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Rio de Janeiro Tour

Tripoto
28th Oct 2013
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 1/23 by Manu Peclat
Lapa, Downtown Rio
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 2/23 by Manu Peclat
Barra da Tijuca and Recreio beaches
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 3/23 by Manu Peclat
Cable cars, Sugar Loaf Mountain
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 4/23 by Manu Peclat
Christ the Redeemer, view from Copacabana bea
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 5/23 by Manu Peclat
ChristTheRedeemer, Rio de Janeiro
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 6/23 by Manu Peclat
City lights from Sugar Loaf Mountain
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 7/23 by Manu Peclat
Contemporary Art Museum & Icarai beach
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 8/23 by Manu Peclat
Contemporary Art Museum, Niteroi
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 9/23 by Manu Peclat
Contemporary Art Museum, Niteroi
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 10/23 by Manu Peclat
Copacabana & Ipanema beach, Rio de Janeiro
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 11/23 by Manu Peclat
Copacabana and SugarLoaf view, Rio de Janeiro
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 12/23 by Manu Peclat
Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 13/23 by Manu Peclat
Copacabana Fort, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 14/23 by Manu Peclat
Copacabana Fort, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 15/23 by Manu Peclat
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 16/23 by Manu Peclat
Lapa arches, Rio de Janeiro
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 17/23 by Manu Peclat
Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 18/23 by Manu Peclat
Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 19/23 by Manu Peclat
Master Vantim Water Fountain
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 20/23 by Manu Peclat
Municipal Theatre, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 21/23 by Manu Peclat
Old bridges around Icarai beach
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 22/23 by Manu Peclat
Santa Teresa Street Car
Photo of Rio de Janeiro Tour 23/23 by Manu Peclat
Tijuca National Park

To feel and experience the real "carioca way of life"(cariocas are how the natives of Rio are called), and get the best from not only the main tour attractions but also the "off the beaten path" things to do in Rio, 2 full day(8hrs) tours are perfect!! Here's a suggestion of a tour plan I usually do with my clients:

DAY 1 - FULL DAY TOUR SCHEDULE

We will start at around 9am at the LEBLON VIEW POINT where you can taking beautiful pictures of the breathtaking sights of LEBLON & IPANEMA beaches. I call this start "Manu's welcome drink view point", because it's here that I usually take people to "get into the city's mood", as we sip a delicious sweet and chilled non-alcoholic famous Rio de Janeiro drink.

Then, we'll drive along Rio's beach side to see the famous LEBLON, IPANEMA & COPACABANA beaches, also stopping at the historical and beautiful COPACABANA FORT, from where we can have the prettiest ground view of the SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN and COPACABANA BEACH. It will truly be your best memory of your Rio trip!

From the COPACABANA FORT, we will head to the CORCOVADO MOUNTAIN, by car, driving pass the TIJUCA NATIONAL PARK, considered the world's largest urban forest inside a city's limits and visit the CHRIST REDEEMER STATUE, from where we will enjoy one of the most beautiful and breathtaking views of the city.

Back on the way, as we drive down, we will halt by an unmissible stop at DONA MARTA's view point.

After "blessed by the Christ", our tour continues towards downtown area. We'll then walk through the SANTA TERESA street car station. And then we'll ride the trolley over the old acqueduct known as ARCOS DA LAPA (Lapa arches), up to SANTA TERESA NEIGHBORHOOD to visit its colonial architecture and pretty workshops and handcrafts stores.

I will ensure that we would never get back downtown without tasting the typical flavor of Rio, trying the unique and exquisite famous brazilian "black beans stew" turn overs with cold beer and chilled "caipirinhas" at a very local bar, where we can feel and experience the "soul" of Rio. OUTTA THIS WORLD!!

On the way back down, we walk along Santa Teresa's colonial streets to the old bohemian district of LAPA, also visiting the famous "tiles covered staircase" by JORGE SELARÓN, the chilean artist who lives in Rio.

Ending up our full day tour, we will head to another famous and unmissible highlight in Rio: THE SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN, with its european design, glass diamond shaped cable cars, on a ride up to 326mts high. Luckily, we can check the sunset from there, over the mountains, behind the Christ statue skyline and also see the city lit up, changing completely but as well impressive and beautifuly, the scene of our city.

