Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a city located high in the Andes Mountains in modern Peru . It lies 43 miles northwest of Cuzco at the top of a ridge, hiding it from the Urabamba gorge below. The ridge is between a block of highland and the massive Huaynac Picchu, around which the Urubamba River takes a sharp bend. The surrounding area is covered in dense bush, some of it covering Pre-Colombian cultivation terraces.
The houses had steep thatched roofs and trapezoidal doors; windows were unusual. Some of the houses were two stories tall; the second story was probably reached by ladder, which likely was made of rope since there weren't many trees at Machu Picchu 's altitude.The houses, in groups of up to ten gathered around a communal courtyard, or aligned on narrow terraces, were connected by narrow alleys. At the center were large open squares; livestock enclosures and terraces for growing maize stretched around the edge of the city.
Rio de Janeiro Brazil
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most spectacular cities on the planet. Even the well-traveled individuals will love what the city has to offer. One of the best ways to appreciate the setting is by going up Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar), where you'll get a fantastic 360 degree view of Rio and Guanabara Bay . Across the Bay, you will see the Rio-Niteroi bridge (13, 9 km long). Cariocas (Rio natives) disagree on which point gives the most wonderful view: Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf) or Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), elected one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World". It is well worth experiencing both and deciding afterwards which view is better. Notice how the natural harbour is surrounded by lush, high mountains that meet the sea in the world-famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema.