Rio de Janeiro including Maracanã Stadium illuminated at night, Brazil

© Corey Jenkins/Alamy

Rio de Janeiro including Maracanã Stadium illuminated at night, Brazil

It’s been a wild ride for Rio de Janeiro this year, and for Brazil in general. And although it’s technically winter in the Southern Hemisphere, Rio’s tropical climate makes it an ideal place for the summer Games. Pictured here, slipping into the blue glow of the evening, the city seems to soothe the daily bustle of its 6.4 million people. It’s thought that the city’s population will nearly double during the Olympics.