Biblioteca Nacional

The largest library in Latin America, and the eighth largest in the world, Rio [1]’s Biblioteca Nacional (Av. Rio Branco 219, Centro, tel. 21/3095-3879 or 3095-3811, www.bn.br [2], 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sat.) boasts some 13 million tomes—the first of which were brought to Brazil [3] by Dom João VI in 1808. Completed in 1910, the building is an eclectic fusion of neoclassical and art nouveau styles.

You don’t have to be a serious bibliophile to opt for a guided tour (R$2) of the grandiose interior (tours begin at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on weekdays).