When I first arrived to Brazil, on my way to Zona Sul to my apartment in Copacabana, I saw this beautiful white church on this desolate hill in the middle of--what I now know-- is Zona Norte. I was informed that the church was the Church of Pena, and I noted it as something that I would have to go see before I left.
Months passed, and of course I never made it to the church. But last week-- by coincidence-- I happened to be working and observing at a Clinica Familia de Saude in the very neighborhood where the church is located. On my lunch break, I went to the top. It's pretty easy to get to the church-- just take the metro to Central, and catch a train to Pena. From there, just walk through the tiny downtown towards the Clinica and you'll see the entrance-- there's a small circus with a ferris wheel and the like at the bottom. You can grab a motorcycle ride to the foot of the church, or just walk it-- it's a breezy 15 minutes that is in the most picturesque road. Once you get to the foot of the church, you can walk to the top, or take the bondinho-- it's a cute little cable car that takes you to the top in 2 minutes tops. I walked the steps to the top, and took the ride back down.
The views are magnificent, as you can tell, and there's a wonderful little per-kilo restaurant that may be the cheapest place I've ever eaten. 14 reais per kilo!
Try to go on a clear day, and you can catch a glimpse of the Pao de Acucar and the Christo.
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