Rio de Janeiro: Tours
Favela Tours
Brazilian favelas, especially in Rio, have had a significant impact on Brazilian culture as a whole – spanning music, sports, food, and art. Funk carioca music (a combination of bass, hip hop, and traditional Brazilian rhythms) came from these communities. Notable athletes that came from favelas in futbol and martial arts include Romário and Anderson Silva.
In terms of cuisine, favela residents have developed unique dishes that draw from both Afro-Brazilian and European culinary traditions. Foods that have been influenced by favela culture include feijoada, acarajé, tapioca, and coxinhas.
Please note: Vidigal is considered the safest/most touristic favela in Rio de Janeiro. You can do a hike there called Dois Irmãos that is very popular (take a moto taxi up to the entrance for ~5 reais, pay an entrance fee for about 5-10 reais, and take another moto back down from the entrance afterward for another ~5 reais). You’ll be able to observe the environment this way at a surface level.
(Unrelated, but if you’re really into hiking, you may want to consider Pedra do Telégrafo, one of the world’s most famous viewpoints for Instagram photos.)
If you’re interested in taking tours that dive deeper into culture, I recommend doing a tour in Little Africa (like a tour involving Pedra do Sal). In these tours, you’ll learn about favela culture, black culture, and the creation of samba.
Who to contact to schedule the tour:
Kardume (she’s a guide in Rio)
WhatsApp: +55-21-99805-6312
Location: Rocinha
Fia Sunden (she uses the fees to help fund her NGO – Mão do Bem – which provides food for 50 families)
WhatsApp: +55-21-96561-6157
Location: Rocinha
Favela Adventures - contact Carlan Gracie
Whatsapp 21-96937-7384
Location Rocinha, guides are all locals born and raised in Rocinha
This tour financially supports an Animal Shelter in Rocinha, “Spin Rocinha Dj School,” and “Crianca do Futuro Football” Project
Website www.favelatour.org
If you’re interested in one of these tours, please let me know and I can help coordinate with you. Going into the favelas is an incredible way to experience what’s often described as “brazilian soul”.
Walking tours of Rio
Here’s a recommended spot to sign up for free walking tours around Rio: https://freewalkertours.com/
Recommended fee: around 40 to 60 BRL per person for free walking tours.
How to get Maracanã futbol tickets
For Flamengo games, you can buy tickets just by going to their store (training camp) in Gavea - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5an8FUd5nedu2wvJ9 - they’ll ask for your passport number if you don’t have a CPF (just bring a picture in your phone and it’s fine).
Note: I have not used this guy, but he has offered his services to help people get tickets. I can interact with him.
It can be a pain in the ass to buy tickets as a foreigner if you don’t have a CPF (Brazilian SSN) and aren’t familiar with the process. You can always use mine if you want to go yourself.
Henrique will buy tickets for you and will also accompany you to the game if you wish (obviously for an additional fee). He speaks English.Price: 175-250 reais, depending on the game
Contact: +55-21-97306-2631
Instagram: @gringo.outdoor
Where to find street fairs/farmer’s markets
Rio has a ton of outdoor feiras, or farmer’s markets. The streets where they are will be blocked off, and you’ll be able to go there to buy fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, cheese, and many other things (typically). Some of the feiras, like Feira da Gloria (I highly recommend this one on Sundays!), also have live music.
If you go to the feiras toward the time they close, you can get amazing deals on produce because the vendors don’t want to take it home. The produce selection will be whatever is left over at the end of the day, so typically not incredible-looking, but it still does the job.
An official list of feiras and the days/locations is here: https://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/3017716/DLFE-246771.pdf/1.0
You can find a list of feiras, their locations, and hours here: http://www.ondetemfeira.com.br/riodejaneiro
Important Note on Hours:
The listed hours aren’t always set in stone. For example, Feira da Glória is officially listed as ending at 1:30 PM, but the music, prepared food vendors, and alcohol stalls often stay open late into the night every Sunday. Check with vendors on-site for the latest updates, especially during your visit.
📍 Feira Hippie de Ipanema → A famous open-air market for handmade crafts, art, jewelry, and leather goods (Sundays).
📍 Feira de São Cristóvão → The best place in Rio for authentic Northeastern Brazilian food, music, and culture.
📍 Feira Babilônia → A hip, modern market featuring local designers, fashion, and independent brands.
📍 Feira Rio Antigo (Lavradio) → A historic flea market with vintage finds, antiques, and live music in the Lapa district.
📍 Feira da Glória → Best traditional feira for fresh produce & live music.
📍 Feira do Amanhã → An artsy market with an emphasis on sustainability, handmade crafts, and eco-friendly products.
Hang gliding companies/contacts
As a heads up, the prices for this are set by the flight federation – prices will always be around the same price and vary depending on if you get extras like additional camera angles and videos. The typical price for hang gliding will be around 700 reais.
Asa Delta - Parapente
+55-21-99694-7323
Maura MS Fly Rio
+55-21-96466-0368
Viator
Website with many options to choose from: https://www.viator.com/Rio-de-Janeiro-tours/Hang-Gliding/d712-tag21429
Actionfly Voo Livre Rio
+55-21-99573-8623
Guide to Rio’s best beaches
Arpoador has great waves, clear water, and surfer vibes. Lots of people go here to surf!
Leme Beach is not as crowded as Ipanema/Copacabana, but it’s still beautiful in the same way.
Joatinga is hidden and has nice waves and cold water.
Leblon in the afternoons has great sunsets and views.
Praia Vermelha is a mostly-locals beach with two military posts on either side. It’s super safe and chill – you can even spend the night here as there are military members patrolling the beach all night.
The beach group gets together every Friday at around 2pm in Ipanema at posto 9 in front of barraca 80 (right in front of the Uruguay flag). Ask for Jordi at the barraca and then ask for the gringo group.
What to do on a rainy day in Rio
Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura
Confeiteria Colombo
Museu da Amanha
Museu de Arte do Rio
Biblioteca Nacional
Teatro Municipal
Aqua Rio
One of the many malls (Shopping Rio Sul, Barra de Tijuca’s mall, etc)
Cinema
Restaurants
Dance class
Samba school tour (via Airbnb)
Cocktail bar (like Vian in Ipanema)
CCBB
Museu da Republica + Museu de Folclore
Fiscal Island Castle and Naval Museum
Indoor climbing at Evolução (Botafogo)
Jerusalem cultural center (has a giant model of Jerusalem made of stones from there)
Paintball in old houses/ruins (Top Shot Paintball is one)
Old Chocolate Factory with lots of artists and shops inside (Fabrica Bhering)
Former mansions of billionaires that became cool cultural/art centers:
Eva Klabin
Casa Roberto Marinho
Casa Firjan
Rodizio – Rio Brasa is a great one
Centro de Tradições Nordestinas (a cultural trip to Brazilian Northeast + karaoke)