Brazil · CITY TOURS

City Tours in Brazil: The 15 Best Guided First Days

83 tours  ·  from $12

A guided first day is how you stop wasting the other six. These 15 cover Rio, São Paulo, Salvador and Curitiba, priced by length, with the ones that include the big-ticket entries marked.

São Paulo: Main City Sights in 7 Hours – Shared Group Tour - Begin in Brooklin, Vila Olímpia, and Itaim Bibi
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São Paulo: Main City Sights in 7 Hours – Shared Group Tour

1.Main City Sights in 7 Hours – Shared Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 587 reviews · 378 minutes - 7 hours · from $85Our pick

Cover São Paulo’s modern districts, historic center, Sé Cathedral, Japanese neighborhood, Municipal Market, Batman’s Alley, Ibirapuera Park, and Paulista Avenue in one air-conditioned group tour. Guides such as Bruno Ferrari, Joice, Nadia, and Leo add history and local context, while lunch and photo stops keep the day practical.

“Amazing tour . So much information and stops in the most iconic spots of Sao Paola . Very big thank you to our guide Bruno and our driver Ronaldo . Bruno is very knowledgeable and professional ! Enjoyed this tour to the maximum . Thank you”

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Rio: Carnival Backstage Tour at Samba City with Cocktail - Seeing floats and costumes at close range
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Rio: Carnival Backstage Tour at Samba City with Cocktail

2.Carnival Backstage Tour at Samba City with Cocktail

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 520 reviews · 90 - 150 minutes · from $27Best value

At Rio’s City of Samba, a bilingual guide takes you into Grande Rio’s Carnival workshop to see floats, costumes, and parade preparation. You can try on parade outfits, learn samba with a professional dancer, hear how the competition works, and finish with a caipirinha. Guides may speak English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Hebrew, or Italian.

“our guides were helpful and very knowledgeable. the tour was great, will book again”

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São Paulo: City Highlights Guided Tour - Jardins and Nossa Senhora do Brasil
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São Paulo: City Highlights Guided Tour

3.City Highlights Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 307 reviews · 5 hours · from $66

See São Paulo by air-conditioned vehicle with an English, Portuguese, or Spanish-speaking guide. Visit Nossa Senhora do Brasil, Batman’s Alley, Paulista Avenue, Ibirapuera Park, MAC’s rooftop, Liberdade, Sé Square, Luz Station, and more. Guides such as Mauricio add history and local context, while the route gives you a fast first look at this huge city.

“This was a great tour! Our guide Maurício was amazing and very informative.”

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Private São Paulo City Tour - Starting at the airport or your hotel
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Private São Paulo City Tour

4.Private São Paulo City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 264 reviews · 4 hours

Build a private São Paulo tour around your interests, from Paulista Avenue and Ibirapuera Park to historic downtown, Pacaembu Stadium, and local food stops. Your guide travels with you by private car or van, adjusts the pace, and can collect you at a hotel, airport, or another address in the metro area. English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German are available.

“Isaac is an excellent guide! Detailed communication right up to the pickup. He is very attentive and accommodating. His knowledge is superb, and his enthusiasm and pride for Brazil and São Paulo are clear in his explanations.”

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Rio de Janeiro: Private Guided City Tour - Santa Teresa, the city center, and Selarón Steps
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Rio de Janeiro: Private Guided City Tour

5.Private Guided City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 207 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $56

Build your Rio day around beaches, landmarks, Santa Teresa, the Botanical Garden, or local neighborhoods with a private guide and vehicle. Guides such as Lavinia, Dario, Meilin, and Riccardo have helped guests adjust plans, avoid wasted time, and find less familiar places. Choose four, six, or eight hours, with hotel pickup in key central areas.

“Riccardo was awesome, he loves his city and took us to wonderful and interesting places. Highly recommended”

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City Tour Meet São Paulo Half-Day - Nossa Senhora do Brasil shows the city’s ceremonial side
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City Tour Meet São Paulo Half-Day

6.City Tour Meet São Paulo Half-Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 150 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $67

This small-group São Paulo tour covers Batman Alley, Paulista Avenue, Casa das Rosas, Ibirapuera Park, MAC’s rooftop, Liberdade, the historic center, and Estação da Luz. You ride in an air-conditioned vehicle with a bilingual guide such as Maurício, Edson, Carla, or Josafat. Expect a fast overview, short photo stops, and possible traffic delays.

