South America · HISTORICAL TOURS IN BRAZIL
The good historical tours in Brazil fill first, and the cheap ones are not always the weak ones. Below: 15 of them, what each costs and how they differ.
Spend about five hours in Bento Gonçalves visiting Epopeia Italiana, Garibaldi Winery, Devorata Craft Truffles, and the Maria Fumaça wine train. A guide and transport are included, with cultural exhibits, wine tastings, Italian and gaucho music, and a small-group limit of 10 people.
“They really made an effort for me because I dont speak Portugese. And everything was arranged really well.”
Spend four hours exploring Rio’s old center, XV de Novembro Square, Cinelândia, the Carioca Aqueduct and Santa Teresa. Your guide drives between stops, shares Brazil’s past and takes you to Parque das Ruínas for wide views over Guanabara Bay. Guides include Dario, Monica, Thiago and Millene, with several languages available.
“Our tour was great. Picked up on time. Itinerary explained. Tour guide was great!”
Cycle through São Paulo with UrbanBikeSP on a three-hour, small-group ride limited to 10 people. You’ll see Paulista Avenue, MASP, Copan, Luz Station, Pátio do Colégio, Sé Cathedral, and Liberdade, with bikes, helmets, water, snacks, and a guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
“Jeff was a wonderful guide!! He explained so much history and shared fun facts about São Paulo. This was a great way to experience a ton of the downtown area of the city in a fairly short time. I highly recommend this tour, and especially Jeff as the guide!”
Travel from Curitiba to Morretes on the historic Paranaguá-Curitiba Railway, passing bridges, tunnels, waterfalls, and Serra do Mar rainforest. Explore Morretes and Antonina, visit the moving HISGEOPAR model park, and eat barreado beside the Nhundiaquara River. A Portuguese-speaking guide leads the day, with English or Spanish commentary available in the train carriage.
“Pedí especialmente u servicio con guía en español y todos los guías hablaban portugués , entonces entendí menos de la mitad de todo el tour. Yo no hablo nada del idioma”
Spend 150 minutes walking Rio’s port district with an English-speaking guide such as Luana, Nathalia, Larissa, or Eddie. Learn how African culture shaped Brazil, pause for Mauá Square views from the Rio Art Museum rooftop, visit Pedra do Sal and the Valongo sites, and finish back at the museum.
“I just loved the tour. Our guide Nathalia knows a lot about the history of Brazil and in special about the slavery and the heritage of little africa. She showed us all the nice and hidden spots and could tell a lot about it! Highly recommended!”
Spend an afternoon and evening at Foz do Iguaçu’s Triple Frontier Landmark, where Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay meet. Your small-group van ride includes hotel pickup, sunset views, cultural performances, and a stop by the Yup Star Ferris wheel. Guides speak English, Spanish, or Portuguese, though the show may be mainly in Spanish.
“The whole experience was very personalised and all done in a timely manner. The show itself was amazing and should not be missed. One has to get there and take seats by 17:30 nearly an hour/45 mins before the show but it’s worth the wait. Interactive show of the three countries. Really enjoyed and highly recommend……”
Spend about three and a half hours tracing Rio’s Afro-Brazilian past with a guide such as Carolina, Rafael, Malu, or Val. Visit IPN, MUHCAB, Cais do Valongo, Pedra do Sal, and Largo da Prainha, with a short VLT ride included. Expect thoughtful history, considerable walking, and a moving look at Rio beyond its famous beaches.
“Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and fun. I wish we would have done this tour our first day like we originally planned but our flight was delayed. We would have definitely gone back to revisit some of the spots. The company worked with us to rebook because we missed our first reservation. They are wonderful ❤️ highly recommend!”
Meet your English, Portuguese, or Spanish-speaking guide at Santa Rita Church for a 90-minute walk through Paraty’s old center. Learn about Indigenous peoples, colonization, Freemasonry, and the town’s sugar, gold, coffee, and pau-brasil eras. The tour ends at a local bar with a taste of Cachaça Gabriela, a sweet blend of cachaça, honey, clove, and cinnamon.
