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On the south end of Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro is Fort Copacabana (Forte de Copacabana). It’s a working military fort open to visitors.
Admission
Admission to the fort is R$10 (as of October 2024) and free on Tuesdays. Only cash is accepted. Guards at the entrance dress in traditional Brazilian military uniforms.
Historic Fort
After paying the admission, there’s a walkway past modern buildings of the fort. At the very end of the walkway is the historic fort and museum.
The historic fort, built in 1914, has original weapons storage rooms, a small chapel, and other rooms. Some of them have interpretive panels to explain more and others have soldier mannequins.
Other rooms such as barracks, offices, and even latrines show how soldiers may have lived during the historic fort’s use.
Top of the Fort
Don’t forget to climb on top of the fort to get phenomenal views of Copacabana and Sugarloaf Mountain. It’s best to go earlier. As you can see by the picture, I went a little too late in the day. Huge cannons are also in place.
Confeitaria Colombo
When you finish visiting the fort, stop at the branch of Rio’s iconic Confeitaria Colombo, Café 18 do Forte. Sit by the ocean and enjoy the same panoramic view from the end of the fort.
