Urca

Squeezed onto a promontory facing Botafogo [1] and sheltering Pão de Açúcar [2]—one of Rio [3]’s most celebrated landmarks—the tiny residential neighborhood of Urca has resisted much of the urban mayhem characteristic of Rio’s other beachside bairros.

Neglected by tourists, unmarred by developers, and ignored by assaltantes (thieves), it is a lovely place to stroll around, take in the view, and watch local anglers cast their lines off the scenic cove of Praia Vermelha.