sweeping shots of pedra da gávea, pedra bonita, and são conrado can be seen before cristo redentor rises from corcovado mountain. when the clouds are hovering low in the sky this particular viewpoint is stunning. however, when there are few clouds avenida niemeyer, leblon beach, and irmão menor (little brother) can be seen shimmering in the sunlight. the entire stretch of leblon is truly an impressive sight to behold - the people sunbathing below appear nothing more than tiny dots in the distance.

another truly interesting vista is the view of rocinha, one of brazil's largest favelas. many of the houses are painted in vibrant colors and are an impressive site - it is a great place to understand the social contrasts in rio and also to see the way in which tijuca forest merges with the city.