Parque Nacional & Floresta da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro

This is the best place to visit to get an idea of what Rio once looked like and immerse yourself in the local natural habitat. You will see monkeys and stunning tropical flowers, walk trails, enjoy marvelous views of the city, waterfalls, creeks and wonderfully varied greenery. Tijuca National Park is the world's largest urban forest as it covers about 12.95 mi². It is a rainforest that was hand-planted and it is encircled by the city of Rio de Janeiro. It provides a natural boundary that separates the West, South, Central and North Zones of the city. Hikers who want a 360 degree view of the city can climb the 3350 ft summit of Pico da Tijuca or the 3245 ft summit of Bico do Papagaio (Parrot's Beak) via a 1.7 mile trail that starts at the "Praça do Bom Retiro" place, while others may simply enjoy the 115 foot waterfall, Cascatinha de Taunay, from the Alto da Boa Vista neighborhood.