RAFA - YOUR TOUR GUIDE AND BEST FRIEND IN RIO

Working as a tour guide in Brazil requires a lot of work and also lots of inspiration...You must be in love with your own land to provide such a good work to every guest you have. I am lucky because I mostly tour in Rio, and I give to my people many options...They really go deep in our daily life and I am very keen on off teh beaten path destinations. The whole idea is never treating my visitors as "tourist", but making them feel that they have a ral friend in RIO they can trust, and I think that my guests are real travellers, so strolling around Rio, in and out of the city, and also taking them to incredible parts of Brazil such as IGUAZU FALLS, AMAZON FOREST AND THE UNKNOWN BEACHES AND SANDDUNES LAKES OF MARANHÃO is really easy.

This blog is a cool way to get to know more about my work, and more about my personality...I will report many different situations, and I will write about places I usually make my tours. But if you want to be in touch directly with me, please feel free to write to my personal email address which is donrafainrio@yahoo.es

MY BIGGEST PASSION IN LIFE IS MY WORK. I am an independent tour guide, and believe me I put my heart in my work, I really love what I do, it is always a special moment being with so many different people, and show them the best of my land, making some dreams possible..this is the great joy of my profession. I always focus on the soul of Rio, when my guests choose Rio as a destination...I start to think where I personally like to go, where I personally like going when I want to have fun, what I like to eat, where I will find the people I want to be with, and the places where I simply meet with myself..these places should be quiet, unique, spectacular with lots of natural beauty.

Sure that coming to Rio for the first time there are places that WE MUST SEE, and I totally agree with the tradicional places mentioned in travel books. We have some strategic places where you can go and understand the whole city, there are places that you really have to go in order to tell others that you have been to...

I am completely away from GRINGO PLACES... I take my people to places that you will never find in travelogs..I make my people being in touch with real native people...My tours has a very strong “native profile”, if you know what I mean... I am the sort of a guide who hates talking in the microphone in a bus filled with foreigners dressing flowers shirts expecting when and where they will find the first monkey in the street...you will never see myself saying: COPACABANA IN THE LEFT AND SUGAR LOAF IN THE RIGHT...I will NEVER take my guest to places where I know it is obvious tourist traps...If the stores of Sugar Loaf or Corcovado need me to take my guests there, they will be done for...

I like doing what my guests want, and I always direct them to genuine and unique places, either for visiting or simply go shopping. I want to make any person feel secure that in Rio they do have a friend and someone they can always count on. And other passions that I have...well not so many, but being with the person I love always near is everything I long for...I also love meeting my friends and take my car and go to any place just to have a good time!

LIFE IS EASY AND I REFUSE TO MAKE IT COMPLICATED!

MY CAR AND SOME EXPLANATIONS! :)

It is not a luxury car so you will not have a limo when you come to see Rio! :) But it is a new and comfortable and air conditioned car. I bought my FIAT DOBLO in october!!! It is a very brand new vehicle and quite roomy. Enough for 4 people to spend the whole day with nice visibility and safety.

This will be your "home" (yes indeed, my car is the natural continuation of my house) during all the tours you will have in and out of the city of Rio de Janeiro! I can pick you up in the airport and take you back to the airport!

If you just need transportation for the famous places such as BUZIOS, PARATY, ANGRA DOS REIS, PETROPOLIS...Not a problem, my FIAT DOBLO will take you there! And of course, this is my working tour and believe me I am very proud of it!!!

So many people ask me about which vehicle I use for my tours, so it is the chance you have to see it and now you know how you will be an expertise about Rio!!!

So for more information about my tours or if you just want to go everywhere in Rio or outside of the State, please feel free to write to me and I will personally write to you.

My email is donrafainrio@yahoo.es

RIO IN ONE DAY – WHEN YOU ARE IN ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PLACES IN THE WORLD BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME!!!

Well you are in Brazil and suddenly you do not have much time to visit the most famous city in the country: RIO DE JANEIRO. But you just have one day..so what to do….

First step, you have a guide, it happens to be me, otherwise you would never read this blog, and we can do the following.

Then we would have to decide your priority, which is more important to you seeing the Sugar Loaf or the Christ ????? Or we have to see which of the landmarks are less cloudy or free of clouds..

