Activity description
In the morning, as we tour Rio's South Zone beaches to welcome guests, you'll hear about the fascinating history of the neighborhoods of Leblon, Ipanema, and Copacabana, discovering many things along the way, such as the origins of their names, as well as a handful of stories that took place on their streets. You'll have the chance to learn about the writing of the Girl from Ipanema, the best spot to catch the sunset, and the fashionable life of the Guinle family when they owned the Copacabana Palace.
After collecting all the guests, the group heads to the city center, passing by the charming Botafogo waterfront, where it will be possible to see Sugarloaf Mountain and hear about the fights between the French and Portuguese at the time when Rio was just wild.
Next, you'll pass through the historic Laranjeiras neighborhood, home to Guanabara Palace, the former home of Princess Isabel, who signed the Lei Áurea (Golden Law) in 1888 to free slaves. You'll have the opportunity to hear about the time when Brazil was already an independent country, but still ruled by Portuguese emperors.
After passing through the Santa Bárbara tunnel, you'll take a panoramic tour of downtown Rio, hearing all about Rio's samba culture. You'll pass by the Sambadrome and learn about the city's early and later history before stopping at the Metropolitan Cathedral. At the cathedral, you'll have time to admire its unconventional pyramidal shape, with an internal diameter of 96 meters and a height of 80 meters.
After a brief visit to the Cathedral, you'll return to the bus and enjoy views of the traditional Cinelândia Square with its historic buildings and the Municipal Theater. After crossing historic Avenida Rio Branco and Via Aterro do Flamengo, where you'll hear about Brazil's participation in World War II and relive the final battles between the Portuguese and the French, you'll be taken to the Urca neighborhood, home to one of the city's greatest symbols: Sugarloaf Mountain.
There, besides hearing about the origin of Sugarloaf Mountain's name and its appearance in the 1979 007 film Moonraker, you'll have one of the best views of the city. The trip to the summit is made in two stages by cable car. The first cable car takes you to Urca Hill, a 215-meter-high lookout point from which you can enjoy beautiful views of Guanabara Bay and its islands, Flamengo and Botafogo beaches, Santos Dumont Airport, the Rio-Niterói Bridge, the Urca neighborhood, and Corcovado Mountain. On Urca Hill, you can visit the first cable cars, built by Germans in 1912, and the second, built by Italians in 1972.
From this point, a second cable car takes you to the top. Once there, you'll understand why Rio is considered one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. At 395 meters above sea level, visitors have breathtaking views of Copacabana Beach, several beaches in Niterói, and the Santa Cruz Fortress, which served as the main defensive structure for Guanabara Bay and the Port of Rio de Janeiro during colonial times and the Brazilian Empire.
Explore Urca and Sugarloaf Mountains for about 45 minutes before returning to the bus. You'll enjoy fantastic views of the charming city, see the native rainforest, and take your best photos ever. During this tour, you'll see all the modern and natural beauty while reflecting on the rich history you just learned about Rio. Back on the bus, relax and enjoy the Rio de Janeiro landscape, letting everything you've experienced sink in on the way back to your hotel. The smile on your face is simply the result of a pleasant morning's tour you'll never forget!
Please be careful when selecting, as we offer ticketed and non-ticketed options.
If you choose the option without tickets, we suggest you bring cash so it can be paid directly to the guide and included on your voucher. Otherwise, you may have to queue to purchase tickets.
Notes:
Please note that some hotels in the city are not included in our transportation route. If your hotel is not included in our itinerary, we will contact you to indicate the closest hotel to which you should be transferred at the time of the service. You should wait for your guide in the lobby of the indicated hotel.
Roundtrip transportation to most hotels in São Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema, and Copacabana. Lapa is not included.
Between Friday and Tuesday of Carnival, there is a possibility that the City Tour will be reduced or excluded from the itinerary due to traffic issues and street closures throughout the city.
* Please be careful when selecting the desired option, as we offer options with and without tickets for the attractions.
If you select the option without tickets, we suggest you bring cash so it can be paid directly to the guide and included on your voucher. Otherwise, you may have to wait in line to purchase tickets.
