City&Sea

Arpoador is one of the best places to experience the kind of laid-back atmosphere and musicality that marked the Bossa Nova movement.  Celebrate the night’s bright lights as they reflect in the deep blue sea and watch the sunrise from one of the most beautiful spots in Rio de Janeiro.  To top off this beautiful landscape, Arpoador also offers a rich and versatile cultural life.

On one given Friday every month, extend your evening and take a walk along the beach from Ipanema to Arpoador.  You’ll end up bumping into a big Forró outdoors jam session.  Local musicians start playing around midnight and will only stop at sunrise, which many will celebrate with a dive in the sea. It’s all very hush-hush: there is no predefined agenda and people usually find out about it on the day itself, by word of mouth. Our tip is to wear your most comfortable clothes and leave your shyness back at the hotel, since this a place where incredible dancers seamlessly mix with beginners who are still trying out the basic steps.  Don’t be surprised if a stranger pulls you in to dance. The atmosphere is one of mingling, music, good spirits and happiness.  Beer and water are sold by peddlers, so take cash.

For more information, follow the group on their Facebook page.

Another must-see is the Alalaô project (of the Gentil Carioca gallery, also worth visiting during you trip), which uses the beach as a space for interventions. Created by artists Marcio Botner, Ernesto Neto and Marcos Wagner, the project launched its first edition in 2010. Since then, a different artist is invited once a year to take his or her artwork to Arpoador, be it an intervention, a performance piece or an exhibit. Creativity is the only limitation here.  Make sure to save the date of the next edition.  For more information, click here.

Photo: maxresdefault