VERY IMPORTANT: IT IS NOT USE TO GO TO THE CHRIST WHEN THE MOUNTAIN IS COVERED WITH CLOUDS, IT IS A WASTE OF TIME AND A WASTE OF MONEY.

And remember…you have just one day…so let’s try to see as much as we can in one day…First of all we will drive through Ipanema with a little walking in the rocks of Arpoador and heading to Copacabana beach, then a little walk in the famous WAVING SIDE WALK.

Then we will head to the Bay Side and visiting the surroundings of Sugar Loaf mountains to see the first beach where the Portuguese navigators set foot in Rio for the first time, the Praia Vermelha, and a little walk in the Atlantic Forest, we will see many animals and all kind of plants walking in a path where just locals go, the PISTA CLAUDIO COUTINHO.

After that we will understand more of the city and finally realize that Rio is not only a fantastic beach destination, we will see the European Presence in the colonial and barroc constructions in the old part of Rio, and we will see important buildings and very interesting cultural centers like CENTRO CULTURAL BANCO DO BRASIL, THE MAGNIFICENT CHURCH OF CANDELARIA, THE NARROW STREETS OF TELLES, THE PRAÇA QUINZE WITH THE ROYAL PALACE, THE FERRY BOAT STATION, THE STATE CONGRESS AND CARMO CHURCH, THE ONLY PLACE IN LATIN AMERICA WHERE TWO EUROPEAN WERE CROWNED.

We can eat after this fantastic marathon in Rio in a very typical brazilian restaurant, most of the times nice restaurant where only brazilian goes, we will eat with class and style. The tours are never oriented to classic touristic places, only genuine places where you will feel and experience the best of Brazil in just one day, and better, if by chance your only one day in Rio is in the weekend, you will visit a huge market in the suburbs of RIO, an unique experience where you will witness real brazilian parties, creative art craft and the best of our regional food. You will be at FEIRA DO NORDESTE.

Lots of activity using a comfortable and modern car, a Fiat Doblo, good for 4 people, you will be in Rio with a very experienced guide who will be more than a guide, he will be your friend in the city, it will be a 6 or 8 hours tour and if you are just two people the tour will cost 150 american dollars, if you are 3 or 4 people, then the price will be 250 american dollars.

CHECK WITH ME IF YOU WISH A NIGHT TOUR, THERE WILL BE NICE OPTIONS EXCEPT ON SUNDAYS!!!

Feel free to write and get more details, my email is donrafainrio@yahoo.es

TWO DAYS IN RIO...WHAT TO DO...SIMPLE QUESTION, GET A LARGE INTRODUCTION AND GET REASONS TO COME BACK WITH MORE TIME

My mission is to introduce you the best of Rio in two days, as I love challenges I do it for you with lots of pleasure, but I will need your energy and you must be in the mood to be a real part of the city; my mission here is also to make you understand how Carioca lives.

If you do not know, CARIOCA is the name given for a person born and raised in Rio, this word comes from an Indian language and it means CARI = WHITE MEN – OCA = HOUSE. In the very beginning of Rio the Indians saw these white men with heavy clothes who used to live in white houses by the shore, and they call them CARIOCAS.

Back to our two days…RIO IS EASY and you must know it.

And we should start early our first day though I give you 3 options and you have to tell me when you want to start…

8 am, 9 am or 10 am

FIRST DAY
So we will start heading west of the city, going to Barra da Tijuca where we will visit a gorgeous private residential condominium to see a private beach called JOA..beautiful nature and dramatic landscape, it will provide us an idea about the ATLANTIC FOREST, then we will get through Tijuca National Park, visiting waterfalls, lakes and getting very deep inside our thick forest until we get to the Christ.

NOTE THIS TOUR IN THE FOREST IS ONLY POSSIBLE IN WEEK DAYS!!!

After visiting the Christ, a real must see place in Rio we will follow Santa Tereza, the first Portuguese settlement in Rio with its gorgeous big colonial houses, calm streets and thick vegetation everywhere, part of the HISTORY of Rio can be better understood there.

We will continue our day going to Niteroi, a very interesting city located in the other side of Guanabara Bay, we will explore the bay side to have an over view of Rio de Janeiro city from a different perspective, crossing the impressive RIO-NITEROI BRIDGE, also known as Costa e Silva Bridge (13 km long). In Niteroi we will visit BOA VIAGEM PROMENADE and fabulous beaches like Icarai and São Francisco, we will have a quick visit just to see the architecture of the CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM (MAC), the latest construction of our famous architect Oscar Niemeyer, then we will explore part of the VIRAÇAO – Also known as Parque da Cidade - mountain to see such a spectacular view point and you will see the entire city of Niteroi and Rio de Janeiro, our last stop will be in a very typical and pleasant fishermen village of Jururuba where more surprising views will be waiting for us!

We will have lunch in Niteroi in a very local restaurant where you will have the chance to try the best of Brazilian Food, the buffet also includes desert or you will have a second option, a lunch in a real fishermen village, you will have access to many delights of our best see food.

NOTE: LUNCH IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR.

Tour Guide fee will be 150 american dollars for two people or 250 american dollars for more than two people.

COOL HINTS: After the tour, maybe a little walk in the pleasant market of Copacabana located almost in front of OTHON HOTEL, it is also a nice opportunity to walk in the beach just like many locals do every afternoon. If you finish your tour during the afternoon, you must see the sunset in the rocks of Arpoador close to Ipanema.

SECOND DAY

Now you have quite a cool understanding about Rio but there are still nice places to be seen in the city, and the beginning of our day will be filled with nature and spectacular views for our pictures and also just to chill out relaxing with friends, your partner or anyone you like. Again we must start in the morning and we will go the the surroundings of Sugar Loaf Mountain, in Rio, it is best called as PÃO DE AÇUCAR.

SOMETHING VERY ESSENCIAL FOR THIS DAY – BRING A LOT OF BANANAS!!!

We will walk in places where many tourist simply do not have any idea about its existence, places very close to the Sugar Loaf like Praia Vermelha where the Portuguese navigators set foot in 1501 and we will make a little hiking at PISTA CLAUDIO COUTINHO trail where we will be in contact with lots of treesm shady paths and many many birds and animals. It will be a great chance for us to feed our COUSINS…YES WE WILL SEE THE MONKEYS, but please do not be angry with me if you do not see any…but they hardly disappoint me!!!

Our next step will be a visit to the one of the top 10 most complete Botanical Gardens in the World - in Portuguese we say JARDIM BOTANICO - we will walk along pretty beautiful alleys full of giant trees, an amazon little lake full of flowers and fish, we will see lots of mango and jacko trees, and you will see a magnificent collection of orchids and cactus.

In the end of our tour we will have lunch in one of the busy buffets of Rio’s downtown, together with all kind of working people in our financial area. We have two sacred parts of our downtown that we should explore; the Monastery where you will see the best of our Barroc Heritage; then we will walk through the narrow old streets of Rio visiting CULTURAL CENTRES, Portuguese blue tiles in private business and homes. We will see also the Ferry Boat area, the Royal Palace, the Carmo Street – that is the only catholic church in Latin America that crowned two European kings – the State Congress and the area of PRAÇA QUINZE, this is one of the most important historical sites in the State after Paraty.

As a grand finale, we will end our tour at the Fort of Copacabana, an impressive 1905 construction which will give you unique views of Copacabana and Ipanema, and the hidden beach of Diabo.

We will use my car and we will walk a lot.

The full day tour will be 150 american dollars for two people or 250 american dollars for more than two people. (the car is good for 4 people!)

COOL HINTS: When you get back to the hotel, it is a cool chance for you to walk at NOSSA SENHORA DE COPACABANA AVENUE where the best shops are located. Copacabana has a big variety of stores where you can buy anything you need!!! SHOPPING TIME, or visiting RIO SUL SHOPPING CENTER, the main mall we have in the neighborhood.

