Sugarloaf Mountain
Pão de Açúcar · Rio de Janeiro (Urca), Brazil
A 396-m granite peak at the mouth of the bay; ride the cable car, opened in 1912, for a panorama of Rio.
Know before you go
- Don't climb over the viewing-platform railings
- don't litter on the mountain
- in town, don't flash valuables or your phone
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
A mountain shaped like a sugarloaf
In the 16th century the sugar-cane trade in Brazil was at its height. Refined sugar was then pressed into conical 'sugarloaves', and the Portuguese thought the peak at the mouth of the bay looked like one, so they called it 'Pão de Açúcar' — Sugarloaf. The name later became a general term for such dome-shaped peaks around the world.
Source: Wikipedia: Sugarloaf Mountain
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Sugarloaf rises 396 m above the bay. In the 16th century, at the height of Brazil's sugar-cane trade, the Portuguese thought the peak looked like a 'sugarloaf' — the moulded loaves of refined sugar of the day — and the name stuck. The cable car linking Morro da Urca and Sugarloaf was first built in 1912, rebuilt around 1972–1973 and renewed again in 2008; its glass cabins carry 65 people at a time.
Local customs
Cariocas like to go up in the evening to watch the sunset and the city lights come on
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
Brazil: don't go to city beaches after dark
- Take only a little cash to the beach
- If you are robbed, hand over your things and don't resist
- Going to city beaches after dark
- Taking valuables to the beach or using your phone in the street
Gangs carry out mass beach robberies known as 'arrastão'; phone snatching peaks between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Brazil travel advice
Brazil: e-cigarettes are completely illegal
- Leave your e-cigarette at home before you travel
- Carrying e-cigarettes, pods or accessories
All e-cigarettes and accessories are illegal, and customs confiscate them from checked and hand luggage.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Brazil travel advice
Don’t DON'T
- Don't climb over the viewing-platform railings
- don't litter on the mountain
- in town, don't flash valuables or your phone
Locals appreciate DO
Cariocas appreciate visitors who take turns for photos on the viewing platforms and don't hog the best spots.
Plan your visit
Practical info
| Best time | Sunset |
|---|---|
| Time needed | 2 hours |
Travel tips
- The cable car has two stages: first to Morro da Urca, then to the top of Sugarloaf
- go up an hour before sunset to see both day and night views
- on a clear day you can see Corcovado and Christ the Redeemer
Photos
Photos
Wilfredor · CC0
Wilfredor · CC0
Sources & verification notes
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