Praia da Urca, Beach near Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Praia da Urca is a small beach on Guanabara Bay at the foot of Urca Hill, in the Urca neighbourhood. It lies on land created when the channel between the Ilha da Trindade and the mainland was filled in 1659–1660, forming Praia Vermelha. The beach looks across the water toward the Sugarloaf cable car, inaugurated in 1912.

The beach occupies the location where early Portuguese settlers established their first base in the 16th century, preceding the formal founding of Rio de Janeiro. The historic Forte São João at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain marks this period of initial settlement.

This beach serves as a gathering place for neighborhood communities, where families and friends meet to swim and spend time together. Its proximity to local food spots creates a social hub where daily rituals of residents unfold naturally.

The beach lies along Avenida Pasteur, at the foot of Urca Hill, and the paved waterfront walkway connects it to Praia Vermelha and the path toward the Sugarloaf cable car station. Access is on foot from the surrounding streets; the sand is narrow and the water calm enough for swimming.

The beach sits at the exact birthplace of Rio de Janeiro, making it the symbolic starting point of the city's history. Many visitors overlook this foundational connection and simply see it as a local spot to swim.