R S Pura

It is a common mistake to think of Rio as Brazil's capital, a distinction it lost on April 21, 1960 when the national government officially moved to Brasilia. Beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema, the Christ The Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) statue, the stadium of Maracanã and Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) are all well-known sights of what the inhabitants call the "marvelous city" (cidade maravilhosa), and are also among the first images to pop up in travelers´ minds, along with the Carnaval celebration. The South Zone holds most of Rio's landmarks and world-famous beaches, in an area of only . Many of them are within walking distance of each other (for instance, the Sugarloaf lies about from Copacabana beach). Most hotels and hostels are located in this part of the city, which is compressed between the Tijuca Range (Maciço da Tijuca) and the sea.