Edition #11
Rio de Janeiro, 2008
“DKANDLE weaves swirling multi-colored vibrant unearthly soundscapes, blending fuzzy and reverberating Shoegaze textures, mesmerizing Dream Pop meditations, sludgy Grungey tones and moody Post-punk strains, heightened with soul-stirring lyricism and pensive emotive vocalizations”
Few people know about these special hidden gems in Rio. Even many locals are not aware of them. Check out!
PRAIA DO VIDIGAL (VIDIGAL BEACH)
Right after Leblon Beach, in the heart of the south zone, towards São Conrado, you can find Vidigal Beach, also known as “Sheraton Beach”, because there is a huge Sheraton Hotel right in front of this beach. In fact, many people think that this a private beach that belongs to the hotel, but actually private beaches are forbidden in Brazil, all of them are public. There are only two entrances to the beach: one is by a staircase from Avenida Niemeyer, located after Sheraton Hotel, close to Vidigal Hill. The other entrance is by the Hotel itself. During weekdays, the beach is scarcely visited. Most of the bathers are people who live in Vidigal or tourists staying at Sheraton. Even in high summer, when nearby beaches like Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana are crowded, you will find Vidigal Beach with less people. It’s a good spot to be in peace. There are no public parkings around, you can however park in Leblon and go walking (about 10 minutes) or you can park at Sheraton's parking (9€/day).
PARQUE DOIS IRMÃOS (DOIS IRMÃOS PARK)
The so-called Parque Penhasco Dois Irmãos is really close to Vidigal Beach. You will take amazing pictures from here. The view is breathtaking. From here, you have a spectacular view of Leblon and Ipanema Beaches, as well as of Lagoa and Corcovado Hill. The Park itself is a plus, with lots of green, so peaceful. It even has some sculptures by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. It’s a nice place for a picnic overlooking the city. They have private guards around, so the place is rather safe, or at least safer than other unassisted areas of the city. Visitations are free and definitely worth a visit. You can go by car, as they have a free parking lot over there, but you could also get a taxi/Uber, or you can even go walking, departing from Leblon, but don’t forget to bring water, you will need it (but if you forget to bring it, no worries, they have free drinking fountains up there).
MIRANTE DAS CANOAS (CANOAS BELVEDERE)
The Mirante das Canoas has a breathtaking view of São Conrado. I guarantee you will have one of the best experiences in Rio. The place is really hard to reach walking, so you will need a car/taxi/Uber to get there. But it’s definitely worth a visit.
CASA DAS CANOAS (CANOAS HOUSE)
After spending some minutes appreciating the view from Canoas Belvedere, go back to the car and keep going up, and you will eventually find the Casa das Canoas, which is a house projected by the architect Oscar Niemeyer right in the jungle. Visitors are generally not allowed inside the house, but you can visit its garden (Well, at least when I went there there was no problem, and there were other tourists as well). The house is “imbedded” in a huge stone. A dream house, indeed! Both the Canoas Belvedere and House are located in Tijuca Forest, the largest urban forest in the world.
Enjoy!
What other hidden gems in Rio do you know?
Comment below
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