CopacabanaThis famous Rio beach neighbourhood was just a small fishing
village until a new highway changed the face of it sometime in the
1900s. The Copacabana Palace Hotel first opened its doors in 1923,
and since then the area mushroomed with Neoclassical and Art
Nouveau skyscrapers, penthouses and apartments. Visitors still
flock, as they have always done, to the glamorous Palace Hotel, the
place to be seen. Sometimes the visit is only to have tea or a meal
at the famed Cipriani restaurant. The beach itself has white sand
and calm water and is festooned with kiosks. It is a popular spot
for beach sports like soccer and volleyball, and a good place to
sunbathe. Copacabana beach is particularly popular on New Year's
Day. According to tradition, visitors dress in white and congregate
here to celebrate in their droves, counting more than two million
people during this time. |