NIGHT TOUR

No trip to Rio is complete if you do not dive into the World of our funny nights, and we have space for every one. Rio means Carnaval, Rio means cool conversations in each corner of Ipanema, so many bars and beautiful people everywhere. Rio is SAMBA and all music styles like Forro and so many incredible singers. Music shakes the vain of every blood, no matter if you are rich or poor, you will always find fantastic local musician, and me as a real Brazilian, of course I will take you to the most genuine places where our people really have fun at night. Samba Houses, Samba Rehearsals for the great 2 nights of our Carnaval and visits to the most uncommon markets of the city where food, art crafts and lots of music is FULLY GUARANTEED. We will visit Lapa and Santa Tereza, genuine bohemian neighborhoods, and a visit to the v ery unknown PAVILHAO DE SAO CRISTOVAO.

The chance of getting to know the real night of Rio is right now!!!

We generally take about four hours for a night tour, but of course we can go back to the hotel when you decide, but put your feet out of the hotel and find out more about this wonderful people called CARIOCAS.

The tour guide fee is only one, no matter how many people I take, it is 100 american dollars.

Two days tour and one night tour at least will give you two great samples of Rio that certainly will convince you to come back for more!!!

donrafainrio@yahoo.es is my email, please drop me a line if you wish to have more details and also if you want to get some pictures of this tour!!!

RIO EASY IN THREE DAYS – ENOUGH FOR YOU TO FALL IN LOVE WITH RIO!!!

Sure that Rio to be visited properly deserves at least a whole life to explore the city in a way that you will see that you are just in one of the most fascinated cities in the World. Rio is for sure the best door entrance of a wonderful and dear country called Brazil and I am fully grateful that you chose Rio as one of your trip destinations. Again 3 days in Rio will be good enough for you to realize that you must come to Rio often!!! Rio will be now your best HOME OUTSIDE HOME.

First day will be a large introduction of the city, and we can do it easily when you get to your hotel or right in the very first morning of your days in the city!!!

FIRST DAY

From the plane or from the first streets you get when you leave the airport, you will see Jesus Christ with his arms wide open telling you that YOU ARE VERY WELCOME to enjoy the best of Rio de Janeiro, so nothing better than pay a visit to the main hoster of Rio and we will see the Christ on the hill of Corcovado, it is a unique chance to see the city from the top of an impressive view point.

And we are not getting there as regular tourists who just reach the top of Corcovado by train…no way!!!! We will explore the Forest of Tijuca, we will see hidden view points from a different perspective and stop in some points that only a native can show you. If we pick this day in a week day we will be able to get through the forest, visiting the headquater of our national park created in 1961 but even planned in 1880, so you will see the gorgeous waterfall of Cascatinha, the route to the Paineiras and experience the pleasant natural showers of this unique part of this wonderful green corridor.

This day will be a total off the beaten path day visiting places out of touristy spots..we will head west visiting wild beaches and a lot of natural sites. We will see the beaches of Barra da Tijuca, Recreio, Macumba, Prainha and Grumari, these are very unknown beaches with a lot of green, local people and fishermen villages where we can have the best of our see food.

This day you will realize that Copacabana and Ipanema are not the only beaches of Rio and you will be able to see our wilderness, be prepared to see many new and unforgettable places.

The tour fee guide will be 150 american dollars for two people, and 250 american dollars for more than two people.

SECOND DAY

Now you have quite a cool understanding about Rio but there are still nice places to be seen in the city, and the beginning of our day will be filled with nature and spectacular views for our pictures and also just to chill out relaxing with friends, your partner or anyone you like. Again we must start in the morning and we will go the the surroundings of Sugar Loaf Mountain, in Rio, it is best called as PÃO DE AÇUCAR.

SOMETHING VERY ESSENCIAL FOR THIS DAY – BRING A LOT OF BANANAS!!!

We will walk in places where many tourist simply do not have any idea about its existence, places very close to the Sugar Loaf like Praia Vermelha where the Portuguese navigators set foot in 1501 and we will make a little hiking at PISTA CLAUDIO COUTINHO trail where we will be in contact with lots of treesm shady paths and many many birds and animals. It will be a great chance for us to feed our COUSINS…YES WE WILL SEE THE MONKEYS, but please do not be angry with me if you do not see any…but they hardly disappoint me!!!

Our next step will be a visit to the one of the top 10 most complete Botanical Gardens in the World - in Portuguese we say JARDIM BOTANICO - we will walk along pretty beautiful alleys full of giant trees, an amazon little lake full of flowers and fish, we will see lots of mango and jacko trees, and you will see a magnificent collection of orchids and cactus.

