television for the first time. In 1978, the parade was moved to Avenida Marquis de Sapucaya – Sambadrome, where it remains until today. In 1983, the then Governor Leonel Brizola commissioned the architect Oscar Niemeyer to design a permanent local stadium for the parades in the same area, because until then the stands were still temporary and only assembled and disassembled for the event.

With the increase in the number of participating schools making the parade longer and tiring for the public, in 1984 the parade was split into two dates and categories: Friday evening to Saturday morning for the lower schools and Sunday evening to Monday morning for the main schools, including the more recognizable ones. That year, the school of “superchampions” was also announced after the parade of champions that took place the following Saturday, who had been awarded for the best results of the previous competition nights. Since this practice has never been repeated, Mangueira remains the only samba school ever to receive the title and dignity of “superchampions” of the annual event. Portela is the samba school with the highest number of championships.

Special Group schools under LIESA parade on two days (Sunday and Monday), while A series schools parade on Friday and Saturday under LIERJ, which also has a B series, which parades on Holy Tuesday. Both organizations were under the banner of AESCRJ before it lost its organizational rights, which also allowed the establishment of new organizations such as LIESB and Samba e Nosso for lower level divisions. The Golden Division (Serie A) champion school, who progress directly as participants in the Special Group for next year’s carnival parades, run on Carnival Monday, while the Special Group champion parades once more on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday.

As of 2018, the LIESB handed over the management of the E Series and its schools to ACAS, who now manage it as an entry-level organization for samba schools, in 2020, the C Series (Silver Division) fell under a new organization, LIVRES, with LIESB managing the divisions above and below it.

Since the main parade takes place at the Marquis de Sapucai Sambadrome and the balls at the Palace and Copacabana Beach, many carnival participants are in other locations. Street festivals are very common during Carnival and are very populated by locals. Elegance and extravagance are usually left behind, but music and dancing are still extremely common. Anyone can participate in street festivals. The gangs are very familiar with the street carnival, especially since you don’t need anything to join the fun except to jump in. One of the most famous groups in Rio is Banda de Ipanema. Banda de Ipanema first formed in 1965 and is known as Rio’s most outrageous street band.

Rio de Janeiro is “submerged”, almost “invisible” and this appears in full intensity during the carnival. Although it was clearly noticed only during the carnival, this city is occupied (especially in the central part) to a large extent by actors who play, sing and dance in different locations, giving a new meaning to their daily life and their relationship with the public spaces of the city. Incorporated into every aspect of the Rio Carnival are dance and music. The most famous dance at the Brazilian carnival is the samba. The samba remains a popular dance not only at the carnival, but also in the ghettos outside the main cities. These villages keep alive the historical aspect of the game without the influence of western cultures.

Music is another important part of all aspects of carnival. According to Samba City, “The samba carnival instruments are an important part of Brazil and the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, sending out irresistible rhythms and rhythms that explode the audience in a colorful fantasy festival of dance revolution!” The samba found in Rio is the Batucanada. “It was made out of a rhythmic need to allow you to sing, dance and parade at the same time.” This is why the batucado style is found in most of all street carnivals in Rio.

Street parades, blocks and gangs take place throughout the city of Rio during Carnaval, the most famous and largest carnival celebration in the world. More than 300 gangs can happen at any time. While the biggest street party takes place in front of the Sambadrome, the biggest organized street dance is usually found in Cinelandia Square in downtown Rio. During the 2012 Carnival, more than 2 million revelers took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro to participate in the Bloc of Cordão da Bola Preta. According to police estimates, more than 5 million people attended the block during the 2012 Rio Carnival and no crime was reported.

When the Sambadrome was built in 1984, it had the side effect of taking street parades out of the city center into a specific ticketed performance space. Some samba schools have since been motivated by a plan that focuses on reclaiming public space and using the carnival tradition to occupy the streets with parades or blocks. Many of them represent the local community of the area, but they are open to everyone.

Several of Rio’s street carnival blocks that hold parties are affiliated with the Federation of Carnival Blocks of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FBCERJ), founded in 1965.

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 second special travelogue about Rio Carnival 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, Carnaval Experience, Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel in collaboration 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.

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), Carnaval Experience 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 Carnival 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?

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, Carnaval Experience, Copacabana Palace Belmond Hotel and other local partners. This post is my personal and honest review of the destination experience.

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

Adventure Travel April 4, 2025 7 Comments

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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