Hotels in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro occupies one of the most dramatic city sites anywhere — granite peaks rising straight out of the Atlantic, rainforest running down to the beaches, and a bay that Portuguese sailors mistook for a river mouth in 1502. Christ the Redeemer watches the whole thing from the top of Corcovado.

Copacabana and Ipanema define the beach culture, with volleyball, kiosks and a promenade that never empties. Sugarloaf Mountain is reached by two cable cars, the bohemian hillside of Santa Teresa runs on a restored tram, and Tijuca National Park is the largest urban forest in the world. Lapa's arches mark the nightlife district and the samba scene.

Carnival, in February or March, takes over the city entirely and books out a year in advance. Outside that window, the shoulder months of May and October offer warm weather without the peak crowds or the summer humidity.