As a public and democratic space, the beach is an ideal setting for individuals from all social backgrounds and abilities to come together and enjoy sporting recreations - Reluctant to simply sit and soak up the sun's rays, most cariocas opt for a more active and mobile engagement with their surroundings and have adapted and developed a number of different sports that are ideal for the sandy terrain.

altinha is a quintessential carioca sport that involves juggling a soccer ball amongst several individuals without letting it touch the ground - it is beautiful representation of the communal sense of locals in rio de janeiro since the sport is about helping the individuals you are playing with versus making it a competition

one sport which is played at almost every beach in rio, regardless of size or demographic is 'futebol de areia', or beach soccer - at larger beaches such as flamengo, and in areas of Zona West, there are nets, and designated areas, in the sand for recreation.