help - Rio at christmas and new year

[GeorginaA]

I would love advice on rio/ ipanema/ iguassu falls... i am going 21 dec to 2nd january - flying london to rio return.
i have not been anywhere in sth america before and am travelling with one other female friend. We want to spend time both on beach (hence ipanema) but i would love to get out to iguassu also. Can anyone offer any advice as to how we get around/ things to do without spending millions?
thanks!

[ftuley]

Out of all the places I would love to go, Rio de Janeiro is right at the top of my list. Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful and spectacular cities on the planet. One of the best ways to appreciate the setting is by going up Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar), where you'll get a fantastic 360 degree view of Rio and Guanabara Bay. The high season runs from December to March and is especially busy around Carnaval and New Year, when the city is in full party mode, and the excitement on the streets is unsurpassable. The Iguassu Falls are taller than Niagara Falls, twice as wide with 275 cascades spread in a horsehoe shape over nearly two miles of the Iguazu River, Iguazú Falls are the result of a volcanic eruption which left yet another large crack in the earth. During the rainy season of November - March, the rate of flow of water going over the falls may reach 450,000 cubic feet (12,750 cubic m) per second. Ipanema Beach has several favorite spots. Each block of the beach attracts a different crowd. Posto 9 , Garcia , Country , Teixeira , Farme Gay, and Cap Ferrat are all reference points used by locals to identify their turf. Tourists and first-timers tend to gather in front of Caesar Park Hotel. Beach vendors offer ice-cream, cookies (don't miss the traditional Biscoitos Globo), corn-on-the-cob, melted cheese on a stick, shrimp on a stick, assorted homemade sandwiches, fresh-sliced pineapple and drinks too, Ipanema is the ideal neighborhood to explore on foot. You can walk your way from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes, if you resist the temptations along the way, that is. It is easy to find your way around as the streets are arranged in a neat grid limited by the beach, the lake, and charming neighbor Arpoador. Walking from one end to the other on a sunny day is one of the best ways to get introduced to the social diversity of the city. If you don't enjoy the sand go on a Sunday when most of the action happens in the street, the beach lane is closed to traffic. A stop at Laura Alvim Cultural Center is mandatory. Rua Visconde de Pirajá , this is Rio's most sophisticated commercial strip.
Rua prodente de Morais, the tree-lined street between the beach and Visconde de Pirajá is mostly residential, yet worth a stop or two. The highlights include a 24-hour supermarket, the avant-garde Teatro de Ipanema, restaurants, a major art gallery, snack bars, and even a Baixo (popular nightspot) at Rua Maria Quitéria. Rua Bartão da torre, another mostly residential street full of attractions. If your time is limited start your walk at the corner of Maria Quitéria and go all the way to Vinícius de Morais. You will pass by top nightclubs, restaurants, an university, bars, pet shops, you name it! All main streets and cross streets in Ipanema are worth exploring. Zigzag your way along, and discover your favorite spots yourself. The store that sells hundreds of buttons, the juice joint that prepares the most exquisite suco "juice", the restaurant where you are greeted by Baianas in white colonial dresses. I'm sure you will love Ipanema.
I`ll leave all the links here that can help you Things To Do In Brazil,
Amazon Jungle Tours, Brazil Transportation.
I hope this helps, if there is anything you would like to know I will be happy to help. Have a great time, all the best.