Tours I offer
By hiring me as your tour guide, you can book just one or several half- or full-day tours according to your interests and budget. The tours are private — it will be only you and your travelling companions in the vehicle.
Please explore this page, decide which half-day tours you would like to book, and fill in the contact form to get a quote and a suggested program for the days you will be in Rio de Janeiro.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Rio de Janeiro Half-Day Tours
1st half-day tour: Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf
2nd half-day tour: Selaron steps and downtown
3rd half-day tour: “My” Rio de Janeiro tour
4th half-day tour: Ask me
• Other tours to add to your program
Street art
Maracana stadium
Beach tour
Other sites
• Rio de Janeiro Full-Day Tours
Rio de Janeiro HALF-Day Tours
1st Half-Day Tour
Christ the Redeemer Statue Tour
Christ the Redeemer is the iconic statue overlooking and blessing Rio de Janeiro.
The statue was elected one of the 7 new wonders of the world, and it is, without a doubt, Rio’s most visited monument, situated at 710 meters (2,329 feet) above sea level on the summit of Corcovado Mountain. From there one can have a 360-degree view of Rio de Janeiro.
A Christ the Redeemer tour is a must-do in Rio. By hiring an experienced Rio de Janeiro tour guide you will receive the essential information about the site and the city during a hassle-free visit.
Sugar Loaf Tour
Sugar Loaf is Rio’s second most visited monument, with breath-taking views over the city. It is a 396-meter (1,299 feet) high one-block stone from where you can have a panoramic view over Copacabana, Leme, Botafogo and Flamengo beaches besides downtown, Rio-Niterói bridge, Guanabara Bay as well as several other Rio de Janeiro highlights and landmarks.
2nd Half-Day Tour
Selaron Steps Tour
In 1990, Chilean-born Jorge Selarón began covering with tiles a 215-step stairway that connects Lapa to Santa Teresa. It was an obsessive and exhaustive work. Eventually, he covered the entire set of stairs with tiles. It has been named by the artist himself as Selaron steps, but it is also known as Lapa steps.
His unique work of art has been featured in many famous magazines, newspapers, travel shows, documentaries, commercials and video clips such as Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful”.
Selaron steps — the famous colored steps in Lapa — has definitely become one of the most visited tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro in the past years. A must-see to anyone visiting Rio de Janeiro.
Note: As I have personally met the artist hundreds of times when he was alive, I can tell you a lot about him and his masterpiece. Besides, I can point to you where are located some interesting tiles, among the many hundreds from different cities and countries.
Downtown Tour
Visit to the following places:
• Drive along important avenues of downtown, to get an overview of it;
• Quick look at the Municipal Theater (seen only from the outside);
• Quick visit to Rio’s modern cathedral (a church different from all the others you have seen);
• Short (or long) stroll in the business district as well as in the historic part of downtown (with colonial-style Portuguese buildings as well as modern ones along the way);
• Visit to the 19th century Colombo café (one of the oldest in Rio) [Queen Elizabeth has visited this place];
• Drive near Lapa arches and parts of Lapa neighborhood. Lapa was one of the first residential areas in Rio de Janeiro;
• Three to five other sites, streets, and attractions may be added to the tour depending on the day of the week, time of the day, traffic, and your pace or of your travelling companions.
Note: A 10- to 50-minute stroll is expected on this tour. The length of the stroll will depend on a variety of reasons such as your age or of your travelli