Roberto Burle Marx changed the way the world thought about gardens. The Brazilian landscape architect, painter and plant collector, who died in 1994, designed the wave-patterned promenade along Copacabana beach, the gardens of the Ministry of Education in Rio, and hundreds of other parks and gardens, using native tropical plants in bold, abstract compositions. In 1949 he bought a former coffee estate in Barra de Guaratiba, in the far west of Rio de Janeiro, and turned it into his home, studio and laboratory, filling it with thousands of plant species collected on expeditions across Brazil. Sítio Roberto Burle Marx was added to the World Heritage list in 2021.
The estate is a place of extraordinary beauty, with lush gardens, pools, rock walls covered in bromeliads, a small colonial chapel, and the house where Burle Marx lived and worked, full of his paintings and collections of folk art. Visits are by guided tour, and they are well worth booking in advance. The setting, between forested hills and the mangroves of the Guaratiba lagoon, adds to the magic.
Riding to the Sítio is a chance to explore a different side of Rio. The western zone of the city is less crowded than the famous beaches of the south, with a coastline of wild beaches backed by forested hills. The road from Recreio dos Bandeirantes to Barra de Guaratiba passes the beaches of Prainha and Grumari, part of a protected area, with steep, winding sections over the headlands, and views over the ocean that are as good as anything in the city. The road can be busy at weekends, when locals head for the beaches, and surfaces are sometimes rough.
Rio traffic, in general, is heavy and aggressive, and motorcycle riders need to be alert, especially on the expressways and in the tunnels. Fuel is easy to find, but it is wise to ride in daylight, keep valuables out of sight and seek local advice about safe routes. Barra de Guaratiba is a small fishing village with seafood restaurants, especially good for fresh fish and shrimp. The climate is hot and humid, with heavy rain in summer, from December to March, and milder, drier weather in winter, the best time for riding.