Attractions in Rio de Janeiro

Arpoador

Between Copacabana Fort and Rua Francisco Otaviano with Avenida Vieira Souto Arpoador is famous for the rock that invades the sea separating Ipanema and Copacabana beach, with one of most beautiful views in Rio: on one side, the Ipanema and Leblon beaches with the Morro Dois Irmãos in the background; on the other, Diabo (Devil´s) and |Copacabana beaches. Besides the view and the beach, Arpoador also has a park with lots of green where Brazilian and international stars present popular shows. The park was baptized the “ Garota de Ipanema” (Girl from Ipanema), in homage to the famous song by Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, “ cariocas” par excellence.

Aterro do Flamengo

Parque Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes, popularly known as the Aterro or landfill, with its 1.2 million m² of lawns, flowering shrubs and trees is one of the loveliest and most important landscaping areas in the city.

Its creation is credited to Lota Macedo Soares, of an elite family in Rio.

She did not have a degree in urbanism or architecture but was a pupil of the Brazilian painter Candido Portinari, acquiring by herself a knowledge of architectural aesthetics, being also a botanophile.

To fill the area with dirt, the Santo Antonio hill, in the center of Rio, was taken down with water jets. The same machine that dredged the Panama Channel, took sand from the sea to create Botafogo Beach.

Lota had the idea to illuminate the landfill at night to allow night walks throughout the park. The sports courts were her idea, which are hired every day of the year, including the night, when they are all taken by teams of all sorts of associations.

With the support of the governor then, Carlos Lacerda, she summoned a group of distinguished friends, the landscaper Roberto Burle Marx, the botanist Luiz Emigdio de Mello Filho, and the architects Affonso Eduardo Reidy, Sérgio Bernardes and Jorge Moreira. It was a work group that got together under the leadership of Lota.

The green carpet that covers this immense area led to many disagreements among the members of the group and also with the urban officials of the time who fought with her about the freeways crossing the park. In the end, she won the argument as she believed 2 freeways were most suitable for the park.

From the rubble came 11.600 trees of 190 species, native and exotic. Among the 4.400 palm trees of 50 species are the rare “talipot” ( Corypha umbraculifera) that flourishes only once and dies (as we could witness during 2003/2004).

Besides being an urban park, it has special characteristics, like groups of plants of the same species and the use of Brazilian plants that were not usually employed in landscaping - like the “abricó-macaco” and the “pau-mulato” (this information is given by the architect Haruyoshi Ono, who participated in the project as a trainee and today is the Director of the Burle Marx State. – O Globo 5.11.2005).

The park was informally inaugurated on the 12th of October of 1965, Children’s Day in Brazil, with a large popular feast idealized by Lota.

It was the birth of one of the most popular leisure areas in Rio, with 4 all sports courts, soccer fields, playgrounds, an amphitheater and a skate track. There is also a restaurant and kiosks, the Marina da Glória and the Museum of Modern Arts-MAM.

The park was merged into the city landscape, and has become one of the Rio’s icons like the Sugar Loaf and the Corcovado Mountain, as it was Lota’s dream. 

Running along the shoreline from the Santos Dumont Airport to Botafogo Bay, this park offers a wide array of attractions. An interesting itinerary starts at the Modern Art Museum, continuing past the Monument to World War II, the Marina da Gloria and the Carmen Miranda Museum, having one stop at the Kiosk do Aterro and ending at the Monument to Estácio de Sá, founder of the City of Rio de Janeiro. An interesting spectacle on the first Sunday of each month is the changing of the guard by all three Armed Forces, at the Monument to World War II Soldier. On Sundays and holidays, this park is closed to traffic, offering the public numerous recreation options.

Barra da Tijuca Beach

Sweeping some eighteen kilometers south of the city, this magnificent beach is the longest in Rio. Clear waters and perfect waves make this beach a favorite with surfers, boogie-boarders, windsurfers and surf-casters. Lined with colorful bars, kiosks and restaurants, this beach is attracting increasingly large crowds of visitors, particularly on weekends.

Botafogo Bay

The sidewalk running along Botafogo Beach in front of the bay of the same name offers one of the loveliest views of the city: with Urca Hill and Sugarloaf right at the entrance to the Guanabara Bay. In the foreground, the boats and sails of the Yacht Club add life and color to the scene. A favorite venue for shows and concerts drawing lively crowds, its facilities include a cycle path and bicycle racks for visitors.

Botanical Gardens

Comfort and leisure for all ages. A true ecological sanctuary. This would be a fair definition of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Gardens, one of the ten most important in the world. Besides housing the rarest species of plants from the flora of Brazil and other countries, it is also an excellent leisure option for children and adults and a delight for those who wish to contemplate nature.

