Rio by Swiss Guide » Sugar Loaf and Historical City Centre

Location: Rio de Janeiro

The most beautiful view in the middle of a big city and a delightful walk through the historical City Centre!

Another 4 or 5 hours tour takes us to the friendly neighborhood of URCA. We switch into a very modern cabin of a Swiss cable car and within few minutes we reach the first hill, Urca Hill, at 220 m above sea level. Even from here we can enjoy a magnificent view of Guanabara Bay and Corcovado Mountain. From the top of the second hill, the Sugarloaf, we can see from almost 400 m the world famous Copacabana Beach. We can also take a walk through the lush tropical jungle and see little monkeys and birds here.

Then we drive towards to the City Center, where we find for each one an interesting attraction, depending on the personal interests. First we visit the modern and unique Cathedral. We can see the State Opera House, National Library and Museum of Fine Arts. These are all historical buildings, from the beginning of century, where Rio was still Brazil’s capital. We can see the magnificent Benedictine monastery in the port area and go to the elegant cafe Confeitaria Colombo, reminiscent of the Belle Époque and that can offer you a coffee or a delicious meal.

Next stop is the neighborhood of Lapa, especially known for its many bars and nightclubs all opened in recent years. Nowadays, Lapa is one of “Rios highlight of the night life”. We can find there the unique and colorful tiled stairway from the Chilean artist Selarón. These stairs leads directly to Santa Teresa, the bohemian quarter. So this tour can also be connected with others tours.