Things to See in Rio de Janeiro

The enormous cone-shaped cathedral was inaugurated in 1976 after 12 years of construction. Among its sculptures, murals and other works of art, the four vivid stained-glass windows, which stretch 60m to the ceiling, are breathtaking. The Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art) in the basement contains a number of historical items, including the baptismal font used at the christening of royal princes and the throne of Dom Pedro II. The cathedral can accommodate up to 20,000 worshippers.

This exotic 137-hectare garden, with over 5500 varieties of plants, was designed by order of the Prince Regent Dom João in 1808. It's quiet and serene on weekdays and blossoms with families and music on weekends. The row of palms (planted when the garden first opened), the Amazonas section and the lake containing the huge Vitória Régia water lilies are some of the highlights. A pleasant outdoor café overlooks the gardens. Take insect repellent.

At the northern end of Parque do Flamengo, the Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM) is immediately recognizable by the striking postmodern edifice designed by Alfonso Eduardo Reidy. The landscaping of Burle Marx is no less impressive.

This eye-catching lime-green, neo-gothic palace sitting in the Baía de Guanabara looks like something out of a child's fairy tale book. It was designed by engineer Adolfo del Vecchio and completed in 1889. Originally used to supervise port operations, the palace is famous as the location of the last Imperial Ball on 9 November 1889. Today it's open for guided tours three times a day from Thursday to Sunday; tours leave from the dock near Praça Quinze (usually by boat, but sometimes by van).

Covering over 120,000 sq meters, the zoo at Quinta da Boa Vista has a wide variety of reptiles, mammals and birds - mostly indigenous to Brazil. Special attractions include the large walk-through aviary and the night house, which features nocturnal animals. The monkey house is also a crowd favorite.

Gávea's stellar attraction, the Planetário (Planetarium) features a museum, a praça dos telescópios (telescopes' square) and a couple of state-of-the-art operating domes, each capable of projecting over 6000 stars onto its walls (40-minute sessions in the domes are at 17:30 and 19:00 Saturday, Sunday and holidays). Visitors can also take a peak at the night sky through the far-seeing telescopes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 19:30 to 20:30 (18:30 to 19:30 in winter).

Carmen Miranda was once the highest-paid entertainer in the USA. She's the only Brazilian to leave her prints in Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Although she's largely forgotten there, the talented Brazilian singer still has her fans in Rio and has become a cult icon among the gay community. For those interested in getting to know one of Brazil's stars of the '40s, the small museum dedicated to her is an excellent starting point.

Created in 1968, this museum is an excellent introduction to particularly northeastern Brazilian folk art. Its permanent collection comprises 1400 pieces, and includes Candomblé costumes, ceramic figurines and religious costumes used in festivals. The museum also features a folklore library and a small shop, selling handicrafts, books and folk music. The museum lies next door to the Palácio do Catete.

A classic Carioca boteco with a creative flair, Guimas has been going strong for almost 20 years. Trout with leeks or the honey-roast duck with pear rice go nicely with the superfine caipivodcas (caipirinhas made with vodka instead of cachaça). The small but cozy open-air restaurant attracts a more colorful mix of diners as the night progresses.

Next to the art house cinema of the same name, the Ateliê Odeon serves up decent Brazilian fare on its open-air terrace to a festive crowd. Ateliê opens onto the Praça Floriano, which is a lively gathering spot on weekday evenings. At weekends, it stays opens during film screenings next door.

Understated elegance is the key to Siri Mole & Cia's longstanding success - both in ambience and in the perfectly prepared seafood. Among the favorites are moqueca de siri mole (spicy, soft-shell-crab stew), acarajé (spicy shrimp-filled croquettes) and the grilled fish.

Yorubá looks as if it's always prepared for the imminent arrival of an orixá (spirit or deity). Leaves lie scattered across the floor as candle flames flicker on the walls. Young waiters in red aprons stand at attention while something mystical transpires in the kitchen. Plates here are simply heavenly: plump shrimp and rich coconut milk blend to perfection in bobó de camarão, and the moqueca is simply outstanding.

