A cultural and gastronomic route transforms Rio de Janeiro's seawall into a showcase of Brazil.

A multisensory experience that unites Brazilian culture and gastronomy, amidst the landscape of Rio's most iconic beaches, is the latest tourism initiative to make Rio de Janeiro the showcase of Brazil.

With a route that begins at Leme Beach, continues through Copacabana, and ends in Ipanema, the itinerary seeks to highlight the typical cuisine of the Brazilian coast and pay tribute to emblematic representatives of the country's literature and music.

"Rio is characterized by its natural beauty. It also has a history steeped in music, literature, and flavors, like those found in beach kiosks or in the 'botecos' (bars), which are where you'll find Rio de Janeiro's main cuisine," Marcelo Freixo, president of the Brazilian International Tourism Promotion Agency (Embratur), said in an interview with EFE.

Rio's beaches, in addition to their sea, sand, and captivating landscape, offer a historical and cultural narrative of Brazil that gives visitors "more democratic access" to tourism, Freixo says.

And since "Rio de Janeiro's seawall is the city's main postcard," what better place than this to experience this multisensory experience, says the head of Embratur, the company that promotes this tourist circuit.

The gastronomic and cultural route visits five kiosks located along the "Orla do Río," which borders Rio's main beaches, each offering unique menus inspired by the cuisine of other regions of the country.

At each stop, you can learn the story of a musical or literary figure from the South American giant, immortalized in statues, and also taste a dish that "represents a piece of Brazil."

This path of encounters with the essence of Brazil ranges from the Malecón pavement, designed by renowned Brazilian landscape designer Roberto Burle Marx, to the introspective literature of Clarice Lispector.

There is also a tribute to samba, one of the most representative symbols of Brazilian culture, with a homage to Martinho da Vila - a Rio de Janeiro reference of this musical genre - and to Moacyr Luz , whose pen and voice have left their mark on Brazilian popular music.

Tom Jobin's bossa nova, immortalized in the song "Garota de Ipanema" (Girl from Ipanema), the tropicalism of Dorival Caymmi, whose songs evoke the sea and the culture of the state of Bahia, and the modernist poetry of Carlos Drummond de Andrade complete the cultural spectrum of the tour.

Among the flavors of Brazil, visitors will find dishes, drinks, and desserts that fuse the flavors of traditional recipes from the Brazilian coast with elements of modern gastronomy, several of which participated in the annual "Sabores da orla" competition.

The Embratur Route begins at the "Mureta do Leme" (Mural of the Leme); continues at the "Coisas de Bamba" and "Tropik" kiosks in Copacabana; and ends at the "Quase Nove" and "Sel D'Ipanema" kiosks in Ipanema.

Embratur hopes the route will help further increase the number of international tourists received by Brazil, which reached a record high of 6.8 million in 2024, generating revenues of $7.3 billion.

Last year, Rio de Janeiro welcomed 1.5 million foreign visitors , ranking second only to São Paulo as the most visited state. In Rio alone, tourism contributed $1.3 billion to public funds.

This year , 8.1 million international tourists are expected to arrive in Brazil, although the figure could be even higher, as the country received 5.3 million foreign visitors in the first half of the year alone.