“The tour of Paraty was absolutely wonderful. Thiago is incredibly knowledgeable, bringing the town’s history to life and helping you truly understand its roots. A journey through the past, expertly guided and deeply engaging. The cachaça tasting is also a must! Daniela”
Join Giuliano for a two-hour, 3-kilometer English walking tour through central São Paulo. See Copan, the Municipal Theatre, Pátio do Colégio, Sé Cathedral, and Liberdade while learning about architecture, immigration, coffee, politics, and local food. Groups are limited to 10 people.
“Great overview of the history of São Paulo! Our guide was thorough and gave us a ton of information on the history and socioeconomic reasons behind the changes the city saw. There was no question he could not answer. I could probably read about all of this on Wikipedia, but Guilliano really fleshed it out and brought it to life in a way that will stay with me a long time. Highly recommend!”
Walk through Rio’s historic center with a private guide, starting at the Municipal Theater and ending at Paço Imperial. You’ll see Cinelândia, Selarón Steps, Lapa’s arches, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Largo da Carioca, and Confeitaria Colombo. Guides such as Rafael and Danielle have been praised for friendly, clear storytelling, and your group can request itinerary changes.
“Although we saw some great sites, the guide made us feel like he needed to be somewhere else, and our 2 1/2-hour tour ended after 1 1/2 hours. It was not an inexpensive tour so we left feeling taken advantage of (and perhaps not seeing everything we were supposed to see?). Perhaps a price adjustment is in order.......”
Spend about eight hours visiting Ilhota, Blumenau, and Pomerode from Balneario Camboriu. An air-conditioned vehicle, guide, and round-trip accommodation transfers are included. Expect German-influenced architecture, Oktoberfest culture, local food, shopping, and time in Pomerode, where German is spoken by much of the population.
“What a great tour! We loved every minute. This was our first time in Brazil and Jilson and Junior made our day unforgettable. Very fun conversation, lots of good explanations, and the places we visited were both historic and beautiful. Did I mention the great food? Hope to do this again with our kids!”
Start with hotel pickup, then explore Cais do Valongo, Porto Maravilha, Museum of Tomorrow, São Bento Monastery, Praça Quinze, and Confeitaria Colombo. Guides such as Carlos, Sandra, Alexia, Gabriella, and Newton have led this route, which mixes short van rides with substantial walking. The museum visit lasts about 90 minutes.
“Learning about Brasil, and walking throughout the city was excellent. Oh, the best part was the pastry shop, Confeitaria Colombo...yummy. One big tip is to wear comfort shoes and be ready to walk, and it's worth it!”
Walk from Praça Castro Alves through Salvador’s historic center and Pelourinho with a guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. See Rio Branco Palace, the Lacerda Elevator, Cruz Caída Square, colonial mansions, and São Francisco Church. Guides including Maria, Eduardo, Lara, and Aldison tailor the walk to your interests.
“Maria è una guida molto brava e professionale, ha tarato il tour sui miei interessi e curiosità. Bellissima esperienza ! Grazie”
Walk Paraty’s colonial center with a private bilingual CADASTUR guide, meeting at your hotel or Paraty Tours. In about two hours, you’ll visit historic churches, the Religious Arts Museum, Casa da Cultura, and streets marked by Freemasonry symbols. Guides such as Christiano, Chris, and Ramon add different stories and local tips.
“Christ was a great guide made the trip fun and very informative, learnt a lot about the history of Brazil as well as Paraty. Would recommend the tour with Chris.”
See a modern and historic side of Rio on a four-hour guided tour from the South Zone. Visit Valongo Wharf, Eduardo Kobra’s huge mural, the Museum of Tomorrow, São Bento Monastery, Praça XV, and Confeitaria Colombo. English, Spanish, and Portuguese guides lead the tour, with museum admission and hotel transport included.
“La guía, Marilia, se perdió al llevarnos de un punto a otro. No explicaba los lugares de visita, siempre nos estaba apurando a pesar del tiempo que perdió al perderse entre las calles. El transporte casi nos deja al final del recorrido ya que como eran dos tours en el mismo transporte parecía que estábamos ligados al segundo tour. No fue una experiencia agradable. Por lo que no lo recomiendo.”
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