Rio contains the largest urban forest in the world — Tijuca, a 39km² Atlantic Forest (once cut down for coffee plantations, deliberately replanted from 1861) that surrounds Corcovado and several other peaks. Parque Lage at the forest's edge has the most dramatic entry: the 19th-century mansion and garden (now an art school) with a pool inside a grotto. The forest trails (Mirante Dona Marta, Pico da Tijuca summit) offer the most surreal view of a city embedded in jungle.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
Rio contains the world’s largest urban forest — Tijuca National Park covers 32km² of Atlantic rainforest within the city. Parque Lage (free, at the forest’s edge) has a café in a mansion courtyard with Christ the Redeemer framed above.
What Stands Out
- Tijuca Forest: largest urban forest in the world — toucans and monkeys 15 minutes from Ipanema
- Parque Lage: 19th-century mansion with pool inside a grotto — the most beautiful park entry in Rio
- Pico da Tijuca (1,021m): the highest point in the forest, guided hike, views above the canopy
- Mirante Dona Marta: accessible by road, panoramic view of Sugarloaf and the south zone
- Note: enter the forest with a guide for the more remote trails — navigation is difficult in humid jungle