Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is one of those cities that simply takes your breath away. Tucked between a sparkling bay, dramatic mountains, and golden beaches, it looks like something out of a dream. For more than a century and a half it was the beating heart of Brazil, and that proud history still pulses through every neighbourhood and street corner today.

The city is famous around the world for its electric energy. Every year, Rio explodes into colour during Carnival, when samba schools fill the streets with jaw-dropping costumes, thundering drums, and dancers who have been practising for months. High above it all, the giant Christ the Redeemer statue stretches its arms wide from the top of Corcovado Mountain — a symbol so iconic that it has survived countless lightning strikes and kept on standing.

But Rio is more than its famous landmarks. It is a city where the jungle creeps right into the suburbs, where locals play volleyball on the beach at sunset, and where adventure is always just around the corner.