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Rio de Janeiro beaches, with unique, unparalleled light and contour. A mini-Europe carved in the mountains. A valley which breathes the history of the coffee barons; refreshing waterfalls and warm water lakes. And of course, Rio, the Wonderful City.  So many appealing sights very near each other. The State of  Rio de Janeiro, perhaps for being one of the smallest in the country (with 43,000 square km) is a region which gathers rare beauties.

The first of these beauties is São Sebastião do Rio dejaneiro, whose history mingles with that of the country itself. Gaspar de Lemos and Américo Vespucio, the first sailors who arrived in the region in January 1503, thought the bay of Guanabara was a river. Because of the month they were in, they named the place Rio de Janeiro.

It is impossible to talk about Rio without thinking of its postcards. The statue of Christ the Redeemer towers at a height of 710 m (2329 feet), the construction of which was completed in 1931 and lit by the Italian inventor Guilherme Marconi; the Sugar Loaf rising to a height of 220 m (720 feet) with its well-known cable car offers an unforgettable sight of the city and the bay of Guanabara; the botanical garden, founded in 1809 by D. João VI, whose 141 hectares (348 acres) represent a microcosm of the national vegetation; and the Quinta da Boa Vista, former residence to kings and emperors. If Brazil was discovered in Bahia and its independence proclaimed in São Paulo, Rio in turn gave birth to the Republic and was the Nation’s capital for a longtime.

From 1763 to 1960 the destinies of the Colony, the Empire, and the Republic were drawn in Rio de Janeiro; today the museums and other buildings of the city witness its importance. As an example, the Museum of the Republic, former Palácio do Catete, which was home to a great many presidents, or the National History Museum. Whoever strolls throughout the old city must visit the Municipal Theater and the former building of the Banco do Brasil, which today is home to one of the most important cultural centers of the country. Religious buildings must also be pointed out, like the Candelária Church, the Monastery of São Bento and the Convent of Santo Antonio at the Largo da Carioca. History and art mingle at the Feira do Rio Antigo at the Rua Lavradio, and shopping for crafts may be done at the Hippie Fair at the Praça General Osório in Ipanema.

The old city, although incomparable to those of contemporary metropolis, still carries souvenirs of the belle époque from the 10’s and 20’s. At the Rua do Ouvidor, Passeio Público, Rua da Carioca and places such as Confeitaria Colombo, echoes of a city immortalized by Olavo Bilac, Lima Barreto and João do Rio may be heard.

WONDERFUL, DAY AND NIGHT
However, the Wonderful City does not live only from the past. Teeming with plains and sand banks which are intercepted by geological massive rocks, the strengths of the region are its coast. The itinerary of the beaches may have Leme as a starting point, moving on to Copacabana and lpanema, well depicted by the Bossa Nova songs. At last, São Conrado and Barra da Tijuca are irresistible choices. On top of that, Pontal de Sernambetiba and other places are examples of wonderful untouched beaches that may be visited.

The night life in Rio is a must. Night clubs offer great shows with national and international artists. A great many places have classical music concerts; and there are all kinds of dancing clubs, from gafieiras, where ballroom dances may be appreciated, to places where pop music is played. Whoever prefers the theater has also good choices. At last, a different kind of restaurant will always be open with Italian, Japanese, Chinese cuisine or the typical Churrascaria in a very cosmopolitan combination.

Rio loves parties. Carnival, the greatest of all, takes place in February. The show of the Escolas de Samba is delightful and well-known all over the world. This is how the heritage of the morros (inhabited hills within the city) is preserved. Samba reminds us of soccer; soccer reminds us of Maracanã, the stadium of memorable matches as well as unforgettable concerts: Frank Sinatra, Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney are a few examples.

Separated from Rio by the 13 kilometer long Presidente Costa e Silva bridge, Niterói (whose name means “hidden water” in the indigenous language Tupí) is another peaceful, relaxing haven. Founded on November 22, 1573, by the teminimó Chief Araribóia, it is a perfect spot for whoever wishes to go for a walk at dusk (at Icaraí, São Francisco or Charitas, for example), or live an adventure at far away beaches like ltacoatiara, Camboinhas, and Piratinainga. Niterói hides away other secrets like the Ary Parreiras Museum at lngá, and the beautiful church of the Colégio Salesiano dating from 1883. Next to the ancient buildings rise more modern ones like the Contemporary Art Museum, projected by Oscar Niemeyer. The nearby movie theater of the Fluminense Federal University offers movie festivals with films from several countries, whereas the Municipal Theater presents plays, ballet and music concerts of all sorts.

