Brazil · CITY TOURS IN RIO DE JANEIRO
Here are the 15 city tours in Rio de Janeiro we would actually book, with the price, the running time and who each one suits. The first is first for a reason.
Go behind Rio Carnival at Samba City with costume try-ons, float production, samba lessons, history, and a caipirinha for $27.
“our guides were helpful and very knowledgeable. the tour was great, will book again”
Explore Rio your way with a private guide, hotel pickup, flexible sightseeing, famous beaches, local neighborhoods, and scenic views.
“Wagner was great! He really helped us to see more than just the beaches and normal touristy sites. He has a love for Rio and for sharing places that are close to his heart and soul. Wagner knows EVERYONE and is one of the nicest human beings you will ever be around!”
Review of Rio’s half-day Christ the Redeemer and city tour, including Corcovado views, Selarón Steps, timing, value, and practical tips.
“Nice guide and driver, and the statue is cool, but some things could be better. The pickup was about 15 minutes late with no communication, even though my hotel was the first stop. and the city tour was kind of meh, with a lot of time allocated. Lots of waiting around. Also, at least my group consisted of both English and Portuguese speaking, so the guide would say everything twice, and often when he got to the English part, we were already past whatever he was talking about.”
Review of Petrópolis Imperial City Tour from Rio, covering palaces, royal jewels, mountain views, lunch, guides, value, and beer tasting.
“The itinerary was excellent, as well as the guide.”
Rio Samba Bus review: see Rio’s top sights, hear Brazilian music, and plan around slow stops, attraction fees, and route limits.
“Pouvoir prendre le bus à n’importe quel arrêt à l’heure que l’on veut ou peu .😔perdu notre activité parce que on pouvait pas ce rendre à l’arrêt de départ”
Explore Petrópolis from Rio with imperial sights, buffet lunch, Bohemia beer tasting, return transport, and practical tips.
“Excellent experience and the guide, Rafa , explain every single place with great details the lunch is good and Bohemia tour well”
Explore Rio’s historic center on a private three-hour walking tour from Cinelândia to Paço Imperial, with flexible stops and expert local guidance.
“Amazing, friendly and very informative walk around the historical center of Rio! 5 / 5 stars! Thank you!”
See Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Selarón Steps, and more on a 9-hour Rio tour with lunch, transport, and a small group.
“It is a shame that I have to give them one star at all. Be warned this is advertised as a city tour with several stops. Once in the bus you will notice 19 seats for customers. 7 of them you can’t see out the window. The last two rows are above the windows and the other seats. You have to try and bend over and really contort your body to see out of the bus. You have no control over what seats you pick because it is based on when they pick people up. If you are closer to the excursion, you will be picked up last and have…”
Review of Rio’s 4-hour Old Rio walking tour, with churches, imperial landmarks, Olympic-era museums, hotel transfers, and practical tips.
“The tour was very worthwhile. tour guide well informed. Very patient. Was very passionate about Rio and the history of the city. Answered all questions and had time to answer individual questions.”
Ride Rio’s Corcovado Train to Christ the Redeemer, then see Selarón Steps, the Cathedral, Maracanã, and Carnival’s Sambódromo.
“The tour was very basic, with little time spent at each highlight. For the price, I expected a more in-depth experience. It felt more like a transport service between attractions, with minimal guidance. Some basic information was shared in the van, but overall, we were mostly left to explore on our own. You could easily do the same itinerary using Uber and a guidebook.”
Review of Rio’s private bilingual transfer, with airport pickup, flight tracking, clean cars, helpful drivers, pricing, timing, and booking advice.
“This service is very good. They were waiting for us at the airport, had water and snacks for us. We had a return transfer also. The driver was in contact with us for any changes or updates.”
Review of Rio de Janeiro’s five-hour city tour, covering Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf, Santa Teresa, views, timing, value, and practical tips.
“Alex was our tour guide. He spoke 3 languages among 10 of us. Very knowledgeable and kind. I wish you guys would get tickets earlier than Alex wasting so much time at the line. He showed us more than we expected. Christian was a good driver.”
Review of Rio’s 5-hour Christ the Redeemer and city tour, with Corcovado, Selarón Steps, Maracanã, Tijuca Forest, price, guides, and tips.
“Very nice everything and excellent predisposition by guide Marcio. He was able to transmit all his extensive knowledge to the group, being able to express himself using his native language as well as Spanish. A genius guide Marcio👏🏻. The tour was very beautiful and the Christ impressive.Auto-translated”
Review of Petropolis from Rio, with the Imperial Museum, palace views, cathedral, Crystal Palace, Brazilian buffet lunch, and practical tips.
“Overall, the experience is good but nothing exceptional. Areas to improve: The microphone inside the van was working very poorly, so it was difficult to understand the guide's directions and instructions. On tour, the microphone is the most basic thing that should work well, and it didn't. It may seem like a minor detail, but it makes the tourist's experience uncomfortable when trying to understand the stories the guide tells during the tour. The visit to the Palace was fine, perhaps a little tedious due to the amount of information they usually give and the discomfort of walking inside the Palace in those slippers, a requirement not even met at…”
Review of Rio’s 8-hour tour to Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Maracanã, Selarón Steps, lunch, prices, timing, and practical tips.
“It was an awesome experience with Carolina! Timing at each site was just nice. She was knowledgeable and friendly. Well recommended!”
Pick a coastline, a forest or a Friday night.
