The fort of Copacabana

The extremes of Copacabana beach are two: the Leme, by the left side of one looking to the sea, and the Fort of Copacabana, by the right. The Fort is also the beginnig of the street that leads to Ipanema, no more than 5 blocks away.

Although the Fort is still a military area, and you must pay a small tax to get inside, it is a historic fort with a military museum. It was built during the Empire times, in order to protect Rio and the Guanabara Bay.

From there, you can get the best view of Copacaba, or just Copa, as cariocas call this famous beach and district. Behind the buildings, you have a superb view of Pão de Açúcar, the sugarloaf, with the constant movement of the cable cars going up and down. 

Inside the Fort, there´s a Café Colombo, from the same owners of the famous Café Colombo located downtown. A brunch or an afternoon café is a delicious experience with an incredible view. 

During hollidays and weekends, it can get a bit crowded, but they have an eletronic system for organizing the line, so you can visit some places of the Forth while you wait.