Top Rio de Janeiro Art Tours

Get a glimpse behind the scenes of Carnival during this tour of Cidade do Samba. On this outing, follow your guide on a tour of the Acadêmicos do Grande Rio's warehouse, one of Rio's top samba schools, where they store their outrageous costumes and grandiose parade floats. Toast to your insider's experience with a traditional caipirinha while you learn about the history and culture of the Carnival in Brazil. Brave visitors can even try on a few feathered costumes. Round-trip transportation from central Rio hotels is included.

Tick off several of Rio de Janeiro’s top sights—including the Selaron Steps, Christ the Redeemer Statue, and Tijuca National Park—in just a few hours on a tour that offers a stress-free introduction for travelers short on time. In order to avoid the hassle of public transport, you’ll travel around Brazil’s cultural capital in an air-conditioned vehicle and benefit from the insider knowledge of your guide.

Get a glimpse into the local street art scene in Rio de Janeiro during this 4-hour arts and culture tour. Follow your local guide around the city, stopping to view popular works of art in unlikely places like a tunnel, a schoolyard and on the sides of buildings. Admire graffiti projects, murals and hit up a gallery/microbrewery in Leblon. Learn about the local arts scene and the cultural impact it has on the city through your guide's informative, engaging commentary. Snacks and transportation in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle are included.

Spend an epic day and night exploring all of Rio's attractions during this full-day tour. During the day, follow your guide to attractions like the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue on top of Corcovado Mountain, reached via a cog train ride through the Tijuca Rainforest. Take the cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain for spectacular views of Guanabara Bay and enjoy a downtown tour including Cinelandia Square and the Metropolitan Cathedral. In the evening, attend the Ginga Tropical show, a vibrant dance performance that celebrates the country's cultural roots. Lunch and round-trip port or hotel transportation are included.

Come and visit one of the most traditional courts in Rio de Janeiro. Samba is a musical genre considered one of the main manifestations of Carioca and Brazilian culture. This tour offers the opportunity to watch closely the rehearsals of the biggest Samba schools in Rio de Janeiro. In Rio de Janeiro, the samba school party starts long before the carnival. Rehearsals for the parade at the Sambadrome for groups A, B and Especial take place from the middle of the year and the school courts open the doors for revelers of all ages to heat up the tambourines. The court rehearsals bring together young people, the community, tourists and celebrities in crowded parties, where the battery queens and school muses tend to be a fixed presence.

Visit the Roberto Burle Marx home and gardens during a private 4-hour tour from Rio. In the company of a local guide, explore the home of this artists and designer, surrounded by lush property filled with native plants. The Sitio Roberto Burle Marx is built in a distinctly Brazilian style, including elements of cubism and abstractionism. Walk through the peaceful gardens and admire the home's collection of folk art while learning about his life, work and esthetic from your knowledgeable guide. Round-trip transportation from Rio is included.

Get an in-depth local experience with this walking tour of one of Rio's favelas, Rocinha. Follow your resident guide to get an insider's perspective on daily life and learn about the challenges these communities face.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s biggest parties during this tour in Rio de Janeiro. See all the work that goes into this week-long party as you tour the City of Samba, a warehouse where floats and costumes are kept, and the Grande Rio’s Samba Factory, to learn about the history of samba and how to samba while wearing a traditional costume.

Inside Tijuca National Park hides the small and iconic Santa Teresa, the bohemian point of our beloved Rio de Janeiro. Between monuments that combine colonial architecture with tropical flora and fauna and museums, restaurants and bars preferred by intellectuals and artists of the '60s, Santa Teresa has become the perfect fusion between art and nature Carioca. Our tour includes transportation and a guide who will show you the best places for postcards and tell you the story behind each spot.

The bohemian Santa Teresa and the nightlife hub of Lapa are two of Rio de Janeiro’s most atmospheric neighborhoods. With this walking tour, explore some of the city’s most photo-worthy spots, including the Ruins Park, the vibrant Selarón Steps, and Cinelândia. Take in the views as you ride the local tram, stroll through the Passeio Público, and visit the legendary Confeitaria Colombo café.

Summit both Corcovado and Sugar Loaf mountains in the early morning to beat the crowds on this half-day tour in Rio de Janeiro. After bright and early pickup from your Rio hotel, travel through the Tijuca National Forest to get up close with the Christ the Redeemer statue without throngs of people around. After learning about its history from your local guide, move on to Sugar Loaf Mountain for spectacular views of the sprawling city, slowly waking up in the morning light. Tickets for the Sugar Loaf cable car are not included.

Head to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain by cable car for sweeping views of Rio de Janeiro. Your skip-the-line ticket gives you priority access to both cable cars, and is valid for any departure time on the day you select.

Tick off all the attractions on your Rio de Janeiro must-see list on this full-day tour. With transportation included and a guide in the lead, you'll make good time on visits to the city's highlights, including the Selaron steps, the main Rio cathedral, the Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado, and Sugar Loaf Mountain. Gondola ride and lunch included.

This stroll will give you an excellent overview of the Historic Center of Rio, which combines Baroque churches, colonial buildings and modern buildings as it is also the business center of Rio. The visit is made on foot at your own pace and ends with a lunch on Cinelandia square included in the service.

