After seeing Rio with your own eyes you'll understand why it is the Wonderful City. Usually the first thing people think of when they hear the word Rio is CARNIVAL and BEACHES packed with tan scantily clad bathers. It's the unique combination of dense sub-tropical forest covered mountains gradually disappearing into the sea, creating extensive natural bays and powdery sand beaches that make this a truly unique, breathtakingly city in the continent. It's really worth taking a drive through the Tijuca Forest and visiting the other PARKS Rio offers. The drive up the mountains is refreshing after a rough day bathing in the sun. The temperature change with altitude is quite noticeable. You can walk under some fresh mountain water to wash the salt-water feel away and see some awesome views of the city, beaches, and the lake down below. In the middle of the elite south side of the city, it's between this lake and the ocean where the fancy neighborhoods IPANEMA and LEBLON lie.