In the end of our tour we will have lunch in one of the busy buffets of Rio’s downtown, together with all kind of working people in our financial area. We have two sacred parts of our downtown that we should explore; the Monastery where you will see the best of our Barroc Heritage; then we will walk through the narrow old streets of Rio visiting CULTURAL CENTRES, Portuguese blue tiles in private business and homes. We will see also the Ferry Boat area, the Royal Palace, the Carmo Street – that is the only catholic church in Latin America that crowned two European kings – the State Congress and the area of PRAÇA QUINZE, this is one of the most important historical sites in the State after Paraty.

As a grand finale, we will end our tour at the Fort of Copacabana, an impressive 1905 construction which will give you unique views of Copacabana and Ipanema, and the hidden beach of Diabo.

We will use my car and we will walk a lot.

The full day tour will be 150 american dollars for two people or 250 american dollars for more than two people. (the car is good for 4 people!)

COOL HINTS: When you get back to the hotel, it is a cool chance for you to walk at NOSSA SENHORA DE COPACABANA AVENUE where the best shops are located. Copacabana has a big variety of stores where you can buy anything you need!!! SHOPPING TIME, or visiting RIO SUL SHOPPING CENTER, the main mall we have in the neighborhood.

NIGHT TOUR

No trip to Rio is complete if you do not dive into the World of our funny nights, and we have space for every one. Rio means Carnaval, Rio means cool conversations in each corner of Ipanema, so many bars and beautiful people everywhere. Rio is SAMBA and all music styles like Forro and so many incredible singers. Music shakes the vain of every blood, no matter if you are rich or poor, you will always find fantastic local musician, and me as a real Brazilian, of course I will take you to the most genuine places where our people really have fun at night. Samba Houses, Samba Rehearsals for the great 2 nights of our Carnaval and visits to the most uncommon markets of the city where food, art crafts and lots of music is FULLY GUARANTEED. We will visit Lapa and Santa Tereza, genuine bohemian neighborhoods, and a visit to the v ery unknown PAVILHAO DE SAO CRISTOVAO.

The chance of getting to know the real night of Rio is right now!!!

We generally take about four hours for a night tour, but of course we can go back to the hotel when you decide, but put your feet out of the hotel and find out more about this wonderful people called CARIOCAS.
The tour guide fee is only one, no matter how many people I take, it is 100 american dollars.

THIRD DAY

NITEROI – RIO’S BEST FRIEND

It is the second most important city in the State, Niteroi is just more than the other edge of Guanabara Bay. People think that Niteroi is an island, and there are people who simply ignore Niteroi thinking that this place is just a sleeping city, but it is not. These lands very green that we see from the distance in many places in Rio holds incredible surprises for you.

It is our last day in Rio but we can stay half of the day visiting the basic of Niteroi if you have to leave to the airport, or we can spend the entire day making a complete tour in this fantastic city.

It is good that almost no travel books mention Niteroi, but Niteroi has everything to be the highlight of your trip to Rio.

Basic Niteroi we will cover the Bay Side Walk in Boa Viagem, we will have a quick visit to the Contemporary Art Museum, one of the last construction of our famous architect Oscar Niemeyer, this place give us incredible views of Rio, then we will visit a forest area close to São Francisco beach, this place is called PARQUE DA CIDADE, you will be surprised of so many beautiful things you will see from that simple view point. After that we can go to the fishermen village of Jurujuba, you will experience life in a slow rhythm like our old countryside village NOT FAR FROM BUSY, EXCITING AND CRAZY RIO.

If we have the entire day, then we will cross the mountains and see the ocean side of Niteroi where you will see the most beautiful beaches IN BRAZIL!!!! You will be able to visit the amazing sanctuary of Itacoatiara, our most impressive beach, and you will have the chance to see the sunset in a fishermen village, the dunes and the lagoon of Itaipu.

Going to Niteroi will be a very important plus in your trip to Rio.

Three days in Rio will be fantastic for you to make the best of your trip and I will be honored to give you a lot of assistance.

The tour guide fee will be 150 american dollars for two people, and more than two people the fee will be 250 american dollars.

