concerns. The best of Rio beaches of the South Zone are heavilypatrolled and many other areas especially those troubled by crime and drugs have been cleaned up.Mostly Riospecializes in life celebrants who bring you into the fold. Whether itshanging out over caipirinhas (mostfamous Brazilian drink, a mix of lemon, sugar and cachaca, blended with a small pestle, then shaken and served withice) at a neighborhood bar, hiking in the rainforest or dancing in a circle ofsamba at an old dancehall, Rio is a realm of the senses, beauties and wondersof the world.Here are our top 12 places not to be missed whilevisiting the city.Flamengo Park and Gloria MarineSitting by themargins of Guanabara Bay, Flamengo Park holds the Flamengo Beach, Modern Art Museum, the CarmenMiranda Museum and the Monument to the World War II Dead Soldiers, besidesGloria Marine. The Roberto Burle Marx-designed space offers a shadygreen refuge from downtown rush of the city. The park is almost 300 acres (30 thousands m2) of wonderfullygreen, urban parkland. Its the biggest landfill in the world. The wealthy carioca Lota Macedo Soares [19101967] came up withthe initial plan, destroying a hill and using the rubble to fill in the edge ofthe bay and create the new highway and park, re-drawing the city's geography inthe process. Well tendered for by legions of council workers everymorning, famous carioca landscape designer Roberto Burle Marx [19091994] dreamt up theundulating curves and banks, planting 11,600 trees throughout the areaincluding rare species and a huge variety of palms. Running all the way fromBotafogo beach up to Gloria Marine and the Santos Dumont airport (also built onlandfill), there are two public tennis courts, countless football andbasketball pitches, an outdoor theatre and even a designated area for remotecontrol airplane enthusiasts. Weekends become packed with families and thesporting masses, with beach volleyball, frescoball and futvolei (footvolley: game similar to volleyball inwhich, instead of hands, players use feet) the favourite ways to build up andappetite for the all-important barbecue. Best avoided at night, the earlymornings are a hive of energy as runners and cyclists take advantage of thecool breeze to get their training on. The Park is the largest leisure area of Rio de Janeiro. The placehas a strong sport tradition, the arrival point of marathons.Sugar Loaf MountainThis 395-meter summit offers sublime views over Rioand is a must on even a short visit to the city. Most visitors take thetwo-stage aerial cable car to the top, though others rely on ropes, reliableshoes and plenty of perspiration to reach the top. The Sugar Loaf [Pao de Acucar] Mountain isone of the most important natural, historical and touristic landmark of thecity of Rio de Janeiro. With its unusual warhead shape, the Sugar Loaf Mountain isa monolithic mountain of granite and quartz that rises at the mouth ofGuanabara Bay. Its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditionalshape of concentrated refined loaf sugar.The glass-paneled cable car, capableof holding 65 passengers, offers a 360-degree view of the surrounding city. Itgoes from the base at Vermelha (Red) Beach to a height of 220m (720ft) above sea level andstops