You've seen the postcards.
And you've probably read the headlines.
Rio de Janeiro is a marvel and a mess all at once.
14 Jul 2016 . Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
Despite drug gangs, violent crime, gaping inequality and heavy pollution, the natural splendour of Rio makes even locals joke that no matter how hard they may try, they somehow never manage to ruin the place.
From above, atop the Pão de Açucar outcropping or the jungle aeries of the lush Tijuca park, sharp contrasts take shape between sclerotic city streets and forests where monkeys, tucans and boa constrictors wander.
13 Jul 2016 . Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
Down below, demographic differences are just as stark.
Upscale apartment blocks and opulent mansions abut hillside slums and urban blight. Tony restaurants and luxury shopping centres buzz with clientele even amid a recession that means nearby hospitals and schools are so short of financing that they sometimes have to close.
16 Jul 2016 . Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
Of course, Olympic visitors may not see much more of Rio than the spectacle of the Games. And the city, a sprawling metropolis of more than 12 million people, is impossible to take in all at once.
But for anyone willing to make the effort, Rio remains a sight to behold.