DISCOVER RIO DE JANEIRO BOTANIC GARDEN

The weather is little bit hesitating today and we decide to visit the botanical garden just nearby the Rodrigo de Freitas Lake at the foothills of the Tijuca forest.

To access there, the simplest way is to take a taxi (fare: 12Reals from Copacabana)

The park covers an area of 140ha and celebrates this year the 200 years Anniversary of its set up. This is in the year 1808, that King John VI of Portugal, during his exile, decides to create it.

At the time of our visit late in the morning, out of the week end and touristic flow, we were hearing only the wind in the leaves and the birdsong in the bushes; a real peace of mind and time for daydream.

In this garden, we found plants of all over the world. Not less than 5000 species of trees and plants. The famous royal palms lane is not the only interesting attraction of the park.

Taking the lane E Karl Glasl we can see a small Japanese garden with its bridges and rustling fountains.

The advised way brings us in the area where Amazon originated trees, bamboos and other palm trees are growing.

Then we reach the fountain of the Muses.

In the western part of the park, we discover first a cultivated square with medicinal plants then not far away we found a temporary exhibition for bromeliacies.

Two steps away is the orchid’s garden, but we are a little bit disappointed as the area is in maintenance. Then only few flowers were visible.

The tour continues with a Mexican garden,

then a small lake, very photogenic beside which stands a promontory, around some monkeys were jumping in the trees.

The tour ends later by an artificial waterfall,

The cactus square

and a sensory garden where visitors can exercise their talents to recognize the species by smelling the exhaled perfumes.

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