A stroll along the alleys of the park, where wild animals are part of the scenery, to the sound of resident birds such as “curiós” and “sabiás”, fascinates visitors. The exuberance of nature in its colors and variety of flora dazzles and creates images that will be kept in the memory and in the soul. Among the approximately 8200 specimens of the gardens’ live collection, the highlights are the imperial palm trees and threatened species such as “pau-brasil”, “acará amarelo” and “pau mulato”, the medicinal plots and the Japanese gardens, sensorial and rotary. The orchid house is a spectacle by itself. The three thousand specimens of 600 different species are moving for their rare beauty. In 1996 jeweler Antônio Bernardo adopted the collection and has been responsible for the preservation and maintenance of the plants. Other attractions are the approximately 1700 bromeliads of different formations, the violets, the greenhouse of insect-eating plants, which capture and digest insects, the cacti collection, considered to be one of the biggest in Brazil, and the collection of medicinal plants. The Gardens’ six lakes with their gorgeous species of “vitória régia”, lotus, papyrus and “ água-pé” are a must to visitors. Among them, Lago do Frei Leandro (Friar Leandro’s Lake) has been totally restored as a landscape project.

The herons, “bem-te-vis” and butterflies that fly around in the huge green area are a joy to the children. Closer to the earth, they have the privilege of getting to know the most varied species of plants and feel their different scents and textures. The big round fleshy leaves of the “vitória-régia”, for instance, call the kids’ attention and they learn to respect and love nature from an early age. The little ones can go around barefoot and play in the open-air playground specially dedicated to them, with a children’s bathroom, clean sand and a kiosk that offers a menu appropriate for children. While they enjoy themselves playing in the little wooden house, on the slide, see-saw and swing, the grown ups can have a snack at the luncheonette, and later go to the library or have a couple of delicious brownies in the cafeteria. An absolutely comfortable and safe program not to be missed.

In perfect harmony with the park, a rich historical and cultural heritage marks its presence in the Gardens. Historical buildings and monuments dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries tell a little of the history of the region. There can be found the old Fábrica de Pólvora (Gunpowder Factory) built by D. João VI, the Casa dos Pilões (Pestles House), the Casa dos Cedros (Cedars House), the old portal of the Fine Arts Academy and the Empress’ Mansion. In 2001 the latter, after being restored, became the headquarters of the National School of Tropical Botany – the first of its kind in Latin America.

Founded on 13 June 1808 by D. João VI, prince regent at the time, the Botanical Gardens were created for the acclimatization of spices brought from the East Indies. The first plants to arrive came from the garden La Plampemousse on the Mauritius Islands and were offered to D. João by Luiz de Abreu Vieira e Silva. Among them was Palma Mater, one of the oldest imperial palm trees of the Gardens.

Along the two centuries of existence, the Gardens have been given the names of Real Horto, Real Jardim Botãnico, Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro and, in 1996 they have become the Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (Botanical Gardens of Rio de Janeiro Research Insitute). They have come under the protection of the Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (National Historical and Artistic Heritage) – IPHAN - for their historical, cultural, scientific importance and for the design of their landscape. They have also been recognized internationally as a Living Museum in the area of Botany and defined by UNESCO as one of the reserves of biosphere. For 194 years the Gradens have been an example of continuity in relation to their mission of botanic research and conservation of collections.

Copacabana Fort

History and beauty at the same place. Built in 1914 to defend Guanabara Bay, the Copacabana Fort offers visitors many interesting attractions. Outstanding events are recorded for posterity at the Army Historical Museum through displays, video exhibitions, maquettes and even a hi-tech multi-media terminal that is a favorite with visitors to the Fort. All this is set against a panoramic view of one of the loveliest points on the Brazilian coastline.

Corcovado Train

It is impossible to imagine a visit to the city of Rio de Janeiro without a visit to the Christ the Redeemer statue. Located at the top of the Corcovado Mountain, the monument is the best well known Brazilian image around the world. Every year more than 600 thousand people are taken to the Corcovado Mountain top by the centenary Corcovado Railway, the oldest tourist spot in the country.

Besides getting dazzled by the beatiful views through the train windows, the passenger goes back through the history of Brazil. Inaugurated in 1884 by the Brazilian Emperor D. Pedro II, the Corcovado Train has taken many visitors to see the Christ the Redeemer statue such as Popes, Kings, Princes, Republic Presidents, artists and scientists. The trip is also an ecological one. The train crosses the biggest urban forest in the world: the Tijuca National Park, a stretch of the Atlantic Forest that is considered a example of the nature's preservation, as it was replanted in the 19 century. The ones who travel through the forest help to maintain it as the train is an electrical one and, for this reason, does not polute the forest. Also, part of the tickets revenue is destinated to Ibama, the Brazilian institute that preserves and takes care of the Brazilian natural environment.

