15 Top Tourist Attractions in Rio de Janeiro & Easy Day Trips


UNESCO's accolades weren't just for the natural setting but also for the urban cultural landscape and the mix of architecture and planned green space that characterized the city's growth.

Rio de Janeiro is the second major city in Brazil and was its capital from 1763 to 1960, when Brasília was created. The city was founded by Portuguese colonists in the mid 1500s and became the port for the shipment of gold from the inland mining areas. Throughout its history, Rio has seemed aware of its physical assets - the soaring mountains behind it, Sugarloaf towering above its harbor, and its long crescent beaches that are its prime tourist attractions - and has enhanced that landscape with distinguished buildings from each era of its history and with a generous supply of urban parks and open spaces. Discover the best the city has to offer with our list of the top attractions in Rio de Janeiro. Read the full travel article here.

Rio de Janeiro