Rio de Janeiro Sights

  1. Copacabana Beach

    A magnificent confluence of land and sea, the long, scalloped beach of Copacabana and Leme runs for 4km, with a flurry of activity always stretching along its length: over-amped soccer players singing their team's anthem, Cariocas and tourists lining up for caipirinhas at kiosks, favela kids showing off their soccer skills, beach vendors shouting out their wares among the beached and tanned bodies.

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  2. Ipanema Beach

    Although the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon are one long beach, the postos (posts) along them subdivide the beach into areas as diverse as the city itself. Posto 9, right off Rua Vinícius de Moraes, is Garota de Ipanema, which is where Rio's most lithe and tanned bodies tend to migrate. The area is also known as the Cemetério dos Elefantes because of the handful of old leftists, hippies and artists who sometimes hang out there.

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  3. Leblon Beach

    Leblon attracts a broad mix of single Cariocas, as well as families from the neighborhood. Posto 10 is for sport lovers, with ongoing volleyball, soccer and frescobal (played with wooden racquets and a rubber ball) games. There's also Baixo Bebê, between posts 11 and 12, where affluent parents with children migrate.

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  4. Praia da Barra da Tijuca

    The best thing about Barra is the beach. It's 12km long, with the lovely blue sea lapping at the shore. The first few kilometers of the eastern end of the beach are filled with bars and seafood restaurants. The young and hip hang out in front of barraca No 1 - also known as the barraca do Pepê, after the famous Carioca hang-gliding champion who died during a competition in Japan in 1991.

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  5. Praia da Urca

    This tiny beach is popular with neighborhood kids who gather here for pick-up soccer games when school is not in session (and sometimes when it is). A small restaurant, Garota da Urca, lies near the beach.

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  6. Praia do Botafogo

    Although the waters of the bay are too polluted for swimming, the beach overlooking the Enseada de Botafogo (Botafogo Inlet) makes a photogenic setting for a stroll. Hopeful soccer stars play pick-up games along the shore against the backdrop of sailboats bobbing on the water and Pão de Açúcar off in the background.

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  7. Praia Vermelha

    Beneath Morro da Urca, narrow Praia Vermelha has superb views of the rocky coastline from the shore. Its coarse sand gives the beach the name vermelha (red). Because the beach is protected by the headland, the water is usually calm.

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