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RIO DE JANEIRO TOURS
Included
Airport arrival transfer in deluxe air-conditioned vehicle accompanied by an English speaking guide and including airport assistance.
Morning visit to Corcovado Mountain - Christ the Redeemer
Including a ride through some of Rio’s best beach districts, the picturesque Lagoa residential area, Humaitá, Botafogo Harbour and the Laranjeiras sector, where the Corcovado Railway Station is located.
Recently voted as one of the “7 Wonders of the Modern World” the statue offers an incredible view of the city of Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings.
The ascent is via cogwheel train, which has its final stop near the top of Corcovado Mountain - 2,400 feet above the city and a few flights of steps away from the 125 foot statue of Christ the Redeemer. Tour Duration approximately 4 hours. Entrance is included.
Ninety minutes of sheer excitement in the main stadium of Rio including the world’s largest soccer stadium (capacity: 200,000 spectators), including round-trip transfers, admission tickets and fully bilingual guide.
Airport departure transfer in deluxe air-conditioned vehicle accompanied by English speaking guide including airport assistance. RIO DE JANEIRO OPTIONAL TOURS
Sugar Loaf Mountain visit with lunch
Following a short transfer until reaching the Urca District where you will take a thrilling cable-car ride to the top of spectacular Sugar Loaf Mountain, 1,200 feet of sheer rock at the bottle-neck entrance of Guanabara Bay. The ascent is made in two stages; first to the top of the Urca Hill and then to the Summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain, for a breathtaking 360 degree view of Rio, Guanabara Bay, the city of Niteroi and the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Adjacent to the Sugar Loaf cable car station is the recently inaugurated Zozô Restaurant offering panoramic views of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Urca Beach. The restaurant features a top quality self-service buffet with salads, Japanese cuisine, plus a selection of grilled meats and fishes. To finish your meal, a delightful self service dessert buffet.
Tour duration: 4 hours
Lunch is included. Beverages are not included. Botanical Garden Tour
Depart from your hotel to the one of the most beautiful and well-preserved green areas of Rio de Janeiro for an afternoon of exploring the ecological beauty of Rio. Around 6,500 species, some of them endangered, can be seen in the open, and in display galleries. The Botanical Garden also hosts monuments of high artistic and historic value, as well as a research centre, unique in Brazil, which includes the most comprehensive, 32,000 volume library specializing in botany. Upon arrival, a biologist at the historical Visitor’s Center will present a short briefing about the history of the Botanical Gardens and its diversity of the Brazilian and world flora, harmoniously distributed within its 54 hectares.
Tour duration: 4 hours Historical City Tour
This interesting walking tour of Rio de Janeiro will bring the legends and history found in the narrow streets and old historical buildings of downtown Rio to life. You will visit the National Historical Museum, São Bento Monastery, the splendid Lapa Viaduct, the cultural centre located in the beautifully restored Banco do Brasil, the France-Brazil, Presidente Vargas Avenue, Candelaria ("candle makers") Cathedral and finally the Imperial Palace at XV Square. A nostalgic stop is made at the famous and traditional Colombo Coffee Shop to admire the art nouveau decoration maintained from the turn of the century. Located in the heart of Rio’s downtown district, the famous and traditional Confeitaria Colombo, built in 1894, is one of the city’s historic treasures and a living portrait of the Belle Époque in Rio. This magnificent continental café with its famous Belgian mirrors in their hardwood frames and rosewood showcases has changed little since its opening, retaining its quaint elegance and art nouveau decoration from the turn of the century, just as they were once admired by many famous individuals who helped write the history of Brazil. After lunch, continue down Uruguaiana Street, Carioca Square and the Assyrius Room at the Municipal Theater.
Tour duration: 4 hours
Jeep Tour to the Tijuca Forest
Following a short drive you will enter the Tijuca Forest (previously a coffee plantation replanted in the 1800s) where it is possible to see the contrast between the jungle and the modern city of Rio. You will continue the drive to the Cachoeira dos Macacos, a natural waterfall. Next stop is the Vista Chinesa, for a wonderful view of the Southern districts of Rio and a full explanation regarding the reforestation of the Tijuca Forest and the ecological importance of this area to the Atlantic jungle area. Continuing on, you will visit the Emperor’s table (a huge stone slab), a stop at the beautiful Cascatinha waterfall and the Mayrink Chapel. A short walking trek along easy trails of the forest will give you the opportunity to see monkeys, tropical birds, and butterflies.
Tour duration: 4 hours
Hang-gliding
Enjoy the fantastic sensation of being free as a bird in the air, completely absorbed in the beauty of nature as you soar over São Conrado beach on a hang-glider double flight with professional pilots. The incredible views and the exciting feeling of freedom are something you will never forget. Round-trip transfers are included.
