Heritage has shaped both the history of the city, and the way its residents enjoy it - music was integrated in many aspects of city life, becoming part of religious celebrations, city-sponsored concerts and live performances as much as random beach days via a boom-box on the sand.

Fresh food is a vital part of local lifestyle - A charming and longstanding feature of the weekly Carioca routine is shopping for groceries at a local fair, where customers connect directly with the produce of their land.

Every neighbourhood has at least one weekly fruit and vegetable market, where customers amble along aisles selecting the very finest ingredients at reasonable prices, tasting delicious samples and chatting cheerfully with other locals and merchants.