Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Sugarloaf Mountain53 optionsMuseums11 optionsMaracanã Stadium Tours23 optionsHelicopter Rio8 optionsCity Tour Petrópolis8 optionsCity Tour Rio de Janeiro12 optionsBoat Tour Rio de Janeiro8 optionsWalking Tour Rio de Janeiro67 optionsJeep Tour Rio12 optionsAquario Tours10 optionsSanta Teresa Tours29 optionsRio de Janeiro Airport Transfer14 options
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Petrópolis: Imperial Museum & Santos Dumont House with LunchYou visit the Imperial Museum, Cathedral, and Santos Dumont's house with a guide who knows the history; you get lunch included in an air-conditioned vehicle; you skip the logistics of renting a car or figuring out the mountain roads yourself; and you have free time on Rua Teresa to shop or rest before the drive back.Is it for me?Pick this if you want Petrópolis' main historical sites without arranging your own transport up the mountain — the fixed itinerary and included lunch mean you show up and the day is already planned.
Tijuca Rainforest Jeep Tour Rio: Waterfall & Vista ChinesaThis half-day jeep tour through Rio de Janeiro's Tijuca Rainforest combines an open-air ride through the world's largest urban rainforest with a moderate 30-minute hike to a panoramic viewpoint, a swim at the National Park's tallest waterfall, and stops at Vista Chinesa and the beaches of Ipanema, Leblon, and Copacabana. Hotel pickup in south Rio, a bilingual guide, entrance fees, and round-trip transport in a convertible jeep are all included; the tour runs five hours and suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?Book the Standard Tour if you want the full experience with a small group and a guide who knows the forest; the Monday Special Deal offers the same itinerary at a lower price if your schedule is flexible.
Rio Centro Historico, Santa Teresa & Lapa Walking TourThis walking tour covers Rio de Janeiro's Centro Historico, Santa Teresa and Lapa neighborhoods in a single morning, moving from Baroque churches and colonial squares to the famous yellow tram, then down through bohemian streets and street art to the 18th-century aqueduct. A live guide in English or Portuguese leads the route; pickup is included, and a caipirinha, beer, juice or water is offered during the walk.Is it for me?At seven to eight hours, this tour fills most of a morning or early afternoon, leaving the rest of your day free for a beach, a museum, or a meal in one of the neighborhoods you've just walked through. The fixed route and guide mean you don't navigate the hills and street changes yourself, and the tram ride and the Ruins Park viewpoint are built into the stops rather than things you have to find on your own.
Rio GIG Airport to South Zone: Private Transfer Up to 4You're picked up at GIG Galeão Airport and driven directly to your South Zone hotel, hostel or residence in a private, air-conditioned car. The route passes Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and other neighborhoods; the journey takes around an hour. WiFi is included, and the driver waits for you at arrivals with your name, so you skip the taxi queue and the price negotiation.Is it for me?Book this if you land at GIG and want to skip the taxi queue and price haggling—the driver waits for you, knows the route to your hotel, and the fare is locked in before you arrive.
Rio de Janeiro: African Heritage, Samba & Afro-Brazilian FoodYou spend a full day tracing Rio's African heritage through art, archaeology, and community, starting at the Morrinho Project in the Rio Art Museum and moving through Valongo Pier, Little Africa, and Quilombo Pedra do Sal. You taste Afro-Brazilian food, join a percussion workshop with an African drummer, and end the evening in a historic square with live samba. Museum entry and food tasting are included; you'll need to be ready for walking and standing through several stops.Is it for me?This works well if you want to understand Rio's African heritage and cultural roots in depth rather than surface-level sightseeing — the full day and multiple stops are what make the connections between art, history, food, and music actually land.
