In keeping with the flavor of the times; when they were building hothouses and exotic gardens in England and the Continent, the royal family created their own botanical garden, the Jardim Botanico, in a priveledged location.  Sited between the steep slopes of the Mata Atlantica (coastal rain forest) and the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas (the lagoon abutting Ipanema and Leblon, today the neighborhood of the rich and famous), the location was chosen because it was outside the city and a stream of clean water cascaded down from the hills and could run thru channels  to irrigate the plants.

The serene landscape is a respite from the rest of the city.  The layout of the gardens is in a formal European style that is at times overwhelmed by the vigour of the tropical plants, trees and shrubs.  For the visitor the jardim offers a quiet interlude in bustling Rio.  Even on the hottest days the visitor can walk the garden shaded from the sun by the tall palms, trees and bamboo stands.  Here and there you will find benches to sit and take a rest while looking out for the creatures that make it home; monkeys, toucans and other facinating creatures that flit, fly and leap thru the canopy overhead. 

Another interesting feature of the collection apart from the bromeliads and orchids is the profusion of fruit trees.  No, not orange, lemon, etc.  Many of the trees in this region bear fruits of every size and description and at some times of the year when the fruit ripen the paths can be splattered with overripe fruit.  The visitor can expect to see examples of all the major trees and plants in Brazil, and some imported specimens such as lychee too. The visitors house offers a selection of books and postcards for the guests - no street hawkers pushing t-shirts, glasses, and hats here. 

The royal palm allee is the symbol of the gardens and is very impressive. The bromeliad glass house features many unusual varieties. 

Visit the gardens on a stop over in Rio as they are a must for enyone who enjoys this type of environment.  It is never crowded and it appears that most of the visitors are locals or at least Brazilians so perhaps a lot of other tourists don't bother which is probably their loss as the atmosphere is really wonderful and a real contrast to the very crowded city outside.