Tour is subject to weather conditions. Amazing Boat Tour to Cagarras Arquipelag
Enjoy an amazing adventure. Depart from Canal da Barra on a high-performance zodiac boat passing by the beaches of Joatinga, Vidigal and Leblon on the way to the small group of islands just off the Ipanema coastline which make up the Cagarras and Ilha Redonda´s Archipelago, a well preserved treasure of Rio’s nature. Enjoy the striking landscapes such as Corcovado Mountain, Sugar Loaf and Rio’s famous beaches viewed from afar. This incredible scenery and the exciting feeling of freedom are something never to be forgotten. Round-trip transfers are included.
Tour duration: 2 hours 20 minutes
Tour is subject to weather conditions. Tropical Islands Cruise (including lunch)
A full day unforgettable excursion that includes a ride along the scenic Rio-Santos Highway to the quaint fishing village of Itacurussa to board a comfortable Bahia style two-masted schooner (saveiro). While cruising within beautiful Sepetiba Bay, a stop can be made at an idyllic island beach for swimming and sunbathing. Buffet lunch, without beverages, of fresh fish and chicken, salads, rice, black beans, pasta and assorted Brazilian desserts is included. Round-trip transfers are included.
Tour duration: 8 hours
Tour is subject to weather conditions.
RESTAURANTS AND CAFES
Bistro do Paço, Praça XV 48
The perfect spot to escape the heat and noise in downtown Rio. Inside this little oasis inside the historic Paço Imperial, the thick whitewashed walls keep out the bustle while you recharge your batteries in the cool shade of the inner courtyard. The restaurant serves mostly bistro fare as well as a daily lunch special that will set you back R$15 to R$26 (£4-£7) for a plate of roast beef with a side order of pasta, spinach crepes with a ricotta-and-mushroom stuffing, or a chicken filet with applesauce and sautéed vegetables. For a light snack try a quiche, a freshly made sandwich with grilled vegetables, or a cold-cut plate. Desserts are strictly European: Austrian linzertortes, German fruit strudels, and Black Forest chocolate cakes, all of which go so well with a Brazilian cafezinho.
Miam Miam, Rua General Góes Monteiro 34
Funky is hard to find in Rio de Janeiro, so Miam Miam has found the perfect niche to fill. This funky and hip eatery/lounge/bar is whimsically decorated with fabulous kitsch touches, without trying too hard. The result is a cozy room divided into a lounge area with comfortable couches and love seats and a somewhat more staid dining room. The lounge area is really the place to be, perfect for enjoying a cocktail and sharing some appetizers. The menu offers a range of high-end pub food; salads, sandwiches, pastas, risotto, and a few main courses such as a grilled tuna in a peppercorn crust or a steak with baked potato. If you are planning to eat a full meal you may want to opt for one of the tables but make sure you grab that spot on the couch for dessert and an after-dinner drink. Sobrenatural, Rua Almirante Alexandrino 434
One of the most popular restaurants in Santa Teresa, the open and spacious Sobrenatural is often packed for lunch and dinner. The menu consists of seafood in a variety of shapes and sizes. Order a caipirinha and some shrimp dumplings (pasteis de camarão) to start with. Each portion comes with 10 dumplings so it's great for sharing. The menu offers several grilled fish options, but the house specialty is really the moqueca. Just pick what kind of fish you want and it will come served in a piping hot stew with coconut milk, palm oil, shrimp sauce (optional), rice, and pirão (manioc purée). Portions are generous; mosquecas serve two people, the seafood spaghetti feeds up to three. Zazá Bistrô Tropical, Rua Joana Angelica 40
Zazá is Rio's funkiest eatery, serving up a creative and interesting menu of South American cuisine fused with Oriental flavors. Everything about Zazá is fun, from the playful and eclectic decorations to the unique and excellent dishes. Diners can choose from a table on the terrace or in the dining room. The more adventurous can ask for a spot upstairs where everyone sits on the floor, leaning back on masses of silk-covered pillows. Surrounded by candlelight and lanterns, the room feels like a palace from the Arabian Nights. The menu offers plenty of choices; appetizers include a deliciously grilled squid salad served on a bed of greens with an orange vinaigrette and mango chutney, or an order of mini-acarajés (deep-fried dumplings made of mashed beans and stuffed with spicy shrimp) served with tomato chutney instead of the usual hot-pepper sauce. Main courses also mix up the flavours. Try the namorado fish filet served with a purée of banana and palm heart, or prawn ravioli served with grilled salmon in a saffron sauce. For vegetarians there is always a daily special, made with seasonal produce and interesting spices.
Aprazível, Rua Aprazível 62
When owner and Chef Ana Castilho opened her house for a community event in 1996, she thought it would be a one-time happening. Now, 10 years later, she still runs her restaurant out of her home 4 days a week and things show no sign of slowing down. Part of the charm is the house itself. The restaurant takes up several rooms and spills over into the garden. And then there is the view of downtown Rio and Guanabara Bay. The kitchen serves up an intriguing variation on Brazilian cuisine, with an emphasis on tropical flavors. Interesting starters include fresh grilled palm hearts, and pumpkin cream soup with prawns, and tart apple, and cream. A popular main course is the peixe tropical, grilled fish in an orange sauce, served with coconut rice and baked bananas. A heartier dish is the grilled lamb chop au jus and couscous. Desserts are best savoured slowly.
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Club Information
