How to enjoy Rio de Janeiro’s landscape!
When I moved to Rio de Janeiro a year ago, I thought the city didn’t have many places to go or things to do. However, the Rio de Janeiro’s landscape is beautiful! the longer I live here the more I realize I was quite wrong.
First of all it is important to know the real Rio’s lifestyle and what people from the city enjoy do the most. Cariocas ( people from Rio de Janeiro) enjoy living the life in a simple way. So, if you are a fan of sports and beaches you will really really love Rio, cause these are the things that the city most have to ofter to its visitors and inhabitants.
So for all the “gringos”coming to my beautiful city I made up a list of the best places to visit to enjoy the most of the city’s landscape! So bring along your tênis shoes, buy a pair of “havaianas” and enjoy it!
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Chinese View/ Vista Chinesa and Mesa do imperador – my favorite place to enjoy Rio de Janeiro’s landscape!
I simply love this place! It’s a hill with more than 500m high and you have a beautiful view of the Christ redemeer and the city. you can even go a bit further to Mesa do Imperador, a place where the portuguese real family used to have meals during XIX.
If you like sports such as cycling or runing. This track is one of the best to see the Rio de Janeiro landscape! A lot of people train over there, the earlier you go the bigger the chance to meet up with locals practicing any of them – you may also meet me there cycling! Hehehe
- Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Mirante do Leblon and beaches around (Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Leblon observatory and the beaches around: Ipanema and Leblon)
All of these places are in “Zona Sul” ( South zone of the city in portuguese). This area is the most tradicional in the city. I would recommend to do a first stop in Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas then go to Ipanema beach, spend the day there and later walk from the beach of Ipanema to Leblon. It’s one next to the other then go to the Leblon observatory where you can have a beautiful view of Ipanema and Leblon.
- Pedra da Gávea
Another cool place to take pictures of the city and have contact with the nature!
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Botanical Garden – Jardim Botânico
The city has a beautiful botanical garden, one of the best I’ve been! You can wake up early have a breakfast over there and walk around afterwards.
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Crist Redemeer/ Cristo Redentor
It’s the most beautiful view of the city. However, as the place is totally packed with tourists you will not get the best pictures. So, I do reccomend you to go to the Christ as it is the most famous attraction of the city. Don’t go too early as it might be cloudy and with too many people! For good pictures you better go to any other observatory, the city has many, one more beautiful then the other.
- Aterro do flamengo / Botafogo
This area has the most beautiful landscape in the city to me. You can’t miss it!
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Sugarloaf / Pão de açúcar
I don’t think I need to explain this one. Like the Christ Redemeer is a must do.
- Parque da cidade in the city of Niterói – great point to see Rio de Janeiro’s landscape
This place is in the city of Niteroi – the one across the bridge. From there you have an absolutely amazing view of the city of Rio de Janeiro. The place you have to go in Niteroi is called “Parque da cidade”.
- Dona Marta
It’s a favela which has a beautiful view. It’s not dangerous but I would not recommend you to go alone or in a group of gringos without someone who knows the area.
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São Conrado beach
It’s a small beach but if you like extreme sports you can go to this beach for hand gliding. I’ve done once and I did have a good time! You can even do with the same instructor I did. His name is Paulo and his nickname is Paulão (Big Paulo). Send me an email so I can give you his mobile!
