With the Serra do Mar Mountains rising inland from Rio’s fabulous shoreline, this scenery with ocean and mountains makes the course one of the more picturesque marathons in the world. Runners see parts of famous neighbourhoods like Leblon, Ipanema, Copacabana, Botafogo and Flamengo along the way. For runners seeking a lesser distance, there is also a half-marathon event to enter. Crowds in excess of 100,000 turn out to watch and support runners. Now is the time to experience South America’s most beautiful city and run along its famous coastline at the Rio De Janeiro Marathon. Rio de Janeiro is famous for its natural settings, its carnival celebrations, samba, Bossa Nova and hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema. Some of the most famous landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Christ, known as Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado mountain, named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a giant permanent parade stand used during Carnival and Maracanã stadium, one of the world’s largest football stadiums.