Brazilian Contrasts

Full Day city Tour Rio de Janeiro

During this tour you  will visit the famous Christ the Redeemer with its spectacular views of Rio. The statue of Christ the Redeemer was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet (30 metres) tall, its horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet (28 metres). The statue has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil. It is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world.

You will continue the tour to  the city center to see the São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, built between 1964 and 1979,  the name is in honor  to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro. The cathedral’s beauty lies in its interior, where four vivid color rectilinear stained glass windows soar 64 metres from floor to ceiling over the walls in the four cardinal points, allowing the sunlight to be projected in stunning different colors, depending on time of the day, which gives the church a beautiful natural lighting and a mystical atmosphere.

The tour continues visiting the Maracanã Stadium, the Sambodromo and  the Arches of Lapa. 

You will stop to have lunch and to rest. During the afternoon, you will be transferred to visit the Sugarloaf Mountain, a peak that rises 396 meters high and presents a bird’s eye view of Rio de Janeiro from the mouth of Guanabara Bay. Here you will enjoy a breathtaking view of surrounding beaches, mountains and forests.

After the tour, you will return to your hotel. the rest of the day is at leisure. 

Paraty city tour

Backed by steep, jungle covered mountains plunging into an island-studded bay, Paraty enjoys one of Brazil’s most spectacular settings and an exquisitely preserved colonial center. The city of Paraty is full of history marking all the important moments of Brazilian history. The city boasts of a unique architectural ensemble consisting of the churches of Santa Rita, Nossa Senhora do Rosário, Nossa Senhora das Dores and the Matriz de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, besides the Forte Defensor Perpétuo, the Santa Casa de Misericórdia and other townhouses.

Paraty´s Historic Center dates back to the years 1820s when its streets already had their “pé de moleque” (“boy´s foot”) paving. The Historic Center, considered by UNESCO as "the most harmonious colonial architectonic setting ", was declared a National Heritage Site and is preserved by IPHAN (“National Historic and Artistic Patrimony Institute”).

Nowadays, Paraty has become a popular tourist town and its historical center is where you can find all the souvenir shops, nice restaurants, bookshops and places to buy Cachaça!

Planned below sea level, Paraty is considered the Brazilian Venice due to monthly flooding that covers the streets during the full moon, creating a beautiful natural phenomenon.

OURO PRETO

How much do you know about this incredible city? 

 The city of Ouro Preto, in Minas Gerais, is well known for its colonial architecture. It was the first Brazilian city to be considered a world heritage site by Unesco in 1980, and is home to a magnificent Baroque architectural ensemble, one of the best preserved in the world.

You will visit the Matriz Nossa Senhora do Pilar, that is decorated with more than 400 kg of gold. The graceful Museu do Oratório has pieces of different styles that celebrate the miners religiosity.

The São Francisco de Assis Church was designed and decorated by Aleijadinho, and is considered his masterpiece. The image of San Francisco is thrilling.

The sculptor Antônio Francisco Lisboa, Aleijadinho, was one of the most important artists of Minas Gerais. Aleijadinho died in 1814, and was honored in 1968 with the creation of the Aleijadinho Museum, dedicated to preserving and exhibiting objects of sacred art.

The Museu da Inconfidência, which guards the memory of one of the most important separatist uprisings of the colonial period, is also another attraction of Ouro Preto.

Mariana

It was in the late 17th century that Bandeirantes discovered large amounts of gold in a river, which they gave the name of Ribeirão de Nossa Senhora do Carmo.They built a chapel, giving rise to a settlement that would develop into Mariana, the first village established in the captaincy of Minas Gerais. Even after losing the throne of capital in 1720, the city did not lose its relevance.
Today whoever walks through the sumptuous colonial mansions finds rich adornments and soapstone balconies, as well as majestic churches, such as the Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo, the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte.
The Passagem Mine, the largest gold mine open to visitors in the world, is also a tourist attraction of Mariana. Listed as national monument in 1945, Mariana is one of the brightest jewels of the historical mining circuit and a feast for those who love architecture, art and history.

Brazilian Falls

The Iguazu National Park, shared between Brazil and Argentina, is one of the main attraction, not only touristically, but also ecological and natural. Millions of people enjoy this impressive natural wonder, supported by UNESCO.

Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian side, as a national park, was created in 1939. The  national park has approximately 180,000 hectares. The Parque Nacional do Iguazu has one circuit, of approximately 1500 meters. This section can take approximately 2 hours to complete, since during the journey you will be constantly seeing the falls, so you will surely make several stops to take photos and look at the place.

SALVADOR CITY TOUR

This tour starts at De la Barra lighthouse, geographic limit between Bahia de Todos os Santos and the Atlantic Ocean with a stop to take pictures. Driving along the Sete de Setembro Avenue we come across the exit to the Barra were the Salvador Club, Church San Antonio da Barra and the English cemetery are located. The tour continues through Lardo da Victoria (were the oldest church of Bahia is found), corridor Da Victoria (area where the Bahian aristocracy lived in their beautiful mansions such as the present day Carlos Costa Pinto museum), Campo Grande (location of violent battles during the fight for the independence of Bahia, today the stage for the Bahian carnival). The tour continues on foot visiting the Municipal Plaza where the Rio Branco Palace (seat of the State Government) and the Municipal Chamber are located, facing the Lacerda elevator from where one of the most beautiful views of the Bahía de Todos os Santos can be seen. The walk continues towards the Terreiro de Jesús, where the Basilica of Salvador and the Church of San Francisco are located, one of the richest in Brazil considered a beautiful example of Portuguese Baroque. The walk ends at the Largo do Pelourinho, a local that mixes colors, races, cultures and history, a place recognized as a World Heritage Site by Unesco and immortalized by the writer Jorge Amado. 

The tour continues towards the Dique de Tororó where the group of sculptures of the Orixas of Candomble and the Da Fonte Nova stadium used both in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and in some matches of the Rio 2016 Olympics, are located. The circuit continues along Vale de Nazaré avenue which leads to the lower city through the Américo Simas tunnel, passing through the port area and across the Calzada shopping district where you can admire the beautiful building of the railway station from which the trains depart towards the suburbs. Just in front of it is the largo de Roma, where the social work of Irmã Dulce is located (a Bahian nun whose canonization was requested to the Vatican). The ride continues along the Dendezeiros avenue and stop at the Bonfim hill for a photo stop at the most famous Church in Salvador, based on the traditional "washing of Bonfim" commemoration marked by the Bahianas throwing water on the steps of the temple in a festival that lasts the whole day. You will pass by the Mote Serrat Fort a place of unmatched beauty where you can contemplate the architectural heritage and the Bahía de Todos os Santos. Following, continue to the Mercado Modelo (Model Market) to appreciate the local crafts with their typical colors, the sea in the background and the sound of the Berimbau (typical capoeira instrument).