Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Forte Duque
^
New Year's Eve
de Caxias
This 18th-century
fort, a steep climb
from the beach, is
named for the
general who
fought in the
1868 War of the
Triple Alliance
against Paraguay.
Views from here
are spectacular.
Copacabana hosts
Rio's biggest New Year's
Eve party, when over
5 million people gather
to listen to concerts
and watch the midnight
fireworks
(below)
.
$
Beach Soccer
The beach, which is several
times wider than a soccer field is
long
,
is the place where
favela
kids have long honed their soccer
skills
(above)
.
&
Morro do Leme
Copacabana is
marked by a monolith
- the Morro do Leme -
which is still partially
covered with forest.
There are trails up the
hill but they are not safe.
*
Forte de
Copacabana
This fort at the southern
end
(above)
affords great
views along the beach. A
museum here charts the
history of the army in
Brazil from colonial times.
(
Beach Vendors
Beer, snacks like
the
biscoito o globo
,
sun umbrellas,
cangas
,
flip-flops, and massage
are all offered by
itinerant beach
vendors
(left),
who
walk on the beach
from dawn to dusk.
What's in a Name?
Copacabana takes its
name from a Bolivian
town on the shores of
Lake Titicaca, where
stood an effigy of Our
Lady of Copacabana,
believed to bring luck to
sailors. The captain of a
Spanish galleon thought
he was saved from ship-
wreck by praying to Her,
and built a chapel in Her
honor near the Arpoador
Rocks. This chapel gave
the beach its name.
Dragon's-Tooth
Pavements
Copacabana's unique
black-and-white dragon's-
tooth pavements
(right)
form a beachfront
promenade that is
typically Portuguese in
style. They were
designed by Brazilian
landscape architect
Roberto Burle Marx.
)
If you visit Copacabana at night, it is safer to take a taxi.
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