copacabana is among the most famous beaches in the world, and to this day this is the most famous and important beach in rio de janeiro - having been an international destination for a century, the white sands of copacabana and the spectacular views of the bay and of the sugar loaf have attracted visitors from all corners of the globe.

located in the copacabana neighborhood, in rio's zona sul, this beach is 4 km long (2.2 miles), very well developed, safe, and full of kiosks, restaurants, small markets, street vendors, street entertainers, and sports facilities - nicknamed princesinha do mar (little princess of the sea), copacabana is named using a word that in the tongue of the quichas, bolivian and peruvian indios, means 'blue lookout'.