Rio Tour - Guide to Catacumba Park

Guide to CataCumba Park
Catacumba Park provides an unique view of Lagoon Rodrigo Freitas and the surrounding Neighborhoods in south zone of Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema, Leblon, Gávea etc).
The park has an area with a collection of 32 sculptures. If you are already visiting the park you might as well see these.
However, the reason to visit the park is not the sculptures but the above mentioned view.

Getting to the top of the park is physically quite demanding as there are a lot of stairs leading to the top.
However, if you are healthy you will be able to get there, and there are many plateus where you can take breaks on your way up.

Sunlight is often a problem in Rio de Janeiro, so if you want to take pictures, try to not go there during mid-day.
Pictures seen below were taken during mid-day and I had to color edit them, and still they are not pretty pictures.

Getting to Catacumba Park
Reason for mentioning Catacumba park, as a place to visit, is that it is easy to get there if you stay in a hotel close to the Lagoon.
Address for the Park is Av. Epitácio Pessoa 3000. It is located on the Copacabana side of the lagoon, close to the football courts.
Hours of operation for the park are Tuesday to Sunday from 08.00 - 17.00.

After entering the park you just take the path to the left and start walking uphill to the top.

History of Catacumba Park
Inside the park you will be supplied with ample information about the park and the Lagoon.
In short the park was originally a Favela (Shanty town) which was removed in the 1970s and made into a park.

The view from Catacumba Park
As previously mentioned you should try to avoid going there during mid-day as the sun tend to ruin the images.
The images I took and which you see below was taken during mid day and after color-editing this was the best I could do.

View from Catacumba Park
Seen in picture are the neighborhoods of Gávea, Leblon and Ipanema

Gávea seen from Catacumba Park
Part of the racetrack can be seen on the right side of the picture.

From the top of the Park you will get a panoramic view from Botafogo and Jardim Botanico on your right side to Ipanema on the left.

Ipanema seen from Catacumba Park