Travel Guide For Rio De Janeiro In April 2011 PART 2

In the first part of our article we discussed about the most important weekly and annual events that are going to be organized this April 2011 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazi. The second and final part will continue offering information about what to expect from the city next month.

We shall continue with the Discovery of Brazil Day where each year a ceremony that marks the anniversary of the Discovery of Brazil in 1500 is organized a the monument to Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral, located in Largo da Gloria park. Cabral was the one who commanded the first group of Europeans to arrive.

The last annual event that will be organized in Rio this April is going to be the St George’s Day at the Church of Saint Goncalo Garcia and Saint George. The church will celebrate this special day with a Mass and a vigil to the saint. As it is traditional with most of the saints in Brazil, there is also going to be a procession and stalls commercializing food, drink along with various religious items. The full address of this event is: 382 Rua da Alfândega, Centro 20061-022.

If you are not interested in these weekly or monthly events, there are other things that you could do as the city has more to offer. If you are a soccer fan, you can visit the famous Maracana football stadium that held the 1950 World Cup Final. At the moment, the stadium is undergoing renovations and extensions in preparation for the upcoming 2014 World Cup as well as the 2016 Olympics.

Another very popular place among tourists would have to be the statue of Christ the Redeemer, towering over Rio on Mount Corcovado. This imposing 30-metre-high landmark is a postcard all-time favorite and is one of the city’s most important symbols. It was inaugurated back in 1931 and it was created by sculptor Paul Landoviski and built by engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. You should know that it is located in a nature reserve, providing exquisite surroundings as well as fantastic views over the rest of the city. A few years ago you had to climb 220 steps in order to get to the top, but luckily now there are three panoramic elevators and four escalators that will get you to the top with no effort.

One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World is Rio de Janeiro Harbor, on Guanabara Bay, so this should provide enough reasons for having a quick look while in the city. The harbor’s dark blue waters are studded with rocky outcrops; the most popular one would have to be the Sugar Loaf Mountain, sitting at 404m high. A little bit higher at 710m you will be able to see the Corcovado hunch-backed peak. At the apex, there is an iconic 38m statue and symbol of the city, the aforementioned Christ the Redeemer.