Beneath the gaze of Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue — which towers over the city atop Corcovado Mountain — you'll find Tijuca National Park, one of the largest urban rainforests on the planet. Between its 30 waterfalls and famous mountain peaks (including Pedra Bonita, Pedra da Gavea and Pico da Tijuca), there's no shortage of incredible sights.
Surprisingly, for such a lush forest, Tijuca is actually manmade. The land was once part of the Atlantic Rainforest, but was cut down and redeveloped by industrialists. In the 19th century, trees were replanted to protect the city's water supply.