Diabo's Beach

The Devil's Beach (Praia do Diabo) is located on the left side of the Arpoador rock. It is a small beach, facing the open sea, surrounded by coconut trees.There is also a square with benches where one can sit and watch the view drinking a coconut drink.

Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers) Belevedere

Still unknown, it is a perfect spot to enjoy sunsets. One of the loveliest postcards of Rio de Janeiro, the Dois Irmãos Mountain in the South Zone of Rio should not be admired from a distance only. Around it, where there is already a belvedere - the Sétimo Céu (Seventh Heaven) giving a sweeping panorama of Ipanema, Leblon and São Conrado beaches as well as of Arpoador and of the Christ the Redeemer mountain – a park has been inaugurated. 

Little explored by cariocas and visitors, the Dois Irmãos Mountain Park, in Alto Leblon, is perfect for watching sunsets. It takes up an area of 140.000 square meters with dirt trails, a small theater-in-the-round, a soccer field and playground. Until recently only couples in love were prepared to face the steep trails for the sake of a romantic view of the city at twilight. Nowadays with the park visitors are offered comfort and safety in the form of access for cars, policing and lights. 

For those with an adventurous spirit there is a radical way to the park through the belvedere. First going to the end of Rue Apiarian (Apiarian Street) in Alto Leblon and from there walking up to Sétimo Céu. Then there is a dirt road that must be followed, always on the right, as far as a descending track on the hillside that leads to the park. During the week esoteric groups visit the park and meditate to the sound of waves. On Saturdays and Sundays the thing to do is to go there for one of the most beautiful natural sights in the world.

Ipanema

 

Even more irresistible than the muse who inspired the "Girl from Ipanema" - the song which immortalized both her and her neighborhood - there is no doubt that Ipanema is a famous meeting point in Rio de Janeiro. 

This sophisticated district offers a lively night life scene with an enticing blend of beach, bars and boutiques. A major attraction throughout the day, its sands also welcome countless after-dark visitors, including joggers and other athletes who cluster at its kiosks, pedal along the bicycle path and make good use of special lighting to exercise and relax. Thanks to its multi-faceted lifestyle, Ipanema truly reflects the Carioca spirit of the people of Rio, welcoming visitors eager to join in the fun.

Lapa

Cradle of Rio’s bohemian traditions, the district also displays some of the city’s richest architectural assemblage. Lapa, the district of the Arcos (aqueduct arches), is the only one in Rio that can aggregate various musical trends without obfuscating any genre or artist. It is a stage for samba lyrics, for Northeastern sounds and the modernity of electronic music. There, in downtown Rio, along Mem de Sá, Riachuleo and Lavradio streets, they all co-exist in perfect harmony. 

Since the early 50s Lapa has been one of the major references for nightlife in Rio. With its famous cabarets and restaurants, it was then known as the “Montmartre Carioca”, frequented by the cream of the artistic, intellectual, political and diplomatic circles. To this day Lapa throbs with life. City Hall has already restored part of the district, preserving as much as possible of the original architecture from the beginning of the 20th century, which characterizes the place. Visually it is a collection of historical constructions such as the Arcos da Lapa (Lapa Arches), Passeio Público (Public Promenade), Escola Nacional de Música (National Musica School) and Igreja de N. Sra. Da Lapa (Church of Our Lady of Lapa), veritable icons of Old Rio.

But it is when night falls that Lapa shows why it has established itself as a cultural attraction of Rio. Sala Cecília Meireles (Cecília Meireles Hall), considered to be the best venue for chamber music concerts in the city, shares the street with bar Asa Branca, where the malandro (bohemian rascal) goes for popular music. Bars such as Semente and do Ernesto feature the most carioca version of the samba, the chorinho. Those who favor rodas de samba (ring samba) should visit Emporium 100 and Rio Scenarium, which are antique stores during the day. The same musical styles are also present in Carioca da Gema, Casa da Mãe Joana and Dama da Noite. 

The beats of house, techno and other modern rhythms, as well as shows with major MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) artists, can be enjoyed at Fundição Progresso and often at open-air events under one of the arches that is used as both roof and setting. While restaurants such as Nova Capela, Monoel e Joaquim and Bar Brasil guarantee to cater for the gastronomic needs of the night.

Maracanã Soccer Stadium

Maracanã, international symbol of soccer-land, preserves the history of the sport that looks just like Brazil. Among the wonders of Rio, Maracanã, largest stadium in the world, is one of the country’s major tourist and cultural patrimonies. In the land of soccer, where this sport is a religion, many consider it the Temple of the Gods. It was built in 1950 for the World Cup, and designed to hold 166,369 spectators. Currently, after reforms, it can hold up to 114,145.

