Rio de Janeiro · HISTORICAL TOURS

Top 15 History Tours in Rio de Janeiro

26 tours  ·  from $11 a head

Rio trips always run a day short. These 15 history tours justify the slot, priced and timed so the decision takes minutes and the beach gets the rest.

Rio de Janeiro: Historic Rio and Santa Teresa Half-Day Tour - Parque das Ruínas and the Guanabara Bay view
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Rio de Janeiro: Historic Rio and Santa Teresa Half-Day Tour

1.Historic Rio and Santa Teresa Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 228 reviews · 4 hours · from $47Our pick

Visit Rio’s historic center, Lapa’s Carioca Aqueduct, and Santa Teresa’s winding streets on a four-hour car tour with hotel pickup. A multilingual guide connects the city’s old and new architecture, then takes you to Parque das Ruínas for views over Guanabara Bay. Past guides include Dario, Monica, and Millene. Allow extra time in high season, when traffic can slow the route.

“How lucky to have Ricardo all to ourselves. He took us to all the tourist highlights, gave us time to spend inside each one, whist he drove around the block returning to pick us up, gave us time patiently whist we shopped and gave us great advise on the prices and took us to some secret/off grid sites too.”

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Rio de Janeiro: Little Africa Heritage Walking Tour - Starting at the Rio Art Museum
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Rio de Janeiro: Little Africa Heritage Walking Tour

2.Little Africa Heritage Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 177 reviews · 2h 30m · from $40

This 2.5-hour English-language walk starts at the Rio Art Museum and explores Little Africa, including Morro da Conceição, Largo da Prainha, Pedra do Sal, the Hanging Garden of Valongo, and Cais do Valongo. Expect an introduction to Brazil’s colonial past, a rooftop view of Guanabara Bay, and a guide-led look at Afro-Brazilian history and culture. Guides on recent tours have included Luana, Nathalia, Ryane, Marina, and Eddie.

“Nathalia is a smart young lady who is very knowledgeable about the historic events that involved the African community in Rio. She is also passionate about her roots and was able to answer some sensitive and dilemmatic questions that the tour group had in a very heartfelt and sensible manner. Nathalia also gave good recommendations for places to eat in and hang out (in Little Africa and other spots in Rio) after the tour and most of the tour participants, including myself, even ended up having lunch together at a wonderful restaurant serving delicious bobõ de camarão (shrimp stew) and mamata. I highly recommend this tour with Nathalia. She's fantastic.”

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Explore Little Africa : Unveiling Afro Heritage in Rio de Janeiro - The Pretos Novos Institute gives the route its weight
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Explore Little Africa : Unveiling Afro Heritage in Rio de Janeiro

3.Explore Little Africa : Unveiling Afro Heritage in Rio de Janeiro

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 97 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $82Top rated

Spend about three and a half hours walking Rio’s Little Africa with a guide, visiting Valongo Wharf, Pedra do Sal, MUHCAB and more. Guides including Carolina, Rafael, Malu and Val have led tours that connect the sites to Afro-Brazilian history. The price includes museum fees and a short VLT ride; wear comfortable shoes.

“Our tour guide Carolina has so much knowledge and enthusiasm which made for a wonderful day! I wish the tour was longer because I really enjoyed learning about the Afro Heritage History in Rio”

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Paraty: Historic Centre Walking Tour & Cachaça Tasting - Read Paraty’s history in its streets
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Paraty: Historic Centre Walking Tour & Cachaça Tasting

4.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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Learn the History of Rio with an Unforgettable City Center Walking Tour - The Metropolitan Cathedral and Largo da Carioca
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Learn the History of Rio with an Unforgettable City Center Walking Tour

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

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

Walk Rio’s Centro with a private guide, starting at the Municipal Theatre and ending at Paço Imperial. The route takes in Cinelândia, the Selarón Steps, Lapa’s arches, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Largo da Carioca and Confeitaria Colombo. Rafael and Danielle are among the guides who have led the tour, though your guide may differ. The price is $49.05 per person.

“Amazing tour in Centro! Danielle was a super guide who took us through Rio’s exciting history and architechture over the past 200 years. Highly recommended!”

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Rio's city walking tour: a glimpse of history and olympic legacy - Mauá Square and the Olympic-era waterfront
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Rio’s city walking tour: a glimpse of history and olympic legacy

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

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

Explore downtown Rio on a guided half-day walk, from Candelária and São Bento Monastery to Mauá Square, Praça XV, Confeitaria Colombo, and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Hotel pickup is included in several beach districts. Guides such as JB, Melanie, and André have led the tour, but the guide on your date may differ.

“Melanie is extremely friendly and easy going, very smoothly transitioning from Spanish to English to take care of multiple customers. Great experience!”

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Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & Historical Rio - São Bento, Candelária and the Olympic Cauldron
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Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & Historical Rio

7.Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & Historical Rio

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 66 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $72

Start with hotel pickup, then walk through Rio’s port district and historic center with a professional guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese. The route includes Cais do Valongo, the interactive Museum of Tomorrow, São Bento Monastery and Confeitaria Colombo. Museum entry is included; food at Colombo is extra. Expect plenty of walking.

“Muy interesante y bonito el paseo. Es bueno conocer el centro histórico y el museo es otro nivel, me encantó”

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Private walk tour of Paraty's historical center - BY PARATY TOURS - Masonic marks, painted houses, and the stories between stops
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Private walk tour of Paraty’s historical center – BY PARATY TOURS

8.Private walk tour of Paraty’s historical center – BY PARATY TOURS

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Explore Paraty’s historic center on a private, two-hour walk with a bilingual, CADASTUR-registered guide. You’ll visit seven stops, including the churches of Santa Rita and Our Lady of the Rosary, and look for Masonic symbols in the old streets. Guides have included Chris, Christiano, and Ramon, though your guide may vary. Price: $80 for up to 15 people.