DUNES AND LAKES ON THE COAST
Ocean beaches, lakes, dunes, and eternally blue skies: the Costa do Sol stretches over 100 km (60 miles) along beaches and deserves its name (Sunny Coast). From the capital, the first region which is reached is the so-called Região dos Lagos, a reference to the delightful salt water lakes which originated the main local activity: salt extraction. The ancient windmills of the salt works may be seen all over the coast but they are not as old as the quaint, picturesque fisherman colonies. According to records, the colonies originated in the 16th century and, as legend goes, were blessed by father José de Anchieta himself as a fishing spot. True or false, fish has always been abundant in the town. For that matter, its main festival is the fishing festival, which takes place in mid May.

Surrounded by a ridge of mountains, Maricá has calm warm water at the beaches which are formed by its lakes plus the Ponta Negra and Jaconé sea, especially appealing to fishing practitioners. Further to the north is Saquarema (take without shells, in tupi-guaraní), the surfer’s spot, who will find high waves in a wild ocean at the Praia ltaúna and Praia da Vila, home to the opening phases of the surf championships held in the country. A stop at the Church of Our Lady of Nazaré is a must for those who appreciate the sunset from a cliff projecting into the sea. Next is the blue and green Araruama lake (macaw lake, according to the Indians), 300 km long (186 miles), the second largest in the state, a frequent scenery to windsurf boards and the like. The Sail Tournament in October and the Laser Championship in November give the small town special liveliness. Calm warm waters continue on to Coqueiral, lguaba and São Pedro da Aldeia, a peninsula at the southern tip of the lake. At this site, on June 29, the sea procession of São Pedro changes the coast into a show of colors.

TRENDY RESORTS
If the Costa do Sol has “capitals”, they are definitely Cabo Frio and Búzios. The former is the greatest trading center of the region and has well-known beaches such as Praia do Forte or Praia das Conchas, in addition to examples of colonial architecture like the fort of São Mateus dating from 1616. With outstanding hotels and wharves, Cabo Frio appeals for its amazing white dunes and the Corpus Christis procession when Avenida Assunção is decoratively covered with salt, barilla, coffee and dyes.

Búzios is the trendiest international resort town. Made famous in the sixties by artists like Brigitte Bardot, the place is always fashionable, mainly for its shop windows at Rua das Pedras. Summer houses, hostels and quaint bars enhance the magic of the town, which has stunning sights like those from Praia Brava and Praia do Forno. Speaking of beaches, the list – and the beauty – is endless: dos Ossos, Geribá, da Ferradura, da Foca, da Tartaruga… perfect sites for the fireworks and champagne of the New Year.

As far as handicrafts, ceramics are the greatest attraction and the local cuisine includes sea food in its dishes. Fish like anchova, corvina, and xerelete are found from Maricá  to Búzios. At the beach there is nothing like some fried fish or shrimp with a cold beer.

LOOKING FOR THE LOST VALLEY
The southern and central part of the state is another universe. Far from the beaches, it offers milder weather and represents an important period of the Brazilian history: the Coffee Cycle. Towns like Vassouras, Valença, Conservatória, Miguel Pereira and Paty do Alferes are proud of their colonial architecture as well as their palaces and mansions which belonged to the barons of the 19th century. Miguel Pereira displays curiosities like the ancient locomotive “Maria Fumaca” (Smoke Mary) adorned with royal palm trees, symbol of the wealth of the period. Vassouras was a sort of capital of coffee at the time, competing with Petrópolis. The forum of the city is located today at a mansion which belonged to the Baron of Ribeirão in his heyday.

Conservatória also has its mansions in a romantic environment. Its cuisine includes cheese, jams and sweets and by hiking at the woods, visitors may appreciate the local nature.