Petropolis: Imperial Museum & Crystal Palace with Brewery OptionYou visit the Imperial Museum's furniture, jewelry and clothing collections, walk through the Crystal Palace and Santos Dumont House, and optionally tour the Bohemia Brewery with a sample. Transport from your Rio hotel is included in an air-conditioned vehicle, and you return by evening without arranging any logistics yourself.Is it for me?Book this if you want Rio's most important historical sites in one day without renting a car or buying tickets at each stop — the fixed itinerary and included transport are what make a full inland trip possible without spending the morning on logistics.
Rio de Janeiro: Museum of Tomorrow & Guanabara Bay with TransferYou get hotel pickup, skip the entry line, and spend the morning moving through five exhibition zones that connect the cosmos to tomorrow's world, with views of Guanabara Bay and a stop at Rio's most famous mural. The fixed schedule and included transport mean you're not managing logistics — just showing up and walking through one of Rio's most forward-thinking buildings.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Rio's most innovative building and understand what it's thinking about without arranging your own transport or waiting in an entry line — the guided format and included pickup mean you show up and walk straight in.
Rio de Janeiro: Burle Marx Garden Tour with Local GuideYou’ll walk through Sítio Roberto Burle Marx’s lush gardens with a local guide who brings the artist’s world to life. Explore his colorful home and folk art collection, enjoy peaceful moments away from Rio’s bustle, and take in sweeping views on your return drive — an experience you’ll remember long after the tour ends.
Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer & Tijuca Forest 7-Hour TourYou get picked up from your hotel and driven through four of Rio's most recognizable spots—Christ the Redeemer, Santa Teresa's colonial streets, the Selarón Steps, and a waterfall inside Tijuca National Park—with a private guide and all transport included. Lunch is on your own, and the tour ends with the choice to add Sugarloaf Mountain or head back to rest.Is it for me?Book this if you've just arrived in Rio and want to see the main landmarks without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself—the fixed seven-hour schedule and included guide handle all three, leaving you free to rest afterward or add Sugarloaf if you're still going.
Rio: Christ the Redeemer, Selarón Steps & Santa TeresaYou visit the Christ the Redeemer statue at the summit of Corcovado Mountain with 40-50 minutes to take in the views; drive through the historic streets of Santa Teresa; and stop at the Selarón Steps ceramic staircase for photos. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Rio's South Zone, professional guide, and all transport between sites are included, leaving your afternoon free.Is it for me?Pick this tour if you want Rio's three most photographed landmarks in one half-day without arranging your own transport or tickets—the fixed schedule and included guide mean you see all three and still have the afternoon free.
Rio de Janeiro: Private city tour with guide & vehicleExperience Rio de Janeiro your way with a private city tour including hotel pickup and an expert local guide. Taste pão de queijo at Colombo Bakery, stroll through Cinelândia’s lively squares, explore Lapa’s famous arches, and relax at Ipanema Beach — all at your own pace. It’s those small moments and unexpected stops you’ll remember long after you leave.
Rio de Janeiro: Sugarloaf Mountain Cable Car & Copacabana Beach TourYou get hotel pickup, both cable car rides to Sugarloaf's summit and Morro da Urca, entry tickets, and a drive past Copacabana Beach in an air-conditioned vehicle. The tour starts at 8am and runs as a small group, so expect to share the cable cars and the van with other travelers. Infants sit on a parent's lap.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in Rio who want the Sugarloaf views without arranging transport or buying tickets separately. The 8am start means an early pickup, and the tour is shared, so expect to move with a group and plan for potential delays at the beginning.
Rio de Janeiro Private Tour with Christ & Sugarloaf ViewsYou’ll ride Rio’s iconic train to Christ the Redeemer with a local guide, wander Lapa’s colorful Selarón Steps, and gaze out from Sugarloaf Mountain after two cable car rides. Expect stories behind Carnival at Sambódromo and time inside Rio’s striking cathedral—with hotel or airport pickup making things easy.