Its official name, Stadium Journalist Mario Filho, is a tribute to one of the most important Brazilian journalists, founder of the newspaper “Jornal dos Esportes”. On 16 June 1950, Maracanã was inaugurated with a match between a team from Rio and one from São Paulo, with immortal Didi scoring the first goal in the history of the stadium. Since then it has been the stage of great triumphs of Brazilian soccer, including the decision of the world championship for clubs in 1963. Approximately 200 thousand people witnessed then the victory of Pelé’s Santos over Milan, the Italian team.

Passion, emotion and lots of adrenalin in the organized supporters shake the stadium and make the public delirious. A compulsory visit for national and international tourists, students and people of all ages, the giant has become internationally known and loses in popularity only to the statue of Christ and the Sugar Loaf.

Maracanã is not only about soccer shows. Great musical productions have taken place there with celebrated international idols such as Frank Sinatra, Madonna, the Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Prince and Paul MacCarthney. The latter entered the book of records in 1991 as having the largest audience in history, up to that time, for a solo singer presentation. Other important events were the celebration of an open air mass in 1980 and the Meeting with Families in 1997, both under the leadership of Pope John Paul II.

On the day of Maracanã’s 50th anniversary, 16 June 2000, the Hall of Fame, honoring the period’s top 50 soccer players, was inaugurated. The most important aces in the history of soccer left their footprints for posterity on the sidewalk of fame. Zico, Roberto Dinamite, Luisinho Lemos, Romário, Quarentinha, Valdo, Pinga, Garrincha, Dida and Bebeto were given the title of ten greatest goal scorers.

The guided visits include Hall of Hame, Sidewalk of Fame, Historical Photographs and Panoramic View.

The Maracanã sports complex, which occupies a total área of 304,284m², includes Maracanãzinho, where competitions and shows take place, Stadium Célio de Barros and Water Park Júlio Delamare (Parque Aquático Júlio Delamare).

Marina da Glória

In the downtown area, between Santos Dumont airport and the World War II Monument in Brigadier Eduardo Gomes Park – Aterro da Glória, the Marina serves sportsmen and visitors alike. Whoever observes it from a distance, has the impression of admiring a painting, Nature’s work of art. It occupies a 105,000 square-meter area, has a floating dock and a main dock, as well as a supporting infrastructure for tourist and sports vessels, in addition to restaurants and private parking.

Metropolitan Cathedral

Located at the city’s finanical center, the cathedral is already part of the cultural itinerary of the city. Architect Edgar Oliveira da Fonseca designed this unique building. The monumental construction in the form of a truncated cone is 106 meters in diameter at the base and 96 meters high. It is decorated with 48 low-relief bronze plaques focusing on the theme of Faith.

Inside, the stained glass windows are in vivid colours, spanning the walls on the four cardinal points, allowing sunlight to filter in with varying intensity at different times of the day, thus creating a mystical atmosphere. 

The designs in each band of stained glass are differentiated by colour, mirroring the very symbolism of the Catholic Church. The interior was designed by Father Paulo Lachen Maier, who also redesigned the new sacristy and the baptismal font. The sculptures adorning the church interior and the panels inside the sacristy were made by Humberto Cozzi.

The basement houses the Sacred Art Museum ,with special mention of the fonts used to baptize the princes of the Royal Family, a statue of N.S.do Rosário, the throne of Dom Pedro II, and the Golden rose awarded to princess Isabel by Pope Leo XIII to celebrate her signing of the Abolition Act.

Modern Art Museum

Inaugurated in 1958, the Modern Art Museum has a very unusual history. It has a privileged location on Flamengo Park alongside Guanabara Bay, close to downtown. After a disastrous fire in 1978, hundreds of people all over the world flocked to rebuild this cultural treasure, helping repair the building (130 meters x 25 meters) and replace its collections. It currently houses some 11,000 works including paintings, sculptures and engravings by Brazilian and foreign artists, in addition to a specialized art library and a well-known cinemathèque that is among the most popular in town.

 Municipal Theatre

Located near the National Library, the National Fine Arts Museum and the Pedro Ernesto Palace, the Municipal Theatre faces the spacious Cinelândia Square. Its attractive architectural design catches the eye, with its imposing facade, paralleled by the beauty of its interior decoration. Built of fine colored Carrara marble, bronze and onyx, it is outfitted with mirrors and period furniture, paintings and sculptures. Seating 2,200 people, this theater is a true temple of culture that is just as popular with visitors as the performances staged here.

