QR codes have been embedded into the traditional mosaic sidewalks of Rio De Janeiro, to help tourists learn more about the city. The codes are made up of black and white tiles, and when scanned with a smartphone app, they provide information in Portuguese, Spanish, or English, along with a map of the local area.

The Huffington Post reports that Rio De Janeiro plans to embed thirty QR codes near to beaches, vistas, and historic sites around the city. The first one was installed last week at Arpoador, a huge boulder at the end of Ipanema beach:

They learned, for example, that Arpoador gets big waves, making it a hot spot for surfing and giving the 500-meter beach nearby the name of “Praia do Diabo,” or Devil’s Beach. They could also find out that the rock is called Arpoador because fishermen once harpooned whales off the shore.

These will enable visitors from abroad to find out about the places and will serve as a helpful tourist guide. They will come in especially handy for the 2014 football World Cup and the Olympic Games in 2016.

Rio De Janeiro