リオ・リトル・アフリカを発見：文化と歴史の旅

This was truly a cultural experience of the sights, sounds, tastes and flavors of the Afro-Brazilian history and heritage.

No matter the words I choose to use for this review, it will be an incredible understatement to the profound impact it has left on me. Gabriella who was our tour guide is absolutely incredible and was able to help us navigate very sensitive and difficult subject matter while showing us the beautiful resilience of the people built who built the incredible city (from buildings to the vibrant Brasilian culture) that we now know and love. There is so much about this history that is not taught anywhere in the world and you can only truly experience it through excursions like this. Black history is world history and it is the history of human kind. If you are reading this review and hesitant about booking – book it, as long as you do so with an open mind and open heart. It will change you, like it did for me. You might also leave with new heroes and names you did not know before this tour and you will never be able to forget after. Thank you Gabriella for this incredible experience. You are incredibly talented and I’m so grateful for your perspective. You truly embodied the spirit of Sankofa, showing us the past and empowering us to take the lessons into the future. This will sit in my heart for the rest of my life.

+2

Today I experienced an unforgettable tour of Little Africa in Rio de Janeiro with our guide, Rafael. I left my hotel in Copacabana knowing that the area in which I was staying represented only a small fraction of the life, history and experiences that make up Rio. Rafael took us on a journey through the history of Africans who were brought involuntarily to Brazil — a journey marked by blood, sweat, resilience, resistance and survival. Through the streets of Little Africa, we began to understand how generations of Africans, despite unimaginable obstacles, shaped the culture, identity and soul of Brazil and became part of what we now recognise as Afro-Brazilian history. The story was honest, powerful and deeply moving. Hearing it told by an Afro-Brazilian guide gave the experience an additional depth and authenticity. Rafael did not simply explain dates and historical events; he connected us to the people, their struggles, their achievements and the legacy they left behind. It made me reflect on how easy it is as a visitor to experience the beauty of Rio without fully understanding the history beneath its streets. Little Africa is not simply somewhere to visit. It is somewhere to listen, learn, reflect and remember. Thank you, Rafael, for sharing this history with such knowledge, passion and humanity. This was much more than a tour — it was an education and an experience I will carry with me long after leaving Rio.

I want to start by giving a special thanks to Scarlet for taking time out of her weekend to give my daughter and I the tour of "Little Africa." At the start of the tour, the Uber driver dropped us off at the wrong place but Scarlett was kind enough to come and find us. We loved how she reviewed the history from slavery to the current date from the community's prospective. She explained the meaning of all the colorful artwork and landmarks in the area. She gave a great recommendation for dinner. The best part was at the end of the tour she said we were all one. Then she said we were no longer tour participants, we were family and gave us a hug. With all that being said we recommend this tour! Thank you again Scarlet for welcoming us.

My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour with Ana Julia. The tour was enhanced by her clear excitement to learn and share the information she knows. Throughout the tour she also answered our questions and we engaged in thoughtful discussion. I HIGHLY recommend this tour.

The tour was very insightful and interesting. Myllena showed us quite a few sites in provided historical commentary on the significance of the sites. She was very pleasant and patient as she answered our many questions. We enjoyed this tour and would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the history of Africans in Brazil!

My friends and I booked Florencios Tours for our trip to Rio de Janeiro, and it was one of the best decisions we made. We wanted a balance between the major tourist attractions and a deeper dive into the Afro‑Brazilian cultural history of Rio — and Florencios Tours delivered this perfectly.A huge thank‑you to Damanica and our amazing tour guide, Gabrielle, who were both incredibly knowledgeable, warm, and attentive. They listened to our interests and crafted a day that felt personal, meaningful, and beautifully paced.From iconic landmarks to powerful cultural sites, every stop was intentional and enriched with stories that helped us understand Rio beyond the surface. We left feeling connected, inspired, and grateful for the experience.Highly recommended for anyone seeking a tour that goes beyond the typical itinerary and truly honors the client!

+5

This tour was fantastic! I especially appreciated my tour guide, Scarlet! Her depth of knowledge regarding 'Little Africa' & its history was IMPRESSIVE! She took me all around the surroundings sites & answered every question. She took great pics & was kind & courteous. Please book her for your next tour.

We arrived in Rio on July 2 for a four day stay before going to São Paulo. So it was important for us to have a structured tour so we could get the most out of our visit. Gabriella our very knowledgeable and caring tour guide met us in the airport and escorted us to our van where Paulo our driver was waiting. There were five people in our group and they took great care of us. They took us to our hotel in Copacabana where we checked in and came back down to go on a sunset tour of Sugar Loaf mountain. After we went to the Ginga Show which wasn’t that far from our hotel. The Gabriela explained our itinerary for the next few days which included some of the closures for the July 5 FIFA Brazil vs Norway. The next morning we visited Christ the Redeemer Statue and Gabriela made certain that accommodations were made for me since I have issues with my knee. We took the train up to the statue which was amazing!! After we went to lunch at a steak house where the food was phenomenal. We visited the Samba School which I personally loved and we did a walking tour of Little Africa. Gabriella explained in detail what we were looking at and the history behind it. We were a group of educators from New York City so we had an eagerness to learn as much as possible to bring back to our schools and classrooms. The museums she took us to were very deep in revealing the AfroBrazilian experience in ways that we did not know. The murals, favelas, and mansions, and people we experienced along the way will require another trip. Of all the places I’ve been, Brazil 🇧🇷 Rio is the most memorable. We will be back!

+5

Our Little Africa tour with Carolina (“Carol”) was one of the highlights of our time in Rio. Carol is an excellent guide and communicator. She speaks English fluently and made complex historical, social, and cultural topics easy to understand. She welcomed questions and engaged thoughtfully with sensitive subjects related to race, ethnicity, national identity, and inequality. Her answers were honest, nuanced, and respectful, and she encouraged meaningful discussion by inviting us to share similarities and differences between our own experiences and those of people in Brazil. We were fortunate to have a private tour, which allowed for more conversation and a deeper exploration of topics that particularly interested us. While the tour follows a well-designed structure, Carol was attentive to our interests and spent additional time discussing contemporary Afro-Brazilian life, including social, political, and economic issues. She reached out before the tour to introduce herself and answer questions, which helped us get the most out of the experience. I learned an incredible amount about Brazil’s colonial history, the transatlantic slave trade, resistance movements, and the diverse African cultures that shaped Brazil. One particularly moving stop was the site where the remains of enslaved Africans, buried in a former mass grave, were rediscovered relatively recently. Carol helped us understand not only the historical significance of the site but also the ongoing process of uncovering, acknowledging, and reckoning with parts of Brazil’s history that were hidden for generations. I came away with pages of notes and a long list of topics I want to learn more about. What I expected would be an interesting tour turned out to be a genuinely eye-opening experience. Carol’s knowledge, thoughtfulness, and passion for the subject left a lasting impression on us. Highly recommended! Tips for Future Visitors: * Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. * Wear comfortable walking shoes with good traction. Your guide can adapt the route to make it less physically demanding when possible, but expect cobblestones, uneven pavement, construction areas, and typical urban walking conditions. * Bring water, especially on warmer days. * The tour takes place in living neighborhoods and community spaces, so approach them with the same respect and courtesy you would want visitors to show in your own community. * The scheduled tour is about three hours, but if you’re curious and enjoy asking questions, it may run a little longer. If you have plans immediately afterward, it’s worth mentioning that to your guide in advance.