Riotour guide to Sugarloaf and Urca

Guide to Sugarloaf (Urca)
Sugarloaf - Urca - Rio de Janeiro
Official site http://www.bondinho.com.br/
Sugar loaf - Sugarloaf

Price for Adults R$53 - Children R$26
Tickets sold from 08:00 until 19:50 - Last cart from Pão de Açucar at 20.40
Carts leave every 20 minutes or when they are loaded to full capacity (up to 65 people).

Getting to Sugarloaf
From Av. Nossa S. de Copacabana take Bus No. 511 to Av. Pasteur.
- From Sugar Loaf take Bus No. 512 to return to Copacabana.
Bus price: R$ 2,5 (Each way)

By metro you get there by taking a transfer bus from Botafogo station.

History of Sugarloaf - Urca
The foundation of Rio de Janeiro started by the feet of Sugarloaf mountain and the smaller mountain of Urca.
On the 1st of March 1565 the founder of Rio de Janeiro, Estácio de Sá, landed on the beach between Sugarloaf and Cara de Cão (Face of dog).
It was not the first visit. The Portuguese had already discovered Rio de Janeiro in 1502.
However, in 1565 the Portuguese was in conflict with the French and both sides were determined to keep a permanent settlement in Rio de Janeiro.

The French had managed to settle in Rio with the help of the Indian group "Tamoios".
Purpose of their settlement was to protect the trade of Brazilian wood (Pau Brazil or Ibirapitanga).
Conflict between the French and Portuguese lasted from almost the time of the discovery of Brazil, with usually the French having the upper hand.

In 1560 the situation changed, and the Portuguese started winning large battles against the French.
What was different this time was that not only was the mission to expel the French, but also to create a settlement to avoid their return.
Mission was not completely accomplished until 1567. Even so, the foundation of the city is still considered to be on the 1st of March 1565.

The name, Sugarloaf, was given as the shape of the mountain reminded the sailors of the shape of the white sugar produced on Ilha da Madeira.

The cart to Urca opened in 1912 while the second cart to Sugarloaf opened in 1913.
Today each cart has room for 65 people and the trip only takes a few minutes.