Nature

God is an artist.And Rio, His masterpiece. The first brush stroke was blue: the sea. Green paint spattered on the canvas and spread over a large area: the forest. Afterwards, came the mountains with water cascading over them: the waterfalls. In this scenario, special characters were necessary. It was then that the "cariocas" were born with their legendary good humor. Even the asphalt did not change the landscape. After ali, Rio has the only urban forest in the world. Of its total area, 18% is pure green. Only the "carioca/1 has the privilege of going home from work watching the sunset by the seaside. When the weekend arrives, there's the choice between 83 kilometers of beaches and lots of waterfalls to visit and cool off in. Or walk at the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, go hang gliding, sailing, or mountain climbing. Ali this without going very far from home. That's why Rio is incomparable. Nature, a unique spectacle in the world.

Pepê Beach

The Pepê Beach is located in the beggining of the Barra da Tijuca Beach. It is a meeting point of youngsters. The sea at the Barra da Tijuca Beach has very high waves which attracts surfers. Pepê was one of them for a while. Pepê was the nickname of a character very much appreciated by the "Carioca" people, a Hang Gliding Champion that had a kiosk of natural sandwiches in the beach that got his name. The patê sandwiches created by him originated a new fashion in the Rio de Janeiro's gastronomy.

Quinta da Boa Vista

The park is part of the Solar of the Boa Vista, the royal residence, which was home to the emperors in Brazil from 1822 to 1889, when the Republic was proclaimed. It has a 155 thousand squaremeter area, andscaped in 1869 by the French landscaper Auguste Glaziou. On entering the lateral gateways, the visitor goes down a path lined with sapucaia trees and through the romantic alleys created by the landscaper, with lakes! grottos, and corners in the Imperial gardens. Location: Pedro II Av., between Almirante Baltazar and Dom Meinrado streets – São Cristóvão. 

Visits to the National Museum: from Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free visits on Thursdays.

Rio Niteroi Bridge

Opened to vehicle traffic on March 5, 1974, its true name is President Costa e Silva Bridge and it is the largest bridge in the world in terms of construction volume. It is 13.9 kilometers long and 20 meters wide. The total constructed area is 210,600 square meters; it is the largest structure of its kind to this date.

Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon

Surrounded by Rio’s favorite neighborhoods Lagoa, Ipanema, Leblon, Gávea e Jardim Botânico – framed by mountains and embraced by Christ the Redeemer, the Lagoon is an impressive sight at sunset as the light reflects on its serene quiet waters and it becomes a meeting place for cariocas and visitors alike. Linked to the sea by the Jardim de Alah canal that divides Ipanema from Leblon, it is encircled by parks, multi-sports courts, a roller-skating rink, a heliport, jogging and bicycle paths, and an outdoor food court with kiosks serving a wide variety of dishes ranging from German to Japanese, in addition to live music that starts at sunset. On Sundays and holidays, paddleboats reveal to visitors a unique view of everything one of the most beautiful Rio postcards can offer.

The banks of the lagoon contain one of the best-equipped leisure areas in the city and invite the visitor to go walking, jogging or cycling on bicycles hired on the spot. The 7.5 km include the Parques dos Patins, Taboas e Catacumba (Patins, Taboas and Catacumba Parks). The three parks offer countless sporting and gastronomic options. Follows below a little itinerary

Parque dos Patins (Av. Borges de Medeiros s/nº)

Between Club Piraque and the heliport, Parque dos Patins may be a good leisure option with several activities from skating to simultaneous shows at the kiosks that serve a great variety of dishes of different cuisine from around the world.

Parque da Catacumba (Av. Epitácio Pessoa s/nº)

This scenic park may be seen as a lovely open-air museum inside a small nature reserve. A total of 32 sculptures by different artists integrate harmoniously the atmosphere of the park, which is ideal for strolls. Great dishes and tidbits from all over the world are offered as well.

Parque dos Taboas (Av. Borges de Medeiros s/nº)

Between two famous Rio clubs, Clube de Regats Flamento and Clube Caiçaras, the park is a real sports court that assembles aficionados of various sports such as soccer, tennis and skating. Kiosks are found in the sports area.

Santa Teresa

The district of Santa Teresa started next to a convent on Morro do Desterro, Rio de Janeiro, in the 18th century. Set on a hillside in the center of the city, it seems to have stopped in time maintaining, as it has for decades, preserved features of Old Rio and a bit of history in each corner.

Writers and artists have always been seduced by the district’s charm and to its architectural and cultural treasures, visible to the eye and cherished by the heart. Any artistic expression finds its home in Santa, as its admirers prefer to call it. Everything that exists in Santa Teresa and that is known about it is also part of the history of Rio. To the visitor, however, it seems like a place apart with its own characteristics.

The narrow and winding streets with the old tramcars, the last to be found in the whole of Brazil, are one more singular attraction. The charming vehicles, which date from the 19th century, were moved by animal traction at first and later by electricity. Survivors of romantic times, they are now protected as historical heritage and still go along perfectly preserved tracks taking visitors to a re-reading of the past.

