Perhaps the most delicate moment in the planning of a congress, convention or fair in Rio de Janeiro is the decision as to which tours to offer the participants. The range of material is so vast that it is difficult to make the choice. One can get to know the city by means of theme tours - nature, culture, history, religion, sport etc., each one with dozens of variations. Two tours are practically obligatory: a visit to the statue of Christ on the Corcovado, and a trip on the cable-car to the Sugar Loaf. For the former, one can go by car, van or the electric train that climbs the mountain through Atlantic forest.

For the latter, there are two stages to reach the peak that witnessed the founding of the city. The view is spectacular. Tour operators offer individual or group tours, for a few hours or for the whole day.
Apart from city tours, there is a variety of choices in neighboring cities and towns. One of the popular tours is by schooner to the tropical islands in Sepetiba bay, sailing from Itacuruçá, the transfer being made in comfortable buses. Another is to the seaside town of Buzios, one of the most charming in the country, with beaches out of paradise, guest houses with rustic decoration and sophisticated service, shopping like in the South Zone of Rio and a variety of first class restaurants and menus that have been pleasing folk since Brigitte Bardot made Buzios famous worldwide.

Cabo Frio and Arraial do Cabo complete the string of pearls known as the Lake District, linked to Rio by a new highway or by airplane or helicopter.
Those with a love for history can drive up the mountain to Petrópolis, where the Brazilian Imperial family used to go to enjoy the cooler climate. They left many historic landmarks, including the Imperial Museum and the Crystal Palace, stage for many memorable celebrations during Imperial times. The program can also include a visit to the home of Santos Dumont, the father of aviation, a functional building with architecture that shows the creativity of the Brazilian inventor.

If you have the time go to Parati, listed by Unesco as one of the most important examples of the preservation of colonial architecture in the world. This beautiful old town, to the South of the state, was the port of entry for the Portuguese on their way through the mountains to São Paulo. The historical town center is totally preserved, closed to traffic, and after you have absorbed the fascinating history of slavery and gold, you can take a boat trip around the beautiful bay of Angra, where the sea is as blue and clear as in the Caribbean.

An extra attraction is an authentic still for the production of Cachaça, the Brazilian firewater.
Another tour not to be missed is to the Vale do Paraíba, land of the opulent coffee plantations of the past, today open to visitors, showing the luxury in which the "coffee barons" once lived.
Beyond state boundaries there is a whole Brazil to be discovered, whether in the South, colonized by Europeans, a land of vineyards, cooler climate, and rich food; or the Northeast, with a predominantly black African influence - with wonderful beaches, strong popular culture and lots of music. Then there is the North, mostly covered by the Amazon forest, and the Pantanal, recently classified by Unesco as a natural asset of humanity, with a wealth of wetlands and wildlife that is well worth a visit.