5 Things To Do In Rio de Janeiro On Thursday
5 Things To Do In Rio de Janeiro On Thursday – Rio de Janeiro is waiting for us with great beaches, trilhas and tipical places that mesmerize us with their beauty and style. we give you here 5 tips for you to make the most of your day and enjoy your holidays to the top!
1.Barra De Tijuca Beach. 2.Parque Lage. 3.C.C.B.B. Museum 4.Morro Dois Irmaos. 5.Pico da Tijuca.
1.Barra De Tijuca Beach.
Barra de Tijuca is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro. It is located in the southerner area of Rio, half an hour from Ipanema. Here we can find whatever we need to entertain ourselves, huge shopping malls one next to the other, big and varied food chains, and the best of all: a 18 km long beach for us to enjoy.
Let’s focus on the beach, which in my belief is the best feature of Barra. As I mentioned before, the beach is almost 20 km long, with 12 of them completely deserted, just for us to set free, do whatever we want. It is a beautiful place, its crystal clear water and soft sand invite us to spend an unforgettable evening. Watching the sunset is a feast to our eyes, the sun glowing on the infinite ocean wows our simple mind, nature reveals itself in front of us.
Barra is well-known by its major waves. Recently the World Surf League competition took place here. People come around to practice sports of every kind, such as kite surf, windsurf, and fly surf. It is pretty common to see locals playing beach football, running, bike riding, or just simply strolling along the shore. We’ll also find quiosques (food stands) along the sidewalk, in which we can get the best sea food ever. Barra is the place to eat fresh and natural fish after a great day at the beach.
The neighborhood is in constant progress, it is on the places in Rio that grew the most in the last few years. With the help of the government, Barra de Tijuca became a great place to live, do business, and develop a healthy life. Now it is easy to understand why Brazilian celebrities wisely choose this place to settle down and relax!
How to get there?
The easiest way to get there is by bus. There are a few ones that cover the entire Rio shore. They start their journey downtown and finish it in Recreio. These busses are 314, 318, 360, 382. So, let’s get moving!
2.Parque Lage.
Parque Lage belongs to the Jardim Botanico area. In fact, just a few blocks separate one from the other, though together they form a truly oasis of nature. Fresh air, green vivid leaves and the peculiar smell of wet soil enhance our way in.
Once inside the park, it is hard to hear the crowded city outside. The sound of cars fades away as we sink into this wonderful flora. Huge old trees of all kinds lead the path to follow. We can easily loose ourselves into the wildness of the place.
The first thing that calls our attention is a replica of a Roman Palace. For those acute observers, the architecture of the place will blow their minds! It consists of one front yard and two side gardens that merge into the forest around. At some points in the gardens we’ll come across some elements that will take our minds to a fantasy land, with little islands and artificial bridges, imitating the Romantic Gardens from the 19th century. Inside the palace there is a central swimming pool surrounded by a structure of ancient columns that hold the second floor. If we look up the view is breathtaking: a wide sky blending into the green mountain with the Christ rising on its peak.
From any point in the park we’ll be able to appreciate the Christ. In fact, behind the palace, we’ll find a trilha among the trees that will take us the top.
The Graphic and Visual Arts University functions in this building. So, it is pretty common to come across students during our visit, hanging around the pool, sitting in the Cafe, or buying art supplies in a little art shop inside the palace. Art is everywhere we look, every wall has art on it, paintings, drawings, videos showing students performing. There is even a magnetic tape sound recording in exhibition, working perfectly, so visitors can enjoy the sound of an old tape that is playing constantly. Famous Brazilian artists, like Xico Chavez, give classes there.
The story tells us that the occupation of the Parque Lage area started during the second half of the 16thcentury. The landowner was a sugar engineer that sold his property to the governor of Rio de Janeiro. During the 19th century, it became a farm just for wealthy people, Nobles and aristocrats. It stood the same way up to mid-20th century, when the park opened its doors to the public.
How to get there?
From downtown and from Zona Sul we can take any bus towards Gavea, it will take you directly to the Parque Lage entrance. Some of the buses are 409, 410.
3.Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil.
The Centro Cultural Banco do Brazil (CCBB) is the largest cultural center in Rio de Janeiro in which many well known artist have left their mark throughout time. Built in 1880, the CCBB covers a 4000 m2 area. It is a five floor building that in 1989 became the place we all know today, with two theaters, four exhibit rooms, a library with more than a hundred thousand volumes, and two movie theaters.
It is a magnificent museum, from the outside as well as the inside. A classical style palace, with marble floors and old golden elevators, that gives the vibe of going back to the past. Everything is in perfect shape and excellent conditions. The facilities inside, however, are pretty modern. We’ll find there places to eat, grab a cup of coffee, sit down and rest or read a book. CCBB embodies the right combination of the old and the new, the past and the present, the 19th century architecture and the modern commodities of the 21st century.
The CCBB functions on the former Banco do Brazil building, many business and economic transactions happened in this place. By the end of the 80s, it started to be recognized by its architectural value, and the government decided to preserve it. On October 12th, 1989, it opened its doors as the CCBB we all currently know.
The CCBB normally shows to main exhibitions, which are available to the public everyday for free! (except on Tuesdays ’cause it is closed)
How to get there?
If we are in Zona Sul, we can take the bus up to Ouvidor Street and from there we can either walk for a few minutes or take the cab directly to the museum. The buses are: 123, 124, 125, 177, 314, 2017.
4.Morro Dois Irmaos.
Every time we look up Rio de Janeiro on Google, a picture of Morro Dois Irmaos will show up. It is the two peak mountain we appreciate from Ipanema beach, on which Favela do Vidigal lies.
To get to the top of the morro, we’ll have to walk up a trilha. We can take a mototaxi up to the beginning of the trilha. That’s the starting point of an amazing adventure, we’ll ride up on a motorcycle passing through the crooked streets of the favela, in that way we’ll get to see the community’s peculiar style of architecture.
Once we arrive to the trilha, we’ll start to walk up. It is a 40′ tracking, with two intermediate viewpoint before the top. On the first one we’ll have a wide sight of the Favela da Rocinha (the biggest one in latinamerica), Pedra da Gavea and Pedra Bonita. On the second one, we’ll entirely appreciate Sao Conrado neighborhood and its beach, Serra Carioca, the Gavea area and also the Christ. After that, we’ll enter the heaviest part of our way. Among the trees lies a path that sometimes feels like climbing, but when it comes to the end, the breathtaking beauty of Rio unfolds in front of our eyes. We’ll get to see the entire Ganabara Bay, the Lagoa Rodrigo Freitas, all the surrounding hoods and Niteroi as well. It is a masterpiece.
Morro Dois Irmaos is one of the highest peaks in Rio and what’s best of all is that we don’t have to pay anything to admire its greatness. Sunsets there are dreamy, it is a wonderful experience, highly recommended by locals and tourists.
TIP
It is better to wear light clothes, training shoes to do the trilha, and it is also important to take water with us.
How to get there?
From downtown, we can take the 360,382,177 buses to Vidigal. From Zona Sul we can take also the 557 bus. Once there, we take the mototaxi up to the beginning of the trilha and then…up we go!
5.Pico da Tijuca.
The Pico da Tijuca is the second highest peak in Rio de Janeiro, with 1022 meters of height. We’ll appreciate almost the entire city from there. It belongs to the Tijuca National Park and we’ll reach the top by means of a smooth trilha, perfect for beginners since it doesn’t present much of a challenge. The breaking point is towards the end, where we’ll find a steep stair with a side chain to help us up.
We have two ways to reach the top, a long one and a short one. The first one starts at the Tijuca National Park entrance. We’ll go through different sections along our way. We’ll have to go by the Cachoeira das Almas, where there’s a museum. During this path we’ll have more time to appreciate the landscape and the flora of the park. The trilha will take around six hours to finish. As regards the second one, it starts at the furthest point cars can reach (section A of the Tijuca National Park). From there, we’ll go straight to the top, coming through the Tijuca Mirim. It will take three hours aprox. to get to the peak.
From the top of the mountain we’ll admire the widest panoramic view of the city: to the North, the Baixada Fluminense and Macizo de Mendanha; to the Centre, the city downtown, the Ganabara Bay and the Niteroi bridge; to the south, the Sugarloaf peak, Marica beach (Niteroi), Morro Dois Irmaos, Pedra Bonita and Pedra da Gavea; finally to the West, Jacarepegua and Pedra Branca.
How to get there?
From Zona Sul we cantke the 354 bus and then any of the following busses to Boa Vista street: 301, 302, 345. then,we can either walk or take a cab to the Tijuca National Park.From downtown we can take the 238 bus towards Agua Santa up to Barao de Ubá, and then the 301, 302 buses.