The tram car ride starts downtown, crosses the Lapa Arches and follows the up and down route through the slopes of Santa Teresa. It leaves from the station in Largo da Carioca, very near the headquarters of Petrobrás in Lélio Gama Street. With its delightful garden, the site is a foretaste of what is to come.

Two lines go through Santa Teresa, Paula Matos and Dois Irmãos, with an interval of 30 minutes between departures. There are also two excursions with guides on Saturdays, Passeio Histórico, leaving at 10 am and following a cultural route that takes approximately one hour, and Ecológico, leaving at noon on a longer visit of two hours which includes a track through the forest.

Tram drivers are repositories of picturesque and intriguing stories that they enjoy telling. Out there there are cultural centers, old rural properties, castles, squares, restaurants, studios, handicraft stores. Besides the dazzling city views, the statue of Christ the Redeemer can be seen blessing the city. The trams always stop for a while at the Museu do Bonde (Tram Museum) with all manner of information about those vehicles and some old replicas - true relics preserved through time.

Exploring romantic Santa Teresa

Santa Teresa Church and Convent
The district was named after Igreja e Convento de Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa Church and Convent). The convent houses the Ordem das Carmelitas Descalças (Order of the Barefoot Carmelite Nuns) who live in almost total isolation a very simple, humble and discreet life. Few residents have ever seen the nuns in the neighborhood.

Largo do Curvelo (Curvelo Square)
The tram arrives at Almirante Alexandrino Street, the oldest in the district. There is found Casa Navio (Ship House) inspired on the deck of a vessel, pure architectural daring. And from this street the surprising Castelo de Valentim (Valentim Castle), a fortress in neo-romantic style, can be seen. It was built in the late 19th century as residence of comendador Antônio Valentim and designed by his son. Nowadays it is an apartment building. Nearby there is a belvedere that overlooks beautiful Guanabara Bay.

Largo dos Guimarães e Largo das Neves (Guimarães and Neves Squares)
The tram goes into the heart of the district. All you have to do now is enjoy the bohemian lifestyle of Santa Teresa. On Guimarães Sqaure there is a collection of favorite restaurants and bars serving iced beer and good hors d’oeuvres. Among them, Bar do Mineiro, Bar do Arnaudo (northeastern cuisine), Sobrenatural (seafood) e Adega do Pimenta (German). Sunset brings the lively presence of artists, intellectuals, lots of beautiful people and Brazilian popular music. The tram tracks lead to Largo das Neves, with its lovely old houses dating from the 1850s and the 1860’s Igreja Nossa Senhora das Neves (Church of Our Lady of the Snow), as well as a series of very popular bars. This is the final stop of the tram and the place to try the caldo verde (traditional Portuguese soup) of Bar do Goyabeira, the sandwiches of Café das Neves or the shrimp pastry of Santa Saideira.

Parque das Ruínas (Ruins Park)
Set high up on the hill with a view of the entire city, from Santos Dumont Airport to Urca, the Park has become a superb belvedere. Right below are the Lapa Arches. Open to the public, it is what was left of Palacete Murtinho Nobre, once home to Laurinda Santos Lobo. The house was one of the major meeting places of representatives of the city’s cultural life until the death of the hostess in 1946. City Hall has recreated from ruins the culture that lived there once. The park houses an exhibition room, auditorium and cafeteria for the comfort of visitors, music shows, happy hours and reading of literary texts. Outside, popular shows are presented and on weekends there is a special program for children. Three storey high, the house in brick, metal and glass calls attention for its architecture and style.

Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo (Laurinda Sntos Lobo Cultural Center)
In a fine house in the neighborhood, a cultural center in honor of Laurinda Santos Lobo was inaugurated in 1979. Laurinda was a remarkable woman who, in the early 20th century, virtually commanded Rio’s intellectual life hosting soirées and making of Santa Teresa a lively and graceful neighborhood. The photographic collection shows Laurinda in action and takes the visitor back to those days. The center also houses video rooms and spaces for exhibitions. 

Museu Casa de Benjamin Constant (House of Benjamin Constant Museum)
The tram goes past a splendid country estate that was once the home of Benjamin Constant de Magalhães, leader of the republican movement. The residence, completely renovated, has been turned into a museum with furniture, books, objects, photographs and art collections. The trees around the museum make the area ideal for a quick rest. The Museum does not house the Benjamin Constant Institute situated in Urca. Benjamin Constant founded and for many years directed the Blind Children’s Institute, and that is why the Urca Benjamin Constant Institute for the blind bears his name.

