The Best of Rio Full-Day Tour provides a comprehensive view of this fascinating city with two half day tours. You will be transferred into town for the beginning of your morning tour. From here, you will start out on a day sure to be filled with interesting and exciting experiences!
The first part of your tour takes you to downtown Rio de Janeiro, passing by the Sambodrome and the Metropolitan Cathedral. The Sambodrome is a parade area built to accommodate 90,000 spectators for Rio’s world-famous Carnival. The Metropolitan Cathedral is a unique and magnificent cone-shaped structure with a capacity of 20,000 people. It's not only one of Brazil’s landmarks, but also a masterpiece of modern art.
You will also see traditional Cinelândia Square with its historical buildings, the Municipal Theater, the National Library, and the National Museum of Fine Arts. Via the Aterro do Flamengo, you will be taken to the neighborhood of Urca, where one of the largest symbols of the city is located: Sugar Loaf. Sugar Loaf is a mountain located at the mouth of Guanabara Bay, on a peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean. Rising 1,300 feet above the harbor, Sugar Loaf is one of the most recognizable images of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. You will have the unique opportunity to visit this landmark up close! You'll ride two cable cars on a breathtaking trip up the mountain. The first cable car takes you to Urca Hill, a vantage point 700 feet high, for beautiful views of Guanabara Bay and its islands, the Rio-Niterói Bridge and Corcovado Mountain. From this stage, a second cable car takes you up to the top. At 1,300 feet you will enjoy splendid views of Copacabana Beach, the Santa Cruz fortress, and several beaches of Niterói.
Departing Sugar Loaf, you will drive to a local restaurant where you can relax and enjoy lunch. Lunch options include grilled sole, grilled filet, spaghetti a la bolonese, or mixed salad. After lunch, you will drive by the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas (except on Sundays). A lagoon surrounded by parks, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is one of Rio’s most scenic and best-known landmarks.
Next, you will arrive at the Cosme Velho Train cog station at the bottom of Corcovado Mountain. Meaning "hunchback" in Portuguese, the 2,329 foot granite peak is located in the Tijuca Forest, and is known worldwide for the 125-foot statue of Jesus atop its peak, entitled Cristo Redentor or "Christ the Redeemer." From the cog station you will take the ride up to the top, through the dense Tijuca rainforest, to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. Designed by local engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and sculpted by French artist Paul Landowski, the statue was completed in 1931. In 2007, it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. From the top of Corcovado Mountain, you will enjoy spectacular views of Rio and the surrounding countryside.
Departing Corcovado Mountain you will return to your cruise ship.
Please note: Crowds are to be expected at all sites. Streets are narrow and traffic can come to a standstill. Time is built into all tours for this. Tour timing is approximate and crowd / traffic conditions may effect these.
