Brazil’s Carnaval is one of the world’s greatest celebrations, and nowhere is the party larger than in Rio, where several million people take to the streets every year to let loose before Lent, the Christian period of abstinence that runs for forty days from Ash Wednesday to the Thursday before Easter. With rich traditions of music, dance, and spirituality, Carnaval is the single most important cultural event in Brazil and is beloved by locals and tourists alike.

From white-tablecloth establishments to bustling neighborhood botecos, Rio is home to a dazzling array of classic restaurants, many of which date from the mid-20th century, when the city jumped onto the international scene with its sandy beaches and bossa nova rhythms gaining fame far beyond its borders. Besides their delicious food, these restaurants contain decades of history as well, and a meal at any of them is a great way to experience the fabric of the city.

Leblon is Rio’s swankiest neighborhood, home to some of the priciest real estate in the city. But this isn’t a stuffy neighborhood reserved for the rich—far from it. Leblon is home to some of the city’s best nightlife, as well as a beautiful stretch of beach and a number of classic botecos where you can sit back and take in carioca life.

Rio is one of the world’s foremost beach cities, and the lifestyle of the carioca is inextricably linked to the praia. The beach is a way of life here, and it is a shame to let a sunny day go by without at least a little time spent on the sand.

Brazil is famous around the world for futebol, but Rio is arguably the city that best encapsulates the Brazilians’ approach to the sport.

Rio is famous for its marvelous nightlife, and you can find great parties all over the city any night of the week.

Rio’s Centro has plenty of hidden gems to explore, and not just on rainy days.