Museu Chácara do Céu (Chácara do Céu Museum)
Raymundo Castro Maya was a successful executive who devoted himself to the cultural life of the city as collector and patron. The property, which Castro Maya inherited in 1936, is one more attractions in the district. The building, designed in 1957 by modernist architect Wladimir Alves de Souza, is now Museu Chácaro do Céu where the visitor will find an important collection of modern art with highlights such as works by Portinari, Di Cavalcanti, Guinard, Picasso, Matisse and Dalí. In paintings, watercolors and engravings, 19th century Brazil is shown through the eyes and art of travelers such as Debret and Taunay.

São Cristóvão Fair - Luiz Gonzaga Northeastern Traditions Center

A bit of Brazilian Northeast in Rio.It is a way to define the Luiz Gonzaga Northeast Traditions Centre, where the traditional São Cristovão Fair is held. About 700 permanent tents offer a sample of Brazilian Northeast culture, such as tipical food, handcrafts, forró players, dance, singers and popular poets and also folk literature. The fair attracts visitors from all over the country and abroad. Every month about 450 thousand tourists and local people visit it. There is a very low entrance fee with a good substructure displaying places for dancing, stages for shows, 35 tipical Northeastern restaurants, handcraft shops, toilets and parking.

The fair is operated since 2003 inside the São Cristovão Pavillion, a Brazilian architectural landmark, rebuilt by the City Hall with the purpose of preserving this traditional place of the Brazilian Northeastern culture in Rio.

From Tuesday to Thursday, the restaurants open for lunch. On Friday,from 10 am to Sunday 10 pm, all tents go without interruption, with the lively help of forró bands, who perform in the 2 main stages - João do Vale and Jackson do Pandeiro, as wells as folk shows in the Catolé do Rocha Square, in the centre of the Pavillion.

Sugar Loaf

A ride on the cable car reveals unique landscapes. The Sugar Loaf cable car, an idea of Brazilian engineer Augusto Ferreira Ramos inaugurated on 27 October 1912, had its ninetieth anniversary in 2002. The first installed in Brazil and the third in the world, it is a major icon of Rio tourism and has become a trademark of the city. From the inauguration to the above-mentioned anniversary it transported 31 million tourists. In December, January, February and July – high season – daily attendance goes to three thousand people.

In the nine decades during which it has operated, the cable car has received tourists from all over the world, including internationally known personalities, authorities and artist, such as Einstein in 1925; former presidents John Kennedy of the United States, José Sarney of Brazil and Lech Walesa of Poland; singers Roberto Carlos and Sting; soccer players Roanldinho and Romário; actors Roger Moore, Robert de Niro, Gina Lollobrigida, Brooke Shields and Sônia Braga, among others. 

Safety
Considered to be one of the safest in the world by international agencies of passenger cable cars, it has never had an accident with casualties. The current lines have safety devices with alarm at all points.

Every morning, before receiving the first tourists, the cable cars have a trial run. The route is entirely programmed by electronic equipment that checks 47 safety items. 

The tourist complex includes three stations, Praia Vermelha, Morro da Urca and Pão de Açucar which are joined by four cable cars – two going between Praia Vermelha to Morro da Urca and two between Morro da Urca and Pão de Açucar. Urca Mountain (Morro da Urca) is 220m high and Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açucar), 396m high. 

Unusual vegetation
The Sugar Loaf is surrounded by vegetation characteristically tropical, with vestiges of the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica) containing native species that have disappeared from other areas of the Brazilian coast. It also boasts rare vegetal species, such as the orchid “laelia lobata” that can only be found in two places on the planet, Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açucar) and Gávea Rock (Pedra da Gávea), both in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian mountain with the greatest number of climbing tracks (up to 1997 there were 38), the Sugar Loaf is visited daily by hundreds of Brazilian and foreign climbers, mountaineers and ecologists. 

Cultural pole
Besides being a tourist and ecological landmark for Rio, the complex has also been a cultural pole. Since the 70s it has housed in the Urca Mountain amphitheater – the Green Shell (Concha Verde) - musical shows that have launched great talents of Brazilian music to an audience of up to 50 thousand a year. Between 1977 and 1987 it also staged celebrated carnival balls such as the “Sugar Loaf Carnival Ball”. Currently the amphitheater is used for art exhibitions, business conferences, cocktails for the launching of products, dinners and parties.

A challenge to engineering
The cable car history is directly linked to the city’s: its creator, Augusto Ferreira Ramos, imagined an aerial way to the Sugar Loaf in 1908 when he took part in an exhibition at Praia Vermelha to celebrate the centenary of the opening of Brazilian ports to friendly nations. 

The Sugar Loaf Company (Companhia Caminho Aéreo Pão de Açúcar) was then founded with a capital of 360 “contos de réis” and in 1910 the construction of the first Brazilian cable car was initiated. “Brazilians and Portuguese worked on it with German equipment and materials, which were transported to the top of the mountains by hundreds of workmen in what was at the time a dangerous and daring engineering operation”, says Maria Ercília Leite de Castro, general director of the enterprise.

