Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon

Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon is a broad saltwater lake set among the affluent neighbourhoods of southern Rio de Janeiro, ringed by mountains and the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the ridge above. Connected to the sea by a narrow canal, the lagoon forms a serene green-blue centrepiece between Ipanema, Leblon and the Botanical Garden.

Its significance is both ecological and recreational. Once fringed by sugar plantations, the shoreline was reshaped over the twentieth century into parks, sports clubs and a continuous waterside path. The lagoon hosted the rowing and canoe events of the 2016 Olympic Games, and it remains a hub for watersports, though its water quality has long been the subject of restoration efforts.

The setting is quintessential carioca. A roughly seven-kilometre loop encircles the water, lined with jogging and cycling lanes, kiosks serving food and drink, and clusters of palm trees framing views toward the peaks. Pedal boats shaped like swans drift across the surface, and helicopter tours lift off from a small pad on the eastern shore.

For visitors, the lagoon is a place to slow down. Rent a bike or simply walk a stretch of the perimeter at dusk, when the mountains glow and the lights of the surrounding hills reflect on the water. The eastern kiosks come alive in the evening with live music and casual dining, while the western side connects to the Botanical Garden and Parque Lage. Access is free and open, and the flat, well-paved circuit suits families and all ages. Amid the intensity of Rio, this tranquil expanse offers open sky, exercise and some of the city's most photogenic panoramas. Herons and migratory birds gather along its reedy edges, and the surrounding parks make the loop a favourite with early-morning runners escaping the coastal heat.