praia de fora, also sometimes known as praia do forte is the largest of the two beaches located inside the fortaleza de são joão, in the urca neighborhood. accessible via special permit only, this beach is inside a military area and geographically similar to praia vermelha - spanning 500 meters in length, it faces the atlantic ocean at the meeting point with guanabara bay.

it was in this very beach that on march 1st 1565, estácio de sá founded the city of são sebastião de rio de janeiro. the gorgeous views form praia de fora include the morro do cara do cão on one side and the pão de açúcar (sugar loaf) on the other - facing the beach are the fortaleza de santa cruz and two of niterói's military beaches:  praia forte rio branco, and praia do forte imbuhy.