Rio de Janeiro – Because environment matters...
"My method is the integration of the skeletal, developmental, environmental, and neuromuscular systems."
- Moshe Feldenkrais
click on picure to enlarge
Rio de Janeiro awakens all the senses! and offers a great abundance of reasons to serve as the host city for our Feldenkrais training program. Embedded between high mountains and the ocean “The Marvelous City” is famous for its spectacular natural setting and lively culture. It has inspired countless artists, poets, musicians, film directors and many, many travelers. The city that gave birth to bossa nova (i.e.Tom Jobim and Vicinius de Moraes) welcomes more than 2 million foreign tourists every year, making it the most visited city in Brazil.
Nature
The exuberant natural resources of Rio provide a great many opportunities for silent contemplation, eco tourism, hiking, scuba diving and all kinds of sports. This tropical city boasts with over 80 km of beaches and besides the world famous Copacabana and Ipanema there are other strikingly beautiful beaches protected as natural reserves like Prainha and Grumari.
Right in the middle of the city you find the Tijuca National Park, which includes the world’s largest urban forest, with spectacular views, waterfalls and hundreds of species of plants and wild life found only in the Atlantic Rainforest. The many high peaks of the forest (some over 1000 meters) provide fantastic, panoramic views. One of them is the famous Corcovado where the colossal sculpture of Christ the Redeemer stands as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Cultural and Tourist Attractions
Other attractions you can’t miss are the Sugar Loaf, the Samba City, Maracanã soccer stadium, the Botanic Garden, the architecture of Oscar Niemeyer (one of the most important names in architecture), and sightseeing around the Ipanema neighborhood which inspired Vinicius de Moraes to sing the world wide hit “Girl from Ipanema”.
The city has lots of historical sites (Fiscal Island, Copacabana Fort, São João Fortress, Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro Church etc); cultural centers (Naif Art International Museum, Casa do Pontal Museum, Banco do Brasil Cultural Center, Municipal Theatre etc); and lots of cafés, movie theatres, high quality restaurants and modern shopping centers.
If you visit Rio de Janeiro you will soon notice that your schedule is always full. The city is more than one and provides for all wishes and tastes. There’s always lots happening e.g. exhibitions, dance, theater and music shows, and all kinds of sports events.
These and many other attractions combined with the tropical weather and the friendliness of the “carioca” people (that’s what the locals call themselves) provide all you need for an unforgettable stay.
infra-structure
The city of Rio de Janeiro is the capital of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Besides its natural and entertainment options, it offers all the infrastructure of a major metropolitan area. It was the country’s capital from 1763 until 1960 and it remains a major economic and cultural hub in the Southeastern region, where 60% of the Brazilian GDP is concentrated. Rio is the host city of innumerable national and international conferences, sports events (like Pan American Games 2007 and the World Cup in 2014).
There are many lodging options from camping sites to major international hotel networks.
Public transportation provides access to every point in the city and also to the touristic neighboring cities like Niteroi, Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis, Búzios, Teresopolis and Petrópolis.
In short, it’s not without reason that this city framed by mountains and bathed by the ocean is known as the “wonderful city”, a place to be felt, listened to and admired. It will certainly be a perfect stage for our explorations of life through movement.
fotos: Felipe Goifman
Links
www.ipanema.com
www.rio.rj.gov.br/riotur/en/
www.vrio.com.br/ (videos)
