We're celebrating our 10th birthday at Escape Worldwide,
and looking back at 10 years of globetrotting in the name of bringing you great
holidays - at least that's our excuse! We're having a look at our personal top
10 favourite travel experiences of the last 10 years.
The highlight of my visit to Rio for me would have to be a visit to Corcovado
Mountain and the statue of Christ the Redeemer, with its arms wide open to
welcome visitors to this wonderful city. The mountain itself rises 700 metres
above the city in a really dramatic fashion, wedging the streets below between
it and the beach beyond - even without a huge statue on top, Corcovado would be
quite a landmark. Since it was constructed in the 1920's the statue of Christ
the Redeemer has become a symbol of Rio and of the whole of Brazil - expect to
see lots of images of it during the 2016 Olympics!
It's quite journey to the statue - the tram ride from street level (sit on the
right hand side for the best views) takes you gradually towards the summit,
from where it's a short - but fairly steep - walk up to the base of the statue
itself (there's a lift at one point and even a few escalators!) The base of the
statue is quite a compact area so it does get quite busy, but at 40 metres high
and 30 metres from fingertip to fingertip, it's impossible not to be blown away
by the sight - I certainly was!
There's a lot more to see and do in Rio De Janeiro. The city centre is really interesting, with a range of architecture from old Portuguese style buildings dating back 100 years or more to some distinctly modern additions - the Metropolitan Cathedral is one such building, dating from the 1960's and with a very concrete feel - personally I really like the lines and the space inside, but it was controversial in its day!
Back on the beach is where Rio comes in to its own for me. On a Sunday, I
cycled along Ipanema and Copacabana beaches - I hadn't been on a bike for
years, but thankfully there was a wide promenade, and the main road was closed
to traffic, so I (or rather everyone else) was quite safe. Hundreds of other
cyclists mixed in with swathes of joggers, while games of beach volleyball took
place on the sand. All along the promenade, cafes and bars make a great pitstop
on a cycle ride - I really can't think of anywhere to feel quite as sporty,
with a cool Antarctica beer in my hand!"
Next time No 2.....Karen at the Taj Mahal
Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays
http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk
Darren receives a warm welcome in Brazil!
"This was my fourth visit to Brazil, but my first to Rio De Janeiro - I love the Brazilian way of doing things, where life revolves around the beach and there's always such a positive attitude towards things, so I knew I'd love Rio before I'd even arrived!
As Escape Worldwide's offices were in Stratford for many years, a mile from the Olympic Park for the London 2012 Olympic Games, I was interested to see how Rio's 2016 Olympic Games would be shaping up - beach volleyball at Horse Guards Parade is one thing, but on Copacabana Beach is quite another! There's still a very long way to go, but the plans for Rio's games are looking good, and the city itself will be a most beautiful backdrop.
"This was my fourth visit to Brazil, but my first to Rio De Janeiro - I love the Brazilian way of doing things, where life revolves around the beach and there's always such a positive attitude towards things, so I knew I'd love Rio before I'd even arrived!
As Escape Worldwide's offices were in Stratford for many years, a mile from the Olympic Park for the London 2012 Olympic Games, I was interested to see how Rio's 2016 Olympic Games would be shaping up - beach volleyball at Horse Guards Parade is one thing, but on Copacabana Beach is quite another! There's still a very long way to go, but the plans for Rio's games are looking good, and the city itself will be a most beautiful backdrop.
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| Christ the Redeemer |
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| Great places to chill on the beach |
There's a lot more to see and do in Rio De Janeiro. The city centre is really interesting, with a range of architecture from old Portuguese style buildings dating back 100 years or more to some distinctly modern additions - the Metropolitan Cathedral is one such building, dating from the 1960's and with a very concrete feel - personally I really like the lines and the space inside, but it was controversial in its day!
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| Darren cycling from Ipanema to Copacabana |
Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays
http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk
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