“My tour was excellent. I learned so much and really enjoyed understanding the history and present of Paraty. Highly recommend.”

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Rio: Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & History Tour - Kobra’s mural turns a wall into a portrait
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Rio: Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & History Tour

9.Olympic Boulevard, Museum of Tomorrow & History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 47 reviews · 4 hours · from $67

See Downtown Rio with a guide, from Valongo Wharf and Eduardo Kobra’s huge mural to the Museum of Tomorrow, São Bento Monastery, and Praça XV. Museum entry and South Zone hotel pickup are included. The tour ends at Confeitaria Colombo, where you can buy a Brazilian snack. It runs in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, with groups capped at 19.

“Pedro was very much dedicated with the history of Brazil. I enjoyed the tour with him. He was very informative . We learned so much about the history of Brazil. Thank you Pedro for all that you taught us about the history of Brazil.”

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Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery - A full-day trip from Rio, not a quick outing
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Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery

10.Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 45 reviews · from $58

Spend about nine hours touring Petrópolis, from its neo-Gothic cathedral and Imperial Museum to a guided Bohemia Brewery visit with three tastings. A buffet lunch and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle are included. You can also opt to visit Santos Dumont’s unusual house, though its entrance fee is extra. Guide Gabriel has been praised for clear English explanations.

“Tanto a visita ao museu imperial, quanto a visita à Bohemia fazem deste passeio uma experiência incrível.”

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Centro Historico and Lapa - Santa Teresa Walking, Historical and Bohemian Tour - Praça Quinze and the Waterfront’s Civic Landmarks
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Centro Historico and Lapa – Santa Teresa Walking, Historical and Bohemian Tour

11.Centro Historico and Lapa – Santa Teresa Walking, Historical and Bohemian Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $137

Spend 7 to 8 hours walking Rio’s historic center, visiting landmark churches and squares, riding the yellow tram to Santa Teresa, and seeing the Selarón Steps and Lapa arches. A guide leads the tour, which starts and ends at Copacabana Palace and includes a drink. Lunch is not included, and the group is capped at 12.

“Superbe découverte du centre ville. Yvan nous a fait découvrir l’histoire de Rio pendant une journée. Merci encore à lui pour toutes ces explications. Je recommande vivement”

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Historical Downtown and Lapa - Walking Tour - Avenida Rio Branco: a walk through the center
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Historical Downtown and Lapa – Walking Tour

12.Historical Downtown and Lapa – Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $40

Spend about three hours walking Rio’s historic center and Lapa, from Praça Floriano to Praça XV. Expect commentary on Brazilian political history, time for questions, and photo stops at landmarks including the National Library and Selarón Steps. Guides such as Rafael and Juliana have led tours, though your guide may differ. The listed price is $40 per person, so confirm the tour’s payment format before booking.

“Disappointed that our tours booked in English were cancelled due to a minimum of 3 people needed in order to conduct the tours. The fine print does state that a minimum of 3 are needed but we would have been happy to tip more to meet the minimum. Both tours were cancelled a few hours before the scheduled start time. Our time in Rio was limited and thus it was impossible to find an alternative at the last minute. Wish we had had some warning a few days in advance and we could have prepared a backup plan.”

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Imperial Petrópolis - Historic Tour + Teresa Street and Lunch - The Imperial Museum: the day’s essential stop
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Imperial Petrópolis – Historic Tour + Teresa Street and Lunch

13.Imperial Petrópolis – Historic Tour + Teresa Street and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 44 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $57

Leave Rio at 7 a.m. for a full day in Petrópolis, visiting the Imperial Museum, cathedral and Crystal Palace, with a panoramic look at Quitandinha, buffet lunch and free time on Rua Teresa. Santos Dumont’s house is optional and costs extra. Guides have included Aldo and Adriana, also called Drika, but your guide may differ.

“Toda o passeio foi muito agradável e o grupo e a equipe maravilhosa. Parabéns!! Eu recomendo 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏”

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Historical Tour with Cachaça Tasting - BY PARATY TOURS - Four churches, four different chapters
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Historical Tour with Cachaça Tasting – BY PARATY TOURS

14.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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African Heritage: Gastronomy and Musicality Experience - Kobra’s mural and the stories behind its figures
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African Heritage: Gastronomy and Musicality Experience

15.African Heritage: Gastronomy and Musicality Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $110

Spend about five hours with a private guide exploring Rio’s African heritage, from the Morrinho model and Valongo sites to a three-hour Pedra do Sal visit with Afro-Brazilian and Yoruba food tastings and a percussion workshop. Past tours have been led by Isabella and Jaíse. Drinks are not included, and the food experience is not suitable for people with dietary restrictions.

“Isabella is the absolute best! She was incredibly knowledgeable about everything we explored on the tour. But what I appreciated most is you can tell she’s really passionate about showing the world Brazil’s African heritage. Our group’s favorite moment was walking through a favela and learning the history of favelas from Isabella. We’ve all heard rumors about favelas, but being inside one humanized it for us in such a unique way. I 100% recommend this tour!!”

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New in Historical Tours

★ 4.1Paraty Historical City Walking TourFrom $728 reviews
★ 4.8Rio Jewish Heritage Half-Day TourFrom $994 reviews
★ 4.6Rio Culture and History through the Art of Traditional FoodsFrom $1989 reviews
★ 4.9Afrobrazilian Heritage & Black History WalkFrom $649 reviews
★ 4.8Private Historic Walking Tour with Natural PoolFrom $1569 reviews

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