15 Food & Drink Experiences in Rio de Janeiro Worth Your Rio Days

1.Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 881 reviews · 4 hours · from $33Our pick

In Lapa, a local guide leads you from a cachaça bar to the Arcos da Lapa, Selarón Steps, live samba and a nightclub. The $33 price includes at least four cachaça shots, one caipirinha and skip-the-line entry. Guides such as Andressa, Raffa and Marcos have led past tours, though your guide may differ.

“Andressa and Nay were amazing guides, the samba spots were amazing and a great introduction into Rios Nightlife. I really enjoyed myself and the people there were really friendly. I would definitely recommend this bar crawl if your in Rio de Janeiro!”

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2.Sunset Boat Tour with Beer, Water, Soda and Snacks included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 227 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $74Top rated

Spend about three hours on the water from Marina da Glória, passing Rio’s waterfront sights and Niterói’s striking Contemporary Art Museum. The route includes a one-hour swim stop at Adão e Eva Beach, plus beer, water, soda, snacks, and an English- and Spanish-speaking guide. Groups are capped at 11; guides have included Leo and Rafaela.

“Excellent small group boat ride experience. Wonderful views of the city and Niteroi. Even though the day was cloudy and cold, it was very worth it! Rio Water Fun are very professional. I recommend 100%Auto-translated”

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3.Historic Centre Walking Tour & Cachaça Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 96 reviews · 1h 30m · from $19

Meet your local guide at Santa Rita’s Church for a 90-minute walk through Paraty’s historic centre. Hear about Indigenous peoples, colonization, Freemasonry and the town’s trade cycles, then finish with a tasting of Cachaça Gabriela, a sweet local blend of cachaça, honey, clove and cinnamon. Tours run in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

“Everything. Thiago is amazing tour guide. He knows about Paraty almost everything 😁 Casacha was also very nice! all included”

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4.Petropolis The Imperial City with Beer tour and Lunch

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

Spend about 10 hours traveling from Rio to Petrópolis, the mountain city tied to Brazil’s imperial era. The tour includes transport, an accredited guide, an Imperial Museum visit, buffet lunch, and a tour of Bohemia brewery with three tastings. You’ll also stop at Quitandinha Palace, the cathedral, Crystal Palace, Casa do Alemão, and Katz chocolate shop.

“Very nice walk, lots of history, beautiful road. We really liked Petropolis and were surprised. Very good food, excellent brewery! All very good! We recommend it.Auto-translated”

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5.Shared Speedboat Tour with Beer Included!

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 68 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $60

Set out from Urca at 10:00 am for an approximately three-hour shared speedboat ride, with space for up to 12 people. The planned route includes the Cagarras Islands, time to swim, and cold beer, water, soda, and inflatable floats. Captains Antonio and Ricardo have been praised for their friendly approach, though commentary and the exact route can vary.

“Captain antonio was super friendly, i loved the speed boat trip, we stopped at 2 spots and had a nice swim and we had a chance to take amazing photos as the boat moved in different angles revealing the magical beauty of rio de janeiro.”

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6.Guided Market Fruit Tasting in Rio with 15+ Exotic Flavors

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $49

Meet in Ipanema at 10:00 am for a 2.5-hour guided walk through a real farmers’ market. A local fruit expert introduces 15 to 20 Brazilian fruits, plus local juices, nuts, and native ingredients, with stories about açaí, jabuticaba, and cashew apples. Groups are capped at 15, and the tour returns to its starting point.

“I'm a hardcore foodie and, despite being Brazilian, I was very surprised by the amount of exotic fruits that I didn't know about! Our tasting guide was very knowledgeable, friendly, and generous, so we got to taste all kinds of fruits as well as farmers market products. If you are a foodie and proud, book now!”

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7.Historical Tour with Cachaça Tasting – BY PARATY TOURS

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · from $11Best value

Spend about two hours walking Paraty’s stone streets with an Embratur guide, hearing stories about colonial architecture, churches and local culture. The tour visits four churches, the Religious Arts Museum and Casa da Cultura, then includes a craft cachaça tasting. It starts at 5:30 pm and returns to the meeting point.

“Foi td muito bom, pois o guia conhecia muito bem todo centro histórico. Farei novos roteiros qdo eu voltar.”

