Kicking Off My Quest With A Trip To Rio de Janeiro

Ipanema. Copacabana. Pão de Açúcar. Cristo Redentor.

These words are already familiar, because songs have been sung about them and they are some of the reasons why Brazil is so iconic. These are but a few of the places I hope to visit when I go to Rio de Janeiro.

In my quest to romance the planet, one country at a time, I jump start this phase of my travel adventures with a trip to Rio de Janeiro. Before I talk about the highlights in Rio, let me get the nitty-gritties out of the way.

The Prelude

As a resident of Hyderabad, I needed to visit the embassy in New Delhi and get a Brazilian travel visa. Although it took two weeks for my visa to be granted it was smooth sailing from there. As a member of the One World alliance, I chose to fly British Airways from Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport) with a layover at the Heathrow International Airport in London, before finally arriving at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

The journey was long and exhausting. With 40 hours of travel behind me. All I really wanted was to hit the bed after reaching my hostel in Rio de Janeiro, wake up early the next morning and get started in exploring Rio the next day.

Now, on to what I looked forward to exploring!

Rio de Janeiro has always been iconic not just for Brazil, but also for South America and for sports events like the Olympics, the Summer Olympics, the XV Pan American Games, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA World Cups. Aside from these sports events, Rio is also the capital of Carnivals. Rio de Janeiro’s style of the pre-lent festivities is almost insane and it’s one of the events I hope to join in the future. Meanwhile, I aim to savor a few of Rio’s sights and sounds.

The Beaches

If you’ve heard the song “Girl From Ipanema” then you must know that the song tells the story of a girl that may have hailed from one of Rio’s more iconic beaches. Ipanema is the setting of some of the world’s most stunning sunsets and it’s easy to see why a song was written about a girl who may have been spotted on the beach.

However, the gem of Rio de Janeiro’s shoreline is Copacabana, where Hollywood’s biggest stars have held their concerts.

Copacabana is the choice for concerts & major entertainment events and if you ever find yourself in Rio on New Year’s Eve, Copacabana is one of the best places to spend New Year’s on. The beach itself is sprawling & well-maintained.

Views From On High

If you want to take a sprawling bird’s eye view of the city, you must take a cable car from Pão de Açúcar or what is known as Brazil’s Sugarloaf Mountain. Drink in the views of Rio de Janeiro as you make the descent from the cable car, eyeing Copacabana Beach towards the south and beholding the breathtaking view of the Cristo Redentor monument on the Corcovado mountain on the west. Indeed, it is a way to take in the whole of what Rio de Janeiro can offer, from a great vantage point and in what could be an awe-inspiring experience.

As you descend via cable car, don’t forget to keep your eye on Cristo Redentor or Christ the Redeemer which has made it’s way in many Hollywood movies.

To The Next Adventures

I look forward to exploring more of Brazil, more of Latin America and more of the world. So join me in my quest, as I chase my love of travel and behold the world with astonished eyes.