When Brasilia was planned and built, one of the features was that every Brazilian has full access to the shores of the lake.

When the areas in Lago Norte and Lago Sul were developed, most of the owners conveniently forgot about this and claimed the public land as their own and built right up to the lake and fenced it off. For years, this illegal building went unnoticed and so the owners became more brazen and built swimming pools, tennis courts, jetties and even small football fields.

A couple of years ago the authorities stepped in and reclaimed the land, tore the fences down and gave back the access to the public.

The result is that in Lago Norte you can access the lake on several points and walk all around it, with a few exceptions like the Rede Sarah de Hospitais, which is still closed for public access.

The special thing about this is that you can wonder through the former backyards of the superrich. You will discover filled in swimming pools, ruins of tennis courts and jetties. Some owners tore everything down and left the area to neglect; others still maintain it to a certain point. And you can look right into the remaining backyards of huge houses. Some were even abandoned by the owners and are rotting away.

These are some great areas to have a picnic and a swim. Just be aware of the ticks that might find you at the shore (see “Problem with Ticks in Brasilia” in the General Information category).

Another problem can be, especially on weekends, the noise pollution from the other picnickers around you.

But if you find a good spot it is a treat. And it is free.