Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar)

Sugarloaf Mountain rises 396 metres from a peninsula at the mouth of Guanabara Bay, a steep-sided monolith of granite and quartz. Its name goes back to the sixteenth century, when the Portuguese compared its shape to the conical clay moulds used to form blocks of sugar for shipping. Together with the neighbouring Morro da Urca it has been protected as a natural monument since 2006, and it is part of the Rio landscapes inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2012.

The cable car, known locally as the Bondinho, is the reason most people come. The engineer Augusto Ferreira Ramos proposed an aerial link between the hills in 1907, and the line opened in 1912 as the first cableway in Brazil and only the third in the world. The original wooden cars were used for 61 years. The system was rebuilt in 1972 and 1973, again in 2008, and a new generation of cars arrived in 2009. Each car carries up to 65 people and has glass sides for all-round views.

The trip has two stages. Cars leave the base station at Praia Vermelha and stop first at Morro da Urca, 220 metres high, before crossing a span of about 1,400 metres to the summit, a ride of around three minutes. The operator runs restaurants and shops on the hills, an open-air arts area called Bosque das Artes, and events such as sunset sessions with a DJ, which it notes are subject to change.

According to the official website, the cable car runs from 08:30 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 07:30 to 21:00 at weekends, with the last boarding at 19:30. Ticket options include a standard ticket, a fast-access ticket and guided visits, and there are reduced rates for Brazilians and residents of Rio de Janeiro state. The customer service line is +55 21 2546-8433, and the operator also has a WhatsApp number.

Sugarloaf is also one of the largest urban climbing areas in the world. Together, the rock faces of Sugarloaf, Morro da Urca and Morro da Babilônia have more than 270 routes of one to ten pitches, mixing sport and traditional climbing.

The base station is on Avenida Pasteur in Urca. Plan time at both the intermediate stop and the summit, and if you want to see the city lights come on, aim to be on the hills before the last boarding at 19:30.