‘Cidade Maravilhosa’, the Marvellous City, Rio constantly finds ways to surprise – whether it’s the tropical rainforest within, Tijuca National Park, the soul-stirring views from towering Christ the Redeemer or Sugarloaf Mountain. Marvel at the unique “favela” neighbourhoods that are precariously stacked up-and-down hillsides or the spectacular, modernist Niemeyer-designed architecture. Home to legendary Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and the mind-blowing spectacle of Rio Carnival in February, the entire city seems to sway to the infectious rhythms of samba. An astonishing depth of discovery few cities in the world offer.