in the spirit of playfulness cariocas also devised the simple, but extremely fun game, altinha, to keep beach days interesting. the game, blends skill and timing, by keeping a soccer ball in the air for as long as possible, with each participant only taking one touch - with their love of the beach, rio locals also moved volleyball over to the sand. beach volleyball is now almost as popular as football on the beaches of rio, with official and international competitions often being contested in the marvelous city.

moving over to more treacherous terrain, rio de janeiro's lush green mountains are also the stage of some of the popular extreme sports. rock climbing is a particular favorite, as rio is considered one of the best places in the world for the sport. with 400 routes of varying difficulty, rock climbers will seldom get bored of the mountains numerous challenges. two of the most cherished climbs in the city are agulha do diabo, and dedo de deus.