Bike Ride by the Beaches - Feel Like Living in Rio
Experience the wind in your hair and one of the most amazing cities before you; go in for a day of bike riding around Rio's beautiful beaches. Ride along Copacabana beach, Arpoador beach, Ipanema beach and Leblon beach, then through Ala Garden canal to reach the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, before arriving at the Botanical Garden. It’s really worthy to take your time to stop and admire the scenery and walk through the Botanical Garden if you wish. You can rent corner of Prado Jr. & Barata Ribeiro.
Feira (Fair)
In a lot of neighborhoods throughout Brazil, particularly in the larger cities, it's common for a fruit and vegetable market to visit once a week. In Brazil this market is called the "Feira". The Feira usually has cheaper and fresher products than your local supermarket. They are bought in the early morning from a central market dedicated to those involved in the feira, which receives products directly from the farmers. However it is always worth comparing the quality with the supermarket. Prices tend to drop during the day, so those after the best quality go early but pay more. Feira often sell more than just fruits and vegetables, also includes meat, fish, flowers and household items.
Niteroi
Distance from Rio de Janeiro: 17 km Niterói is separated from the capital by the Guanabara Bay. To reach Niterói from Rio, there are two options: taking a ferry leaving from Praça Quinze de Novembro (twenty minutes trip, with a nice view of Rio skyline) or driving along the 14 kilometers of Rio-Niteroi Bridge (which, for a long time, was the longest bridge of its kind in the world).
Niterói is the second largest city in the State, an important industrial and commercial center; many people live in Niterói and commute to and from the capital. The proximity with Rio has been attracting good hotels and restaurants, boosting the tourism sector. Niterói offers good beaches, museums and fortresses. The Icaraí beach concentrates the best restaurants, such as branches of Rio´s famous Porcão and Marius. The São Francisco beach concentrates the nightlife events. The city main attraction is the Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Niteroi (Modern Art Museum), designed by world famous architect Oscar Niemeyer and opened in 1996; shaped like an space ship, the modern lines of the buildings draw attention by itself.
Inside, the Museum exhibits, among other works, paintings by Daniel Senise and the João Sattamini Collection, with works from scores of important Brazilian artists, mostly from the 1980s. Thanks to Niemeyer’s ingenious, this Museum is one of the few where the eyes of visitors are drawn away from the exhibits to the windows; the view of the Guanabara bay is spectacular (the Museum is located by the Bay). Also, the panoramic window encircling the ring-shaped building reveals a new view at every step, including a unique view of the Sugarloaf.
The Niemeyer Route in Niteroi
The Museum is the first of the nine buildings which, along with the already open Juscelino Kubistchek Square, will make up the Oscar Niemeyer Route complex. After the complex is completed, only Brasilia will have more buildings designed by Niemeyer.
Besides the Museum, the Route will include: the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation, which will house his own collection and an art school; Niterói´s metropolitan cathedral; a Baptist cathedral; a new ferry station, linking Niterói to Rio; a Museum of the Brazilian Cinema; the Roberto Silveira Memorial; a theater and a chapel. Most buildings should be ready by the end of 2005.
Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden or “Jardim Botânico” was founded on June 13, 1808 by Dom João VI, who then was prince regent of United Kingdom of Brazil and Portugal. It is one of the great tropical botanical gardens of the world. It is also an excellent leisure option for children and adults and a delight for those who wish to contemplate nature. Jardim Botânico is conveniently located in the heart of the South Side, minutes away from Ipanema and Copacabana. Spend an afternoon leisurely walking along the gardens, ponds and well-manicured lanes. Cariocas themselves do this every now and then to recharge the energies, and get in closer contact with nature. Einstein and Queen Elizabeth of England are among famous international visitors to the park that was also a favorite of Tom Jobim. When you are in the center of the gardens, look up, you will see Corcovado mountain.
The Botanical Garden is open everyday from 8 am to 5 pm. Entrance fee: R$4.00. The main entrance is located at 1008 Rua Jardim Botanico.
Forte de Copacabana
Simply massive. Built on the eve of World War I by the German arms-maker Krupp, Copacabana Fort boasts walls of reinforced concrete 12m (39 ft.) thick. They protect a whacking great cannon (305mm) that could fire a deadly shell 23km (14 miles) out to sea. The army has done an excellent job presenting the interior as it was when it was a working bastion. Rooms contain then-state-of-the-art instruments (lots of brass wheels and finely scaled calipers) for targeting and aiming the great guns. And down in the very bowels of the fort the cannons are still in place. Best of all, the bored soldiers guarding the place never leave the gate, so you're free to touch, fiddle, and play as much as you want. Twirl the knobs on the great cannon until its muzzle points towards your hotel, trundle a shell over from the magazine via the overhead conveyer belt, stuff it in, and let fly. (Actually the gun probably doesn't fire, but you can certainly have fun pretending.) Allow about an hour.
Address: Praça Coronel Eugênio Franco 1
Phone: (21) 2521-1032
Prices: Admission R$3 (US$1.25) adults, free for seniors and children 8 and under. Price includes admission to the Army History Museum
Sugar Loaf
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.
Avenida Pasteur, 520 - Urca
Corcovado
The price is a bit steep but then so is the rail line, its narrow gauge winding upwards past hillside shacks, through trees and tangled rainforest creepers, up and ever up, yea unto to the very feet of Christ. A stylish Art Deco Christ, 30m (98 ft.) high on a mountaintop 710m (2,329 ft.) above sea level. The view from his toes is definitely worth the money. The mountains, the bay, and the city all lay revealed beneath your feet. It's enough to give you a feeling of omniscience. The statue was originally intended to mark the 100th anniversary of Brazilian independence in 1922, but due to a funding shortfall, it didn't open until 1931. At the peak station there's a small refreshment and souvenir stand, but not much else. A pair of escalators whisks you up to the base of the statue. Allow about 2 hours round-trip, including time spent gazing at the glory that is Rio. Note that touts at the ground station will almost certainly approach you offering a bus trip to the Corcovado plus another viewpoint a little lower down for R$30 (US$13) or whatever price you can bargain with them. Though it's not a bad deal, you do miss out on the nifty train ride.
Address: Rua Cosme Velho 512 - Cosme Velho
Phone: (21) 2558-1329
Prices: Admission R$30 (US$13) adults, R$15 (US$6.25) children 6-12, free for children 5 and under
Maracană Stadium
The Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, commonly called Estádio do Maracanã ("Maracanã stadium"), is an open-air stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was once the largest stadium in the world, seating just over 200,000 spectators. Owned by the Rio de Janeiro State Government, it is named after the Maracanã neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. It was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup. Since then, it has mainly been used for football matches between the major football clubs in Rio de Janeiro, including Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama. It has also hosted a number of concerts and other sporting events. Although the paid attendance at the final game of the 1950 FIFA World Cup was 199,500, the stadium currently seats 95,000 spectators. Despite the reduction in capacity it remains the largest stadium in South America, and the eleventh largest in the world. It is due to host the World Cup Final in the 2014 World Cup, becoming the second stadium to host football's most important match twice after the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
