Brazil Coastal + Lighthouse Pictures

• South America
• World

More than just a stretch of sand, Rio de Janeiro’s most famous beach is where locals and visitors from all over the world come to relax, strut, pose and play. 

See clifftop forts and rock formations silhouetted by the sunset. Swim alongside colorful marine creatures in the ocean.

Myriad shades of blue water surround the twin mossy hills that rise from the ocean surface and tower over the beach.

Stroll along a scenic promenade dedicated to an iconic French diva, admire gorgeous colonial architecture and scuba dive in pristine bays.

Colonial landmarks, emerald waters, dozens of white-sand beaches and forest-clad tropical islands make this a quintessential beach town on the Costa Verde.

Take boat trips, go diving in crystalline water and snap memorable photos of jagged coastline, remote beaches and peaceful islands.

View the remarkable rock formations and watch fascinating nesting turtles in this surfer’s playground with some of the country’s best waves.

Visit a quaint 17th-century island fort, take a banana boat out on the ocean and fill up on tasty snacks from the stalls.

Colonial landmarks, emerald waters, dozens of white-sand beaches and forest-clad tropical islands make this a quintessential beach town on the Costa Verde.

Colonial landmarks, emerald waters, dozens of white-sand beaches and forest-clad tropical islands make this a quintessential beach town on the Costa Verde.

This energetic coastal city has a grandiose old town, superb art museums, pristine beaches and glitzy festivals, which celebrate its Afro-Brazilian roots.

Myriad shades of blue water surround the twin mossy hills that rise from the ocean surface and tower over the beach.