Northern Rio de Janiero

Over the Morro da Providência, between the Estação Dom Pedro II and the bay, is the

The church of

 www.santuariodapenhario.com.br, is one of the most important pilgrimage centres in the whole country, especially for black Brazilians. It sits on an enormous rock, into whose side 365 steps have been carved. Pilgrims ascend these on their knees during the festival month of October. The church in its present form dates from the early 20th century, but it was modelled on an early 18th-century chapel and a religious building has been on this site since the original hermitage was built in 1632. There are great views from the summit.

According to Brazilians, Maracanã is the largest sports stadium in the world. However, Indianapolis in the USA and Strahov stadium in Prague, Czech Republic, are both larger and have seen bigger crowds. Nonetheless, the stadium is huge and was attended by the largest crowd ever to see a football match in 1950 when Brazil lost to Uruguay in front of more than 200,000 spectators. More importantly, it is the Mount Olympus of the country's football gods. This is where Pelé scored his 1000th goal in 1969. His feet, as well as those of Ronaldo and other Brazilian stars, are immortalized in concrete outside the stadium. Even if you're not a football fan, matches are worth going to for the spectators' samba bands and the adrenalin-charged atmosphere - especially a local or Rio-São Paulo derby, or an international game. There are three types of ticket:

(individual chairs), the most expensive;

(terraces), good for watching the game but don't sit between rival groups of fans; or

(standing), the cheapest, not recommended and not safe. Prices vary according to the game, but it's more expensive to buy tickets from agencies than at the gate; it is cheaper to buy tickets from club sites on the day before the match.

About 3 km west of Praça da República (beyond the Sambódromo) is the Quinta da Boa Vista, the emperor's private park from 1809 to 1889. The

, www.ufrj.br/museu,

is housed in the former imperial palace. The building is crumbling and the collections dusty and poorly displayed. Only the unfurnished throne room and ambassadorial reception room on the second floor reflect past glories. In the entrance hall is the famous Bendegó meteorite, found in the state of Bahia in 1888; its original weight, before some of it was chipped, was 5360 kg. Besides several collections of foreign pieces (including Peruvian and Mexican archaeology, Graeco-Roman ceramics and Egyptian mummies), the museum contains collections of Brazilian indigenous weapons, costumes, utensils and historical documents. There are also frowsty collections of stuffed birds, beasts, fish and butterflies.

Also in the park is the

, www.rio.rj.gov.br/riozoo. The zoo is in the northeastern corner of the park. It has a collection of 2100 animals, most of which are kept in modern, spacious enclosures, and there is an important captive breeding programme for golden-headed and golden lion tamarins, spectacled bears and yellow-throated capuchin monkeys. The aviary is impressive and children can enjoy a ride in a little train through the park.