The first 575m stage, between Praia Vermelha and Morro da Urca, was inaugurated on 27 October 1912, when 577 people went up on the wooden car with a capacity for 24 passengers. On 18 January of the following year the stage Urca/Pão de Açucar was inaugurated.

In May1969, under the administration of engineer Cristóvão Leite de Castro, the Sugar Loaf Company signed a contract with the Government of the State of Guanabara by which it would double the aerial line with another cable car. The company decided then to install a new and modern cable car service with four cars, each holding 75 passengers. The works, calculated in US$ 2 million and which demanded the removal of three great one-thousand-ton blocks of rock from the top of the Sugar Loaf, took two years to be completed. On 29 October 1972 the cable cars now in use started to operate.

Change of cables
For the Sugar Loaf Company, the celebrations for the 70 years of the cable car service started on June 14 2002, when the complex reopened to the public after 75 days devoted to the change of the cables that according to international recommendations must be changed every 30 years. The company invested US$ 852,000 on the operation. 

There were also changes made to improve the quality of service: new glasses and anti-skidding floor for the cars; better lighting, new furniture and landscaping for the stations. The shops were also redone. One example is the restaurant Estação Gourmet, set on a suspended deck, the cuisine under the responsibility of chef Cláudia Vasconcellos. Costumers are invited to enjoy the most beautiful sceneries of Rio while tasting a frozen “caipirinha” (local drink with Brazilian rum) or a glass of wine with sandwiches and delicacies. On Saturdays there is a delicious “feijoada”, typical dish of black beans and meats. 

The company has also acquired five platforms of access to the stations for the physically handicapped, at the cost of R$ 190.000, which will be installed in two months once the public authorities have approved the project.

Tijuca Forest

Home to hundreds of species of plants and wildlife, found only in the Atlantic Rainforest, this is Rio's urban forest replanted by man and spread by natural ecological development, which covers some 3,200 hectares. Its historical attractions and enchanting nooks are well worth a leisurely visit. Just a short drive from the financial center downtown, the North Zone and Rio's smart beach districts, its attractions include the Cascatinha Waterfallll, the Mayrink Chapel, the Excelsior Lookout Point, the Paul and Virginia Grotto, Fairy Lake and, all favorite destinations for weekend family outings.

Tijuca Forest History
The Tijuca Forest was reforested in the middle of the 19 Century after years of intense deforesting and planting (specially coffee plantations). The replanting was a pioneer initiative in all Latin America.

The person responsible for the replanting, nominated by the Emperor D.Pedro II in 1861, was Major Gomes Archer , the first forest administrator who worked initially with 6 slaves and, later, with 22 paid workers, planting in 13 years 100 thousand seedlings. The replanting was made with species, in its great majority, natives of the Atlantic Forest Ecosystem.

The second administrator, Baron Gastão D’ Escragnole continued the replanting from 1874 to 1888. In addition to introducing more 30 thousand seedlings, transformed the forest in a leisure area, a park for public use, including exotic species, creating bridges, fountains, lakes and leisure areas with the orientation and help of the French landscaper Augusto Glaziou.

Still in the 19 Century , the painter Nicolas Antoine Taunay dweller and landowner of a farm in the forest, portrayed its natural beauties that represent today a historical memory of the City of Rio de Janeiro.

The painter received his friends and members of the imperial court in his house rendering the attractions of the forest known to Brazilians and foreigners that came to visit him.

In the 20 Century, Raimundo Ottoni de Castro Maya administrated the forest from 1943 to 1946. He made the park come to life again, which had been forgotten during the first years of the Republic.

In partnership with the architect Vladimir Alves de Souza and with the landscaper Roberto Burle Marx, Castro Maya recuperated the forest receiving 1 cruzeiro ( symbolic) as payment for its administration.

During the works of resurgence of the forest build in works of art, constructions and niches. Other services and public baths were installed in the park. Two restaurants were opened – Os Esquilos and Floresta (the Squirrels and Forest - using old farm coffee premises in one of them). Inaugurated the Brazilian Horse Society in the old house of Baron Bom Retiro.

Many farmers – like the Conde Gestas, Baron of Mesquita, Counselor Mayrink, Viscount of Asseca, in addition to the ones already mentioned before, the professionals as Job de Alcântara and Luiz Fernandes and the slaves Eleuthério, Pai Ricardo e Pai Antonio and other well known visitors, left their names in the history of the park in hills, roads, tracks, caves, niches, waterfalls etc.

The forest became then a privileged place where nature and culture entwine, harmonize and complement each other.