Weekender Alicante North Issue 108

Facebook: @TheWeekenderSpain
FRIDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER 2019 37
RIO de Janeiro is the second
largest city in Brazil,
Rio used to be the Capital
city until April 1960 when
the honour was taken up
by the Brasilia, a new built
city in the Highlands of
Brazil.
Famous for it’s beaches of
Copacabana and Ipanema,
the Rio de Janeiro is also
known for it’s world famous
statue of Christ the Redeemer,
located overlooking the
city. Built between 1922 and
1931, the statue is a towering
30 meters high and 28 me-
ters wide and was built as a
symbol of Christianity.
The best way to visit the
monument is by Cog Train,
which winds up through the
green foliage of the Tijuka
Natural park, offering stunning
scenery offering views
of the city in it’s wake. The
by Yvonne Hollywood,
Worldwide Horizons
train leaves every 30 minutes
and can be booked
in advance.
Back down on ground level,
what could be more Brazilian
than visiting Copacabana
Beach? Rebuilt in 1970 with
a long walkway, the beach is
well served by bars and restaurants
on the 4km paved
area.
Each New Year, around
two million people visit this
beach to witness one of the
world’s most spectacular firework
display to welcome in
the new year.
A little further along the
coast, you will find Ipanema
Beach, one of the best places
to take a dip. The surrounding
area of this beach is where
local artists gather and has
an altogether more hippy feel
to it. Both beach areas are
well served by hotels and local
accommodation, from the
truly 5 star to the adventurous
home rentals.
It is good to note that Copacabana
and Ipanema areas
are two of the three safest
places to stay whilst in Rio.
They are also the some of
the best places to enjoy the
nightlife of the city, complete
with hip nightclubs as well
as many places featuring live
music.
And one can’t think of Rio
without mentioning the huge
Carnival that takes place
there annually in February.
This is the party to end all
parties, held over a 4-5 day
period, a parade of thousands
of persons in some of the
most colourful costumes that
can be imagined. This event
has developed over the years
(it first started around 1723,
so these people know how to
party!) and now many of the
events held at it are ticketed
events – a good idea to buy in
advance given that there can
be up to 2 million visitors to
the festival on a daily basis!
The best time to visit Rio
is between December and
March, when the weather is
at its best.
The currency is Brazilian
Real, with €100 buying you
around 450 reais. Around
45 Reais is the cost of a nice
wine, accompanying a meal
which costs around 50-100
reais.
Flights are direct from
Madrid and Lisbon, with
good connections to Alicante,
making this a great holiday
destination.
Brazil to Barcelona 2020
Flight from Alicante
2 nights pre-cruise
Rio de Janeiro
17 nights cruise to
Santos, Buzios,
Salvador de Bahia,
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon, Cadiz, Barcelona
Christmas Market in Kaunas
Direct ights
from Alicante
4 nights B&B 4*
New York
5 nights
Flights from Alicante
4* Central Hotel
Rio de Janeiro
Dominican Republic
Flights from Alicante
Impressive Resort
& Spa Hotel 5*
12 nights All Inclusive
Carnival Cruises
12 night Med Cruise
Barcelona, Livorno
Rome, Naples,
Dubrovnik, Kotor,
Corfu, Messina,
Marseille, Barcelona
Krakow Christmas Market
Flights from Alicante
5 nights
4* City Centre B&B