Rio de Janeiro & Minas Gerais

Photographs cannot prepare you for Rio. Against a magical backdrop of Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain, glittering emerald waters and powder-sand beaches, the leisurely Carioca life unwinds. Within easy reach of the city are the idyllic shores of pretty Paraty and lush, verdant Ilha Grande; inland, the glorious colonial cities of Minas Gerais dazzle with gold leaf and baroque buildings.