“Everything was perfect The right amount of time at each stop The alley with the murals The church where people pay $5000 to get married I use a cane and it was easy”

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Rio de Janeiro: Half-Day Christ the Redeemer and City Tour - Reaching Corcovado through Tijuca Forest
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Rio de Janeiro: Half-Day Christ the Redeemer and City Tour

7.Half-Day Christ the Redeemer and City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 101 reviews · 5 hours · from $63

This five-hour Rio tour combines Christ the Redeemer with Maracanã, the Sambadrome, Selarón Steps, and the Metropolitan Cathedral. You travel by minivan through Tijuca Forest, with hotel pickup in Rio’s South Zone and a multilingual guide in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, or German. Guide Liz is praised for her care and help with photos.

“Nice guide and driver, and the statue is cool, but some things could be better. The pickup was about 15 minutes late with no communication, even though my hotel was the first stop. and the city tour was kind of meh, with a lot of time allocated. Lots of waiting around. Also, at least my group consisted of both English and Portuguese speaking, so the guide would say everything twice, and often when he got to the English part, we were already past whatever he was talking about.”

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Petrópolis: Imperial City Tour - Quitandinha Palace and the First Look at Imperial Petrópolis
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Petrópolis: Imperial City Tour

8.Imperial City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 95 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $68

Travel from Rio to Petrópolis by air-conditioned bus for a guided day among imperial palaces, German-style buildings, and mountain views. Visit the Imperial Museum, Quitandinha Palace, Crystal Palace, Santos Dumont’s home, and the imperial mausoleum. Add a brewery tour with tastings. English, Spanish, and Portuguese guides are available.

“This was a really excellent day out. It was so well organised with great communication on meeting times and schedule. Plus it never felt rushed. Chi Chi was such a entertaining fun guide. Her enthusiasm and 'ooh la la' attitude was infectious and she gave some interesting background and history on the places we visited from the Petropolis palace to the former casino. Petropolis palace is an elegant residence set within a lovely old town, with all the old architecture it's a nice contrast to the modern bustling Rio. We had a buffet meal and it offered great choice of items to select and great value. We were given the…”

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Manaus: Half-Day City Tour - The historic center, cathedral, and central market
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Manaus: Half-Day City Tour

9.Half-Day City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 94 reviews · 4 hours · from $54

Spend four hours seeing Manaus by vehicle with an English and Portuguese-speaking guide. The route centers on the Amazon Opera House, historic streets, museums, markets, and river views. Guides such as Glaucio, Jennifer, and Aldinei have offered detailed local context, with small groups capped at 10 and hotel pickup included.

“Our tour guide Aldine knows a lot of interesting data and he is always happy to share. He is easy going and patient with the tourists. He tookuas to nice interesting spots in Manaos. I took the tour in english and was perfect. Highly recommend it!!!”

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Rio Samba Bus: hop-on hop-off city tour in Rio de Janeiro - Sugarloaf Mountain and the Urca waterfront
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Rio Samba Bus: hop-on hop-off city tour in Rio de Janeiro

10.Rio Samba Bus: hop-on hop-off city tour in Rio de Janeiro

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 94 reviews · 2 hours · from $31

Ride Rio’s panoramic Samba Bus from Copacabana through the South Zone and city center, with 26 listed stops, live commentary in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, Wi-Fi, and Brazilian music. Hop off for Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer, Lapa, Ipanema, and other sights, but allow extra time because bus intervals can vary.

“Pena ter pego um dia com chuva! Nao aproveitamos!”

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Afro-Brazilian Roots Private City Tour in Salvador - Rio Vermelho and the shrine to Yemayá
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Afro-Brazilian Roots Private City Tour in Salvador

11.Afro-Brazilian Roots Private City Tour in Salvador

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 88 reviews · 6 hours · from $150

Spend six hours with a private guide such as Wilson, Mônia, or Vagner, tracing Salvador’s Afro-Brazilian culture from Rio Vermelho and Tororó Dike to São Joaquim Fair, a Candomblé temple, and a seaside community. Expect thoughtful history, acarajé, lunch with sea views, private transport, and access to places beyond the usual tourist route.

