Orla Bardot & the Brigitte Bardot Statue
In the 1960s, a French actress put a sleepy fishing village on the world map — and Búzios has never looked back. Strolling the Orla Bardot boardwalk, with its bronze Bardot gazing eternally out to sea, is the single most iconic thing you can do in town.
A Walk Through Living History
The Orla Bardot is a winding oceanfront promenade that connects Rua das Pedras to Praia da Armação, lined with chic open-air restaurants, bobbing fishing boats, and sculptures that punctuate the seafront at every turn.
The bronze Brigitte Bardot statue, sculpted by Christina Motta, stands facing the ocean — a permanent tribute to the woman whose 1964 visit transformed this remote peninsula into Brazil's most glamorous beach escape. Nearby, Motta's eerily lifelike Fishermen Statues haul invisible nets, a nod to the village that once was.
Best Time to Be Here
Come at golden hour. The light on the bay turns the anchored boats and colonial facades a deep amber, and the promenade fills with couples, families, and street vendors — a scene that feels equal parts Rio and Côte d'Azur.
The evenings are especially beautiful: sunset over the water silhouettes the statue and the moored schooners in a scene that photographers queue for. Arrive 30 minutes before sunset to claim a good spot on the low sea wall.
Orla Bardot & the Brigitte Bardot Statue on video
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