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Tours/Rio de Janeiro/Rio Walking & Historical Tour

Rio Walking & Historical Tour

4.7(9)Rio de Janeiro3 hours
VIATOR4.6(5)TRIPADVISOR4.8(4)
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
+6 photos
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour
Rio Walking & Historical Tour

At a glance

Duration
3 hours
Price from
$45 / person
Location
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rating
4.7 / 5 · 9 reviews
Languages
EN, ES
Group
Small group, up to 14
Cancellation
Free cancellation
Confirmation
Instant
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
Guided Tour In Rio
Meeting point
Av Atlantica, 1702 Copacabana

Description

The best way to know the city you're visiting and feel like a local is by taking public transportation and walking through the streets to explore. The walking tour is a small group tour with a "Carioca" guide. You will be able to see and learn about the cultural and historical part of the city and visit Downtown's main attractions.

Tour Options

Rio walking tour

Itinerary

Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro
Pass by

The Municipal Theater or Opera House is one of theJewels in Rio de Janeiro. It was built between 1906 and 1909 with the same architetural style of the Opera House in Paris with Eclectic Architectural style.

Paco Imperial
10 min

The Paço Imperial or Imperial Palace, previously known as the Royal Palace of Rio de Janeiro and Palace of the Viceroys, is a historic building.The Paço Imperial was built in the 18th century to serve as residence for the governors of colonial Brazil. From 1808, it was used as a royal residence by King John VI of Portugal as King of Portugal and later also as King of Brazil.

Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - CCBB Rio de Janeiro
10 min

The CCBB in Rio de Janeiro is a building of neoclassical lines that in the past was connected to finance and business. Its foundation stone was launched in 1880, materializing the project of Francisco Joaquim Bethencourt da Silva (1831-1912), architect of the Imperial House, founder of the Society of Fine Arts and the Lyceum of Arts and Crafts

Biblioteca Nacional
Pass by

The largest library in Latin America and the 7th largest in the world, its collections include about 9 million items.It organized the first library science courses in Latin America and its staff has led the modernization of library services, including the development of online databases

Church of Our Lady of the Candelaria
10 min

The Candelária Church is an important historical Roman Catholic church in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It was built and decorated during a long period, from 1775 to the late 19th century. The church combines a Baroque facade with a neoclassical and Neo-Renaissance interior elements.

Convent Of St. Anthony
15 min

The history of the Convent of St. Anthony begins in 1592, when the first Franciscan friars arrived in Rio de Janeiro, who settled provisionally near the Beach of Santa Luzia. Shortly afterwards, the Franciscans erected a small hermitage on the top of a hill located in an area a little further from the coast. In 1607, they were granted definitive possession of the hill, now known as Morro de Santo Antônio, in which they began to build the convent on June 4, 1608. The author of the first project was Brother Francisco dos Santos, but several others religious-Franciscan architects interfered in the work.

Praca Quinze de Novembro
10 min

The square is located in the historical centre of Rio de Janeiro and is flanked by the Palácio Tiradentes , the seat of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro; and the Paço Imperial. The Praça XV Station is a ferry terminal servicing a number of destinations in the city of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi.

Cinelandia
10 min

Cinelândia is the popular name of a major public square in the centre of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Its official name is Praça Floriano Peixoto, in honour of the second president of Brazil, Floriano Peixoto.

Arco do Teles
10 min

In 1738 the House of Governors (later to become the Imperial Palace) begins to be built under the command of Gomes Freire de Andrade, Count of Bobadela. In 1743 the construction of the new House of Governors is finished and the Largo do Paço region gains a great appreciation. Seeing the growth of the area, the Portuguese judge Antônio Telles Barreto de Menezes (who gave rise to the name of the arch) decides to buy land in the area and build a house, or a set of houses, in order to rent to merchants that came to visit Rio de janeiro

Casa Franca-Brasil
10 min

It is an imposing neoclassical solar, designed by Grandjean de Montigny, member of the French Artistic Mission (1816) and professor of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts. Commissioned by João VI of Portugal in 1819 for the installation of the city's first Commerce Square, it was inaugurated on May 13, 1820.

Centro Cultural Justica Federal
Pass by

The Federal Justice Cultural Center (CCJF), an institution linked to the Federal Regional Court of the 2nd Region, occupies the former seat of the Federal Supreme Court. Its construction began in 1905, as an integral part of the project of reformulation of the city of Rio de Janeiro, then Federal Capital, in the administration of the mayor Pereira Passos. Originally intended to house the Mithra Archiepiscopal, the building was purchased for the installation of the Supreme and had its solemn inauguration on April 3, 1909. Designed by the architect Adolpho Morales de Los Rios, the building is one of the most important testimonies of eclectic architecture in City.

Correios Cultural Centre
10 min

Built to house the school of the Lloyd Brazilian shipping company, the building was inaugurated in 1922. The projected school, however, was never installed, and the property was used for more than five decades for the operation of administrative units and of the Brazilian Post and Telegraph Company.

Sao Francisco da Penitencia Church
Admission not included15 min

The laity of the Order of the Third Order of San Francisco settled in Rio de Janeiro in 1619, occupying a chapel inside the church of the Franciscan convent of Santo Antônio, located on the top of a hill (the Morro de Santo Antônio). In the middle of the seventeenth century, the Franciscan convent gave them a plot of land next to the convent's church to build their own temple there. The Church of St. Francis of Penance was built, with interruptions, between 1657 and 1733.