Rio de Janeiro: AquaRio & Olympic Boulevard with PickupYou get picked up from your hotel, driven to AquaRio with entrance included, walk through four floors and a basement of 8,000 marine animals with a guide, pass underneath the 3.3-million-liter main tank, and stop at the Olympic Boulevard's street art before returning in an air-conditioned vehicle. No arranging tickets, no navigating the port zone alone, no figuring out transport between stops.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Latin America's largest aquarium without arranging separate tickets, transport, or timing—the pickup, entry, and guide are all coordinated, which is what makes a full morning or afternoon possible without logistics eating into your day.
Tijuca National Park 4x4 Tour: Hike & Lagoon SwimA 4-hour jeep and hiking tour of Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro includes hotel pickup, a local guide, a swim in a natural lagoon, and access to Vista Chinesa viewpoint overlooking São Conrado, Ipanema and Leblon beaches. The jeep carries you through the park's trails; you hike to the lagoon and up to the overlook. Vista Chinesa is accessible Monday to Friday only—weekend visits require a different route.Is it for me?Choose this tour if you need a jeep to handle Tijuca's steep terrain and want a guided hike combined with beach time in one morning or afternoon; book the alternative route if Vista Chinesa is essential and you're visiting on a weekend.
4x4 Jeep Jungle Tour Rio de Janeiro: Tijuca Waterfall & ForestA 4x4 jeep tour through Tijuca National Park takes you into Rio's largest urban forest to swim in a waterfall lagoon, walk forest trails and stop at viewpoints including the Chinese View and Canoas overlook. A local guide leads the tour in English, Spanish or Portuguese, and hotel pickup is included; the tour runs four hours and suits travelers with moderate fitness who can handle uneven terrain and water activities.Is it for me?Four hours leaves room for another activity or neighborhood in Rio the same day, but the uneven forest terrain and water swimming mean you'll want moderate fitness and comfort getting wet. Book this if you want to move through the forest itself rather than view it from a distance, and if you're prepared for the physical demands of walking and swimming in a natural setting.
Rio: Private Christ the Redeemer & Sugarloaf Tour GuideYou’ll ride up Corcovado mountain for that first glimpse of Christ the Redeemer, wander Santa Teresa’s colorful streets with your local guide, climb the Selarón Steps tile by tile, and see Rio unfurl beneath you from Sugarloaf Mountain—all with flexible timing and city pickup included.
Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer & Santa Teresa Private TourYou visit Christ the Redeemer with entry included and skip the entry-gate queue; see Rio from Dona Marta's lesser-known viewpoint; walk through the bohemian streets of Santa Teresa with context; and stand on the hand-painted Escadaria Selarón tiles. A bilingual guide handles the route and the stories, private transport means no group delays, and the whole experience moves at your pace instead of a schedule.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to see Rio's most recognizable landmarks without navigating queues or group schedules — the private format and included entry mean you spend your time looking, not waiting.
Niterói: MAC Museum & Rio-Niterói Bridge with TransferYou cross the Rio-Niterói Bridge by car, spending ten minutes with a view most Rio visitors don't get, then spend the afternoon inside Oscar Niemeyer's Contemporary Art Museum, which holds Brazil's second-largest collection of modern art. The tour includes your guide, entry to the MAC, and transport from your hotel, so you arrive without having to arrange the crossing or find the museum yourself. Five hours total.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Oscar Niemeyer's museum and understand why Niterói matters without arranging your own transport across the bay — the pickup and bridge crossing are what make a full afternoon possible in five hours.
Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer Helicopter TourYou board a helicopter and spend the flight watching Rio's landmarks pass below — Christ the Redeemer at close range, then the curve of Ipanema and Leblon, the Botanical Garden, and the lagoon. You don't arrange transport to the helipad or worry about entry fees; everything's included. Confirm your time 24 hours ahead, and the flight goes as scheduled.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Rio's landmarks from the air without arranging separate transport or paying extra fees — the helicopter does the work of covering the whole coastline in one flight, and everything's priced upfront.
