Rio Half-Day Tour Christ the Redeemer Selaron Steps Sugarloaf Sunset

Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado

The tour begins with the drive through Tijuca Forest to the foot of Christ the Redeemer, about twenty minutes from the South Zone. The statue is 30 metres tall on top of the 710-metre Corcovado peak, and it was finished in 1931. Visiting Christ the Redeemer in the afternoon means the sun moves round to light the face of the city below, which is good for photos.

The entrance fee is included, so you go up with your guide and have time on the platforms. Your guide explains the history of the statue, the Art Deco design and what you can see in every direction: the bay, Sugarloaf, the lagoon and the beaches. If clouds cover the summit, we can adjust the order so that you see it at the clearest moment.

The Selarón Steps in Lapa

The Selarón Steps are a staircase of about 215 steps covered with tiles that were collected from many countries. Jorge Selarón, a Chilean artist, started decorating them in the early 1990s and kept working on them until 2013. Blue, yellow and green tiles run up the steps between Lapa and Santa Teresa, and it is one of the best photo spots in Rio.

You stop here for about twenty-five minutes, enough to walk up, take pictures and look at the tiles. It is a busy place, so keep your phone and bag in front of you. If you are looking for the best things to do in Lapa, this stop gives you a first taste of the neighbourhood's art and street life.

Sugarloaf Mountain at sunset

Sugarloaf Mountain rises 396 metres over the entrance to Guanabara Bay. You ride two cable cars, first to Morro da Urca and then to the summit, and the Sugarloaf cable car ticket is included in this tour. The line opened in the early 1910s. A Sugarloaf sunset tour is the best way to see the city change from day to night, since the sky turns gold over Copacabana and the lights come on along the bay.

The tour spends around an hour and forty minutes at Sugarloaf, so you can enjoy both levels. Arrive at the top a little before sunset, find a spot at the railings and stay until the city lights come on. Sunset times change with the season, and your guide will tell you when to be back at the meeting point.

Pickup, meeting point and the coach ride

The transport is an air-conditioned coach. With the hotel pickup option, we collect you from hotels only in Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, Leme, Ipanema and Leblon, and no hostels or B&Bs. With the meeting point option, you go to the Copacabana Palace Hotel in Copacabana, and the return transport leaves from the same place.

The tour lasts about six hours and starts in the early afternoon, so eat lunch before you go. If you are staying outside the pickup areas, the meeting point option is the best choice. The group can be split into more than one vehicle when it is large, and your guide will keep everyone together.