Special 1: Heart of the Carioca

Arrive to the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro and be transferred to your comfortable hotel. See our wonderful selection of recommended Rio de Janeiro Hotels.

You will ride along the famous beaches of Rio to the Sugarloaf cable car. Ride first to the "Morro da Urca" mountain at 270 meters (886 feet) above sea level and then continue to the top of the Sugarloaf Mountain, 395 meters above sea level. After Sugarloaf, you will continue on with a city tour during which you will visit the cathedral, the Samba Stadium (Sambodromo), the historical center of Rio, and the Maracana football stadium.

After a delicious lunch, you will ascend the 2,460ft mountain peak of Corcovado (Hunchback), famous for the statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and Rio's most famous landmark. A train ride through the forest will lead you to the top of the Corcovado Mountain.

After descending by train, the tour continues through the "Rebouzas” to Barra da Tijuca, Rio’s most recently developed beach area. The tour returns via the beaches of Sao Conrado, Vidigal, Leblon and Ipanema to Copacabana.

See our Rio de Janeiro Guide that includes recommended Rio de Janeiro Restaurants and other interesting and useful information about this Brazilian gem.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will have the entire day to explore the ‘Marvelous City’ at your leisure. Find out more about Rio de Janeiro attractions and Rio de Janeiro shopping, and the Top 5 Events to Catch on a Brazil Vacation.

You will enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then take a transfer to the airport.

Hotel prices during Reveillon (Brazil’s New Year’s Eve festivities) and Carnival increase. Please ask a Travel Advisor how prices for your Brazil Vacation may differ during this time.

• 3 nights at comfortable hotels based on US standards.
• Guided visits with English speaking tour guides.
• All transfers and entrance fees.
• All breakfasts. 4-star and up hotels offer breakfast buffets

PLEASE NOTE:

A tourist visa is required upon entry to Brazil for citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Travelers not within this group are advised to check with the Brazilian consulate where they reside for visa requirements and inquiries. For more information on obtaining a Brazil tourist visa, please visit our Latin America For Less Travel Blog.

This tour begins with a stroll along the beautiful beaches of Rio. Afterwards, enjoy a spectacular Brazilian samba show and experience the rhythm that pulses through the veins of Brazilians. Samba, like the country where it originated, has its roots in African and European rhythms. The music and dance are now synonymous with Brazil’s world famous Carnival celebrations.

Take a beautiful trip to Petropolis climbing the "Orgaos" Mountains. Each curve will bring you different spectacular sight of lush subtropical vegetation and mountain views. In Petropolis, the famed summer resort city, you will visit the former Palace of the Emperor, Dom Pedro II, today the Imperial Museum. There you will be able to admire the beauty of the antique furniture, jewelry and tapestries of an age of splendor. After this visit, we will see the best example of Gothic Cathedral called Sao Pedro de Alcantara, built in honor of the Emperor of Brazil, where you will be able to see the tombs of the Imperial Family. Our lunch will be served at the Quitandinha Palace that was opened in 1944 to be the gambling capital of the country and had its glamour as a Hotel and Casino until 1946 when gambling was prohibited in Brazil. It is now a Convention and Tourist Center, keeping the old architecture with ballrooms, galleries, theater, convention center, balconies, etc.

This trip has been acclaimed as one of the most charming attractions in the entire Rio area. Drive by 1 1/2 hour through numerous fields, banana plantations and villages along the way to the small fishing village of Itacurussa. Embark on a "Saveiro" (schooner from the northeast of Brazil) for a leisure cruise in the calm waters of the Sepetiba Bay. Stop for swim on a deserted island, and then continue to a private island to enjoy a tantalizing buffet luncheon served in a tranquil and rustic atmosphere. After the meal, guests will be free to explore the island's charm by strolling along the beach, swimming or just working on their Rio tan. Special features can be arranged to enhance the day even more: treasure hunt, beach Olympic games, snorkeling, water skiing, etc. The return cruise to Itacurussa is refreshing and allows guests to appreciate the view of the bay and mountains at sunset.