“Our Afro-Brazilian roots tour in Bahia with Ronaldo was one of the most powerful and enriching experiences of our entire trip. From the moment we met him, Ronaldo’s warmth, charisma, and deep knowledge of history and culture made us feel instantly connected—not just to him, but to the vibrant spirit of Bahia itself. This tour was unlike anything we’ve ever done. Ronaldo guided us through neighborhoods brimming with life and stories that revealed the rich tapestry of Afro-Brazilian identity. Our experience was deeply educational. One of the most unforgettable parts of the tour was learning about Candomblé. It was cool to understand its roots, rituals, and significance in the community.…”

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Petropolis The Imperial City with Beer tour and Lunch - Casa do Alemão starts the day with food and coffee
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Petropolis The Imperial City with Beer tour and Lunch

12.Petropolis The Imperial City with Beer tour and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 83 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $59

Travel from Rio to Petrópolis for an imperial museum, cathedral, Crystal Palace, Quitandinha Palace, buffet lunch, and a guided visit to Bohemia Brewery with three tastings. Rafael has guided some departures in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, but language support is not guaranteed. Expect a long group day with up to 45 people.

“Excellent experience and the guide, Rafa , explain every single place with great details the lunch is good and Bohemia tour well”

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Learn the History of Rio with an Unforgettable City Center Walking Tour - Beginning at the Municipal Theater and Cinelândia
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Learn the History of Rio with an Unforgettable City Center Walking Tour

13.Learn the History of Rio with an Unforgettable City Center Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 82 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $49Top rated

Walk Rio’s historic center with a private guide, starting at the Municipal Theater and ending at Paço Imperial. You’ll see Cinelândia, Selarón Steps, Lapa’s Arcos, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Largo da Carioca, and Confeitaria Colombo. Guides including Rafael and Danielle have led this route, which can be adjusted to your interests.

“Amazing, friendly and very informative walk around the historical center of Rio! 5 / 5 stars! Thank you!”

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City Tour Full Day in Rio: Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf - Christ the Redeemer: the day’s essential stop
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City Tour Full Day in Rio: Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf

14.City Tour Full Day in Rio: Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 81 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $126

Spend about nine hours seeing Rio’s major sights with an accredited guide and shared transport. Your day includes Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, lunch at a Brazilian buffet, Selarón Steps, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Sambadrome, and an outside view of Maracanã. Pickup runs from Rio’s South Zone to downtown, not Barra or Recreio.

“It is a shame that I have to give them one star at all. Be warned this is advertised as a city tour with several stops. Once in the bus you will notice 19 seats for customers. 7 of them you can’t see out the window. The last two rows are above the windows and the other seats. You have to try and bend over and really contort your body to see out of the bus. You have no control over what seats you pick because it is based on when they pick people up. If you are closer to the excursion, you will be picked up last and have…”

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Rio's city walking tour: a glimpse of history and olympic legacy - Praça XV and the Imperial Palace
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Rio’s city walking tour: a glimpse of history and olympic legacy

15.Rio’s city walking tour: a glimpse of history and olympic legacy

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 78 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $60

Spend about four hours exploring downtown Rio with a local guide, visiting Candelária Church, São Bento Monastery, Mauá Square, Paço Imperial, Confeitaria Colombo, and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Hotel pickup is included from most hotels in São Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema, and Copacabana. Guides such as JB, Melanie, and André tailor the pace when group size allows.

“JB was a great tour guide- very energetic and well- informed. He gave us a good introduction to Rio downtown and we enjoyed walking around that area. Worth- taking”

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Christ the Redeemer Tours45Sugarloaf Mountain Tours44Selarón Steps Tours13Maracanã Stadium Tours14Historical Tours44Walking Tours53Copacabana Tours6
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Explore Brazil

Pick a summit, a stretch of coast or a dancefloor.

The Rio summits

Corcovado TicketsSugarloafTijuca ForestSelarón StepsMaracanã

On the water

Boat TripsIsland DaysSchoonersSpeedboatsBeach Days

Nights out

SambaBar CrawlsFood ToursCachaçaFootball

Out of town

Iguaçu FallsThe AmazonWaterfallsJeep DaysPetrópolis