Vidigal Favela Tour: Experience Real Rio with Local Guide Russo
5.0
214 Ratings
Leblon
Embark on a Vidigal Favela Tour with local guide Russo and experience the real Rio. Explore the Sitiê Ecological Park, Vidigal Olympic Village, Arvrão viewpoint, Pope's Chapel, and vibrant graffiti art.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Leblon Beach - Venue Location: Sheraton Hotel
- Vidigal Beach - Venue: Sheraton Hotel
- Morro Dois Irmaos - The Favela where the tour will be held is located at Morro Dois Irmãos
What's Included
- Licensed tour guide
What's Not Included
- Drinks and Meals
Additional Information
Get a genuine taste of the past and present Favela!
With two decades of experience rooted in Vidigal, Russo Guia spent 17 years operating a local business and has been a guide for over two years now. With him, you get a unique perspective only a local can offer, while also contributing to appreciating local culture.
Equipped with training from the National Institute of Human Development, he’s well qualified to be your guide. In fact, he’s currently taking another tour guide course with Protur. Russo Guia is well-known and integrated within the Vidigal community.
Itinerary:
- Sitiê Ecological Park, which was once a landfill, but is now a venue for environmental education and agriculture!
- The Vidigal Olympic Village and its above-ground graffiti court!
- Arvrão: the spot boasting the best panoramic view and popular bars such as Bar da Laje, Mirante do Arvrão, and Alto Vidigal
- Pope’s Chapel: visited by Pope John Paul II in 1980!
- Arts shortcut: a graffiti wall featuring work by local artist @ tarm1 on Instagram and other artists from around the world!
Location
Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort
Avenida Niemeyer
We will contact you with your reservation with more details about the meeting point.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(214 Ratings)
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Johannkbung
May 29, 2024
Great Tour! - This is a great half day tour of Vidigal. The guide is a lifelong resident of Vidigal very nice and helpful and seems to know everyone in the area. The views are amazing and it is a great way to get to know this historic area of Rio!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Legieseke
May 24, 2024
Discover Vidigal with Russo! - Best guide, best experience! Everything was wonderful, a unique experience that I recommend to everyone. Whether alone, with friends or family! Get to know Vidigal with those who know Vidigal best!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tiagodf1729ck
Apr 22, 2024
Incredible! - Russo is a fantastic guide!! Take you to the best places in Vidigal! Very friendly and makes us feel very safe for the tour!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alina_k
Apr 12, 2024
Excellent tour and guide - Russo was an excellent guide around Vidigal. We learned a ton about how people live in this community. Communication and safety wise everything was great, and what Russo told and showed was very interesting. I'd definitely recommend him if you are interested in visiting a favela!
Review provided by Viator
Coastal38447617853
Apr 6, 2024
Friendly and welcoming, you could tell he was well known. Interesting visit and I recommend it. - Friendly and welcoming, you could tell he was well known. He explained the history of the favela, how it grew and adapted.
Visit to interesting places, especially with stunning views over the city.
I recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Virtuex
Apr 4, 2024
Top - Very good tour with guaranteed safety, unforgettable impressions from the favela, would gladly go again with Mr Russo
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rsst1
Mar 23, 2024
Great tour with Russo! - Great experience! Vidigal is a beautiful place and Russo is fun and had a lot of stories about the community. Really nice to hear and experience all that!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yessenia_p
Mar 22, 2024
Vidigal 2024 - I stayed in Rio for 8 days & all I could talk about is wanting to visit & see one of these community’s. Russo was amazing, best tour guide you can have to experience something like this. He knows vidigal blindfolded, he shares the important details of his life & growing up in this community. Everyone we met was so welcoming; Russo is super popular too lol everyone knows him! The views were breathtaking! There’s a meeting point and you return to the same spot & Russo will sit & wait with you until you order a cab or Uber and it arrives bc this was one of my biggest worry’s just having to find your way back alone but no! Russo made us feel SO safe and comfortable. Don’t think twice and do this tour! 100/10 recommend
Review provided by Viator
Yanzhan_w
Mar 14, 2024
Excellent tour - Russo was a great tour guide. He brings a lot of passion and unique perspectives to the tour, as a lifelong resident of Vidigal.
Review provided by Viator
Emefelsou
Mar 6, 2024
Vidigal experience - The tour is a must once in Rio to see the real life through a local resident of Vidigal. Russo has been living there for his whole life and knows all about Vidigal and its changes. I’d recommend to wear comfortable clothes and shoes as you go up the hill and there are loads of flights of stairs and inclined streets. The view from the top of Vidigal is breathtaking and experiencing that is amazing. You have the chance to visit a few stores/bars on the way up to buy water, drinks or food and Russo explains the social reality of local residents, charities in the community and how Vidigal was built. You must do it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor