Sweating will have its reward: like the views of Morro dos Dois Irmãos
CARIOUS SPORTS
The beach is the natural ecosystem of the inhabitants of Rio, their living room, their main square. Therefore, it is not uncommon that it is also the favorite place to practice sports. Going for a swim in the sea, playing volleyball in the sand, taking a ride on a paddle surf board or running along the promenade are the most obvious options. But there is more. The footvolley It is a curious mixture of soccer and beach volleyball that Tatá, a Botafogo player, invented in the 1960s to avoid the ban on playing soccer on the beach. Leo Tubarao , quite a character, teaches classes on Copacabana beach.
Frescobol is another local sport , although the rest of humanity thinks that these are the typical beach rackets of a lifetime. the cariocas claim that this game was born on the beach after World War II . Now it is protected, the federations multiply throughout the country and sport is a Cultural Heritage of the city. You can take some classes (the technique is more complex than it seems) at posto 5. The more informal alternative is the altinha , which consists of groups of friends tapping the ball to prevent it from falling to the ground. The beaches of Ipanema and Leblon (approximately 10 meters above sea level) concentrate hordes of fans when the sun goes down. Just arrive and join the wheel.
Football on Ipanema beach
THE CLASSICS
The king sport is in the blood of Brazilians and even the most inhospitable of the favelas has its soccer field. In the Flamengo Landing , the largest park in Rio, there are several fields where you can play with the locals practically every 24 hours a day Also basketball. Another option is the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas , a beautiful lake behind the neighborhood of Ipanema with a perimeter of seven kilometers. In its margins, In addition to bike lanes and picnic fields with views of Christ the Redeemer, there are dozens of sports facilities. , including tennis and baseball fields.
Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
Gym addicts are also in luck: Rio's green areas are full of structures for playing sports and some corners, such as Devil's beach , in Arpoador, they even have rudimentary Flintstones-style gyms : paint buckets filled with cement and some iron bars act as weights. It may not be very sophisticated, but working your biceps to the sound of the waves is priceless.
Take a bike ride around Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
KNOW RIVER BY LAND, SEA AND AIR
It is forbidden to leave Rio without admiring the city from above . Most tourists cannot resist the charms (and comfort) of the viewpoints of Christ the Redeemer and the Sugarloaf Mountain, but those who prefer do without little trains and cable cars will be rewarded . Rio hosts a festival of hills from which to contemplate the city, free, without crowds and in contact with nature . The most popular trilha (path) is that of the Morro dos Dois Irmaos , with heart-stopping views over Ipanema beach. To get there, you have to climb to the top of the Vidigal favela and ask for directions. Other options are the Morro de Urca (very accessible) or the Stone of Gavea , although this is the most complicated because it has a section in which you have to climb an almost vertical wall.
Rio boasts some of the largest granite walls in the world, so climbers are in for a treat. If more than strong emotions you are looking for a haven of peace, it is best to walk to the cachoeiras do Horto, some waterfalls behind the Botanical Garden perfect for recharging energy . Many of these excursions are just a few minutes from the beaches and tourist centers of the southern zone. For an even more jungle experience, explore the Floresta da Tijuca, the largest urban forest in the world. Toucans, coatis, monkeys and hummingbirds are the hosts of this natural wonder, which has places with names as evocative as the Cascade of Souls or the Parrot Peak.
Climb to the Morro dos Dois Irmãos
In contrast to the purity of the jungle, Guanabara Bay, with its polluted waters, at first glance does not seem like the best place to play sports. But with the natural setting of the Bread of sugar and the mouth of the ocean providing clean water when the tide rises the entrance to the bay is an irresistible invitation to row . At Urca beach and Vermelha beach you can rent kayaks, canoes and canoes for hours to go for a ride. In the Lagoa you can also row, although during the period of the Olympic Games there may be restrictions because the rowing events will take place here.
Kayaking through Guanabara Bay
To make surf it is best to move away a little from the southern zone. Barra de Tijuca beach, which hosted the World Surf League, has good waves, as does Macumba and Prainha, a small virgin cove on the outskirts of the city.
After approaching Rio by land and by sea, perhaps the best way to say goodbye is to cross the sky of the wonderful city . La Pedra Bonita, in the São Conrado neighbourhood, has a ramp from which to hang glide or parachute. With the blue of the ocean in front and the bright green of the mountains behind, it is enough to hold your breath, take a run, open your eyes wide and let go.
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Paddle surfing in Copacabana