Write to me if you want to see more pictures and if you want to get informed with more details about this specific tour, my email is donrafa@yahoo.es

PARATY – THE CHARMING OLD CITY

Paraty has more than 300 years of glorious history in Brazil, for a long time the old town used to be a very important port for the Portuguese that once colonized the country; the Gold coming from the mountains of Minas were sent to Europe in order to avoid the pirates and the merchants of Rio, because of that, Paraty became rich, many people from all over the World settled down there, the little village got big colonial houses owned by powerful barons and farmers. The city in that time was a very important trade point in the Colony and its geographic formation provided an excellent natural harbor, also because of its vast fields of Sugar Cane, Paraty became famous for their spectacular Cachaça. Until today Paraty has the best cachaças in the country.

Among famous barroc and colonial destinations in Latin America such as Colonia del Sacramanento in Uruguay; Taxco in Mexico; Antigua in Guatemala; Cuzco in Peru or even the brazilian historical towns such Ouro Preto. Tiradentes, Mariana, and the coast old cities like São Luis and Olinda. Paraty gives the visitor HISTORY, CULTURE, BEACH ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURE.

Paraty since its beginning had the power to make people fascinated about its spirit, the cobble stone streets, the old corners, the music coming from the bars, the children playing in the main square, the church bells, the pleasant ocean breeze and the slow rhythm of the city, absolutely untouched over the years. And not only for that….

PARATY has green mountains,,delightful mountains with full of natural secrets such as impressive waterfalls in the jungle, very old coffee and sugar cane farms, families who are taking care of these amazing properties over many generations.

Going to Paraty you will be placed in the past of Brazil, you will be surrounded by absolutely gorgeous islands and desert beaches, and you will feel like a nature ranger strolling around greeny paths and you will see the real taste of a native environment away from tourist. The city now is famous world wide but it still holds lots of nice secrets that will make your trip unique.

This fantastic shelter is just 3 hours drive from Rio in the South of the State. At least you will have to spend 2 nights to see this barroc city enterily, one day to see the the historical spots and some of the woods and the other day to explore its fabulous islands!

Coming to Paraty is like having a package of 4.The city itself, the mountains of Serra da Bocaina in Cunha, the wild and ever green beaches of Trindade and the mysterious islands of this spectacular Bay.

TOUR GUIDE FEES: 100 AMERICAN DOLLARS – FULL DAY FOR 2 PEOPLE
160 AMERICAN DOLLARS – FULL DAY FOR 3 AND 4 PEOPLE.

TRANSPORTATION COSTS – 300 AMERICAN DOLLARS – ROUND TRIP

PETROPOLIS - HISTORY AND FUN IN THE MOUNTAINS

When we read more about Rio de Janeiro, for sure we also read many things about Petropolis. PETROPOLIS IS FOR SURE A REAL INTERESTING DESTINATION IN ANY TRIP TO RIO DE JANEIRO. Petropolis is so nice that since in our early ages, it has been a cool weekend place for Brazilian and Non-Brazilians, even the Portuguese Royal Family decided to settle in that very green place in this lovely mountain town. It is located in our famous ORGÃOS MOUNTAIN RANGE, one of our most beautiful Brazilian National Parks, so this is your great chance to put together HISTORY and fun in the WILDERNESS. Coming across with nice south American stories and lovely water falls. The city itself has over 200 000 people but you can still see some stunning gardens and squares, one of the fewest Gothic Temples in the Country where our dearest Emperor is buried with his family and you can have an idea about how our Royal Family used to live.

Our Emperor Dom Pedro, The Second, was one of our most important character in our History and a real progressive man for that period of our life. He was the son of a very clever and famous Austrian Princess Leopoldina and educated by one of our most brilliant brains in our History, the Prime Minister José Bonifacio. No doubt that he would become an incredible man who about more than 150 years ago he paid salary to the slaves, he was to one who finished slavery in Brazil and also thought about sharing the lands with all Brazilian people. He spent most of his life in Petropolis and he loved his own home an d until today Petropolis is there to make visitors fall in love with the lovely classy ambience of the town!!!

So if you want to see a lot of History and lots of fantastic mountain landscapes, a visit to Petropolis is highly recommended. As well as a visit to the neighboring cities such as Teresopolis and Friburgo which are precious secrets that of course I will help you to find out.

