West of Rio de Janeiro

Towns to the west of Rio are mostly spread along the ugly Rio-São Paulo motorway known as the Via Dutra. None are appealing. But the mountains that watch over them preserve important tracts of Atlantic coast rainforest, particularly around Itatiaia. This is one of the best places close to Rio for seeing wild animals and virgin rainforest and is the country's oldest protected area. The little mock-Alpine resort of Visconde de Mauá sits in the same mountain chain a little further towards São Paulo, although the forest here is less well preserved.