Life’s a beach in the Cidade
Maravilhosa
(Marvellous City)! Rio
de Janeiro has the perfect nickname.
The city is a brilliant blend of samba,
soccer, sun, sand and surf. In this
cool coastal capital, a laid-back
attitude is your most fashionable
accessory. When in doubt, just fique
tranquilo
(don’t worry) – you’re on
the beach in Brazil!
FLAMBOYANT FAVELAS
The colourful houses on the hillsides of Rio are
independent communities called favelas
– small
cities within a larger city. Favelas
emerged in
Rio after slavery was abolished. Former slaves,
poor men and women with few opportunities to
work, gathered together in crowded and basic
settlements. Some favelas
are still extremely
poor, while others are flourishing hotbeds
of creative activity. These streets and houses
inspire resident artists and travellers alike with
their vibrant colours and culture.
SUGARLOAF
Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) is a mountain with a funny
name and a very funny shape. It is one of Rio’s most
famous natural landmarks, rising 396m (1,299ft) above
Guanabara Bay. Before sugar cubes were invented, sugar
was sold in sugarloaves. The mounds of refined sugar
were formed into tall cones with rounded tops, just like
the shape of the famous mountain.
CHRIST THE REDEEMER
Standing high on the peak of
Corcovado mountain, the iconic
Christ the Redeemer is a powerful
symbol of Rio de Janeiro. It’s the
largest Art Deco sculpture in the
world, created in a style that favours
simplified, flowing shapes. The
mighty statue, designed by French
sculptor Paul Landowski, is a perfect
example of Art Deco design.
Made of concrete
and soapstone,
the statue is a
towering 30m
(98ft) tall,
with arms
that stretch
28m (92ft)
wide. It was
completed
in 1931.
LIFE BY THE SEA
Copacabana is one of the most famous beaches in the world.
Skateboarders and in-line skaters on the beachfront sail past
sunbathers in teeny-tiny swimsuits, teams square off in futebol
(football) and beach volleyball matches, surfers take to the crashing
waves and vendors sell everything from coconuts to beach
blankets. Young people practise capoeira
on the sand – a unique
hybrid of dance and self-defence invented and developed by
African slaves during the 16th century.
GIRL FROM IPANEMA
The second most recorded pop song in
history, just behind the Beatles’ Yesterday
, is
Garota de Ipanema (The Girl From Ipanema)
.
The classic tune was written in 1962, and
inspired by a real-life Rio resident. Nineteen-
year-old Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes
Pinto lived in the fashionable oceanfront
neighbourhood called Ipanema. On her way
to the beach every day she walked past the
Veloso café, where the song’s composers often
sat. Translated from Portuguese, the lyrics
to the song go, “Tall and tan and young and
lovely, the girl from Ipanema goes walking…
when she walks she’s like a samba, that swings
so cool and sways so gentle…”.
CRAZY FOR COCONUTS
The beverage of choice in Rio is água
de coco
(coconut water). Up and
down the city’s beaches and
streets, machete-wielding
vendors slice the tops off
chilled green coconuts,
then pop straws into
the openings.
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
Brazilian futebol
superstar Pelé called his
sport o jogo bonito
, meaning ‘the beautiful
game’. Football is an integral part of Brazilian
culture and lifestyle, popular with all ages. It
is played everywhere from beaches to city
plazas to patches of grass on the side of the
highway. The most famous venue in Rio de
Janeiro is the Maracanã stadium, opened for
the World Cup in 1950. Today the stadium
hosts matches between Rio’s rival teams.