It is a full day tour and we can use my car to reach Petropolis, the full day tour costs 150 american dollars for 2 people and 250 american dollars for 4 people!

For further information feel free to write to donrafainrio@yahoo.es, I will be honored to answer you!

BUZIOS – PARADISE WITH STYLE

Think about a place with gorgeous and clean beaches, some of them quite wild where you can spend special moments in total privacy, think abut a place with pleasant ambience full of beautiful people all around, think about fantastic food in very charming restaurants; imagine yourself under the sun in a big schooner or in a private speed boat close to unique landscapes; now just picture in your mind cool nights in the best Pousadas in brazil with lots of comfort with a spectacular feeling that you are at home. All this and much more you can find in Buzios.

Buzios, an excellent beach resort two hours drive from Rio..full of beaches, it has such a lovely boat tour visiting islands, inside beaches and with lovely little village with fine restaurants and many cool stores. The little village is VERY SOFISTICATED so twill be a chance that you will have to see the most popular and dreamt holiday destination in Brazil. The streets are so pleasant and the sea very close at Armação dos Buzios.

So many beaches to choose, from calm and sparkling blue waters inlet bays to open oceanic beaches. To stay in Buzios you will not know what to choose..so many charming Pousadas (cottages) with high level services and comparing to USA and Europe, these places are not so expensive. Lots of sea activities, a boat tour in Buzios is very worthy, you can swim in quite reefs and visit some interesting islands.

The village became famous when Briggite Bardot that little and absolutely unknown fishermen village to spend some days…she liked so much that she bought a house and invited her famous friends…and Buzios got the fame and today it is one of the most popular beach places in South America.

To get there we can use my car and it takes 2 hours to arrive in Buzios. You can have the option of spend one whole day there or also stay overnight. I will help you and assist you in every decision you take! Buzios is quite faraway so if you decide to go here, the full day will be 200 AMERICAN DOLLARS for two people and 300 AMERICAN DOLLARS for 4 people.

Great to spend one, two or three nights..some people like Buzios so much that they simply spend a week there…There will be always something nice to do in Buzios, it is a place with many beaches, incredible stores for great days of shopping. Once you are in Rio you have to know where Brazilians go, and you will find out so many unique places and BUZIOS IS FOR SURE YOUR PLACE IN ANY TRIP TO RIO DE JANEIRO!!!

For more information, write me an email at donrafainrio@yahoo.es, I will gladly tell you how to get there!

NIGHTS OF RIO AND YOU HAVING FUN LIKE A CARIOCA

We will have dinner in a FOLK'S FESTIVAL held in the suburbs..it is a sort of stadium where people go to have fun, thousand of people from the North who came to Rio looking for better opportunities, and the only place they have for fun, it is there...and the place is magical, with the BEST FOOD EVER..it is a place where no tourist ever have gone and not even heard about this place..and I love having dinner with my guests and friends there...

After that we can go to the Samba House...actually we live our samba, and in the houses of Lapa samba is a sort of celebration..and we will meet with native people dancing samba and real samba bands performing! So this could be our night tour...You will see Rio exactly how it looks like.

You will see places like FEIRA DO NORDESTE and a vibrant samba house CARIOCA DA GEMA...

REMEMBER THAT BRAZILIAN DO GO OUT LATE SO DINNER IS ALWAYS AFTER 10...YOU WILL BE BACK TO YOUR PLACE BY 2:00 AM OR IN THE FOLLOWING DAY, IT WILL DEPEND ON YOUR ENERGY!

The tour will cost 100 american dollars!

THE WAY YOU WILL DISCOVER RIO

I have always believed that Rio is really the gateway to Brazil, everything starts in Rio, specially my tours, and the best way to see everything with comfort and safety is going everywhere by car. I use my car to take all my guests to the most famous places and also to places which are not written in any travel books, there will be always fantastic surprises that only locals know. And my intention is being more than a tour guide, I want to be your friend and efficient contact in Rio and everywhere in the country. And providing the safety of a brand new car, spacious and air conditioning is REALLY ESSENCIAL for every tour in Rio.

