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Touch down in Rio de Janeiro and catch the excitement of its breathtaking scenery and cultural mix. From a luxurious Copacabana Beach hotel, you walk urban forest trails to the stunning panorama of the Corcovado, soak in the views from the charming St. Tereza neighborhood, feel the samba beat, and learn about a successful favela social project.
tour includes
Arrival in Rio De Janeiro; Sugar Loaf Mountain
Upon your arrival and meeting in Rio de Janeiro, as one Portuguese king put it, the “once mighty capital of the Brazilian empire,” your first visit is to Sugar Loaf Mountain, the 1,300-foot peak rising from Rio’s harbor. A perfect introduction to Brazil’s second largest city, the cable car ride to the tops provides unparalleled views of the city, Guanabara Bay, the Rio-Niteroi Bridge, and, of course, the iconic Corcovado with its Christ the Redeemer statue. Returning to your hotel, you may choose to enjoy its exceptional cuisine or step out to a nearby restaurant with recommendations from your local host or hotel concierge.
Sofitel Copacabana Hotel
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Located between Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches and considered one of Rio’s best hotels, luxurious rooms have terraces and beach views. Other amenities include swimming pools, saunas, two outstanding restaurants and bars, and views of the beaches and Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Tijuca National Park: easy to moderate walk options, 2½ hours and visits to Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer statue) and the Santa Tereza district. Afternoon tour to the Morrinho Project or Cinelandia Square
This morning takes you to the trails of Tijuca National Park, the world’s largest urban forest containing hundreds of protected plant and animal species unique to the Atlantic Rainforest. Rio’s lush backdrop of granite rock is crisscrossed by trails leading to its best viewpoints, such as the Chinese View at the Emperor’s Table, the Taunay Cascade, or to the summit of Tijuca Peak, Rio’s highest at 3,300 feet, as well as a visit to the 130-foot tall Christ the Redeemer statue. For lunch, you are high up in the picturesque Santa Tereza neighborhood with its cobbled winding streets and 19th-century mansions, now full of galleries, art studios, and cafés.
In the afternoon, you have the option to visit the Morrinho project, a successful teen-founded and art-centered nongovernmental organization based in the Pereira da Silva favela in the south of Rio de Janeiro, promoting social and cultural transformation, and now emulated worldwide. Or you could visit the traditional Cinelandia Square to tour Rio’s historic Municipal Theater, National Library, National Museum of Fine Arts, and the Lapa Arches. Before returning to your hotel, you make a brief stop at the Bohemian Lapa neighborhood to listen to a typical Roda de Samba, an informal gathering of musicians playing samba, rounding out this tour of the Cidade Maravilhosa—the “Marvelous City.”
Sofitel Copacabana Hotel
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Located between Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches and considered one of Rio’s best hotels, luxurious rooms have terraces and beach views. Other amenities include swimming pools, saunas, two outstanding restaurants and bars, and views of the beaches and Sugar Loaf Mountain.
