We were just in Rio in March and I agree you must do Pao de Acucar and Cristo Redentor. The views from the tops of both are spectacular and the Christ the Redeemer statue is incredible to see up close. It really is larger than you can imagine.

I also highly recommend a day trip to Petropolis. Petropolis is the Imperial City of Brazil and is about an hour outside of Rio in the mountains. Pedro II built his summer palace there in 1845 and that palace is now a fascinating museum. There is also a neo-Gothic church and the "Crystal Palace," which is an exhibition hall that opened in 1884. The city itself is very pretty and nice to walk around.

Jamie Natick, Massachusetts, USA