Sugarloaf Mountain offers visitors stunning views over the city, its beaches and beyond. A cable-car line takes the effort out of the climb.

A mere 600 million years ago mother nature’s geologic hand formed a princely natural wonder, Pao de Acucar or Sugar Loaf. Original inhabitants deemed it Pau-nh-Acqua, later to be changed by the invading French who dubbed it “Pot de Beurre”. Portuguese colonists renamed it “Pao de Assucar” or Bread of Sugar only to be re-invaded by the French who assigned it “Pot de Sucre”. By the Seventeenth century the Portuguese had regained their dominance and Pao de Acucar was reborn to permanency. During this time sugar cane was the primary export and upon completion of the processing the finished product was packed into bread like loaves for shipment. Hence the name Sugar Loaf.

During the high season thousands flock to the mountain every day and the cable car has carried such luminaries as Albert Einstein and John F Kennedy. Reassuringly, this 90-year-old vehicle is considered to be one of the safest in the world and is reputedly said to be the third cable-car line ever invented.

The mountain itself is the biggest of several granite monolithic morrows that tower over this stretch of coast. Its slopes are scattered with vestiges of the Atlantic Forest, which contain native species that have disappeared from other areas of the Brazilian coast.

Did you know? That Sugarloaf Mountain is about 396 metres or (1300ft) from the water’s edge of Guanabara Bay.

Popularity: 3% [?]