28/09/2025
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Known for its famous beaches, Rio de Janeiro is a favorite Brazilian city for its laid-back attitude and festive atmosphere. “Rio is thoroughly intoxicating—cool, sexy, frivolous, and wildly atmospheric. It was the most dramatic setting of any city I know,” says Hastings. See the 98-foot-tall Christ the Redeemer statue that lords over the city or take a cable car up to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. A visit during Carnival season ensures plenty of showy costumes, samba dancers, and dazzling parades.