GoGo
All UNESCO SitesBrazil

Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea

Rio de Janeiro · Brazil

Background

World Heritage since
2012
Type of site
Cultural
Botanical Garden founded
1808

The site is an exceptional urban setting encompassing the key natural elements that shaped and inspired the city, from the highest points of the Tijuca National Park down to the sea. UNESCO lists the Botanical Gardens of 1808, Corcovado with its statue of Christ, and the hills around Guanabara Bay, including the designed landscapes along Copacabana that made Rio's outdoor living culture.

The Tijuca forest is itself a human landscape: cleared for coffee and timber in the 1700s, it was replanted from 1861 under Emperor Pedro II after the city ran short of water, with more than 100,000 trees planted by 1887. Wikivoyage says the park has 30 waterfalls and that the Vista Chinesa pavilion, built between 1903 and 1906, gives one of the famous views over Christ the Redeemer, the bay and Sugarloaf.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 1808The Botanical Garden is established
  2. 1817King João VI bans tree-cutting round the Carioca River springs
  3. 1861Pedro II begins replanting the Tijuca forest
  4. 1961Tijuca becomes a national park
  5. 2012Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Christ the Redeemer
    The statue on Corcovado over the whole bay; the GoGo guide goes at 8:00 before the cloud.
  2. 2
    Sugarloaf Mountain
    Cable cars to the top for sunset.
  3. 3
    Botanical Garden
    The royal palm avenue and the orchids.
  4. 4
    Copacabana and Ipanema
    The two famous beaches and the Arpoador rock where Rio applauds the sunset.
  5. 5
    Tijuca Forest
    Rainforest trails, waterfalls and the Vista Chinesa inside the city.
  6. 6
    Pico da Tijuca
    The park's highest point at 1,021 m, about two hours up with a staircase cut in the rock.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Corcovado Early
The GoGo guide says go early on a clear day: clouds often roll in by midday.
Vista Chinesa on Foot
Wikivoyage: the park road to the pavilion is only open to pedestrians at weekends.
Hike with Company
Wikivoyage calls the park generally safe but advises staying near other people or going with a guide.
Waterfall Pools
Swimming is allowed at Cachoeira das Almas and the Horto falls, but not at the Cascatinha Taunay.

Mountain, Garden and Sea

From the GoGo Rio de Janeiro guide · Open the Rio de Janeiro Guide ›

  1. 08:00
    Christ the Redeemer2 hrs
    The statue on Corcovado over the whole bay.
  2. 10:30
    Rio Botanical Garden2 hrs
    The royal palm avenue and orchids.
  3. 13:00
    Copacabana and Ipanema3 hrs
    The two famous beaches.
  4. 16:30
    Sugarloaf Mountain at Sunset2 hrs
    Cable cars to the top.
  5. 22:00
    Samba in Lapa2.5 hrs
    Live samba under the arches.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: May–Sep. Rainy season Nov–Mar.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Dec (231 mm), driest Aug (41 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
The Valongo Wharf is 12 km away and the Sítio Roberto Burle Marx 27 km, both in the GoGo guide; Paraty is 143 km down the coast.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 1100 · Wikipedia: Tijuca National Park · Wikivoyage: Tijuca National Park (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Rio de Janeiro guide · UNESCO listing