rio de janeiro is made up of over 160 neighborhoods, not to mention an additional 30 'unofficial' neighborhoods and an estimated 1000 favelas all around town. due to the rich and diverse history of the city these neighborhoods are remarkably different from one another.

as such, santa teresa is situated on a steep hill, characterized by cobble stone streets and old mansions, while paquetá is an island community that appears to have stopped in time, with dirt roads and horse carriages, and leblon is a rich beachside neighborhood that offers boutique shopping and gourmet dining - just to highlight a few.