When visiting Brazil, it’s impossible not to talk about the influence of Africa in our culture! Just imagine samba, capoeira or feijoada, the things that Brazil is known for in the world. All these things have their roots in the African slave communities of Brazil! Learn stories about how the Brazilian cultural identity was formed during the years since slavery times until today. Meanwhile visit important historical & contemporaneous landmarks in this less visited area of downtown Rio de Janeiro!
Why joining into Rio Free Walking Tour Olympic Boulevard & African Heritage?
Price: This is a Free Walking Tour Rio de Janeiro, and who decides the price of the tour is you! It’s totally up to you – no minimum or maximum!
Quality: In 2018 we were awarded the TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for the 4th time in a row! A Free Walking tour is a model of tourism suitable for any budgets, and our staff will always give their best charm, knowledge and travel tips for you.
Experience: This area of Rio is still a little less frequented by tourists, so in our opinion it’s a good idea to discover a the zone with a tour. We will bring you to places, where maybe you wouldn’t go on your own. Our Walkers will share fascinating stories and curiosities of the history and today life of Rio.
Attraction at Free Walking Tour Rio de Janeiro Olympic Boulevard and African Heritage
XV Square: The most important square of Rio de Janeiro is the first attraction of the tour. In the XV Square is located the Imperial Palace, where the Royal Portuguese family habited 1808 after moving from Portugal to Rio de Janeiro.
Candelária Church: One of the most important and beautiful churches of the city. Construction of Candelária church started already in the beginning of the 1600’s and continued for over 200 year before the official inauguration. Olympic Boulevard: Total length of the Olympic Boulevard is 3,5km, and we will be covering approximately a half of it. This area of the city was completely renovated for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and offers beautiful views of the Guanabara Bay.
Mauá Square: This square is a mixture of history and modernity. Here we’ll find the Museum of Tomorrow and the Museum of Art. Mauá Square used to be an amphitheater for several historical moments in Rio de Janeiro. Today it’s a popular spot for locals to have a stroll, but it also hosts different cultural events especially during weekends.
Pedra do Sal: A small street square in the heart of “Little Africa”. This place is said to be the birthplace of samba! Part of the historical patrimony of the city, Pedra de Sal also hosts a traditional “roda de samba” every Monday night! Valongo Wharf: Official UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017. Valongo Wharf is the largest port receiving African slave ships in the world. The wharf was covered with land in the beginning of the 20th century, and re-discovered in 2011 during the renovation project of Rio’s Docks zone.
Graffitis on the Olympic Boulevard: Largest graffiti of the world made by one artist is located in the Olympic Boulevard! A mural made by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra was a project for Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It covers a wall of 3000 square meters!
What other travelers thought about the Rio Free Walking Tour Olympic Boulevard & African Heritage?
Excellent Rio Free walking tour docks The free walking tour through the docks area with the focus on the African heritage was a great experience and helped me a lot to understand the history of Brazil better. Mariana was one of the best guides I ever had. She is really passionate about history and politics. She loves her job and her city and is really open to answer any questions! Thank you very much 🙂 Docks Tour – One of the best walking tours I have undertaken.. and I have taken many!!! The tour was almost three hours, all information given was delivered in an interesting and interactive manner, unlike some tours where the guides like to answer their own rhetorical questions! This tour really gives you the opportunity to explore a part of Rio overlooked by many, yet a part of Rio which has a history and culture built into the Brazilian culture and psyche. Very informative tour – worth doing! I thoroughly enjoyed my African Heritage walking tour taken by the very knowledgeable and friendly girl, Hi. She was very organized and informative, eager to answer any questions. It was a great way to discover that part of the city and learn a lot about the history. At the end, she also pointed out the best place for Açai which is still the best one I’ve ever tried! See also our options of Rio Free Free Walking Tour
