Bicycle Club - BikeRO

What: BikeRO bicycle club
Website: http://bikeriodasostras.blogspot.com/
Email contact: bikero@bol.com.br

BikeRO is an inclusive club that welcomes all types of cyclists at all levels. Their goal is to form a connection between beginners and more advanced riders to show what the bike can offer you. They try to show a better quality of life which connects with nature, to transform children into bikers and bikers in children and promote peace of spirit about being on two wheels.

Sports & Leisure Classes Available

Rio das Ostras offers FREE public courses in various sports & leisure activities.

If you are interested, don't miss the opportunity. Registration is now open for various sports projects offered to the community.

Beaches - Praia do Cemitério

Located just to the north of Praia do Centro, just around the point on the other side of the Iate Clube, this small beach is great for swimming. The waves are gentle, the water is shallow and it is much less crowded than Praia do Centro.With it's picturesque wooden pier, it's said to be the best location in town for watching the sunset.

Beaches - Praia do Bosque

Located just to the south of Praia do Centro, this beach has bigger waves and rougher sand than Centro, but not as bad as Praia das Tartarugas. The beach runs from Praça São Pedro in Centro to the rocks at the point of Turtle Beach.

Movie Theater - Cinemagic

What: Cinemagic Movie Theater
Where: Inside the Holiday Shopping mall in Centro on Rodovia Amaral Peixoto
Website (with schedule): www.cinemagic.art.br//rio_das_ostras/

Restaurant - Macaxeira Tapiocaria

What: Macaxeira Tapiocaria
Where: Avenida Beira Mar in Centro, second shop from the corner near the Praca São Pedro
Hours: 3pm to about 10pm, Tuesday through Sunday

Dizalli Book Store

What: The Dizalli book store.
Where: lower floor right hand corner in the shopping center on Rua Rego Barros #141 lj 10 in Centro
Hours: Daily from 10am to 8pm, closed for 1 to 2 hours at noon for lunch.
Phone: (22) 2771-2920
Email: dizalli@bol.com.br

Jazz and Blues at the Clamshell

Once a month on a Saturday night the city of Rio das Ostras hosts a free Jazz and Blues concert in the Praça São Pedro at Praia do Centro in the Clamshell ampitheater.

Big names in Jazz from all over come here to play. The quality of music is fantastic and with so many kiosks, restaurants and vendors available it is a fun night out for everyone.

They seem to fall on the third Saturday of the month, but I haven't been able to confirm this yet. Anyone have a reliable source for the schedule? Please leave a comment.

Praça São Pedro

The City of Rio das Ostras re-inaugurated Praça São Pedro on Wednesday, November 1st, 2008 in Centro.

The Concha Acústica (acoustic shell) has an 85 m2 stage and amphitheater seating. The square also has wooden decks, a playground, and a grove of native vegetation.

Beaches - Praia do Abricó

This beach is not often full of people because the waves are very strong, and the water drops off and gets deep very quickly. The sand is also a bit rough, but full of good seashells. It is the first beach you come to in Rio das Ostras if you're coming from Rio de Janeiro. It is located alongside Highway Amaral Peixoto (RJ-106).

There are a few kioskes, but they seem to be only open on busy weekends.

It's about 4km long, and 5 to 20 meters wide.

Beaches - Praia das Tartarugas

Meaning "Turtle Beach". Found between Praia do Abrico and Praia do Bosque, this beach is so named because it shelters the largest number of sea turtles in the city. It also has a large rock at the point which is shaped like a turtle when viewed from above. The Tamar Project, which is dedicated to protect the turtles, monitors this beach to help preserve the species which were in danger of extinction.

Beaches - Praia do Centro

Located right downtown, this beach has very calm waters and seems to be the best one for small children. It is the embarkation point for tour boats that travel the coast and also hosts the "banana-boat". It is about 2km long and ten to twenty meters wide.

Art Classes at Casa de Cultura

What: Various art classes
Where: Casa de Cultura
Cost: R$30 per month for unlimited classes
How to: Sign up at the front desk of the Casa de Cultura. You will be given a tour of the workshop areas and meet any instructors who happen to be on campus at the time. Jorge Pinheiro is usually on hand and speaks enough English to help you get started.

Casa de Cultura and Archaeological Museum

What: House of Culture
Where: Rua Dr. Bento Costa Júnior, 70 - Centro, next to Praça São Pedro (the clamshell stage at Pria do Centro).
Phone: (22) 2764-7676
Hours: Mon - Fri: 9am to 6pm, Sat - Sun: 2pm to 6pm

GIRO - Gymnastics School

What: GIRO Ginástica Rio das Ostras has classes in Rythmic, Artistic, and Acrobatic gymnastics plus ballet and trampoline with competitive teams.
Where: quadra do Rio das Ostras Futebol Clube
Alameda Casimiro de Abreu, 366
Nova Esperança – Rio das Ostras
When: Mondays and Wednesdays with morning and afternoon classes.
For whom: They accept students four years and older.
Contact: Phone number (22) 92616265
Website: Their Orkut profile page

Some information and recent press about them Here, Here, Here and Here.

Important Information for Drivers

Not just for those of us in Rio das Ostras. I received this information from our good friend after it was distributed through her company and it is very good advice.

Know how and where to file a police report in case of accident. Find out before you need to know. I will be posting a list of Rio das Ostras' police stations soon.

An advisory from Insurers:
Consider any collision with a motorcycle as an injury causing event.Always take a photograph of the bike, rider and passenger if possible. This is easy now with most cell phones. Get the name and phone numbers of witnesses.
Make a police report RIGHT AWAY.

Hiking Club - Anda Rio das Ostras

Rio das Ostras has an active hiking club called "Anda Rio das Ostras" which is a non-profit association started in May of 2008.

The Association promotes social inclusion through the hikes, encourages physical activity and also holds events relating to the environment such as planting trees, recycling of PET bottles and aluminum cans. They have also participated in events like the First Municipal Conference on Tourism, Challenge Day, Walk for Arbor Day, Environment Week organized by Semapa, 8th Municipal Health Conference and the Campaign for Blood Donation sponsored by jornal Tribuna dos Bairros.