I loved this huge botanical garden, which was like a beautiful tropical paradise. It was my first…read morestop after checking my luggage at the hotel. The cost was around $15 for US residents (less for locals) and only cash is accepted. Upon entering, I noticed black monkeys walking around the rainforest-esque environment, as well as climbing trees. There were palm trees, bright and colorful flowers, bodies of water, lovely little bridges, gorgeous fountain, yellow and green state house, greenhouses with rare and award winning orchids, a wonderful cafe serving fancy coffee & beverages, playground, and more. There were plenty of breathtaking views of the many natural wonders. I really enjoyed my time exploring the vast expanse of the garden. The place was sprawling and easy to get lost in. It tops the list as one of my favorite botanical gardens that I have visited.

After visiting Christ the Redeemer and Parque Lage, we made our way to Jardim Botanico. I've been…read moreto quite a few botanical gardens in my day and most of them are free. This one is not. And they charge a higher entrance fee for foreigners. A little more than I expected but it was still worth it. One of the most beautiful things about Brazil is nature. And you get a good dose of that here. Spectacular trees, bushes, and other foliage. Waterfalls. Bodies of water. The park is large and you can easily get lost exploring it all. There is also quite a bit of history with statues interspersed throughout the park. And plenty to read while you're at it. A few hours here is time well spent.

The club and shop are impressive, with lots of options and a true Flamengo spirit. Everything is…read morewell presented, but the prices are quite high compared to what I expected. Overall, a good experience.

We got to attend as a guest, although they said the basic club membership could be purchased…read moremonthly at R$150 which included access to the pools and the tennis courts which they have several of. The classes offered at the pools such as master swim classes or water aerobics are extra fees. We were told one had to check in with the local doctor to be deemed fit for swimming in the pool, although the inspection consisted of a basic one minute look over and no questions asked. The facility includes a number of things to do. At the entrance there is a museum (presumably of Flamengo history) which costs entry even for club members and is open to the public. Also open to the public is the huge Adidas store where one can get your hearts content of Flamengo paraphernalia, from specialty soccer jerseys to the latest fashion line of sports shoes. They even have a nice patio that over looks the (traffic and) the lagoa. On the far left side they have a barbershop, small chapel, and another Flamengo store plus one of the many restaurants you can find food at. The swimming lanes are in the first pool, in which half is converted to a water polo court on certain days. Behind it in another pool and behind that is a huge an impressive gymnasium. It houses huge floor mats for Olympic routines, uneven bars, and vault. The latter two have deep pits, presumably are filled with foam during practice or people are harnessed and caught when they fall off. Further back to the left is the medical office and the second entrance to the facility for members only. And still farther back is of course a soccer field. There's some stadium seating, and tennis courts all along the right side, both asphalt and clay courts, managed by the office in the corner. We weren't allowed to use them with our guest pass but at the very of negotiating, they finally allowed us since it wasn't very crowded (it was an overcast almost rainy day, and winter time). They also have another cafe on that side for drinks and snacks. The kids pools are shallow (1.5m deep) and are sectioned off so the kids are not everywhere. There's a small kiddie pool for the little ones and some shorter lanes for those who don't need such a big space. There's a lanchonete in the middle of those pools, carefully surrounded by nets so no one can fall in or drop food into the pool. Last but not least, the changing rooms were open, spacious, and clean. They had showers win hot water, toilets, lockers, benches and sinks. It was a good space for a lot of people but could get slippery if there was a lot of food traffic. We did not explore the tunnel that leads to the rowing side though I think it looks awesome from the lagoa side. Overall it was a good experience. The staff was friendly. If it were always this un-crowded it would be great!