other very famous natural landmarks are copacabana beach and ipanema beach, with their white sands, blue waters, and impressive rock formations. while copacabana beach is highlighted by the leme mountain and by the sugar loaf in the distance, ipanema beach is beautifully framed by the twin peaks called two brothers (morro dois irmãos).

the forest of tijuca,   home to hundreds of species of wildlife and tropical plants, is a jungle spanning over 30 square kilometers, and it is the second largest urban forest in the world, losing the title to the nearby pedra branca florest, in the zona west of rio de janeiro. many other landmarks dot the city like gems on a crown -  the pedra de arpoador, the wild beaches of grumari, the military forts of guanabara bay, flamengo park, and the cagarras islands are just some.   

special recognition was given to rio de janeiro for inspiring countless artists, musicians, landscapers, and urbanists. the extraordinary fusion between progress, nature, and a diversity of cultures, often shaped by historical events, resulted in much more than the sum of the individual elements - it created a vivid and breathing city, intimately and harmoniously living by its interaction with the whole.