Small-Group Total Rio Tour by Urban Adventures

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Duration: 8h
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil


Category: Day Trips & Excursions

Highlights:
Exploration of the best & most famous Rio wonders in 1 day
Bohemian vibes & amiable atmosphere of Santa Teresa
Reality of life in the favela shantytowns
Stop to see the Selaron's Steps masterpiece
Christ the Redeemer statue—one of the new 7 Wonders World

Inclusions:
Guided tour of Rio de Janeiro
Admission fee to Christ the Redeemer statue
Public transportation fees
Live tour commentary provided in English

Description:

Blessed with the most stunning natural setting, Rio de Janeiro is a city that is as famous for its beauty as it is for its poverty. Stretching up into the mountains that hug glistening Guanabara Bay are the city's vast, and often misunderstood, shantytowns known as favelas.

From charming vistas and iconic locations, to some of the communities that have helped make this city the melting pot that it is, you're sure to find Rio a captivating and complex place that steals your heart forever. On this full-day Rio tour you explore the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, see what local life is really like in a favela, and experience the Bohemian vibe in the Santa Teresa neighborhood.

Take the subway downtown so you can experience how locals get around Rio and help orientate yourself in the city. Hop off at Carioca Station and wander through the Financial District, home to huge companies such as Petrobras and BNDES. Check out Carioca Square, once the main source of drinking water in Rio, transported in by the Aqueducts of Lapa.

From here, climb aboard the tram for the journey up to Santa Teresa, which is a 20-minute ride over the aqueducts, which are now used as the tram route. Hop off at Largo dos Guimaraes to explore the cobblestone streets of Santa Teresa. Wander about on foot and explore charming architecture, art galleries, restaurants, and local customs that characterize Santa Teresa.

Santa Teresa was previously a neighborhood dominated by the elite, but with their departure to more modern suburbs of Rio, it has been transformed into an artistic center with many artists choosing the area as their preferred place of residence. Among the attractions in Santa Teresa is the Ruins Park and its gorgeous view over downtown Rio de Janeiro and Guanabara Bay. Many visitors compare Santa Teresa to the bohemian district of Montmartre in Paris.

As your time in Santa Teresa winds down, you have one final (and rather important) stop to make: Selaron's Steps. This masterpiece and picturesque icon is one of the late artist's most famous pieces, and is without a doubt one of the highlights of this Rio tour.

Your tour continues with an incredible bird's-eye view of the city from the base of the Statue of Christ. This enormous white statue keeps constant watch over Rio, offering sweeping 360-degree views of the city's natural wonders: beaches, lagoons, forests, bays, and mountains that seem to rise from the ocean. It's no wonder that the statue was recently selected as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Next, it's time to trade in this tourist icon for something less visited and step into the Santa Marta favela. Accompanied by your local guide, wander through the community, meeting the people who live here and seeing the places made famous by a Michael Jackson music video. Stroll the narrow alleys, learn about local life, and dispel some of the myths about these vibrant communities.