Rio de Janeiro – the Cidade Maravilhosa, the Marvelous City, with golden beaches, lush mountains, a samba-fueled nightlife and spectacular football matches. Steamy, tropical and sexy, everything seems to move with a casual samba swing, and hardly anything, except for football and the traffic, is taken too seriously.

 

With stunning rainforest-covered mountains, picture-perfect lakes, occasionally stunning architecture and golden beaches. Residents are protective of their city, and visitors invariably fall in love with it. Rio’s beaches have long seduced its visitors. Copacabana Beach became iconic during the 1940s when international starlets would jet in for the weekend. Bossa nova stars Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes introduced the world to the beautiful Ipanema beach’s allure in the 1960s. For Cariocas, residents of Rio, the beach is Rio’s backyard – a playground free and open to all, offering endless enjoyment in the form of football, volleyball, surfing, snacking, drinking or relaxing amid the passing parade of people.

 

Rio is a number one party and carnival destination fuelled by colour, confetti, dancers and the samba beat. The world-famous Rio Carnival, and the buildup to it, is the epitome of this celebratory spirit. Samba is Brazil’s heartbeat, a rapid-fire style of music with African influences and an infectious beat. A stay with Defoes Lifestyle will ensure that you stay in stunning accommodation, enjoying the samba beat at vibrant spots across the city.