Tiradentes Palace
Pass by

The first building was an imperial parliament, built in 1640, which had on its lower floor a chain called the "Old Chain," where the prisoners of the colonial period were housed, and where Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (the Tiradentes), while waiting for execution on the gallows, which would happen on April 21, 1792.

Palacio Pedro Ernesto - Camara Municipal do Rio de Janeiro
Pass by

It was founded together with the city in 1565, when it was formed only by a prosecutor and a judge. Two years later, there was the first election for the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro. At each election, twelve councilors were elected for a year, with the President of the House accumulating the functions of the current municipal mayors.

What's included

Included
Professional guide
Not included
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Traveller Ratings

4.7
9 reviews
5
7
4
1
3
1
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • May be operated by a multi-lingual guide -English and Spanish
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
  • Not recommended for people with walking difficulties
  • Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date.

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund

Frequently asked questions

How long does Rio Walking & Historical Tour take?

Rio Walking & Historical Tour lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 15 stops.

How much does Rio Walking & Historical Tour cost?

Prices start at $45 per person for this Rio de Janeiro experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.

Can I cancel Rio Walking & Historical Tour for free?

Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is Av Atlantica, 1702 Copacabana. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.

What languages is Rio Walking & Historical Tour offered in?

The experience is available in EN, ES.

Is this a private or a group tour?

It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 14 participants.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Children must be accompanied by an adult

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

Reviews(9)

K
K9743CSdavidv
February 27, 2025
The Real Rio

Sabina was a great guide and showed us historic Rio and the business and religious center of the city - where fewer tourists go.

Operator response

Thank you! It was our pleasure to show you this beautiful city.

8
842willk
January 21, 2025
Walking tour

Omg this was absolutely amazing and had such an amazing time with our guide. We booked the 9 am tour on Tuesday and was not disappointed… she was very well versed with the history and architecture of Rio and for that it was very amazing.

Operator response

Thank you very much for your review.

A
ALISON_V
May 19, 2023
Great insight into historical Rio

The guides knowledge was insane he was friendly and well mannered he took us to places we didn’t know about our only regret was that we didn’t do this earlier in our time in Rio

Operator response

Fantastic! We are very happy you enjoyed your tour

H
hena_h
April 7, 2023
Not for me

This tour is nice and shows the “other” side of Rio. The guide was nice but don’t think this tour was for me. I did not like it because it was the first day of my trip and this side of Rio is not what I was expecting from Rio. We did see this amazing Portuguese library but I felt sad for the beaten down city center. I didn’t know that we were taking the subway to Downtown from Copacabana.

Operator response

Hi Hena, I'm very sorry you didn't like it. This is a Historical tour. To learn and understand more from Brazil and Rio. To feel like the local feel. On the description is written that we use subway to reach downtown exactly to give out clients the local atmosphere. Maybe is not the best option for a first day in the city if you don't like history. Best regards,

M
MLaura0R
February 29, 2020
history live

Despite the years, history remains alive, through the streets, luminaires, footwear, every corner a detail ..we should explore more this cultural center

2 people found this helpful
Operator response

Olá, muito obrigada pelo seu comentário. Realmente um tour histórico a pé é como voltar no tempo. Estamos a disposição, Grata Gisela Vayda

S
Silvia Q
January 14, 2019
Historic and Cultural Walking Tour of Rio de Janeiro

The starting point is the Cinelandia Metro station, an architectural complex from 1900 around which are the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Municipal Theatre, the Opera House, the National Library , the Palace of City Hall. Always walking, the guide recounts part of the colonial history of Brasdil, visiting Iglesia Santo Antonio, Sao Francisco, the Cathedral Nuova and Praca XV. A different tour, in the end each collaborates with the guide who belongs to the tourism directorate of Rio. Starts at 9am

1 people found this helpful
Operator response

Hola, Gracias por su comentario, pero nuestro tour no es un tour donde se colabora con el guía. Tenemos un precio di venda del tour. Saludos

H
Himawan M
January 3, 2018
A very interesting tour for first...

<p>A very interesting tour for first time visitors in Rio. Many places and atractions we saw that we do not know before.<br/> Leonardo was a very good and patient guide for the three of us.<br/> We are very satisfied with this tour</p>

Operator response

Thank you for taking your time to review us. We wish you all the best!

K
Kristin_H
January 11, 2017
Because it was afternoon and 102...

<p>Because it was afternoon and 102 degrees no one else was interested in a walking tour, so we had a private tour. Our guide Tauan was the best.....very knowledgeable, considerate, good sense of humor. We walked for 4 hours, rode the subway, and saw things we never would have found on our own, like the money exhibit in the museum in the bank building. A wonderful experience all around!</p>

Operator response

Thank you for taking your time to review us. We wish you all the best!

J
Jeremy P
August 18, 2016
This was a fantastic walking tour...

<p>This was a fantastic walking tour and I emphasize walking. Be prepared for 3 to 4 hours on your feet. The pace was casual so we didn't feel over exerted, but we still got to see so much. Our guide Heraclito aka Kiko was terrific. We had a mixup on our location at the beginning of the tour, called the company and Kiko came to our Metro Station to meet us. We started in Cinelandia and finished at the Olympic torch. Didn't count all the sites we saw, but I'm sure 15 is a fair number. We never felt rushed and saw sites like the Catedral de Sao Sebastiao that we may never had ventured to on our own. It was a very good introduction to Centro Rio and I would recommend at the beginning of a trip to Rio.</p>

Operator response

Thank you for taking your time to review us. We wish you all the best!

$45/ person
4.7(9)
Duration3 hours
LanguagesEN, ES
ConfirmationInstant
Check availability on Viator →
Booking on the official Viator website
Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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