Flamengo Park, also known as Aterro do Flamengo (which literally means “Landfill of Flamengo”) and the Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes Park is the largest leisure area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, consisting of nearly 300 acres of beautiful green, urban park space. Flamengo park has the tradition of being a hub for sports and athletic activity in Rio de Janeiro. It is freuently the finish line for marathons that take place throughout the year and makes up a key portion of the Rio Cycling Race, the race that awards the single largest amount of points by the International Cycling Union which determine world cycling rankings.
Flamengo Park was initially conceived and ultimately built by the architect Lota de Macedo Soares and the beautiful gardens were designed by famous landscapist Burle Marx. The Park runs all the way from Botafogo beach up to the Glória Marina and the Santos Dumont airport. At the park there are two public tennis courts, lots of football fields and basketball courts, an outdoor theatre and a designated area for remote control airplane enthusiasts to enjoy their hobby that’s fun to watch even if you aren’t participating.
It’s best to visit Flamengo Park on the weekends. It’s a popular spot for families and can get crowded with people who come to play sports including beach volleyball, the Brazilian frescoball and futvolei. Flamengo Park is also a popular spot for Barbecues on the weekends. It’s best to stay away from the park at night, but it’s great in the early mornings as people run and bike train before work when the temperature is cooler and the breeze is nice. Flamengo Park will host the athletics and road cycling competitions of the Rio 2016 Summer Games and the track and field, marathon and road cycling competitions of the 2016 Paralympic Games.
