Monumental Axis Bike Tour - Brasilia





Description
In this itinerary you will discover part of Lucio Costa's urban design and several works by Oscar Niemeyer, one of the greatest architects of all time. You will also meet several other artists whose work is integrated into the architecture and urbanism of the city. The circuit takes people to get to know the main sights of the city, reaching the Monumental Axis from its western part to Praça dos 3 Poderes. Among other places, we visited the TV Tower, City Park, Dom Bosco Sanctuary, and the South Commercial Sector. We pass by the Upper Platform of the Bus Station, National Theater, Cultural Complex of the Republic, Cathedral, Esplanada dos Ministérios, Itamaraty and arrive at Praça dos Três Poderes and Espaço Lucio Costa. We walk on shared bike paths and sidewalks and we always cross at traffic lights or crosswalks. By bike we cover circuits impossible for other vehicles and the perspective of the city is completely different.
Tour Options
Itinerary
After the meeting at our agency, this is the first stop.
The Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center has a capacity of 9.4 thousand people simultaneously in a 54 thousand m² space. It is one of the largest in the country, home to five auditoriums and 13 modular meeting rooms.
One of the largest urban parks in the world.
The Sanctuary was built in honor of the patron saint of Brasilia: St. John Bosco.
Here, cyclists know a Superquadra. The Residential Scale of the urban design of the city conceived by the genius Lucio Costa. It is not the first Superquadra, the Quadra Modelo, but the configuration is similar due to the projections of the buildings, the lots of local shops, schools and leisure area.
We will pass through Rua das Farmacias. A street where the trade is predominantly pharmacies due to the proximity to the South Medical and Hospital Sector.
The first unit of the Sarah Hospitals Network is a rehabilitation center specializing in locomotion and orthopedic diseases. Architect design. They are notably humanized hospitals that do not look like hospitals. The long stay of patients is softened by large, multicolored, airy environments with natural ventilation and lighting. The buildings adopt a rationalized construction system that facilitates the distribution of installations and the flexibility of the internal areas. In the main building, the facades are marked by the vierendeel beams that, together with the advances and setbacks of the floors, create terraces-gardens with double height ceilings integrated into the internment areas. João da Gama Filgueiras Lima (Lelé) [1932 -2014] was born in Rio de Janeiro and graduated from UFRJ in 1955. He worked with O. Niemeyer and L. Costa. He was a professor at UnB. Its architecture is marked by the attention to construction methods, the detailing of the projects, and a rationalization of the work.
The Setor Comercial Sul region is central to Brasília. During the weekdays, it is one of the main pedestrian flows in the city due to the services and institutions that are installed there. The proximity to the bus station and Esplanada dos Ministérios also reinforce this flow. This, added to other factors, imposes a genuine cultural diversity. In recent years, some public places have undergone a process of revitalization and there are some buildings by important architects such as Lelé and Oscar Niemeyer. The South Commercial Sector reflects the dynamics of the Gregária Scale and with the new uses that have been given to the spaces, it stands out - "If it were another Brazil, another Brasilia, another time, the South Commercial Sector would be the Champs Élysées that so inspired Lúcio Costa or La Rambla or any other European urban area with intense collective interaction. It's all there, ready to be used, used." (Conceição de Freitas - writer).
National Library of Brasilia
Created by Oscar Niemeyer, the Claudio Santoro National Theater is one of the most beautiful works in Brasilia.
Praça do Povo, in the South Commercial Sector (SCS), was renovated in 2021 and its project was chosen by the Instituto de Arquitetos do Brasil (IAB) as one of the regional winners of the IAB Awards 2021 – Centenary Edition. The initiative took the award in the Midwest in the Urbanism, Planning and Cities category. In the decision, the award judging committee detailed that the project “stands out for its functionality and, above all, for the merit of initiating a process of improving the urban quality of the area in question.” It's worth checking out - the renovation of the place was inaugurated in October 2021 by the Government of the Federal District and allowed the multifunctionality for the practice of skateboarding, presentation of shows and the organization of areas for kiosks.
Situated on the third vertex of Praça dos Três Poderes, opposite the Planalto Palace, it was designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer with original design by Lucio Costa.
It is located within Conic, a landmark within the Southern Amusement Sector.
The National Congress is a visual landmark in the city's landscape, the main one at the apex of the Three Powers Square, at the beginning of the Esplanade of Ministries.
Planned in Brasilia's original plan, Conjunto Cultural had a project commissioned by architect Oscar Niemeyer in the 1970s
Splendid of Ministries
Authored by architect Oscar Niemeyer, the Cathedral marked a milestone in the history of modern architecture and Brasilia.
Inaugurated on February 27, 1992 in the commemoration of Lucio Costa's 90th anniversary, the space is an underground construction that houses the Brasilia Model and the Plano Piloto Tactile Model
Headquartered at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and known as Palácio dos Arcos, Itamaraty is one of Niemeyer's best known works.
At Praça dos Três Poderes we will make a stop for explanations and an external visit to the Federal Supreme Court, with explanations and moments for photos.
Designed by Niemeyer, it is in front of the Itamaraty Palace. With influences of modern architecture, the building has some concrete waterfalls that are prominent in its facade, also has a water mirror designed by landscape artist Burle Marx.
Inaugurated on April 21, 1960, the Three Powers Square is a large civic space. Created by Lucio Costa and designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the square was inaugurated in 1960, the same day as the inauguration of the Federal Capital.
There is located a large model of the city.
Place where the President of the Republic dispatches.
