Olympic Cycling Route
Don’t worry, the Olympic Cycling Route isn’t just for Olympians or major athletes. This route is manageable for almost all intermediate cyclists. You’ll travel from Pontal alongside the coastline in Rio and then head inward through beautiful forest paths. The 30 km (18.5 miles)Â long scenic ocean views are something you cannot miss!
Vista Chinesa
While Vista Chinesa is just as scenic as some of the other views on this list, it is only for advanced riders and fitness freaks who wouldn’t mind spending their weekend cycling through a challenging steep hill. This journey begins in Horto in Jardim Botânico and is 15 km (9 miles) long with an incredible 5 km (3 miles) steep uphill ride. It can be physically taxing, but the views around you will be worth it!
Niteroi
For a stunning coastline view of the amazing Rio de Janeiro city, plan a cycling trip over to Niteroi. The entire route is around 55 km (34 miles) long winding through the neighbourhoods of Ipanema, Copacabana, Flamengo and Botafogo. Don’t miss this relatively flat cycling route especially if you want stunning sunrise views in Brazil.
Tijuca Forest
Tijuca Forest offers up some beautiful views of the Brazilian natural landscape close by Rio. Ditch the shoreline scenery and instead cycle around the wilderness. The best part of this route is that you get to be up close and personal with nature and use the several waterfalls as an excuse to take a break. Mainly for intermediate cyclists, you can join this route with Vista Chinesa for a more rigorous workout.
Corcovado
If you want to sweat it out on your cycling trip, then take the Corcovado route. This route is not for the faint of heart, because it combines the roads around Rio’s top attraction – Christ the Redeemer with some challenging terrain. With 20 km (12.5 miles) long downhill and demanding uphill roads, it could be something to try out during the weekends. Because of the iconic monument, this route is also quite popular among bicycle enthusiasts.