Sao Paulo
One of the world's biggest metropolises, São Paulo looms large over South America. While the city lacks the natural beauty of Rio, Sampa - as it's affectionately called by locals - has much going for it. This is, after all, the cultural capital of Brazil, with a dizzying array of attractions including first-rate museums, nightly concerts, experimental theater and dance. The nightclubs, bars and restaurants are among the best on the continent. Paulistanos (inhabitants of the city) believe in working hard and playing harder, and despite constantly complaining about street violence, clogged highways and pollution, most wouldn't dream of living anywhere else.

Though founded in 1554 by Jesuits, São Paulo remained a colonial backwater for much of its history. It wasn't until the late 19th century that it began to emerge from the shadows, and the 20th century brought an explosion of immigrants from all over the world to work on the railroads, in the factories and in the fields. By the 1950s São Paulo took the lead as the country's industrial and commercial center. The result of the flood of immigrants is clear: the city of 17 million (metropolitan) is Brazil's most culturally diverse destination. For the wanderer, a stroll through Sampa's neighborhoods is a window into the shops and restaurants of the world.

Iguassu Falls
Iguassu Falls embodies the term "awesome" in its fullest sense. There's no better description of the torrents of water cascading down Iguassu Falls, one of the largest and most impressive falls in the world. The name Iguassu comes from the Guarnani Indian word meaning "great water."

In a spectacular subtropical setting, 23km (14 miles) of deafening waterfalls plummet up to 70m (229 ft.) into a giant gorge. The sheer power is overwhelming. You come face to face with raging sheets of water, with sprays so intense it seems as though geysers have erupted from below. Forget Niagara Falls (a mere toilet flush), forget Angel Falls (a faucet); think Grand Canyon with way too much water. Iguazú is a must-see.

Situated on the border of Brazil and Argentina, the 275 falls plunge over a precipice more than a mile and a half wide with an average drop of 300 feet to the Iguassu River below. Every second, 450,000 gallons of water come tumbling down.

Seventy percent of the falls are actually in Argentina, but much can be seen from the Brazilian side. Each year, millions of visitors gaze at the falls, which are 60 feet higher than Niagra Falls and about one and half times as wide. Clouds of spray continually emerge from Iguassu against a backdrop of lush tropical growth.

The Iguazú falls await for you in Misiones province and are considered one of the world's most spectacular natural beauties. That's why it is chosen every year by travellers from all around the world, that visit this waterfalls, surrounded by a subtropical forest, to enjoy the roaring sound of the falling water and the breath taking view of the Iguazú Falls.

RIO DE JANEIRO
Be warned: Rio's powers of seduction can leave you with a bad case of saudade (indescribable longing) when you leave. Planted between lush, forest-covered mountains and breathtaking beaches, the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City) has many charms at her disposal. How else to explain the life-lusting zeal with which the city's inhabitants celebrate their days? While large-scale festivities like Carnaval make Rio famous, there are countless occasions for revelry - Saturday at Ipanema Beach, a festa (party) in

Lapa, soccer at Maracanã, or an impromptu roda de samba (samba circle) on the sidewalks of Leblon, Copacabana or any other corner of the city. The spectacular landscape is another of Rio's shameless virtues. Verdant mountains and white-sand beaches fronting deep blue sea offer a range of adventure: surfing great breaks off Prainha, hiking through Tijuca's rain forests, sailing across the Baía de Guanabara (Guanabara Bay) or rock climbing up the face of Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain).