Top Southeast Brazil Cultural Tours

Maximize your time on shore with this full-day Santos city tour from Santos Seaport. A great way to explore the city sights and stories with a local guide, this small-group tour offers all the benefits of a shore excursion without the stress of being in a big group. It also means you'll have the chance to see more, like Porchat Island, the Botanical Gardens, Mount Serrat, the Pelé Museum, and the Coffee Museum.

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).

Stray from the tourist trail and see a side of São Paulo that’s usually reserved for locals on a walking tour. Rather than missing out on interesting details as you travel by car, you’ll delve deeper into local culture as you explore the historic center, home to the highest concentration of São Paulo sights.

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.

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.

The mix of cultures in São Paulo makes it one of Brazil’s top foodie destinations. Join a small group and explore the Liberdade neighborhood that is predominantly inhabited by Japanese immigrants. Learn about the 100-year history of the area from your guide and sample several snacks that range from sushi to juice, all with a Brazilian twist. This tour is available in English, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

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.

Explore Rio's highlights and important landmarks with a dedicated guide on this full-day private tour. Visit important sites like Rio's historic downtown area, the Sambadrome and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Stop at the Colombo tea house for lunch or a snack (own expense). Ascend both Sugar Loaf and Corcovado Mountains with a stop at the Christ the Redeemer statue. Enjoy the flexibility and personal attention that comes with booking a private tour.

Venture away from the busy city of Rio and take a tour of Petropolis with hotel pickup included. Visit key landmarks such as the Imperial Palace, St. Peter’s Cathedral, the house of Santos Dumont, Quitandinha Palace, and more. Choose to upgrade your city tour to include a Brazilian lunch or lunch plus a visit to the Bohemia Brewery to learn about beer making and sample the famous Brazilian beer.

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.

Discover Aparecida, Brazil's religious tourism hub, on a small-group tour unveiling its history, miracles, and landmarks. Convenient round-trip transportation from Sao Paulo ensures seamless navigation of the itinerary, bypassing the limitations of public transportation. Enjoy unhurried visits to Porto Itaguacu, the Old Church, and the Cathedral Basilica of the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida. Your guide provides insightful commentary at each location, offering a deeper understanding beyond the typical guidebook.

Find out more about the Rio carnival visiting areas that the public is's normally allowed to visit. Dress up in costumes, learn the basics of samba from dancers and the history of samba, see floats, taste a caipirinha and other essentials of this celebration. After pickup at your place, your guide takes you to explore the Carnaval Factory for a behind-the-scenes look. In this warehouse, see how the showy costumes worn in the parades are made. Admire the details of the floats that parade through the sambadrome. Then, head to the exhibition hall to learn about the history of samba and Rio's carnival, which has been celebrated for over a century. During the visit, feel the atmosphere of union and emotion that is felt during Carnival. Continue to the backstage dressing rooms, where you will have the opportunity to try on some costumes. To end this experience, a professional dancer will give a brief samba class. Finally, enjoy a delicious caipirinha before being dropped at your place.

We will take you on a ride in one of the oldest tramways of the world: The Santa Teresa tram. The tour connects the city center to Santa Teresa, passing on top of the Lapa Arches (Arcos da Lapa), where we can have a view of Lapa from above. In Santa Teresa we will alight at Largo do Guimarães, the gastronomic area of the neighborhood. There, you can try the local cuisine in the neighborhood's trendy restaurants and bars. After, we'll explore the neighborhood on foot, walking around its cobblestone streets, observing its colonial houses and hidden views. We will visit its cultural centers, museums, and local artists' ateliers, including one of the 6 best viewpoints of the city and then walk to Lapa, passing by the colorful Selarón steps, that connect the two neighborhoods. In Lapa, we will finish admiring the Arcos da Lapa (the Carioca aqueduct) at a hidden rooftop that only locals know.

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.

Discover the past and present culture of Sao Paulo on a small-group bike tour. Pedal through vibrant street art murals, charming neighborhoods, and iconic landmarks while your guide provides illuminating commentary. Enjoy a relaxed pace, plenty of stops for photos, and the chance to experience the city like a local. This excursion is perfect for travelers seeking an immersive and active way to explore Sao Paulo's offbeat urban scene.

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.

First time in São Paulo? It can be a little overwhelming to say the least. Take this half-day private driving tour and get an overview of all this vibrant Brazilian city has to offer. Considered Brazil’s ‘late bloomer’, what São Paulo lacks in colonial history, it more than makes up for with its modern architecture and emerging art scene. Personalize your tour by choosing stops along the way to explore, snap some pics or grab a bite.

With more than 12 million people, São Paulo ranks as Brazil’s largest city, which means there’s a ton to see and do. During this fully customized private city tour, work with your guide to design the ultimate itinerary based on your interests—food, art, shopping, architecture, or a little of everything. See what you want, when you want, all while enjoying personalized insights from a local guide.

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.

Explore Rocinha Favela, the largest favela in Latin America, during this 3-hour guided educational tour. Walk through the local community with your guide to learn about what life is like there. Interact with members of the community, learn about the history of Rocinha and gain a deeper understanding of the economic and political factors that shape Rio society. Round-trip transportation from Rio de Janeiro hotels is included.

Visit two of Rio de Janeiro’s most popular and iconic landmarks—and explore other city highlights as you go—on this full-day, all-inclusive sightseeing tour. In the morning, head to Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain; included train fare makes getting there easy. Next, soak up the views from Sugarloaf Mountain, with cable-car transit included. You’ll also visit the Metropolitan Cathedral and Selarón Steps, glimpse the Sambadrome, and admire Maracanã Stadium.

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.

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.