Knowing Rio in all its dimension necessarily involves visiting a favela. Indeed, just under a third of the cariocas live in a favela and there are more than 1,000 in Rio. We suggest you discover, in addition to the rest, Santa Marta, on a human scale (12,000 inhabitants all the same, located in the district of Botafogo and very safe), accompanied by a native guide and your English-speaking guide. You will come away with a new and wonderful Rio experience. And then, of course, the Tijuca forest, another tropical forest in Brazil (the Atlantic), the world’s first urban forest and the city’s green lung with hikes, waterfalls and breathtaking views in the heart of nature