Rio de Janeiro is a city known for its magnificent views and one of the most dazzling is surely the one from the top of Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf Mountain). Rising to a height of 1,299 feet, this quartz and granite monolith sits at the mouth of Guanabara Bay.
The Cable Car Station in Urca
The name of Sugar Loaf, which was adopted in the 19th century, is believed to have been derived from the rock's shape, which resembles the conical molds that once were used to refine sugar. The mountain is only one of several morros that rise straight from the water's edge around Rio de Janeiro.
Cable Car to Morro da Urca
A glass-paneled cable car, capable of holding 75 passengers, runs along a 1400-meter route from the suburb of Urca to the peak of Pão de Açúcar via Morro da Urca. The original cable car line was built in 1912 and rebuilt around 1972/1973 in its current form. The mountain may be best known for its memorable scene in the 1979 James Bond flick, Moonraker, in which the villainous henchman "Jaws" attempts to kill 007 on the cable car. Sugar Loaf is a must see when you visit Rio.
The View of Rio de Janeiro from Morro da Urca
However, it is strongly recommended that you plan to visit around sunset on a clear day. Avoid cloudy days at all costs, as we quickly learned. Again, like our tour to Corcovado, we were fogged in at the top of Sugar Loaf!
The Clouds Enshrine Sugar Loaf
The Cable Car to the Top of Sugar Loaf
The View of Copacabana Beach from Sugar Loaf
(When the Fog Briefly Parted)
Despite our less than desirable timing, we were able to get a sense as to why Sugar Loaf is such a magical place. Only, we'll have to come back another time to find out! My recommendation to you is to visit Sugar Loaf on your own; you do not need an organized tour to see this site.
Despite the Weather, Happy Tourists
My Best Photo from Sugar Loaf*
*This is what it should really look like. This is actually a photo of the picture on the side of the cable car station.
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