on the other side of the morro da babilônia, is the morro da urca- known as one of rio de janeiro's simpler hikes, but still much more demanding than morro do leme's hike, the trail to morro da urca is the perfect way to spend a leisurely afternoon, in the city.

the climb begins at the edge of praia vermelha, or red beach, where a concrete path called pista claudia coutinho leads up the mountain.

once travelling on the path for about 10 minutes, the trail leads hikers into a lush overgrown jungle, with a dirt track to follow - the rest of the journey remains fairly simple, with the occasional steep incline, to keep hikers on their toes.