Rio de Janeiro’s inhabitants named their beautiful South American home the Marvellous City (cidade maravilhosa) and there aren’t many visitors who would disagree. Take cheap flights to Rio de Janeiro and you’ll discover the friendly locals. Calling themselves Cariocas, they’re stunning and uninhibited and know how to enjoy themselves. Famed for its exuberant carnival, which occurs before Lent each year, Brazil’s most famous city also boasts a plethora of unforgettable sights, sounds and experiences. The statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) on Corcovado Mountain, the stadium of Maracanã, and the Sugar Loaf Mountain are among its many landmarks. Two cable cars take you 396 metres up Sugar Loaf Mountain, above Rio’s harbour, where breathtaking views of the city will be indellibly etched into your mind. Sun worshippers should make a beeline for Copacabana beach, while much of the historic architecture can be found in Rio’s financial and business centre.
Once you’ve taken Rio de Janeiro flights, the Municipal Theatre, National Library and National Museum of Fine Arts are must-sees. If you think you’re a party animal at home, think again. Once you’ve taken direct flights to Rio de Janeiro you’ll discover that Brazilians don’t hold back when they let their hair down, putting many other nations to shame whether it’s Carnival time or not. A taste of the nightlife will surprise the wildest of clubbers and leave you vowing to book return flights to Rio de Janeiro the minute you return home. The city’s West Zone (Zona Oeste) is also worth a look. It will host the 2016 Olympic Games, encouraging many other tourists to book a Rio de Janeiro flight. A tour of the favela, the shanty towns, is a sobering experience and a reminder that, while beautiful and exciting, the gap between rich and poor is wide.