Get a glimpse into local life in Rio de Janeiro during a favela tour that reveals a different side of the Marvelous City. In an intimate group limited to 12 travelers, you’ll explore two of the largest favelas in Rio, and benefit from the local insight of a guide as you learn more about living conditions in the city.

As one of the New7Wonders of the World and Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic attraction, the Christ the Redeemer statue attracts lengthy lines. Don’t waste time waiting, save time with this skip-the-line ticket that allows you to board the next available train to Christ the Redeemer, which reigns supreme over the city from Corcovado’s summit. Your return ticket is valid on any train so spend as much time as you like at the top, enjoying panoramic vistas of Rio and capturing photographs beneath the outstretched arms of Christ.   

Niterói is one of the most beautiful tours that can be done during your visit to Rio de Janeiro. The view of the city park, the visit to the museum and all the history involved in the fortress of Santa Cruz are simply marvelous and enchanting.

The Tijuca Forest represents one of the greatest natural treasures of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Trip in Rio offers the best guides and all the conditions necessary for you to have the best experience in our marvelous city. During this trip you will get to see some of Tijuca's most famous attractions such as the Chinese view, the emperor's table and Taunay cascatinha. See wildlife and feel nature in its most beautiful and full natural beauty.

Make sure you've got the best views in the house by securing seats in the front box for RIo Carnival, the globally-acclaimed festival that takes place each spring. As well as enjoying the best views of the parade from your front-row seats, you'll benefit from convenient hotel pickup and drop-off—so you won't have to worry about navigating public transport or finding a meeting point.

Discover the best of Rio de Janeiro with a knowledgeable Private Local Guide! Welcome to the Wonderful City. During this amazing Tour Experience, you will see the most popular sights and the best parts of the city with a local and professional tour guide like Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Santa Teresa, and Selaron Steps. This tour is ideal for people who are visiting Rio for the first time and have just one day to enjoy it all! A unique experience to know the city in one day, with lots of colors, history, culture, art, and happiness! And. . . if you want I can create a customized tour for you in case you have special requests or if you are more than 3 people and require larger transportation. Round-trip transportation from Port Area/Hotel or Apartament is included.

Follow the voice of Priscila, a charming Carioca, who will lead you to one of the most famous beaches in the world, Ipanema beach. Starting from the best place in the city to watch the sunset, the "pedra do arpoador", you will learn about the origins and the musicians who invented Bossa Nova. During the walk you will hear that Priscila can not really sing, but she will try in a charming way to introduce you to some of the most famous Bossa Nova songs. The walk will take you to the Park of the Girl of Ipanema, where you will learn about the legend of the two brothers from the hill of Vidigal, who inspired Chico Duarte to write a song. Afterwards, you will learn more about the similarities between Bossa Nova and Samba, especially about the unique instruments. You will also discover the story of Tom Jombin while admiring his monument.

Get a taste of authentic samba culture in Rio de Janeiro by attending a samba school rehearsal and watching the dancers prepare for Carnival. Enjoy the music and energetic dancers, and get ready for a late night as the highlight occurs around 3 a.m: the presentation of the batería (percussion orchestra), in which sixty percussion instruments are played simultaneously in perfect harmony.

Get a glimpse behind the scenes of Carnival during this tour of Cidade do Samba. On this outing, follow your guide on a tour of the Acadêmicos do Grande Rio's warehouse, one of Rio's top samba schools, where they store their outrageous costumes and grandiose parade floats. Toast to your insider's experience with a traditional caipirinha while you learn about the history and culture of the Carnival in Brazil. Brave visitors can even try on a few feathered costumes. Round-trip transportation from central Rio hotels is included.

Considered by “The Guardian” one of the top 10 bars in the world, Rio Scenarium is a former antique store located in the heart of the bohemian and traditional region of Lapa. Rio Scenarium is a three-level culture pavilion interconnected by stairs and an elevator from the belle époque era. Its relics, flamboyant decor and obsolete items are commonly used in film productions. The venue is the scene of incredible live music, where the best artists bring to life Brazilian music genres such as Samba, Forró and MPB (Brazilian Popular Music). Skip the line through a fast track entrance and live a genuine local nightlife experience while enjoying the 3-hour open bar (selected drinks) and a full dinner service (appetizer, main course and desert). Note: Attention to the tour option chosen - with roundtrip transportation, with one-way transportation, and without transportation included. At least 2 people are required for the activity with roundtrip transportation to take place.

What do you do in Rio in the months leading up to the official carnival parades? To prepare for the showy carnival parades in February, samba schools need a long preparation that starts in June. Get the feeling of Carnival by taking a guided tour of an exciting rehearsal experiencing the passion that unites all Brazilians. Immerse yourself in one of the most interactive Brazilian cultural expressions with dancing, singing and cheering alongside fans at one of the samba schools warehouses the night away. Before rehearsal, assimilate into the samba and carnaval culture by joining workshops taking the first steps in the samba dance from professional dancers, and even learn a little how to play the main carnaval instruments from talented musicians. After the workshops, enjoy the official rehearsal on the court putting into practice what you learned with dancers, drummers and flag bearers. In addition, learn about the history of samba and the school's community, and its main projects.