Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf Mountain, or Pão de Açúcar, is one of the icons of Rio de Janeiro, a dramatic granite dome rising some 400 metres straight from the sea at the mouth of Guanabara Bay. Named for its resemblance to a loaf of refined sugar, it is reached by a glass cable car in two stages, offering sweeping panoramas over the city, the beaches, the harbour and Christ the Redeemer on the peak across the bay.

History

The Portuguese coined the name in the 16th century, in the heyday of the sugar trade: sugar was shipped in blocks formed in conical clay moulds, and the peak's shape recalled those sugarloaves, a name since used for formations of this kind. The mountain is protected by the Sugarloaf Mountain and Urca Hill Natural Monument, created in 2006 (Wikipedia, Sugarloaf Mountain).

The landscape

• The cable car - the two-stage glass cable car up the peaks.
• The summit panorama - the views over the city, bay and beaches.
• The sunset - the city lights coming on from the summit at dusk.
• Christ the Redeemer - the statue seen across the bay on Corcovado.

When to go

May to October, the drier season, for the clearest views; late afternoon into sunset is spectacular, watching the city lights come on, though it is busiest then. A clear day is essential for the views.

Things to know

Like Corcovado, the views depend on clear weather, so avoid cloudy days. It is very popular, so the cable cars queue, especially at sunset; book ahead if you can. It pairs naturally with Christ the Redeemer, but seeing both viewpoints in a day is a lot, so a clear day for each matters most.

Nearby

Copacabana and Ipanema, Christ the Redeemer and the Urca neighbourhood are close.

Key facts