COPACABANA PALACE

Invited by Belmond to photograph the legendary Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, Venezuelan photographer Ángel Castellanos created a vivid portrait of this iconic hotel, where glamour and myth intertwine. Working in collaboration with Vogue editor Sebastian Cabrices, Castellanos, who has long called Rio home, captured the spirit of the “Copa” through a series of vibrant portraits and luminous scenes that celebrate the city’s exuberant beauty.

Opened in 1923 to mark a century of Brazilian independence, the hotel’s Art Deco architecture by Joseph Gire embodies Rio’s radiant vitality and cosmopolitan allure. A haven for film stars, artists, and royalty, from Mick Jagger to Princess Diana, it remains a symbol of Brazilian joie de vivre. Through Castellanos’s cinematic lens, the Copa becomes a stage where light, colour and movement converge. In his vision, the Copacabana Palace stands as the shimmering heart of Rio’s golden imagination.