Just like every morning I wake up facing the window of my room: the views of Copacabana on Saturday morning will be one of the many things I will miss this city. And already I feel nostalgia.
The infinite perfect curve of white sand is still deserted and quiet, the exact opposite of what it will be in a few hours, with the ceaseless activity of the Carioca, the scampanellio sellers of everything imaginable, lots of soccer and volleyball under the scorching sun.
I think back to those days made of unforgettable emotions, conflicting emotions ....
Everything in Rio strikes so indelible. And it does so in no uncertain terms.
Why what you see requires.
Emotions of wonder in admiration the beautiful landscape of Rio inimitable its viewpoints; landscapes made of rugged mountains, granite hills covered with tropical vegetation (the Morros) that sprout everywhere in the area, surrounded by a perfect cove, from skyscrapers that seem escape to the forest area.
Or for its endless white beaches, the pleasant confusion of his people, the color of the skin that makes it more exotic, more sensual.
And since different way of interpreting life, with joy, optimism, even when the reality of things to do to push against.
The colors, sounds, smells, the rhythms of its streets and its markets. Here just a tin to create rhythm, a guitar and a drum to attract people who sang and danced in every corner of the road or outside a bar, between a cerveza, a caipirinha or a refreshing agua de coco.
To end with feelings of sadness at the reality of the favelas, the slums which often right next to the most luxurious residences, whole neighborhoods are devoid of facilities and infrastructure, where street children have to survive by making off between delinquency.
The favelas are everywhere, scattered throughout the city. Whether you are on the terrace of your 4 stars, or on top of the Corcovado, anywhere look, there's always a favela near the wonders of the city.
They are viewed with curiosity, like a tourist attraction. You take a picture.
For us, the favela is that, for many the only chance of survival.
But this is Rio, and shall be taken as it is, in its beauty and its sad reality. Perhaps you are right in the interface between these two aspects the secret that both fascinates and witch the visitor.
And the days pass, and you feel that slip away too quickly.
Why you can stay in Rio a day, and you regret not having seen anything.
You can stay a week and you will understand that to take much longer.
You can stay a year, and maybe your life will never be the same.
Here we talk about saudade, nostalgia, a concept that only those who have tasted the essence, even for a few moments, may be able to understand.
Why Rio should be lived as well as visited, and will own curiosities and anecdotes that will make daily visits to Rio an unforgettable memory.
Before proceeding to the practical guide, a typical sentence carryover carioca, which means the pride of its people to their city:
"Deus criou o mundo em sete dias, mas o destes Setes sò Rio dois consumiu"
(God created the world in seven days, but two of these were devoted to Rio)
Rio offers a multitude of places to visit, but two are the most popular and what's right: the Corcovado and Pan di Zucchero.
Corcovado: from the top of this hill for over 700 meters high, the view over Rio is unparalleled in the foreground the bizarre and unmistakable silhouette of Pan di Zucchero and perfection of the beach of Botafogo. Below us is observed throughout the city whose neighborhoods are divided by Morros, surrounded by white beaches, among which are distinguished Ipanema and Copacabana. A fare da contorno to this view, is the beautiful bay that divides the nearby Rio Niterói.
The whole is dominated dall'immensa the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer, which seems to embrace the whole city.
The Corcovado is at the heart of Tijuca National Park, an immense forest that begins at the edge of the city center and that makes it even more fascinating.
To reach the Corcovado you use a typical rack railway that climbs from the forest to reach the top (real 36, € 14). From Copacabana to the train station take bus n. 584 (real 1.8 - € 0.60).
Near the station, you can visit Largo Boticário, a cross-section of colonial Rio dell'800.
PAN SUGAR: other unmissable symbol of Rio, with a view so spectacular, and perhaps, at least in my opinion, even better. The morro fact stands in the center of the city, and offers a close-up view of neighborhoods and especially the beaches below. Fantastic view over the Copacabana beach and Vermelha.
You reach the top (almost 400mt) through two lengths of cable that seems suspended in a vacuum (real 35, € 13). At the cable car station we reach the quiet Praia Vermelha, a small but fascinating. From here a magnificent hand carved its path at the foot of Pan di Zucchero and the sea. Taxi from Copacabana (real 10, € 4) or bus 512.
FOREST OF Tijuca: Corcovado since you can see the forest, but entering the heart of Tijuca is a special experience. Rio and Singapore are the only two cities in the world to boast a forest on the edge of the city center. A unique heritage, green vegetation, views and waterfalls. Bus No 221-223 from Copacabana.
BOTANICAL GARDEN: The most spectacular is the entrance, with two long rows of towering palm trees of 30 meters. This is followed by a pleasant walk among sensitive plants that close their leaves when touched, incredible variety of orchids and giant water lilies. As always, from dominating the Corcovado Christ the Redeemer (real input 4, € 1.50).
CENTER: strangely not visited the area, especially by groups that engage in Rio too little time. The center is a mix of elegant colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers, museums and baroque churches with pedestrian streets and squares very animated.
