Culture, diversity and much more!
As the most famous Brazilian portrait, Rio de Janeiro is widely known for its natural features and symbolic places, as the Maracanã stadium, the Christ the Redeemer statue and the Sugar Loaf mountain. Besides the iconic views and sites, Rio de Janeiro City offers fabulous architectural elements, combining colonial style, modernist vanguards and impressive contemporary aesthetic buildings and facilities, such as the Museum of Tomorrow, Cidade das Artes complex and the Olympic Boulevard. No wonder Rio was elected World Capital of Architecture for 2020, becoming the first metropolis to receive the designation from heritage body UNESCO.
Here, one can reach tropical forests, urban areas, beaches and historical sites. Due to this incredible range of Rio locations, Rio Film Commission is ready to find the perfect filming solutions for your project.
Think about how many outstanding stories can be told from Rio’s cultural richness. The city is a microcosm of Brazils ethnic diversity that transpires History, traditions and art expression from various backgrounds. Everywhere you look, Rio invites you to dive in cultural manifestations, which means bounty of experiences and inspiration.
Here’s another tip: Rio de Janeiro is a short distance from other cities. We are sure that in Rio de Janeiro you will find the perfect set for your forthcoming production: beaches, mountains, rivers, forests, farms, urban landscapes and extraordinary locations. But in case you need to change your landscape a bit, Rio de Janeiro’s geography is quite diverse, and the State of Rio de Janeiro is divided into 12 easily reachable regions:
1. 1. Águas do Noroeste (Northwestern Waters):
This region’s 14 municipalities offer waterfalls, rivers, mountains, open ranges, rural tourism and sports activities, such as rappelling and rafting.
Main cities: Itaperuna and Natividade.
2. Baixada Fluminense (Fluminense Lowlands)
This is a highly urban and industrial region and is part of Rio de Janeiro’s outskirts area, known as Greater Rio. Many of its residents work in the capital city. Densely populated, it also has green areas (including forest reserves) and older buildings (mansions, churches and railroads).
Main cities: Duque de Caxias, Japeri, Nova Iguaçu and Seropédica.
3. Agulhas Negras (Black Needles)
This is a mountain region that borders the state of São Paulo. The Agulhas/Needles range offers a variety of ecotourism activities, including hiking and climbing. This is where the Itatiaia National Park, Brazil’s first ecological reserve, is located.
Main cities: Itatiaia, Penedo, Resende and Visconde de Mauá.
4. Caminhos Coloniais (Colonial Roads)
History and nature mingle in the four municipalities of this rural region. Colonial constructions and farms remain intact, and there are rivers for rafting and locations suitable for rappelling and hang gliding. The region was of great importance during the Coffee Cycle period.
Main cities: Paraíba do Sul, Três Rios, Areal e São José do Vale do Rio Preto.
5. Caminhos da Mata (Forest Roads)
Baroque constructions, historical farms and archeological sites coexist all together in this region. The Forest Roads municipalities offer plenty of waterfalls and, of course, forests.
Main cities: Itaboraí, Rio Bonito and São Gonçalo.
6. Costa do Sol (Sun Coast)
This extensive coastal territory is also known as Região dos Lagos (Lakes Region). Its city beaches are famous for their clear water. This is a region that is much appreciated by surfers and tourists from the world over. The municipality of Cabo Frio has its own international airport.
Main cities: Armação dos Búzios, Arraial do Cabo and Cabo Frio.
7. Caminhos da Serra (Mountain Roads)
This a region with lots of green areas (rivers and forests) that borders the state of Minas Gerais. Its cities are popular among hang gliders, mountain bikers and fans of canoeing as well as those who enjoy hiking and horseback riding.
Main cities: Bom Jardim, Carmo and Sumidouro.
8. Costa Doce (Sweet Coast)
This region is bordered by mountains on one side and the sea on the other, and is situated north of Rio de Janeiro, on the border ofwith Espírito Santo State. Its cities have beaches, waterfalls and parks as well as colonial-period edifices. The city of Campos dos Goyztacazes is one of Brazil’s leading oil producers.
Main cities: Campos dos Goytacazes and São João da Barra.
9. Costa Verde (Green Coast)
This coastal region in the southern part of the state is known for its large Atlantic Forest preserve, its paradisiacal beaches and islands and its mountain ranges next to the coastline. One of its landmarks is the historical city of Paraty , with many houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, which has served as locations for films such as Sylvester Stallone’s “The Expendables.”
Main cities: Angra dos Reis, Mangaratiba and Paraty.
10. Serra Verde Imperial (Imperial Green Mountains)
Five cities perched on the mountains form this region, also known as the Mountain Region. Rivers, waterfalls, inns, a mild climate and history (especially in the imperial city of Petrópolis) are some of the Imperial Green Mountain region’s strengths.
Main cities: Nova Friburgo, Petrópolis and Teresópolis.
11. Metropolitana (Metropolitan)
This area includes the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Nitérói, and boasts architectural diversity, beaches, some of the world’s leading tourist spots, the infrastructure that only a mega metropolis can offer – plus breath-taking nature. All of this can be found in the two neighboring cities.
Main cities: Niterói e Rio de Janeiro.
12. Vale do Café (Coffee Valley)
This region is considered an open-air cultural and historical heritage site. It has farms that date from the Coffee Cycle period (1800/1930), with its perfectly preserved mansions, plantations and servants’ quarters. Many films, soap operas and documentaries have been made in the Coffee Valley.
Main cities: Barra do Piraí, Barra Mansa, Valença, Vassouras and Volta Redonda.