at a glance

internationally, the most famous neighborhoods in rio are the historical copacabana and the ever more fashionable ipanema, home to gorgeous beaches and beautiful nature.

however, many other parts of rio such as santa teresa, lapa, botafogo, flamengo, and the city center offer an alternative to the more famous beach areas and a very interesting insight into the life and history of the city -  many neighborhoods are much safer and more accessible nowadays then they were only a few years ago, in part due to the police occupation of the nearby favelas.

santa teresa, a city within the city, is a charming hill rich of cobblestones roads and colonial villas - lapa, a bohemian district not far from santa teresa, is now the center of nightlife in rio.