Day 2 - FULL DAY TOUR SCHEDULE

We'll start our visit at the beautiful and panoramic city across the bay, over the bridge, of Niteroi where we can have a beautiful view of the city of Rio from the Contemporary Art Museum designed by the famous brazilian architect OSCAR NIEMEYER.

After visiting NITEROI, we'll head to the world's largest urban atlantic rain forest park, the tijuca national park, to take wonderful pictures by the park's waterfall.

We'll drive down the park's mountain to "barra da tijuca", the newest borrough in Rio, where the "wild beaches of the west" are located. After trying the famous brazilian barbecue, you'll visit the sugar loaf mountain by cable car, and be there to stare one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.

Here's how things work down here: Certified tour guides have free entrance in ALL touristic attractions, museums and theathers, so, don't worry about going to all places and because of that overwhelm your budget with the guide's tickets. (LOL!).

The price mentioned above is for 1-2 people. For bigger groups, please contact me via the trip enquiry form.

With the Twin Brother's mountain in the background, the view on the Leblon and Ipanema beach are breathtaking and as refreshing as the sea breeze there! So we begin our trip here, with the tropical Rio welcome drink, followed by a drive along the shore.

Photo of Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat

Promising to give you the most beautiful view of Rio, the Copacabana beach is one of the most colourful and lively places to be in Rio, and all those who've been here will agree with me. While you have the old stones of the Copacabana Fort standing on one side, the view of the other side gives away to the city's expanse, along side the waters of the ocean hitting the shores of the beach.

Photo of Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat

As we walk to the end of the Copacabana Beach, we'll reach the magnificent yet archaic entrance to the Copacabana Fort. This old army fort, with its preserved rooms and cannons, also brings along exhibition halls and live cafes where we can learn and share the history of the city with the friendly locals. The view to Pao de Acuacar and the Sugar Loaf mountains just adds to the scenic beauty of the place.

Photo of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat

Tijuca is a neighborhood with the most buzz around the city. You'll get to shop in the sprawling arena of South America's biggest shopping mall in Barra da Tijuca, at the Bara Shopping, along with Rio Design Barra and many others. There are also numerous famous churrascaria and cafes and restaurants where we can stop for a quick bite of Brazilian delicacies! Other attractions include Taunay waterfall at the Tijuca National Park visitors center, along with the serenity of the old bridge from the 18th century, keeps the colonial and bucolic atmosphere at this beautiful place. The Barra da Tijuca and Recreio beaches are truly surfers paradise on the west zone of the city. And finally, we'll get to the Urca hill, in the second part of the trip is to ride up to the sugar loaf mountain. And after the sunset, hills give way to the rewarding view of the city lights.

Photo of Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat

Standing at a height of 700m above the hill top of Corcovado Mountains is the world famous statue - Christ The Redeemer. This and the Dona Marta's point gives the most stunning view and vista of what I see as the most beautiful city! It's one of the top "must-see" spots on my tour!

Photo of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat

The tour continues towards downtown area, where we'll see the historical buildings and monuments from the colonial and imperial 19th century. We'll walk through the old cobbled stones streets quarters, staring at the old colonial buildings which today hold restaurants, workshops, discos, etc to the "still riding since the 19th century". Further, we'll head to the SANTA TERESA street car station, where we'll ride the trolley over the old acqueduct known as ARCOS DA LAPA(Lapa arches), up to SANTA TERESA NEIGHBORHOOD to visit its colonial architecture and pretty workshops and handcrafts stores. The street car riding the old Santa Teresa streets gives an amazing view too.

Photo of Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat

As we walk along Santa Teresa's colonial streets, we'll head to the old bohemian district of LAPA. This visit will be incomplete without visiting the famous "tiles covered staircase" by JORGE SELARÓN, the chilean artist who lives in Rio. At the old district of LAPA, you'll enjoy the centennial buildings. The bucolic and picturesque LAPA district, with the street car riding over the arches of the old aqueduct, is hence also called ARCOS DA LAPA. In the Lapa district, we'll also get to visit the beautiful architecture and mosaics of 1909 at the Municipal Theatre, and Master Valentim Water Fountain, which has been preserved in the heart of this downtown area since 1789.

Photo of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat

The Contemporary Art Museum in Niteroi with the sugar loaf mountain in the background is a scene of modern architecture meeting nature's marvels. Designed by the brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, it's an unmissible attraction in Niterói city. The museum and the Icarai beach, Niteroi, behind, make for the highlights of our day 2 of touring Rio.

Photo of Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, Niteroi - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Manu Peclat