Location
Standing high above Rio's bustling metropolis at 396 meters, Sugar Loaf Mountain cascades over the picturesque Guanabara Bay. It consists of monolithic granite and quartz and is only one of the many peaks that rise straight from the water's edge around Rio de Janeiro. The scene from the top is dazzling, with views from the beaches of the Zona Sul to the jagged Two Brothers peaks and the city. We recommend to come on a clear day and to avoid crowds the safest bet is to come early. The crowds peak here between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If early is too early for you, the views at the top are breathtaking also at sunset. The cable car ride to the top is divided into two stages, each lasting 3 minutes. The first stage goes from Praia Vermelha (Red Beach) to Morro da Urca (Urca Hill), at an altitude of 220 meters. The second gets you to the top of Sugarloaf for one of the most spectacular city vista on the planet.
The address of the first cable car lower station is Avenida Pasteur, 520. Urca. If your journey starts from Copacabana or Ipanema you may take one of the frequent buses # 500, # 511 or # 512 or alternatively hire a taxi which takes you there for around 15 Real (€ 5).
The ticket to the top is about 53 BRL (~33 USD). The cable cars operate daily from around 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. However, the ticket office is only open from 8:00 a.m. until roughly 8 p.m.
