Last updated on .
Leme is a small stretch of beach to the east of Copacabana, at Avenida Princes Isabel. It’s a much quieter beach than Copacabana, and there’s much less action.
Leme means “rudder”, and it’s named for Morro do Leme, a small mountain at the end of the beach that looks like a ship’s rudder. Fort Duque de Caxias, built in 1776 and deactivated in 1995, is located on top of Morro do Leme.
History
The area didn’t become a popular residential area until the late 19th century. In fact, there were still farms nearby around 1915. In the 1950s and 60s, there was construction of high-rise hotels and residential buildings. More recently, it has been a popular place to watch fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
United Buddy Bears
When I visited Leme, the United Buddy Bears, painted bears from around the world, were on display for World Cup 2014. That was the most interesting thing about the beach.
It was fun to walk around and see what each country submitted to the exhibition. Some of them played to the country’s stereotype while others made no sense at all. Here are a few of my favorites:
