Big place!!! Very easy to get lost cause a lot of it looks the same. Monkeys are seen throughout…read more Look at all the colorful birds as well. Its 80 reais (about $16 USD). Worth every dollar as i would be okay with getting charged more. If you get lost just open your phones map and you can find your way to the exit.

I loved this huge botanical garden, which was like a beautiful tropical paradise. It was my first…read morestop after checking my luggage at the hotel. The cost was around $15 for US residents (less for locals) and only cash is accepted. Upon entering, I noticed black monkeys walking around the rainforest-esque environment, as well as climbing trees. There were palm trees, bright and colorful flowers, bodies of water, lovely little bridges, gorgeous fountain, yellow and green state house, greenhouses with rare and award winning orchids, a wonderful cafe serving fancy coffee & beverages, playground, and more. There were plenty of breathtaking views of the many natural wonders. I really enjoyed my time exploring the vast expanse of the garden. The place was sprawling and easy to get lost in. It tops the list as one of my favorite botanical gardens that I have visited.

The club and shop are impressive, with lots of options and a true Flamengo spirit. Everything is…read morewell presented, but the prices are quite high compared to what I expected. Overall, a good experience.

We got to attend as a guest, although they said the basic club membership could be purchased…read moremonthly at R$150 which included access to the pools and the tennis courts which they have several of. The classes offered at the pools such as master swim classes or water aerobics are extra fees. We were told one had to check in with the local doctor to be deemed fit for swimming in the pool, although the inspection consisted of a basic one minute look over and no questions asked. The facility includes a number of things to do. At the entrance there is a museum (presumably of Flamengo history) which costs entry even for club members and is open to the public. Also open to the public is the huge Adidas store where one can get your hearts content of Flamengo paraphernalia, from specialty soccer jerseys to the latest fashion line of sports shoes. They even have a nice patio that over looks the (traffic and) the lagoa. On the far left side they have a barbershop, small chapel, and another Flamengo store plus one of the many restaurants you can find food at. The swimming lanes are in the first pool, in which half is converted to a water polo court on certain days. Behind it in another pool and behind that is a huge an impressive gymnasium. It houses huge floor mats for Olympic routines, uneven bars, and vault. The latter two have deep pits, presumably are filled with foam during practice or people are harnessed and caught when they fall off. Further back to the left is the medical office and the second entrance to the facility for members only. And still farther back is of course a soccer field. There's some stadium seating, and tennis courts all along the right side, both asphalt and clay courts, managed by the office in the corner. We weren't allowed to use them with our guest pass but at the very of negotiating, they finally allowed us since it wasn't very crowded (it was an overcast almost rainy day, and winter time). They also have another cafe on that side for drinks and snacks. The kids pools are shallow (1.5m deep) and are sectioned off so the kids are not everywhere. There's a small kiddie pool for the little ones and some shorter lanes for those who don't need such a big space. There's a lanchonete in the middle of those pools, carefully surrounded by nets so no one can fall in or drop food into the pool. Last but not least, the changing rooms were open, spacious, and clean. They had showers win hot water, toilets, lockers, benches and sinks. It was a good space for a lot of people but could get slippery if there was a lot of food traffic. We did not explore the tunnel that leads to the rowing side though I think it looks awesome from the lagoa side. Overall it was a good experience. The staff was friendly. If it were always this un-crowded it would be great!

When walking between lagoa and Gávea one can't help but stop by here. It's conveniently down the…read morestreet from Horti Fruiti and Zona Sul and around the corner from Pão de Açúcar, so when your are running your errands to the grocery store, this is an easy place to stop by. Staff recognized us and we're greeted friendly even though it had been early three months ago since we last stopped in! They have events on their Facebook page that show what other gatherings and social hours they have. Maybe we can convince them to post them on yelp too! We got our usually beers served win some delicious wasabi peas! They have plenty of seating and things to look at such as the art on the wall. They also sell some Jeffery t-shirts, 4 different designs. They have a nice two pack they sell which would make a nice gift to a beer lover. At R$10 a beer, it's a little cheaper then the grocery store (usually runs around R$12.50). If you are into art, they have rotating designs by local artists on the walls. Today the theme was woodwork. The artist says that humans have layers of skin, as complex as that of the bark of a tree. In the wood, there are carvings that reveal different themes and emotions. They will release a new beer in a couple of months so that should be incentive enough to come back and try it out.

The Jeffrey location here is more of a space for events than it is just a bar or brewery, and since…read moreI was only here on a calm afternoon, I feel like I can only dutifully give it four stars having not seen everything it can do. That said, this place is great and lived up to my expectations, going in already believing that Jeffrey is Rio's best beer. At first it was just my wife and I and the bartender/curator/Jeffrey expert was incredibly friendly, even coming outside and inviting us in as we were debating grabbing a drink. Once we were in we were given a short tour of the place, including upstairs to see where the beer is brewed and to get a free sample of some of the other stuff they help brew there. We also got answers to any question we asked about both Jeffrey's past and its future. I can't wait to come back when there is an event to see Jeffrey at its full potential!