EUROPE IN RIO
Petrópolis, Teresópolis and Nova Friburgo, which were founded by German and Swiss immigrants, bring up the European environment in the mountains of the state. The typical architecture, the design of the streets, everything reminds us of a different reality. The imperial family used to vacation in these places, mainly in Petrópolis, seeking a milder weather and escaping from the hot Summer in Rio. There they built a summer palace in 1845 which today is home to the Imperial Museum, a must for those visiting the city. It has relics such as the crown of Pedro I and Pedro II, the imperial mantle, and the family carriage.

Another attraction is the Crystal Palace, brought from France in 1879 by the Count D’Eu and used as a center for displaying orchids. Quitandinha, built in 1944 in a German style, was, in turn, a famous Casino until gambling was banned in Brazil. It is today a private condominium which has shows. Santos Dumont’s house – the inventor of the airplane – is an alpine cottage where the scientist lived for some years and has a very special stairway, with racket-shaped steps, forcing the visitor to start the way up with his right foot (he was said to be very superstitious). At last, the Cathedral of São Pedro de Alcântara built in a French gothic style where lie D.Pedro II and Princess Isabel.

If Petrópolis is history, Teresópolis is nature: The Dedo de Deus, rising to a height of 1692 meters, dominates the landscape of the city and the Serra dos Orgãos with its cascades, natural pools, peaks and mysterious places, making for an unforgettable experience. The city still has refreshing mineral water springs like that of Judith and Santa Angela in addition to beautiful buildings like Paço Municipal, and French styled Palacete Granado.

Nova Friburgo, founded by Swiss immigrants mostly from Fribourg was also an example of the prosperous Coffee Cycle; such wealth originated work like the São Clemente Park, projected by Auguste François Glaziou, the same French landscape architect who projected the Passeio Público, the Quinta da Boa Vista and the campo de Santana in Rio. It is a must to visit the district of Cascatinha (up to the Caledônia Mt.) and Lumiar, a pretty region of valleys.

The mountainous region is as rich in producing cheese and sweets as Vale do Paraíba; in some restaurants it is possible to sample roasted agouti. The textile industry produces coats and winter clothes for all ages with its main outlets at Rua Teresa, in Petrópolis. After all, a European climate may be cold enough for a tea or a hot chocolate.

This same climate may be found in the region from ltatiaia to Rezende, a true natural paradise with treasures such as the 30-meter high (100 feet) waterfall Véu da Noiva, on the Maromba stream and the ltatiaia National Park where flowers and fowls are stunningly beautiful, with over 300 species of the latter. Nearby Mauá is an alternative place, with hippie handicraft and a mountainous landscape perfect for hiking. Penedo has Finnish cuisine and folk dances as well as colorful candles, preserved by the descendants of its founders. The 2787 meter high Agulhas Negras Mt. is one of the postcards of the region and a great choice for climbers.

ESMERALD SEA AND MOUNTAINS
Finally, the place where the sierra meets the ocean is a sort of synthesis of the state: Costa Verde, with over 2000 beaches of emerald color, dotted by 300 islands. Yachts and sailboats sail across the region whose undersea world is even more beautiful than the surface. The Restinga da Marambaia protects these wonders from the wilderness of the ocean.

Angra dos Reis and ltacuruçá concentrate great part of the leisurely sailing of the country. That’s because the currents of the region bring the fishermen sword fish, shrimp, small sharks, cavalas, robalos and considerably large lobsters which may be sampled in restaurants and bars. Sailboat rides reveal islands, shores and incredible transparent water, perfect for diving. The Rio-Santos road itself is already a great scenery, with its winding bends that follow the contour of the coast.

The name Angra dos Reis originates from the time when the Portuguese sailor André Gonçalves discovered the place: King’s Day on January 6th, 1502. During the colonial time, the region was a spot for the exportation of gold, coffee and sugar. This may be clearly seen in Paraty, with its Portuguese style houses and cobblestone streets, which made the city a Historical Landmark. Automobiles are kept out of the historical center, where bars and restaurants abound. During the day, the options include a visit to the fort of Defensor Perpétuo or beaches like Trindade, Graúna and São Roque. The rich Portuguese folklore is represented by the Festa do Divino in May.