2026 Discovering the Culinary Soul of Old Rio

5.0 (19 reviews) 6 hours Free cancellation

out of 5

19 reviews

5.0

2026 Discovering the Culinary Soul of Old Rio — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

2026 Discovering the Culinary Soul of Old Rio, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Brazil and its cuisine are a wild and sometimes baffling stew of influences and cultures – and Rio’s old city and port zone are where many of the country’s disparate elements deliciously converge. These atmospheric neighborhoods are where the Portuguese began building the city, where the enslaved Africans who were brought over to Brazil first landed, where samba was born and – most importantly – where this bustling metropolis’s multicultural identity and food culture started taking shape. On this tour we trace that history through its food, meeting the people who are keeping Brazil’s culinary traditions alive and those who are creating exciting new ones.

Half-day Tours Private and Luxury Walking Tours Street Food Tours Small Group Excellent Quality Short term availability Weather Dependent - Moderate

At a glance

Duration: 6 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 7 people
People per booking: 1–7
Guide: English
Operated by: Culinary Backstreets

Ages: Infants (0–6 years) · Children (7–12 years) · Adults (13–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Lunch
Included: Snacks
Included: Tea and coffee: Coffee and/or Tea

Not included

Not included: Private transportation

Itinerary

Stop 1

30 min

At this square, it lies one of the four oldest hills in the city, where the Franciscan Order built the Saint Anthony Monastery, who arrived in today’s Brazil in 1500 in the Portuguese caravels.
Stop 2

30 min

Busy and historic avenue.
Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura

30 min

The largest archive of Portuguese literature outside of Portugal and consistently ranked among the most beautiful libraries in the world.
Stop 4

30 min

It is a place of cultural blend and many restaurants from the Arab diaspora.
Stop 5

30 min

The president for whom the avenue is named, Getulio Vargas, was the longest-serving president in Brazil's history.
Stop 6

30 min

The place tells the story of how the cultural hub of Little Africa cultural hub.
Stop 7

30 min

Historic landmark.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

We meet at the Carioca Clock, a historic landmark located in the bustling Centro district of Rio de Janeiro.

End point

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.