The pagoda
A nod to tea growers.
MTur Destinos — Public domain · Jose Carlos RJ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · beckstei — CC BY 3.0 · Emermattoso — CC BY-SA 3.0
Vista Chinesa, «the Chinese View», is a lookout inside the Tijuca Forest in Alto da Boa Vista, crowned by an oriental-style pagoda built between 1902 and 1906 in tribute to the Chinese workers brought over in the early 19th century to grow tea in Brazil. It stands at about 380 metres, and the whole South Zone opens up below: Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, the botanical garden and a long stretch of coast. The 2016 Olympic road cycling race passed here, with the Vista Chinesa climb as one of its hardest sections. Entry is free and it opens daily 8:00-17:00. The easiest way up is by car along Estrada Dona Castorina, which has a small car park; by bus, line 409 reaches Rua Pacheco Leão, leaving a climb of about 4.5 km on foot or by bike.
A nod to tea growers.
Lagoon and coast.
A road through trees.
Estrada Dona Castorina, Alto da Boa Vista, Tijuca Forest, Rio de Janeiro
Bus 409 to Rua Pacheco Leão, then about 4.5 km uphill on foot or by bike; a taxi or ride-hailing app is easier.