RIO DE JANEIRO
The best of the marvellous city.
The 15 most popular city tours in Rio de Janeiro, with prices, run times and who you book through. The ones worth building a day around, and what each actually gets you.
Go backstage at Rio’s City of Samba with Grande Rio. See float building, try costumes, learn samba steps, and finish with a caipirinha.
Most Popular“Had a great guide with energy and enthusiasm. Really interesting, giving insight into what, why and how. A lot of fun too!”
Private Rio city tour with a dedicated guide and private transport. Customize your day, cover Leblon, Ipanema, Copacabana, and iconic sights.
“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!”
Half-day Rio tour to Christ the Redeemer plus Tijuca Forest, Maracanã, Sambadrome, Selarón Steps, and the Metropolitan Cathedral.
“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…”
Spend a full day in Petrópolis touring royal palaces, Gothic mausoleums, and German-influenced streets, with an optional beer upgrade.
“It was a nice day trip with the casino and palace definitely being the highlights and worth the price of the tour.”
Hop on Rio Samba Bus for a guided, music-filled loop through Copacabana, Sugarloaf, Lapa, and Christ the Redeemer.
“Pena ter pego um dia com chuva! Nao aproveitamos!”
Spend a full day in Petrópolis from Rio: Imperial sights, Bohemia brewery tastings, and a lunch buffet on a guided group tour.
“When we made the reservation, there were at least two pick-up options right next to our hotel in Leblon (a very popular location). But after the purchase, we were told the nearest pick-up point was actually 2.2 km away, and at a very early hour in the morning. This wouldn’t have been a problem if…”
Private 3-hour Centro walking tour linking Rio’s history from Theatro Municipal to Paço Imperial, with flexible stops and free admissions.
“Although we saw some great sites, the guide made us feel like he needed to be somewhere else, and our 2 1/2-hour tour ended after 1 1/2 hours. It was not an inexpensive tour so we left feeling taken advantage of (and perhaps not seeing everything we were supposed to see?). Perhaps a price adjustment…”
Full-day Rio loop to Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf with lunch buffet and photo stops at Selarón and the Cathedral.
“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…”
A 4-hour Old Rio walk with free-entry churches, São Bento art, Imperial Palace sights, Olympic Mauá Square, and hotel transfers included.
“Unfortunately, not enough people signed up for the tour and it was cancelled. HOWEVER, the communication between the operator and Viator was seamless, and the tour was refunded with kind apologies. Tourism is full of moving parts, and sometimes things just happen. I must admit I was disappointed, however given the opportunity to revisit, will…”
Corcovado train to Christ the Redeemer plus Maracanã, Sambódromo, Cathedral, and Selarón Steps in a 5-hour Rio tour.
“João était un guide génial ! Ses explications étaient intéressantes et il veillait toujours à ce que tout le monde le comprenne, en parlant portugais, espagnol et anglais. L'activité est conforme à la description. Cependant, on passe peu de temps par site visité. Ce qui est prévisible, vu le programme chargé à compléter en 5…”
Private bilingual Rio transfer with a meet-and-greet, flight tracking, and an air-conditioned car. Comfort, timing, and value for up to 3.
“Thiago was waiting for us in the airport when we arrived. He told us about the places as we drove to our hotel. He checked in with us the day before our return trip to the airport to make sure everything was scheduled correctly. Great guy and would use him again.”
A half-day Rio highlights tour linking Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf, Santa Teresa, and Selarón with paid viewpoints and hotel pickup.
“Fantastic city tour; our guide Alex was very knowledgeable and gave us the background on each of the locations we went to. In spite of the long line ups at various locations Alex managed to get us through with a minimum of delay. He took very good care of us as we are both seniors.…”
A focused 5-hour Rio tour hitting Christ the Redeemer, Selarón Staircase, Carnival sites, Tijuca Forest and Maracanã for $90.
“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”
Petropolis from Rio in 10 hours: imperial landmarks, Imperial Museum tickets, and a Brazilian buffet lunch included with a guided day trip.
“nice trip to petropolis, good guide. Have Seen a lot. it was a long day. I doesn't like the long pickup of the guest.”
One day in Rio packs Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf cable car, Maracanã, Sambadrome, Cathedral and Selarón steps, plus buffet lunch.
“It was an awesome experience with Carolina! Timing at each site was just nice. She was knowledgeable and friendly. Well recommended!”
From Christ the Redeemer and the Sugarloaf cable car to the beaches, the rainforest and the Lapa nights, every way to spend a day in the Cidade Maravilhosa.
