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Rio de Janeiro City Information: An Overview
Rio de Janeiro is the capital of the state of the same name and the second biggest city in Brazil. It also ranks as the third largest metropolitan region in the country.
Situated at 22º54' Latitude South and 43º14' Longitude West, the municipality of Rio de Janeiro occupies an area of 1,260 km2 (486.5 square miles). The metropolitan region of the city covers an area of 4,557.3 km2 (1,759.6 square miles).
The city is home to headquarters of many important Brazilian conglomerates such as Vale, Petrobras, and the Globo Organizations.
The population of the municipality as per 2010 census is 6,323,037 and its metropolitan area is home to a population of 14,387,000, making it the second biggest city in Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro City is the most visited city in the southern hemisphere. The city is famous for its scenic beauty, beaches, festivals, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the Maracana Stadium. The city will be hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The city is usually divided into the following zones:
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Statue of Christ the Redeemer
This is a statue of Jesus Christ, which is situated on top of the Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. The statue is regarded as the second biggest Art Deco statue in the world. The length of the statue is 39.6 meters (130 feet), which includes its plinth of 9.5 meters (31 feet), and the width of the statue is 30 meters (98 feet). The Statue of Christ the Redeemer has been named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Sugarloaf Mountain
Sugarloaf Mountain is a summit located in the city, at the opening of the Guanabara Bay on a cape that protrudes into the Atlantic Ocean. Glass-paneled cable cars take tourists to the summit. The summit is located at an elevation of 1,299 feet (396 meters). Sugarloaf Mountain is a popular destination for rock climbers.
Maracana Stadium
The Maracana Stadium was at one time the highest capacity football (soccer) stadium in the world. It is an open-air stadium in the city. Currently, the stadium has a capacity of 82,238 spectators. The stadium hosted the FIFA World Cup Final in 1950. It is used as a venue for hosting football matches of the big clubs in the city. The stadium is scheduled to host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and football matches of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Other tourist attractions in the city include the following:
- Candelaria Church
- Quinta da Boa Vista
- Paraty
- Angra dos Reis
- Visconde de Maua
- Resende
- Petropolis
- Itatiaia National Park
- The National Library building
- Municipal Theater
- The Museu Historico Nacional (National Historical Museum)
- The Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts)
- Arcos da Lapa
- Passeio Publico
- Sao Conrado
- Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
- Ipanema
- Leblon
- Copacabana
- Arpoador
- Pedra da Gavea (Crow's Nest Rock)
- Leme
- Praia do Pepino (Cucumber Beach) in Sao Conrado.
- Pedra Bonita (Beautiful Rock).
- Floresta da Pedra Branca (White Rock Forest)
- Tijuca National Park (Parque Nacional da Tijuca)
- The Pontifical Catholic University of Rio (Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro or PUC-Rio)
- Teresopolis
- Vassouras
- Nova Friburgo
- Serra dos orgaos
- Arraial do Cabo
- Saquarema
- Buzios
- Cabo Frio
- Rio de Janeiro Cathedral
- Ilha Grande
- The Colonial Cathedral
- Beaches of Barra da Tijuca
Airports
Three airports in the city - Galeao - Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport, Santos Dumont Airport, and Jacarepagua Airport serve both domestic and international tourists.
Bus services
Buses are the principal mode of transportation in the city. Bus services are frequent and available at affordable rates. There are approximately 440 municipal bus lines along with intercity lines. City buses are reasonably priced and the minimum fare is approximately R$ 2.40. Both non-air conditioned (R$ 2.40) and air conditioned buses (R$ 2.50 - R$ 2.90) are available.
Metro Rail
There are two subway lines in Rio de Janeiro with 32 stations. The metro is the securest and cleanest means of public transportation.
Trams
Trams also ply in the city and the tramways are mostly used by travelers than daily passengers.
Taxi
Yellow taxis run in the city and are available at affordable fares. They run with a meter and there is a minimum fare for every km traveled. Executive taxis and radio taxis are also available but they are costlier.
Hotels in Rio de Janeiro City
The city is home to a range of luxury hotels and beach resorts like Copacabana Palace Hotel. Hotels in Rio de Janeiro offer state-of-the-art amenities and facilities to the guests. Tourists visiting the city of Rio de Janeiro frequently halt at the following hotels:
- Rio Internacional Hotel
- Excelsior Copacabana Hotel
- Sheraton Barra Hotel & Suites
- Copacabana Palace Hotel
- Martinique Copa Hotel
- Best Western Sol Ipanema Hotel
- Copacabana Rio Hotel
- Arpoador Inn
- Marina Palace Hotel
- Rio Othon Palace
- Hotel Fasano
- Golden Tulip Ipanema Plaza
- JW Marriott Hotel
JW Marriott Hotel is one of the top hotels in the Copacabana area. It is the newest 5-star hotel in Copacabana. With breathtaking views of Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain, the hotel offers deluxe accommodation choices for domestic and international tourists. The services and amenities offered by the JW Marriott Hotel include the following:
- Coffee/tea in-room
- Nearby beauty parlor (referral at front desk)
- Evening shuttle service
- Concierge desk
- Gift/newsstand
- Foreign exchange
- Newspaper delivered to room (on request)
- Housekeeping service daily
- Room service
- Newspaper in lobby
- Front desk and safe deposit boxes
- 24-hour room service
- Shoeshine
Copacabana Palace
Established in 1923, Copacabana Palace is the most conventional and deluxe hotel in the city. This 5-Star hotel has two restaurants, the Pergula and the Cipriani that serves Italian dishes. The hotel is closely located to tourist attractions like Sugarloaf Mountain, Maracana Stadium, Downtown, and the Botanical Gardens. There are 225 rooms in the hotel. Services and amenities offered by the hotel include the following:
- Free Newspaper
- In Room Air Conditioning
- Telephone
- Refrigerator
- Non-Smoking Rooms
- Television (Cable/Satellite)
- DVD/VCR
- Television
- In Room Broadband Internet Access
- Daily Maid Service
- Telephone (Voicemail)
- In Room Safe
- Balcony/Terrace
- Kitchen/Kitchenette
- Mini-Bar
