Brazil Photo Gallery by Victor Ovies

The cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city) is one of the most densely populated places on earth. The Cariocas - as the inhabitants are called - thrive on dance, drink, beach, sport and sun. It's a city of Dionysian spirit whose people live life head-first. The international tourist crowd take advantage of Rio's ritzy side - there are innumerable opportunities to be decadent. But Rio also has much to offer the budget traveller. There are cheap hotels and restaurants aplenty, and the beach is a free entertainment zone. Rio's famous statue of Christ as Redeemer, standing tall, arms wide, on Corcovado Mountain, is 30m (98ft) high, and weighs 1145 tons (1038726 kg). The distance between Christ's fingertips is 28m (91ft).

Rio was eternalized in the song "Garota de Ipanema" composed by Tom Jobim and recognized worldwide and recorded by Astrud Gilberto, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. This is also the main key song of the Bossa Nova, a musical genre that was born in Rio.

Heat freaks will be happy all year round in Rio; the weather never really dips below 20°C (68°F) in winter, although it can get rainy, especially in summer. Carnival is often a more important consideration than weather for travellers deciding when to come to Rio. The city is in full party mode, and the excitement on the streets is unsurpassable. However, everyone becomes a little unglued around the time of Carnival - there are more car accidents than usual, prices are noticeably more expensive and you won't have a moment alone. Still, it is Carnival.

The carnival in Rio de Janeiro has many choices, including the famous 'Escolas de Samba' parades in the sambódromo exhibition centre and the popular 'blocos de carnaval', which parade in almost every corner of the city.

Rio de Janeiro is a popular gay destination and it features a prominent gay infrastructure often gay-owned and/or managed. A list of other popular gay and lesbian destinations world round has been included here