Rio De Janeiro

One of the world’s greatest cities Rio De Janeiro is quite simply mesmerising. The cities stunningly beautiful setting surrounded by lush mountains and tropical beaches make it a dream destination. The majestic statue of Christ the redeemer stands over 700 meters high on mt Corcovado overlooking the world famous Ipanema and Copacabana making one of the world’s most glorious sights.

Best Brazil Travel Companies

Expedia
Hotels.com
Kuoni
Lonely Planet Guide Books
Thomas Cook
Thomson

The cities streets are a Mecca of culture, colour and flamboyance that is unrivalled anywhere on earth. Children play football in the streets carrying on the tradition and talent in the same spots where the likes of Ronaldo and Zico learned their trade giving a unique view of how this nation has dominated the sport for so long. If football is one of your interests then a visit to the incredible Maracana stadium is a must and if you are lucky enough to take in a match during your visit then you will feel what must be one of the best atmospheres in any football ground in this one of the world’s largest stadiums.

Sugarloaf Mountain with its strange yet intriguing shape makes for a great visit, travel to the top by a 1400 meter cable car ride that offers incredible views of the city.

If you enjoy the views that Sugarloaf Mountain provides then another must is a visit to the statue of Christ, words can not even begin to describe the views that this stunning piece of engineering provides and the emotions that it invokes but it is simply a must. Barry Manilows Copacabana and Frank Sinatra’s Girl from Ipanema are just two famous songs that pay tribute to Rio de Janeiro’s world famous beaches, both Copacabana and Ipanema are stunning golden stretches of sand and the Brazilian beauties that class them as a second home enhance the charm and character both have. Ipanema is also a great place for a spot of shopping or fine dining with its chic and sophisticated atmosphere, also making for a great place to stay with a superb array of accommodation options available.

The Rio carnival is an experience like no other, if you are lucky enough to travel to the city at this time of year which usually occurs in February or March then you are in for a real treat. The carnival is basically the largest and most colourful parade that not just Brazil but the world has to offer, samba beats, circus acts, exotic dancing and unimaginable colour pass in this huge procession that everyone is welcome to enjoy and even get involved in.

Rainforest is of course one of the many things that Brazil is famed for and many people visiting Rio de Janeiro may be surprised to realise that a tropical rainforest is not far away, in fact the city is home to the worlds largest forest area that is situated within an urban area. Tijuca forest is over 32 square kilometres and is home to hundreds of species of plants and wildlife many of which are threatened with extinction.

Being in the southern hemisphere Rio de Janeiro’s climate is opposite to ours, our summer is their winter and the all other seasons are opposite to each other. The following table gives an insight into temperatures and rainfall to help you plan your trip, the table includes comparisons to London.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rio average temp (Celsius)	26	25	25	24	23	21	20	20	21	23	25	27
London average temp	5	6	7	10	15	17	20	19	14	11	6	5
Rio average rainfall (mm)	114	105	103	137	86	80	56	50	87	88	96	169
London average rainfall	52	34	42	45	47	53	38	47	57	61	52	54

Rio de Janeiro has a tropical climate and therefore rain is common year round, from November to April the rainfall is at its highest as is the temperature, this can make the atmosphere quite humid at this time of year.

Thunderstorms are regular and this is when the rainfall is at its highest and partly why the numbers look so high, however these do tend to pass quickly and usually within a couple of hours the sun is shining and the excellent beaches are filling up once more.

Another great reason to Holiday in Rio de Janeiro is that its time difference is only two ours behind ours meaning that you can holiday there and experience less jetlag that if you were travelling to Greece. By clicking the links on this page you will find more information and details to plan your holiday in Rio.

Expedia have some superb packages to Rio de Janeiro and offer great flight and accommodation deals to suit you.

Rio de Janeiro is one of the world’s premier cities and is a must on anyone’s wish list. Fantastic beaches, stunning scenery and amazing colour, culture and people wait in this exiting and intoxicating destination.
Below are some useful links to help you plan your break in Rio de Janeiro:

Expedia – Great deals tailored to your requirements

Lonely Planet – A must have travellers guide book for Rio de Janeiro

Hotels.com – Great hotel deals, Ipanema district strongly recommended.