When in Brazil, don’t forget to breathe. Visiting for even a week requires an even head and a willingness to get carried away in the raw beauty of the people, the beaches, and the breathless vistas. Inhale. Exhale. Forget where your feet are while watching the sunset over the Atlantic. Let your lungs grow colorful with the language of movimento. With the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics around the corner, the time to visit is now. If your idea of heaven is soaking up sun year-round at beaches framed by lush hillsides and a bustling city, then let the open-armed Jesus statue atop Corcovado Hill give you a properly religious welcome to Rio de Janeiro. Descend to sea level to chill with your swimsuit and sunscreen while perfecting the routine of tanning, surfing, jogging, flirting, and buying papayas like a true brasileiro. At the end of a day of people-watching catch the sunset from Arpoador rock, Rio’s anthill paradise spread below. Once you’ve got your feet firmly on the sand, hop on an overnight bus to Iguaçu Falls to mingle in the mist with monkeys. Breathe in the beauty of one of the natural wonders of the world: 1.7 miles of overpowering waterfalls. If you’re feeling adventurous (and don’t mind pricier accommodations), sidestep and shimmy along with a crowd of five million to the samba beats of Carnaval. Marvel at the impossibly itsy-bitsy bikini-thong costumes of the feather-clad samba dancers that fill the streets with enough booty-shaking to shut down the city for four days. Then stick around to see which Escola de Samba is crowned champion of the year. You can’t say you’ve paid homage to Brazil until you’ve been caught up in the electric rhythms of a country on the move.