I usually say that my car is the natural continuation of my house...so WELCOME HOME AND LET'S DISCOVER RIO DE JANEIRO

It is a brand new model of FIAT DOBLO...

Easy to get around and this will be your most important way to be an expert in RIO!!!

NITEROI - A HIDDEN PARADISE NEXT DOOR TO RIO

As soon as you get to Rio you find out that we have a Bay Area, we see a long bridge crossing the Bay heading to the other side..and what’s in there??? This is one of the best high light of any trip to Rio. One day in Niteroi is all that you need to say to anyone when you come back home that YOU REALLY KNOW RIO DE JANEIRO. Niteroi has gorgeous mountains, amazing ocean beaches and unique views to Rio de Janeiro.

In a way it is like seeing New York from New Jersey, a chance for you to see the entirely skyline of Rio with its gorgeous mountains and incredible coast. Besides you will discover spectacular food in the local restaurants of São Francisco, you will see the wilderness of the hidden surfer’s paradise of Itacoatiara and you will stroll around our precios past visiting our military fortress which gives you amazing green landscapes and thick vegetation in the so many hills that surround the lands of Niteroi; its people and so many pleasant fishermen villages that only Niteroi can offer.

Most of people think that the only thing to do in Niteroi is visiting the Contemporary Museum, but I take my guests beyond…they will see another destination very close to Rio that will hold their hearts forever!!!

You will see places that you will never read in any travel books, you will be part of a very local society who has such a wonderful city as a pleasant and funny playground!

And food in Niteroi is something that you will never forget...you will have the chance to taste the real brazilian food at A Mineira or you can stop in any very local restaurants in the fishermen village of Jurujuba!

Let Niteroi invade your wishes and plans and you will see that your knowledge about Rio will be unique!!! The tour takes the whole day, about 8 hours and it costs 150 american dollars!

GET YOUR LEGS PREPARED!!!

One of the best ways to know the places we are visiting is getting your legs prepared and walk a lot, and very few people know it but Rio de Janeiro is a pleasant city to stroll around and visit every corner of our OLD CITY…And yes…lots of history in your “TROPICAL DESTINATION….”. You’ve got to remember that Brazil used to be a COLONY from Portugal, then we became the capital of the Portuguese KINGDON, after that we became an EMPIRE and finally the REPUBLIC replaced the Monarchy. This 4 periods of our History can be experienced in the busy downtown of Rio. Here you can watch closely the daily life of a busy city, you can see the old buildings and narrow streets of many architecture styles, many barroc churches and typical bars. Also a chance for you to use public transports in the city.

I am very fortunate to welcome so many guests and I have people of my total trust, and one of my best friends, Marcone, is a real specialist to take you to the streets of Rio, telling you every story and making you see the best of our busiest part o the city. I have been working with Marcone for more than one year and we are roommates, he is one of the few people that I work with. So when I am not available, Marcone is certainly the best choice and he will do his best to make you feel part of Rio de Janeiro.

The tour will cost 100 american dollars!!!

IF YOU JUST HAVE ONE DAY - A REAL MARATHON FOR YOU

Sometimes you have just one day to stay in Rio..so we will turn your only one day into a pleasant marathon. Get early out of the bed and let’s start the day at 8:00 am!!! First thing we will do will be going to the Sugar Loaf, pleasant walk in the forest of Pista Claudio Coutinho, then taking a cable car to the top of the hill. After a while we will head to the Christ and we will see the Tijuca Forest, we will return though Santa Tereza to see the old Portuguese houses and the pleasant district’s atmosphere, we will cross the bridge Rio-Niteroi over Guanabara Day and find out a very unique hidden surprise of Rio: NITEROI. Some must see places we will cover, such as the Contemporary Museum which gives you a breathtaking view of our mountains, we will also go to Parque da Cidade, a very local view point where you can also fly with paraglydings; then we will stop for a real BRAZILIAN LUNCH in a local restaurant or in a fishermen village in Jurujuba, and in the end of the afternoon we will head to the ocean beaches of Niteroi seeing beaches with weird names such as Itacoatiara and Itaipu.

It will be a long day but you will make almost 5 days in one day! So get prepared!!! We will see many things.

The tour takes about 8 hours and it will cost 200 american dollars (attention, it is not per person, it is per tour!)