RIO DE JANEIRO

A city of sports and culture

Known as the “Marvelous City,” Rio de Janeiro stands out as one of the world’s top destinations for major sports and cultural events. Breathtaking geography, featuring mountains, lush Atlantic Forest, and golden beaches, creates a unique landscape where land meets sea. The iconic Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado are part of a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage landscape. Rio stretches between Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, blending nature and urbanisation in a singular way.

Rio’s Olympic Legacy

In 2016, Rio made history as the first South American city to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, welcoming athletes from over 200 countries. The event produced a lasting legacy, especially at Barra Olympic Park. The Olympic Velodrome now houses the Rio Olympic Museum and continues to host cycling competitions, while the former Arena Carioca 3 was transformed into the Isabel Salgado Olympic Educational Gymnasium, offering academic and sports education for 1,000 children annually.

The revitalisation of the Port Zone, with the Olympic Boulevard and the Museum of Tomorrow, brought new life to the city center, turning it into a cultural and tourism hotspot. Transportation also improved with the expansion of Metro Line 4 and the introduction of the VLT light rail system.

The Maracanã Stadium, which hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, remains one of football’s most iconic venues. Copacabana and Ipanema beaches regularly host beach volleyball and footvolley competitions, while Guanabara Bay and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon welcome rowing and sailing events.

Celebrating culture

Beyond sports, Rio hosts two of the world’s biggest celebrations: Carnival and New Year’s Eve. The Rio Carnival attracts millions of visitors with its spectacular parades in the Sambadrome and vibrant street parties, driving the local economy and showcasing Brazilian culture globally. Meanwhile, the New Year’s Eve celebration in Copacabana brings together over two million people for a breathtaking fireworks display, marking the arrival of the new year in grand style.

The city welcomes 7 million tourists annually. With an average temperature of 23°C and more than 2,000 hours of sunshine per year, Rio continues to stand as a World Heritage Site, combining nature and vibrant culture.