One of the main reasons travelers choose Rio as a destination is for its gorgeous beaches, the two most famous of which are Ipanema and Copacabana. The beaches are surrounded by stunning natural beauty including Sugar Loaf mountain.  However in the shadows of Ipanema and Copacapana's beauty, wealth and tourism are the shanty towns, known as favelas, that give Rio its dangerous reputation. Unlike other vacation destinations, Rio's slums are located next to the wealthy areas of the city, which gives easy access for residents to target tourists.

Yet despite the obstacles, the people of Rio, known as Cariocas, are passionate about life and proud of their city. Their spirit can be felt through the music and energy that makes the beaches some of the world's most sought after. The Cariocas not only have great pride for their land but also for the sport of football (aka soccer) and Rio is home to one of the largest soccer stadiums in the world, Macarana Stadium.

Also indisputable is that the Cariocas know how to party. This is best displayed on New Year's Eve and even more so in February for Carnival. This is the time when all the samba schools from the region display a grand celebration in a parade and vie for various titles as they compete to be the winner of the celebration. All this means that a trip to Rio de Janeiro should be considered more of an adventure than a vacation.