Glória, Catete and Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro

The city centre is separated from Copacabana and the other ocean beaches by a series of long white-sand coves that fringe Guanabara Bay and which are divided by towering rocks. The first of the coves is the Enseada da Glória, fronting the suburb of the same name and sitting next to the Santos Dumont airport. Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, a broad avenue lined with an eclectic mix of grand houses and squat office blocks, leads from here to what was once the city's finest beach, Flamengo, a long stretch of sand separated from the rest of southern Rio by the Morro da Viúva (widow's peak). The suburb of Catete lies just behind Flamengo. These three areas were once the heart of recreational Rio; the posing-spots of choice for the belle-époque middle and upper classes and perhaps the most coveted urban beaches in the world. These days the water is polluted and swimming ill-advised, but the suburbs are pleasant for a stroll.

Ins and outs

Buses serve the neighbourhoods, as does the metrô. The centrepiece of the three suburbs are the gardens of the Parque do Flamengo, on Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, reached from metrô Glória, Catete, Largo de Machado or Flamengo. Closed to traffic on Sunday. Be careful after dark.

Sights

Before the pollution became too much, Burle Marx, Brazil's 20th-century Capability Brown, designed the

Parque do Flamengo

, a handsome stretch of waterfront to separate Avenida Infante Dom Henrique from the city's most glorious beach, and gave it ample shade with a range of tropical trees and stands of stately royal palms. The gardens stretch from Glória through to the Morro da Viúva at the far end of Flamengo; they were built on reclaimed land and opened in 1965 to mark the 400th anniversary of the city's founding. The lawns and promenade are favourite spots for smooching lovers, especially at sundown. There are children's play areas too and a handful of monuments and museums.

These include the impressive postmodern

Monumento aos Mortos da Segunda Guerra Mundial

, the national war memorial to Brazil's dead in the Second World War. The gently curved slab is supported by two slender columns, representing two palms uplifted to heaven and guarded by soldiers from the adjacent barracks. In the crypt are the remains of the Brazilian soldiers killed in Italy in 1944-1945. At the far northern end of the Parque do Flamengo is the

Museu de Arte Moderna

, www.mamrio.com.br,

another striking modernist building with the best collection of modern art in Brazil outside São Paulo. Works by many well-known Europeans sit alongside collections of Brazilian modern and contemporary art including drawings by Cândido Portinari and etchings of everyday work scenes by Gregório Gruber.

The beautiful little church on the Glória hill, overlooking the Parque do Flamengo, is

Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro

. Built 1735-1791, it was the favourite church of the imperial family and Dom Pedro II was baptized here. The building is polygonal, with a single tower. It contains some excellent examples of the best

azulejos

(tiles) in Rio and its main

wooden altar was carved by Mestre Valentim.

Behind Glória and Flamengo is the rather

down-at-heel suburb of Catete, which is dotted with museums. The best of these is the

Museu da República

, www.museudarepublica.org.br,

the former palace of a coffee baron,

the Barão de Nova Friburgo. The palace was built 1858-1866 and, in 1887, it was converted into the presidential seat, until the move to Brasília. The ground floor of this museum consists of the sumptuous rooms of the coffee baron's mansion. The first floor is devoted to the history of the Brazilian republic. You can also see the room where former president Getúlio Vargas shot himself.

The

Museu do Folclore Edison Carneiro

, houses a collection of amusing but poorly labelled small ceramic figures representing everyday life in Brazil, some of which are animated by electric motors. Many artists are represented and displays show the way of life in different parts of the country. There are also fine

candomblé

and

umbanda

costumes, religious objects, displays about Brazil's festivals and a small but excellent library, with helpful staff who can help find books on Brazilian culture, history and anthropology. Flash photography is prohibited.

The

Museu Carmen Miranda

, has more than 3000 items related to the famous Portuguese singer forever associated with Rio, who emigrated to Brazil as a child and then moved to Hollywood. The collection includes some of her famous gowns, fruit-covered hats, jewellery and recordings. There are occasional showings of her films.

This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF

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