The Praça Olímpica is the civic and commercial heart of Teresópolis, a pleasant square surrounded by restaurants, cafes, and small shops. The name recalls the town's long association with elite sport — the Brazilian national football team trains at the nearby Granja Comary facility, and various Olympic preparation centres operate in the area, taking advantage of the cool mountain climate for altitude training.
The square and the streets around it come alive on weekend evenings and during holidays, when Cariocas who have driven up from Rio fill the restaurants. On weekday mornings it is quiet and pleasant — a good place to have breakfast before heading to the park. The surrounding streets have a mix of the fondue restaurants and Swiss-style architecture that Teresópolis cultivates, alongside ordinary Brazilian padarias and boteco bars.