Indian Chief Travel Guides

Rio de Janeiro: Cidade Maravilhosa

Great cities inspire nicknames that say in a word or two what may take paragraphs to explain. New York is “The Big Apple,” San Francisco is “The City By The Bay” and Rio is Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). It is an apt description because Rio is unlike any city you have seen – a great metropolis that is also a great resort.

That is not to imply that Rio is without problems. There remains great disparity in wealth. While upscale residential areas in Barra and other beach-front communities continue to grow, too many Cariocas (Rio residents) live in favelas (shantytowns). Some cling to mountainsides even in upscale areas and others are far from the city center. Unemployment, particularly in the favelas, is very high, while educational opportunities and health care are very poor. Drugs are a prime source of income and crime. In the 1980s, Rio began to feel the effects of ineffectual government policies. The city’s infrastructure and older residential areas fell into disrepair as rampant inflation and implacable corruption meant less money for city services. Terrible press coverage gave the perception that the city was unlawful. While we don’t want to minimize the problems, it did seem for a time that every story about Rio was a negative one. Prospective tourists reading these stories in the international press began to stay away in droves. Somewhat surprisingly, that turned out to be a positive thing. Realizing that the city was losing a huge amount of income without visitors, both the city and the federal government began funding basic services such as better street lighting, sidewalk repair and improved sanitation. They determined to improve services in the favelas rather than try to hide them. But most importantly, they started to crack down on crime. The Tourist Police was created to patrol beaches, city streets and tourist venues. As a result, crime has fallen and the city looks cleaner and less chaotic.

Orientation

Rio is home to over seven million residents. At first it seems sprawling, but if you could hover over it, you’d immediately notice that the city is constricted by the waters of the bay and ocean and the mountain range and forest areas of Tijuca National Park. Parts of Copacabana are only four streets wide, while adjacent areas have much more land.

Rio has a deep natural harbor, which was what led the Portuguese to settle along the waterfront. As the colony grew, it expanded along the bay, inland and on the hillsides that loomed behind the colony. Eventually, more room was needed and the city expanded along its Atlantic coast. To reach it, tunnels were needed to get through the mountains. The first tunnel from the old city (Centro) to Copacabana was built in 1892 and the second to Leme, was finished 12 years later. There are now 13 tunnels within the city and you’ll drive through many of them.