Day 01
Rio de Janeiro's Iconic Landmarks
- The Corcovado (hunchback) mountain is Rio's top attraction and has been widely sung about by famous Brazilian composers. In order to avoid the crowd, we will leave the hotel at about 08:00 AM, driving along the side streets of Ipanema towards Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, continuing through the Rebouças tunnel, a 2.7 km-long complex that connects the southern and central areas of the city.
- Reaching the Cosme Velho train station, we will take a cogwheel train of Swiss manufacture that climbs the mountain from its base to almost its summit at 710 m / 2,230 ft. The very top is reached by climbing a flight of 235 steps or by an elevator to the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue.
- This statue, covered with a mosaic of soapstone, is one of Rio's finest Art Nouveau monuments. The view from this vantage point, with the surrounding Tijuca National Forest spreading below and a circle of mountains closing the horizon at the far back of Guanabara Bay, is breathtaking.
- After visiting the Christ the Redeemer monument, we will drive to the city center, passing through the district of Santa Teresa towards the Lapa Aqueduct, and stop to visit the Selarón Steps and the Metropolitan Cathedral. This modern-style building is conical in shape, with an inside diameter of 96 meters, and can accommodate a congregation of up to 20,000 people. This unusual monument owes much of the beauty of its construction to its colored stained glass windows.
- An optional stop for lunch with direct payment will be available at Confeitaria Colombo or for Brazilian BBQ at Palace Restaurant.
- Afterward, the tour will continue towards Sugar Loaf. Its height and unmistakable outline make it, together with Christ the Redeemer, one of the two main attractions offering breathtaking views of Rio. Its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined loaf sugar. This famous landmark is reached by cable car in two stages: the first stop is Urca Hill at 236 meters, where visitors will have special views of the beaches of Botafogo and Flamengo, followed by the second-stage cable car to the summit of Sugar Loaf at 396 meters above sea level. From the top, we will see the endless beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói stretching to the horizon. Set against the lush Atlantic Rainforest, the scene is dotted with historical buildings such as Santa Cruz Fort and the miniature palace on Fiscal Island.
- Return to the hotel after the tour.