Pantheon of the Fatherland
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please note - the shuttle is charged separately (separately). Please inquire with us about pricing. We can send you a Uber (or equivalent), or even a group shuttle van.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- articulated tandem car trailer/bike for children from 4 to 10/12 years old (ask in advance)
Reviews(146)
Excellent tour to explore Brasilia. Alberto is an excellent guide, very kind, patient, and bilingual 👌 We had fun and learned a lot. The bicycles are in very good condition and we loved the city!! Thank you, Alberto, for also helping us take photos 😀
¡Muchas gracias por su excelente comentario! Nos alegra mucho saber que disfrutaron de Brasília de una manera divertida y enriquecedora junto a Alberto. Él estará muy feliz de recibir sus palabras; su amabilidad, paciencia y conocimiento de la ciudad son parte de la experiencia que buscamos ofrecer. También nos complace saber que nuestras bicicletas contribuyeron a que el paseo fuera aún mejor. ¡Esperamos recibirlas nuevamente en Brasília!
Absolutely phenomenal tour getting to see many of Oscar Naymeirs works. I loved the simplicity in his designs. This made me fall in love with the city. Our guide Ruiz was very knowledgeable and allowed us time for photos.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that the tour helped you discover and appreciate Oscar Niemeyer’s remarkable architecture. Brasília is a city where every curve, space and building tells a story, and we love sharing these details with our guests. Rui will be very happy to know that his knowledge and attention made your experience even more special. We hope to welcome you again in Brasília!
We had a great experience! Our guide was great! The bikes were fun & it was a great way to experience the heart of Brasilia! Strong recommendation!
hank you so much for your great review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed discovering the heart of Brasília by bike. Our guides are passionate about sharing the history, architecture and unique atmosphere of the city, and we’re happy that the experience was memorable for you. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again on another ride in Brasília!
First there was an error from Viator regarding the tour's departure time, I scheduled for the morning and the agency received the schedule for the afternoon. Our tour was long and with some explanations, in front of all the comments posted about the tour expected a little more.
Olá, Priscilla. Agradecemos por compartilhar sua experiência conosco. Lamentamos o transtorno em relação ao horário do passeio; infelizmente, houve uma divergência no agendamento recebido pela plataforma Viator, que acabou impactando a programação inicial de vocês. Ficamos felizes que tenham realizado o tour e que tenham podido conhecer Brasília de bicicleta. Levamos muito a sério os comentários dos nossos clientes e vamos aproveitar sua observação para seguir aprimorando a experiência e a qualidade das nossas explicações. Esperamos ter a oportunidade de recebê-la novamente e proporcionar uma experiência ainda mais completa.
We were flying from Campo Grande to Salvador and, rather than arrive there late at night, we decided to stop over in Brasilia to see something of this amazing city. We only had the morning so a three hour bike tour worked perfectly to see the best parts of the city. Enrique was a fun guide and made sure we were safe when crossing big roads. Cycling was a great way to see the centre. As it was a Monday, the cathedral was closed we went to the Dom Bosco church which has excellent blue stained glass. One of the best modern churches we’ve visited. We’re so glad we stopped over. And the Camelo office was only 400 metres from our hotel the Windsor Plaza. Thanks for a great morning.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted that you chose to include Brasília in your journey and that our bike tour helped you make the most of your short stay in the city. Henrique will be very happy to receive your compliments about his guidance and care for your safety. We’re glad you enjoyed discovering Brasília’s architecture, including the beautiful Dom Bosco Church. It was a pleasure to welcome you, and we hope to see you again someday!
We had a wonderful time. João Vitor and Enrique were very helpful. João is a very skilled guide. I can only recommend this company!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had a great experience with João Vitor and Henrique. João will be very happy to receive your compliments; his knowledge of Brasília and his ability to connect with guests are truly valuable to our tours. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again for another ride and discovery of our amazing city!
I highly recommend this bike tour for anyone wanting to see and know more about Brasilia. My tour guide Rogerio was so kind and knowledgeable. This ended up being the highlight of my trip!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review and recommendation, Lydia! We are truly happy to know that discovering Brasília by bike became one of the highlights of your trip. Rogério will be delighted to receive your kind words; his knowledge of the city and his warm approach are exactly what make our experiences special. It was a pleasure to welcome you, and we hope to see you again in Brasília!
Rogerio was a terrific guide, both knowledgeable and super enthusiastic about sharing stories and facts about the concept, planning, design, construction, use, and ongoing uses of the modernist city of Brasilia. He is a native of the city, with many views about what works and what doesn’t. Seeing the city on bicycle is an efficient and enjoyable way to take in the major sites and structures on the monumental axis of the city in a short span of time. The ride isn’t a difficult one, well worth the time. More people should see Brasilia, and more people should visit Rogerio!
Thank you, Jean! Thank you so much for this outstanding review! We are thrilled to hear that Rogério helped you discover Brasília not only through its iconic buildings, but also through its history, planning, design and everyday life. As a native of the city, he brings a unique perspective and passion to the experience. We truly believe that cycling is one of the best ways to understand Brasília’s urban scale and modernist character. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you again!
Our guide Rui was very knowledgeable and allowed time for us to stop and wander and take pictures. I would strongly recommend him for the four hour bike tour of the monuments if you are casually interested in the architecture but don't need to go in buildings or get an architects professional perspective.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We are delighted that Rui helped you enjoy Brasília at a relaxed pace, with time to stop, explore and take photos. Our Monumental Axis Bike Tour was selected by Embratur (Brazil’s official tourism promotion agency) as one of Brazil’s 100 most authentic tourism experiences, which is a great honor for us. We believe cycling is a wonderful way to appreciate Brasília’s architecture, history and unique urban scale. We hope to welcome you again!
Great tour. Covers all the sights and guide highlights all the history.
Thank you for your feedback!