Vegetarians interested in sampling Brazil's signature dish should visit this inviting spot on Saturday when tofu feijoada is served. The small menu changes regularly, and features salads, soups and sucos (juices), like rose-petal juice or guarana with mint and ginger. The café also serves organic wine.

Surfboards and Japanese anime superhero posters create the ambience at this creperie in an otherwise empty stretch of Copacabana. A young crowd flocks here at night to fill up on hearty platefuls of crepes. The simple queijo e tomate (cheese and tomato) does just fine.

Hopefully you won't have any need for a hospital during your stay in Rio, but if you do, at least Hospital Ipanema's location means you can hit the beach when you've recovered!

The Centro de Vida Independente (Independent Life Center) can provide advice for travelers with disabilities about travel in Rio and in Brazil generally.

This is one of the area's many internet cafes. Besides catching up on your emails, you can make phonecalls from individual cabins, and use scanners, faxes and laser printers.

If you have the misfortune of being robbed, you should report it to the Tourist Police. No big investigation is going to occur, but at least you'll get a police form to give to your insurance company.

Noted for its affordable excursions to the Costa Verde and Búzios, this agency also offers the convenience of an exchange office.

One of Santa Teresa's hidden gems, Rio Hostel is one of the city's most atmospheric places to stay. In a converted mansion overlooking downtown, you'll find a good mix of travelers enjoying the backyard pool, the comfortable lounges and the close proximity to Rio's best nightlife.

One of Rio's most stylish hotels, Marina All Suites has beautifully decorated rooms, doting service and all the creature comforts you can imagine. The best rooms in the ocean-fronting hotel have splendid views of the shoreline, and one of the city's best bars is on the second floor.

The looming white Hotel Glória was once a grand 1920s beachfront hotel. Although it has lost its beach, the Glória still retains some of its old splendour, amid its classically decorated rooms and red-carpeted hallways.

In the first decades of the 20th century, Casa Rosa was one of the city's most famous brothels in Rio's red-light area. Times have changed somewhat and today the demure Pink House is one of Rio's best nightspots. It has a large outdoor patio between several dance floors, where different bands play throughout the night. Saturday is the best night to go, though Casa Rosa's new Sunday roda de samba party also draws its fans - a good mix of Cariocas.

For years, Bip Bip has been one of the city's favorite spots to catch a live roda de samba (informal samba played around a table). Although the ambience isn't much to speak of - just a storefront with a few battered tables - as the evening progresses, the tree-lined neighborhood becomes the backdrop to serious, improvised jam sessions with music and revelers spilling out onto the sidewalk. The schedule at the time of writing was samba on Sunday, chorinho on Tuesday and bossa nova on Wednesday. The music usually begins around 20:00.

During its first incarnation, this small, open-sided bar was called the Bar Veloso. Its name and anonymity disappeared once two scruffy young regulars - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes - penned the famous song here that changed history (and the name of the street, too). Today, you'll find plenty of tourists here, but little inspiration aside from the ice-cold chope.

Artwork lines the walls of this avant-garde space in Botafogo. With numerous rooms to explore (lounge, screening room, dance floors) this old two-story mansion embodies the creative side of the Carioca spirit. Check the website for party listings.

Brazil's largest health-food retailer, Mundo Verde sells organic products, including salgados (bar-type snacks), and other snacks besides; jams made from Amazonian fruits; and other assorted goods. The sun-care products are usually cheaper here than in pharmacies - and much better for your skin.

With one of Rio's best foreign-language book collections, da Vinci also has a wide range of art and photography books, as well as coffee-table books about Rio's history and architecture. It's one floor down - follow the spiral ramp. There's a decent coffee shop nearby.

Set inside the Paço Imperial, Arlequin is a pleasant place to browse for CDs, records and used books (in Portuguese) while you're exploring the neighbourhood.