In a wonderful enclave, surrounded by beautiful mountains and the most elegant neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro (Gávea, Botanical Garden, Laguna, Ipanema and Leblon), the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon is a spectacular saltwater mirror connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Jardim de Alha canal, which also serves as a boundary between the elegant neighborhoods and the beaches of Leblon and Ipanema.
At the beginning of the colonization, Rio de Janeiro was a difficult territory, full of lagoons and swamps surrounded by hills. To respond to the growth of the city and increase the habitable area, several of the lagoons of the central and southern zone were buried and although the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon survived, its current size is practically half of what it was initially.
Known by the Indians as Sacopenapã (lake of short roots) in the Tupi-Guarani language, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the lagoon was surrounded by haciendas of sugarcane crops, the last of which was owned by Don Rodrigo de Freitas, to whom he owes his current name. the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon forms part of the idyllic image of Rio de Janeiro and constitutes a fundamental element in the daily life of Rio de Janeiro residents.
Regardless of the time of year, there are always cyclists and runners on the trails and bikeways that run through the parks around the lagoon, such as Tom Jobim Park. For those who want to take a walk on their own, there are several bicycle rental points, including the Parque dos Patins, near the Jockey Club on the west side. Another option is to sign up for one of the guided bicycle tours that run through the southern area of ??Rio and the outline of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, during which the most beautiful places in the city are known and interesting anecdotes and stories are heard.
If you have enough time, and you do not want to sweat too much, a quiet walk around the lagoon gives the visitor different and beautiful perspectives of the city and some of its most famous mountains such as Morro Dois Irmaos, Pedra da Gávea and the Corcovado