Experience the breathtaking landscape and laid back beach culture of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's second largest city with your own private tour guide.

It's certain you'll want to visit Sugar Loaf Mountain, Rio's many museums, parks and, of course, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. But using the services of a local, personal tour guide is the best way to see the most interesting parts of Rio de Janeiro - those places that only locals know about.

Choose from the Rio de Janeiro tours offered by local 'cariocas', but feel free to suggest alternative places and activities. Your private tour can be customized by your personal guide to include exactly what you want to see and do in Rio de Janeiro. Remember, each local guide has been checked out by ToursByLocals and is a passionate person, keen to show you 'their' Rio de Janeiro!

Rio-de-Janeiro

On this tour we walk around at not so famous neighborhoods but certainlly important to form our history and culture. Santa Tereza is a hilly neighborhood filled with local artists where it's possible to try the best "pao de queijo" (cheese bread) in town as well as observe arts not seen in any other areas. A mix of a hippie and artistic environment, this a "must do" experience!

Walking tour in the Old City

Bucolic Rio

The work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer demonstrates his appreciation for free-flowing design. Examples include the Contemporary Art Museum in Niterói.

We will drive across the bay over the Costa e Silva 14km bridge to Niteroi to see 7 of Niemeyer's projects. Visit of the popular theatre and MAC Museum. Lunch at Olimpos restaurant and vist of City Park.

The only buildings that can be visited are the MAC and the Charitas Ferry Station where the restaurant is located.

View of Rio as seen from Niteroi City Park.

Key figure in the Brazilian modern architecture

The Oscar Niemeyer Way Private Tour

Oscar Niemeyer, the genius of modern architecture in Rio & Niteroi!

Oscar Niemeyer: architect of curves and conviction, continues to attract international acclaim for his revolutionary designs that have shaped the modern face of Brazil with harmony, grace and elegance.

Some of Niemeyer's most famous and recent work can be found in the neighboring city of Niteroi.

The route is the Popular Theatre of Niterói, the simple, undulating lines are a fantastic example of Niemeyer's style, at the adjacent Roberto Silveira Memorial Center impressive curves of the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum are a bold response to the dramatic topography that overlooks Guanabara bay.

There is also the OLIMPO restaurant famous designed building with a view you can't go wrong, location is excellent, the facilities very good and the menu very enticing.
Could stop for lunch, or, at least stop to see the Oscar Niemeyer wall painting and the impressive architeture

In the city of Niteroi, the Route Niemeyer, 3. 5 kilometers by the edge of town, will present the largest number of his architecture.

It's NOT a regular tour, it's unique, a chance to see biggest number of his work in one city

"Losing yourself in Centro on a weekday is the best way to discover Rio". . . !

The tour through the city center is dedicated to the city's history since its founding.
During this comprehensive 6-hours private tour with a local and expert tour guide, we will get a comprehensive overview of 450 years of urban development and architecture including impressive modern landmarks over a short distance.

We will visit some of the most striking outcomes of Brazilian modern architecture.

A unique experience to know the wonderful architecture of Rio in one day, with a lot of art, colors, history, culture, and happiness!

Enjoy this walking tour as you view and learn about urban development

Architecture Tour Rio de Janeiro Downtown 

Acclaimed all over the world for the richness of its features and for its many influences of different time periods, the architecture of Rio de Janeiro combines elements characteristic of the colonial style, of the modernist vanguards and of a impressive contemporary aesthetic - a mixture that can be seen throughout the city.

What I enjoy about this tour is that you will be able to see yourself the diversity of our architectural heritage, which is outstandingly impactful to your perception. Helping you contextualize its presence in the country's history is definitely my favourite part.

We will combine a car and walking tour as to reach the hidden corners of this fascinating city. We may well take the new VLT system (Modern Tram) to cover as much as possible in our tour.

Come and join me on this tour!

Colombo Café - Listed as of of Top 10 most beautiful Cafés in the world.

Secret Gems of a wonderful city with a Private Guide

Architectural Rio

Churches with Portuguese architecture in Rio

Exploring the architectures and Portuguese influences in our churches.
Appreciating the arts of the churches in downtown Rio, acknowledging our strong Catholic influence from Portugal.
The churches we will visit are within short distances from each other and exhibit significant differences in styles, yet all hark back to roughly the same period, embedded in the picturesque geography of Rio.
Included is the Metropolitan Cathedral of São Sebastião, built to serve as the Archdiocese of Rio in place of the Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Antiga Sé.
If time permits, we can also visit the Colombo Confectionery, which offers more architecture and history to explore.

Inside of Catedral Metropolitana São Sebastião

São Francisco da Penitência Church, my favorite

The history and Portuguese influence on our churches

Architecture in Downtown Rio (private walking tour)

In January 18th, 2019, UNESCO grants Rio de Janeiro as the first capital of Architecture in world!
In this tour we will walk the financial district of Rio and spot some of the buildings that attracts the attention of architects from all over the world to the Marvelous City.
Buildings ranging from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 21st.
Have comfortable shoes and a good camera for this tour!

Copacabana tours

Explore with 7 tours and 6 guides.

Valeria R.

$ 320 (USD)

Marco B.

$ 300 (USD)

Neyla B.

$ 350 (USD)

Tatiane A.

$ 300 (USD)

Marco B.

$ 390 (USD)

Flavio Tupinambá

$ 212 (USD)

Lais Tammela S.

$ 200 (USD)

Meet your local guides in Copacabana

Customize your tour