At the foot of Corcovado, Rio’s Botanical Garden is one of the most peaceful places in the city and an institution with more than two centuries of history. It is a world of palm avenues, greenhouses, ponds and patches of forest, with Christ the Redeemer peeking through the trees.
It was created on June 13, 1808, by Prince Regent João, later King João VI, shortly after the Portuguese court arrived in Brazil. The idea was to acclimatize spices and plants brought from other parts of the world that could be grown in the country.
The garden’s symbol is the imperial palm. The first one, the “Palma Mater”, was planted by João himself; destroyed by lightning in 1972, it left descendants that still grow in the park. In 1842 the Aleia Barbosa Rodrigues was planted — the famous avenue of imperial palms that became one of Rio’s best-known images.
The collection includes some 6,500 species. Highlights include the orchid house, the bromeliad greenhouse, the Japanese garden, the sensory garden — designed to be explored by touch and smell — and the pond with Victoria water lilies, the giant aquatic plants of the Amazon.
The highlight is the calm: strolling unhurried beneath the trees, listening to the birds, and spotting toucans and monkeys in the branches. Every corner holds a surprise, from century-old trees to small hidden ponds, and the morning light makes it all even more beautiful.
Tips: admission is paid — check prices and hours on the official website. Go in the morning, when the temperature is pleasant, bring water and insect repellent and wear comfortable shoes, as the grounds are large. Allow at least two hours for the visit.
Official websites: Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro ↗Ingressos do Jardim Botânico ↗