If you walk up Rua Gonçalves Dias from the Largo da Carioca, youll pass a number of cool shops. This is a great area for finding good deals on clothes. But the highlight of the street is the classic coffee shop and bakery, the Confeitaria Colombo (Gonçalves Dias 32). Used as the backdrop for numerous Brazilian films and soap...
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If you see one church in the downtown area, make it the Igreja de São Francisco (Largo da Carioca, 11am–4pm Wednesday–Friday). Recently restored, the church is a large and beautiful example of the Baroque churches of the 17th and 18th centuries in Brazil, such as those found in Minas Gerais. In fact, some of the master...
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During the golden days of Hollywood, Brazil was experiencing a cultural and economic growth period at the tail end of the coffee boom. Here in Rio, a number of things were occurring, including international recognition of the city, mostly due to the casinos in Copacabana. In the old downtown area, a number of movie houses were...
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The Praça that marks a major turning point in Brazil’s history, moving from a monarchy to a republic, is right here in downtown Rio, in front of the old Imperial Palace (noon–6:30pm Tuesday–Sunday) home of the royal family from 1808–1889. Naturally, the praça was renamed in honor of the occasion, which took...
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The images that come to mind when one thinks of Rio de Janeiro are many and varied, but one that always seems to appear is of the famous Copacabana boardwalk and the Copacabana Palace Hotel with its luxurious interior and high-rolling clientele. In its heyday, Copacabana (and the hotel in particular) was the scenario of several...
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Over 800 colonial mansions and Baroque churches lean against the hillside of the old city center of Pelourinho. It was here at the Largo do Pelourinho where slaves and outlaws were publicly whipped (the word Pelourinho means whipping post). During its heyday, Pelourinho was the center of Salvador, the capital city of the colony and...
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Take a visual vacation to Brazil with this photo e-book. See just how blue the water is along the extensive coastline of the Northeast Region. Get a glimpse of the people and the culture that is Brazil. This promotional e-book is free and we encourage you to copy and distribute it as much as you can. 
Heading to Rio de Janeiro? Take this handy 3-day itinerary with you to get the most out of your journey in the least amount of time. Download and take it with you on your laptop or on CD, or use the printable pages in your notebook or day planner. Available for FREE from this site.
