The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, or Jardim Botanico, was founded in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal to acclimatize spices from the West Indies and opened to the public in 1822. Spread across 54 hectares at the base of Corcovado Mountain, it now holds around 6,500 plant species and has been recognized by UNESCO as part of a biosphere reserve.
The garden’s signature feature is the Avenue of Royal Palms, lined with more than 130 palms planted when the garden was founded, leading toward greenhouses devoted to the Amazon rainforest and a 600-species orchidarium. Wildlife sightings are common too, with black capuchin monkeys, marmosets, toucans, and more than 100 bird species living among the tranquil lakes and Japanese garden.
Give yourself at least a couple of hours to wander the shaded paths and greenhouses at an easy pace. The garden is a short taxi or rideshare from Ipanema and Copacabana, making it a relaxing counterpoint to a beach-heavy Rio itinerary.
