Top Rio de Janeiro Cultural Tours

Get an in-depth local experience with this walking tour of one of Rio's "favelas," Rocinha. Follow your resident guide through the slum to get an insider's perspective on daily life and learn about the challenges these communities face. Upgrade your experience to a 2-day tour that includes a visit to Tijuca Forest.

Get an overview of Rio's most important sights during this comprehensive day tour. With your guide, tick off Christ the Redeemer statue, the Selarón Steps, Maracanã Stadium, and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian. If you upgrade to the premium option, you can even take the cable car to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, plus stop for lunch in one of the city's best steakhouses. Round-trip, air-conditioned transportation from Rio hotels is included.

Get a glimpse into local life in Rio de Janeiro during a favela tour that reveals a different side of the Marvelous City. In an intimate group limited to 12 travelers, you’ll explore two of the largest favelas in Rio, and benefit from the local insight of a guide as you learn more about living conditions in the city.

Check off most of Rio de Janeiro's top landmarks and highlights on a single full-day tour that saves you hours of planning logistics. Beat the Marvelous City's heat as you travel between the Sambadromo, the Christ the Redeemer Statue, and the Tijuca Rainforest in an air-conditioned vehicle to help you stay cool and collected. A buffet lunch, round-trip transfers, and admission tickets to Christ the Redeemer are all included for ease.

Discover Rio de Janeiro from its history, architecture and cultural influences that have shaped the way you are Carioca. We will walk through squares, churches and historic sites, with the possibility of a break for a snack or coffee at the traditional Colombo Confectionery (not included in the tour price).

Explore the best of Rio de Janeiro's Historical Center, the city's oldest neighborhood—and discover sights and stories you'd otherwise miss—on this guided walking tour. Pick between morning and afternoon start times, and meet your guide and group in the neighborhood. Then, set off to discover a wide range of highlights, from the Selaron Steps and the Metropolitan Cathedral to the Municipal Theater and much more.

Experience a different side to Rio de Janeiro—one that few travelers experience—and gain a deeper appreciation for life in the Brazilian city, with a small-group tour of the Vidigal favela. In the company of a guide who has decades of experience working in Vidigal, see work by local graffiti artists, visit community projects, and take in panoramic views of the city.

Discover the best of Rio de Janeiro on this full-day guided tour with lunch. Take the Corcovado train up to the Christ the Redeemer statue, take a cable car ride up to the Sugarloaf Mountain, see the famed Maracana soccer stadium, capture beautiful photos in front of the colorful Selaron Steps, and much more. This tour is also inclusive of a delicious barbecue buffet lunch at a local steakhouse.

The Favela Tour Rocinha is a guided cultural tour inside Rocinha, the largest favela in Brazil, starting at Metrô São Conrado – Exit A. The experience starts with a motorcycle ride to the top of the community, panoramic viewpoints overlooking São Conrado, Christ the Redeemer, and the surrounding hills, as well as a drone video session capturing the landscape. Led by a local guide, the tour provides insight into daily life, history, social dynamics, and community projects within Rocinha, with opportunities for respectful cultural interaction, and concludes with a return by walking or moto-taxi. by @rioexplore

Visit some of the most avoided areas of Rio de Janeiro with a guide who knows the areas well and knows how to keep you safe during this Rio de Janeiro Rocinha Favela Walking Tour. You’ll visit a few favelas within just a few hours as your guide tells you about the communities and their culture. Follow paths locals walk every day to see the slums and take in hilltop views of the city.

Favela da Rocinha is the largest favela in Rio, located in the South Zone. With this tour, join a local family-run tour to experience the rich history, culture, and heritage of Rio as you learn about life in the favelas. Explore the alleys of the favela on a guided walking tour, peek inside the shops and restaurants, and learn about local cultural projects

Official tour guides, driving brand new cars and speaking your language, visiting Christ the Redeemer, Santa Teresa and Selaron steps. Our company works with private transfers and tours since 2012. Our team is very flexible. You can spend more time in one attraction or skip one that you dont want to visit. As the driver/vehicles stays with you for 5 hours, you can include attractions on the way that are interesting for you. The price is per vehicle and we can fit 4 passengers from your group. For example, if you dont want to stop in Santa Tereza, but preffer to stay longer visitng the Statue, we can do it. Please give us a chance to serve you!

Give your feet a rest from sightseeing and take to the water for a stunning sunset boat tour across Guanabara Bay in Rio. Board your vessel with just a small group and enjoy hours of mingling with other guests and swimming in the warm waters. Your relaxing cruise culminates with views of Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain just as the sun dips below the horizon.

Delve deeper into the history of Little Africa in Rio de Janeiro, and learn more than you would if exploring solo, with this group walking tour around the city’s Saúde neighborhood. Follow your guide as you learn about Brazil's slave trade history and the roots of carnival, samba, the city's food scene, and more. Enjoy a route that passes the Mercedes Baptista Statue, Pedra do Sal, and Cais do Valongo.

Visitors will travel back in time on this tour of downtown Rio. The tour will visit the cultural and historical highlights of Rio, including the Cinelandia Square which is home to many of the political buildings of Rio; and Praia Quinze de Novembro, a square in the historical centre of Rio and surrounded by many historically significant buildings.

Immerse yourself in the culinary culture of Rio de Janeiro during a small-group cooking class. Learn about the flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques specific to Brazilian cuisine from your instructor. Upgrade to include a market tour to discover Brazilian ingredients, spices, and souvenirs. Then, get your hands dirty as you learn to prepare several authentic recipes while sipping on an unlimited caipirinhas. Enjoy a true taste of Rio and explore local culture beyond the restaurant scene.

Make the most of a stopover in Rio de Janeiro with a sightseeing shore excursion from Cruise Terminal Pier Mauá. A great way to squeeze in visits to some of Rio’s best sights, you’ll first head out to see the towering Christ the Redeemer Statue—one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. You’ll then explore the historic hub of Santa Teresa before ending with a cable car ride up to Sugarloaf Mountain.

This tour was planned thinking about the tourist who wants to know the main sights of Rio de Janeiro with comfort, safety and without worries. Because, after all, when we travel we want rest. That's why we offer transport with air conditioning and an accredited guide available to accompany passengers in all the attractions of the itinerary from the meeting point.

Tour Rio de Janeiro your way, with a private car and driver, during this fully customizable tour. Choose the landmarks and attractions that you want to visit, such as Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado, Sugar Loaf Mountain, the Selarón Steps, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the city's famous beaches. Learn about the food, language, culture and history of the city and its inhabitants from your informative local guide while you explore. Round trip transportation in a comfortable, air-conditioned private vehicle is included.

Explore Rio’s bohemian neighborhood of Santa Teresa, famous for being home to several artists, on this half-day tour. Take a guided tour through the streets where you can find local bars, craft shops, artists' workshops, and 20th-century mansions. You also visit Ruinas Park where you can enjoy stunning views of downtown Rio and visit the cultural center.

Enjoy a flexible, fully customized way to experience Rio de Janeiro—and opt to visit the sights that interest you most—on this private, full-day sightseeing tour. Traveling aboard a private vehicle makes getting around seamless. Choose to stop at major landmarks including Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and the Selaron Steps (admission tickets own expense). You can also explore the historic city center, visit Tijuca Forest, or discover bohemian Santa Teresa.

Reach the iconic Christ the Redeemer Statue (Cristo Redentor) without having to break a sweat on a Rio de Janeiro sightseeing tour that transports you to the top of Corcovado Hill in air-conditioned comfort—so you don’t have to wait for the train. Enjoy free time at the gift shop and plenty of time to take photos at one of the New7Wonders of the World.

Explore two of Rio’s neighborhoods—the Historic Center and the artsy district of Santa Teresa—in one morning or afternoon on this compact tour. Start by admiring the early colorful buildings and 19th-century tramline of Santa Teresa, then head to the Historic Center to visit sites such as Cinelandia, the Arcos da Lapa, Teles Arches, and Praça XV.