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8.SpeedBoat Tour – Beach Tour with Beer

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 26 reviews · 3 hours · from $56

Set out from Urca Pier on a three-hour speedboat tour past Rio landmarks, beaches and islands. Your captain-guide shares stories in English, Spanish or Portuguese, and the boat makes stops for underwater exploration. Beer, soda and mineral water are included. Captain Rafael has been praised for his careful handling and lively local commentary, though captains may vary.

“Rafael es encantador! La excursión fue genial y dinámica. La pasamos increíble”

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9.Barra da Tijuca Walk & Food Tour with Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 19 reviews · 3 hours · from $0

Walk Barra da Tijuca with an English-speaking guide, sampling Brazilian dishes and drinks along Olegário Maciel Avenue before taking a short ferry to Gigóia Island. Guide Eduardo has led groups through the food stops and local history. Expect a three-hour outing, a small cash ferry fee and a tip-based contribution to the guide.

“It eat so good and informative! Loved each detail and the history was begin amazing !”

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10.The Best Food Tour: Taste the Most Authentic Flavours of Rio

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 18 reviews · 4 hours · from $75

Follow a local guide through Rio’s Little Africa for more than 10 food and drink tastings, from Northern Brazilian tacacá to bar snacks, then finish near the samba circle at Pedra do Sal. Guides have included Louis, Jurema and Lia. Choose a 12:30 PM start to explore before the music, or a 4:00 PM start to continue into the samba evening.

“Louis was very informative and explained the history of the favelas really well. We were informed of lots of interesting facts and it was good to see another side of Rio. The views from Louis’s home were spectacular ! I would not hesitate to recommend this tour. It was a highlight of our trip to Rio.”

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11.Paraty Historic District: Walking Tour with Cachaca Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 12 reviews · 2 hours · from $15

Spend two hours walking Paraty’s cobbled Historic Center with a guide in English or Portuguese. The route covers colonial landmarks, churches, cultural spaces, craft houses and art studios, with stories about local history and Masonic influence. A cachaça tasting is included, though it is worth confirming at the start. Groups are limited to 10.

“Very nice Walk through the City. Got Mainz informativ Details.”

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12.Wine Tasting of Brazilian Wines

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 11 reviews · 1 hour · from $39

At Cave Nacional in Botafogo, a sommelier introduces Brazilian winemaking over a glass of local sparkling wine, then pours three selected wines with three bruschettas. The one-hour tasting draws on a cellar of more than 200 Brazilian labels. Sommelier Karina has been praised for making the subject lively, though your guide may vary.

“We were given a nice overview of the different regions and their wine making process, while we enjoyed a welcome drink (a glass of a local sparkling wine). After that we were able to walk into their cellar and have a look around all the good stuff. Finally, we were walked back to our tables where we could enjoy three glasses of different Brazilian wines. We would definitely recommend this activity to any wine lover looking for a taste of what Brazil has to offer”

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13.Premium Carnival Seating with Food, Drinks, & Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6 reviews

Spend Carnival night in a private box at Rio’s Sambadrome, with parade views, food, self-service beer, premium spirits, live shows, and hotel pickup and return. A local guide helps coordinate the evening; Camilla has led outings and been praised for her care. Choose an early return around 1:30 a.m. or stay until the parade ends near 5:00 a.m.

“Camilla was amazing and made the carnival experience extremely memorable.”

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14.SpeedBoat Tour – Sunset with Beer

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5 reviews · 3 hours · from $56

Sail Guanabara Bay for three hours in a group capped at eight, passing Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana, Arpoador, and the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum. A live guide speaks English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese. The tour includes swimming stops and a cold Heineken; Hugo has been praised for his explanations and attentive care, though guide assignments may vary.

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15.Boat Tour – Sunset with Beer

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4 reviews · 3 hours · from $56

Board at the pier in front of Bar e Restaurante Urca for a three-hour speedboat loop past Sugarloaf, Copacabana, the Cagarras Islands, Niterói, and more. The captain gives brief commentary in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, and the route includes stops for swimming. Beer, soda, and mineral water are included; snacks are not.

“We were a party of 8 and it ended up to be a private tour since it was just our family. Our guide Rafael was the best ever, super friendly, knowledgeable about the history and geography, and made the tour the highlight of our entire trip. He was funny, happy and made the vibe so positive. The boat was clean and stocked with ice cold refreshing beverages. We made a stop by Adam and Eve beaches and he patiently waited for us to have a leisurely swim to the beach. The sunset and scenery of the Guanabara Bay were spectacular and we could not ask for a better guide and…”

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