the tijuca forest is one of  the best places to get an impression of what rio de janeiro would have looked like before colonization. in fact, the 46 square miles of forest da tijuca are rich with tropical rainforest, trails, peaks, caves, waterfalls, and unique flora and fauna.

this partially man-made forest, is the second largest urban reserve in the world, losing its title to the neighboring parque da pedra branca, also located within rio de janeiro city's limits.