A cable car takes you to the top of a breathtaking view – Sugarloaf Mountain, or Pão de Açúcar - literally translates to "sugar bread" in English, which essentially means a large block of sugar. The cool thing is that the cable car comes every 20 minutes, and even if you missed the previous one, the waiting time passes quickly. The Sugarloaf peak is 396 meters above sea level. 🚠
If you're into climbing, you probably know, but still, let me mention that this is the largest and most popular climbing area in Brazil. There are around 300 climbing routes with varying levels of difficulty, surrounded by a breathtaking view of Guanabara Bay. 🧗
The view from Sugarloaf is stunning, with the city unfolding from all sides. You can see not only the gorgeous beaches, the vast lagoon, and the entire city scattered among the hills by the ocean but also the long bridge connecting Rio to the nearby town of Niteroi. ☺️
From Sugarloaf, you can see Guanabara Bay, where the city actually originated. The bay was discovered in January 1502 by the Portuguese explorer Gaspar de Lemos. The narrow sea stretch, resembling a river mouth, confused the sailor, so he named the bay January River or in Portuguese, Rio de Janeiro.
Keep in mind that this is one of the most visited places, and is highly desired by tourists. They push, they're cheeky, so be prepared for lots of patience and more OM. 🕉️ Enjoy