Jardim Botânico — Rio's Royal Botanical Garden & the Avenue of Palms
Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (Royal Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro — Rua Jardim Botânico 1008, adjacent to the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon in the South Zone, founded 1808 by King João VI of Portugal during the Portuguese royal family's exile in Brazil, 137 hectares, containing over 8,000 plant species including approximately 6,500 tropical and subtropical species from Brazil and around the world): the Jardim Botânico is one of the great botanical gardens of the world and the most important institution for the study of Brazilian tropical flora.
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Jardim Botânico — 6,500 Species in an Imperial Garden
The Jardim Botânico (Rua Jardim Botânico 1008, Lagoa district, 1808, founded by João VI of Portugal using land from a gunpowder factory, 54 hectares, daily 8am–5pm, R$20) is the finest tropical botanical garden in the Americas — the Imperial Palm Avenue (the central 740m allee of 134 Royal Palms planted in 1809, some surviving from the original planting) and the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies (the pads 2m in diameter, grown in the central lake) are the signature elements; the 6,500 species include 450 orchid varieties, 900 bromeliads, and the cactus garden.
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Tijuca National Park — The World's Largest Urban Forest
Tijuca National Park (the 32km² tropical Atlantic forest covering the mountains above Rio de Janeiro, the world's largest urban national forest) is the site of what may be the largest tropical reforestation project in history — the forest was cleared for coffee plantations in the 18th century and replanted beginning in 1861 by order of Emperor Pedro II; the restored forest now provides 80% of Rio's drinking water from its springs; the trails to the Pico da Tijuca (1,022m, the highest point, 3 hours return), Cachoeira das Almas (waterfall, 40 minutes), and Vista Chinesa (pavilion viewpoint, 2 hours) are the principal routes.
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Parque Lage — The Palace in the Forest
Parque Lage (Rua Jardim Botânico 414, at the base of Corcovado, adjacent to the Botanical Garden, free, daily 8am–5pm) is one of Rio's most atmospheric parks — the Italian-style villa (1920s, Henrique Lage industrialist's residence) at the park's centre houses the Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage (visual arts school) and the Café do Lage (the casual outdoor restaurant on the villa's terrace, open daily, R$40–60 for lunch); the park's forest climbs steeply from the villa's pool toward the Tijuca forest; peacocks and marmosets roam freely.
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Lago Rodrigo de Freitas — The Lagoon of the South Zone
Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas (the saltwater lagoon in the heart of Rio's South Zone, connected to the sea by a narrow channel at Ipanema, 7.2km circumference cycling/running path, the most used outdoor circuit in Rio) was the rowing venue for the 2016 Olympics — the lagoa kiosk culture (11 formal kiosks serving beer, grilled seafood, and açaí, open from 10am to midnight) surrounds the lagoon; the sunset view of Corcovado's Christ reflected in the lagoon water is one of the classic Rio photographs; paddleboats (R$30/hour, near the Leblon end) are the slowest and most relaxing transport.
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Instituto Moreira Salles — Photography and Memory in a Modernist House
Instituto Moreira Salles (Rua Marquês de São Vicente 476, Gávea, the former house of Walter Moreira Salles, 1951, Olavo Redig de Campos architect, landmark Modernist garden by Roberto Burle Marx, free entry, Tuesday–Sunday 1pm–8pm) is the most important photography archive in Latin America — the IMS collection (3 million images documenting Brazil from 1840 to the present) is displayed in rotating exhibitions in the renovated glass-and-concrete house; the Burle Marx garden (an original landscape design preserved) and the reflecting pool are as significant as the exhibitions.
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Christ the Redeemer — The Approach from Below
Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado, 710m, 30m statue + 8m pedestal, 1931, Heitor da Silva Costa design, Paul Landowski French sculptor, Paul Villon engineering) is the dominant monument of Rio — the approach from the Jardim Botânico by the rack railway (Trem do Corcovado, Cosme Velho, R$108 return, 20 minutes, opened 1884) through dense Atlantic forest is the classic and most satisfying route; the open-air esplanade at the top (300 people maximum capacity per visit slot) allows walking around the statue's base; early morning (first train, 8am) offers the best clarity and fewest crowds.