The Rio Times

A Slice of Serra Gaúcha, Southern Brazil A small glimpse of Serra Gaúcha shows why so many people say Brazil holds “every continent in one country”: rolling green hills, misty valleys, pine and araucaria forests, and chalets with European‑inspired architecture that could be mistaken for France or Poland at first glance. Between Gramado, Canela and the wine towns like Bento Gonçalves and Pinto Bandeira, the region offers that cozy mountain feeling—cold nights, typical southern food, chimarrão, pinhão and fireplaces—that makes visitors talk about a perfect place that feels like home and fuels pride in belonging to the sul

Praia do Dentista, the Turquoise Postcard of Angra dos Reis Praia do Dentista, also known as Praia de Jurubaíba, is a small bay on Ilha da Gipóia where ultra‑clear turquoise water, fine white sand and Atlantic forest slopes create a scene that really does look painted. Accessible only by boat from Angra dos Reis, it is one of the region’s most coveted stops, with calm, warm water for swimming and snorkeling, boats anchored along the shore and many visitors calling it “out of this world” and one of Brazil’s true dream‑trip beaches.

São Paulo’s Concrete Jungle in Small Moments A drone retrospective over São Paulo stitches together flashes of the “selva de pedra”: the flow of cars along Avenida 23 de Maio, the Obelisk rising beside Ibirapuera Park and the endless grid of high‑rises fading into the horizon. Each frame captures a fragment of time, light, architecture and motion that, layered over the soundtrack of Losing My Religion, turns everyday scenes into a portrait of a city that feels both overwhelming and strangely intimate.

Cozy Rainy Evenings in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro On rainy days, Casa Nossa Lounge in Santa Teresa leans into its charm: warm lighting, Christmas decorations, and a sheltered terrace where people linger over wine while the cobblestone streets outside glisten in the drizzle. Set in an old house on Rua Paschoal Carlos Magno, near Largo do Guimarães, the restaurant blends Santa Teresa’s bohemian hillside atmosphere with a welcoming, pet‑friendly space that guests praise for its attentive service and intimate feel. (By casanossalounge)