From Copacabana, using the underground (real 2.10 - € 0.80) you will reach Largo Carioca, meeting place for artisans and artists representing the meeting point between the Rio and the colonial metropolis. A pleasant walk leads up to Placa Floriano district Cineland allowing you to admire the Teatro Municipal, built on the model of the Paris, which houses a popular cafe. Then you climb on Bondin (real 0.40 - € 0.15), a typical open tram climbs on narrow roads through, inter alia, the Arcos de Lapa, the old aqueduct in natural stone with a series of arcs . It thus reaches the typical district of Santa Teresa, which dates back to colonial and featuring old houses, narrow alleys, small squares. There is a risk in the center, to visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, a modern and imposing building with 4 immense polychrome glazed. Continue to the bustling district Saara, an open-air market. More distant, reachable with a few real taxi, you can visit the Monastery of Sao Bento, baroque masterpiece of richly decorated, and the Church of
BEACHES
Another feature that makes Rio unique is its endless white beaches.
COPACABANA not deny a certain thrill in the "trample" the most famous beach in the world. It can not be certain to consider a beach by the waters (the water is rather murky), and the crowd is appalling human species during the weekend. But the folklore that has characterized the unique statuary bodies, vendors, players footvolley (volleyball with the feet), people running, go cycling, gymnastics ago.
The beach is white, wide and 4.5 kilometers long, entirely covered dall'Avenida Atlantic, and the famous mosaic pavements bicolour. Sunday is closed to traffic, ideal for renting a bike (real 7 per hour, € 2.50) and reach the nearby Ipanema.
IPANEMA: has become the most exclusive beach town. The water is cleaner near the Copa, the shops are exclusive and the most points at the beach fashion. Dominate the background "the two brothers, both of the hills covered with tropical forest. At the end of Ipanema Leblon begins, natural continuation of the beach.
BAR: This is the Rio contrasts. To reach Barra, the residential area of Rio's most exclusive and faces the beach 18km long, the road passes first under and then to the side of Rocinha, the largest favela whole of South America (and even more with infrastructure).
The beach bar is characterized by white sand and blue sea and clean, and to its length, it is not difficult to find traits deserts.
Pepino: Barra began after the Coast Green, a wonderful stretch of coastline with white sandy beaches and virgin forest up to Buzios. The first beach you come across is Pepino, a paradise for surfers and lovers of the waves.
Grumari is the last beach in Rio, the most unspoilt and the only spared dall'edilizia. The beach is fabulous, wild, forest arrive until the white sand from which rise huge stones. The water is clear and transparent. Can be reached in about an hour from Copacabana. A taxi available for 4 hours will cost around 80 real (€ 30)
MARKETS
You can not go to Rio without visiting its amazing markets, concentrated in tradition, folklore, and culinary pace.
The most famous is the Fair Nordestina, a market that runs continuously from Friday morning until Sunday evening (nights included). Stalls with a thousand culinary, shows, dances and street artists.
Smaller markets and more tourists are fair Hyppie Ipanema on Sunday, the V Feirarte Copacabana (Praça do Lido on Saturday and Sunday) and the Central Calçadào, fair Copacabana Night starting from 18:00 on Saturday and Sunday sull'Avenida Atlantic around Rua Julio de Casthilio.
EAT
In Rio every hour is good to eat, and the choice is endless, from small Lanchonete (similar to our snack bar), to the beach bar, to the most elegant restaurants.
A Copacabana, downtown meters are at least ten of clubs to choose from. The prices are very low (just avoid the local tourist prey groups), the quality excellent, the service very good.
Do not miss a dinner in a churrascheria. We start with antipasti buffet and sushi corner, then continue with all types of cuts of meat available, cooked directly on the fire and served in a big spit willingness to be cut directly into your dishes. You order him to stop the waiters.
Economical alternative is to pound the restaurants, where you can freely serve the varied buffet, everyone has the same price, and every time you weigh your plate and scored on the account. Exaggerating, the account will not exceed 12/15 euro.
Some examples:
Churrascheria Carretao: dinner 28 real (€ 10.5) over drinks and service 10%. Local Economic and refined but with a wide choice in style churrasco.
Kilogram: restaurant kilo (a kilo real 30, € 11.50). Large buffet with appetizers, vegetables, pasta, meat and fish cooked in all ways.
Marius Crustaceos: churrasco fish, the price is more than the Brazilian standard (real 112, € 42), but a place like maybe there is another place on earth. Lobster, seafood and fish varied at will in every possible and imaginable. Excellent service.
VARIOUS
A taxi "contracted" from Copacabana to coast from 45 to 55 real (17/21 €). More expensive to run pre-placed branches. Alternatively you can use the bus service Real Bus, which spans the entire center to get to the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Departures every half hour (real 3.70 - € 1.50).
Address particular with regard to security: Rio is considered a dangerous city, though in recent years the phenomenon has decreased because the increased police presence to preserve tourism. Undoubtedly, the crime is present, the contrast between social levels inevitably leads to a high crime rate.
I can only speak from my experience: I shot the length and breadth of the city in every way, from the taxi the bus, by subway to the bike, never have any problem.
Luck? Reality? My brief experience does not allow me to hasten the conclusions of some visible some attention from the inhabitants to this problem (there's some days that carioca, vedendoti tourist, not advice you any suggestions on this). A phobia may be disproportionate but probably justified.
Certainly there is no point advancing themselves in the favelas (who wants to can take advantage of organized tours, which I personally believe squalid ...)
I think however that the risks during the day in tourist attractions are quite low, although some furtarello is certainly possible. So, are the usual recommendations.