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Rio Little Africa Small-Group Walking Tour

4.9
(195 reviews)
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Delve deeper into the history of Little Africa in Rio de Janeiro with this insightful and informative walking tour around the city’s Saúde neighborhood. Once the largest African slave market in the world, Rio was the first port of call for millions of slaves arriving in Brazil. From carnival to samba, and food to music and religion to architecture, this guided walking tour shows how their heritage and legacy are still alive in Rio today.

Overview

Delve deeper into the history of Little Africa in Rio de Janeiro with this insightful and informative walking tour around the city’s Saúde neighborhood. Once the largest African slave market in the world, Rio was the first port of call for millions of slaves arriving in Brazil. From carnival to samba, and food to music and religion to architecture, this guided walking tour shows how their heritage and legacy are still alive in Rio today.

Itinerary

  • Museu de Arte do Rio - MAR

    Meeting Place for "No Hotel Pick-Up" - Museum de Arte do Rio (MAR). The museum is located at Praça Mauá, 5 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro.

  • Igreja de Sao Francisco da Prainha

    At Largo da Prainha you’ll see the Mercedes Baptista Statue. She was the very first African-Brazilian ballet dancer to enroll in the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro's ballet group in the late 1940s. Fun, ice beer, samba, and black music are always in the air.

    20 minutes
  • Pedra do Sal

    Next, our journey will lead us to Pedra do Sal, a revered site in Rio steeped in the history of urban carioca samba. Its significance traces back to the enslaved Africans who toiled to unload imported salt from Portugal, hence its name. These resilient individuals also painstakingly carved the steps that characterize the area, setting the stage for the emergence of the first ranchos carnival, afoxés processions, and sacred spaces in the late 1800s.

    Following their laborious days, sambistas (samba musicians) and longshoremen would congregate in the homes of Bahian Aunts, forming vibrant samba circles. Notable figures such as Pixinguinha were regular attendees, contributing to the rich tapestry of musical expression. Today, Pedra do Sal remains a vital hub for samba circles and cultural gatherings, carrying forward its legacy as a bastion of Afro-Brazilian heritage and artistic expression.

    20 minutes
  • Cais do Valongo

    Cais do Valongo, a world heritage site in Rio de Janeiro, is an old stone wharf built in 1811 to land enslaved Africans. It is estimated that around 900,000 Africans arrived in South America via Valongo. The site has several archaeological layers and is the most significant physical evidence of the arrival of African slaves in the Americas.

    20 minutes
    Admission Included
  • Boulevard Olimpico

    The Ethnicities mural is a 3,000 square meter painting located in Rio de Janeiro's Zona Portuária (Saúde). It was created for the 2016 Olympics and features five representatives from different tribes, one from each continent. The Huli, Mursi, Kayin, Supi, and Tapajós tribes were chosen to represent the diversity of the world. The mural took two months of work with 12-hour shifts to complete, using over 3,000 spray cans, 700 liters of colored paint, and 1,800 liters of white paint for the background.

    20 minutes
  • Instituto de Pesquisa e Memoria Pretos Novos - IPN

    After MUHCAB we walk towards IPN a museum and archaeological site in Rio de Janeiro dedicated to honoring the memory of Africans who were brought to the city as slaves. It is located on the site of the "New Blacks Cemetery" and has been offering cultural activities and workshops on the history and culture of people of African descent since 2005. The museum has been recognized by the State and designated as a Cultural Space since 2009.

    1 hour
    Admission Included
  • Maua Square

    MUHCAB is a museum in Little Africa, based around the Valongo Wharf, a World Heritage Site. It tells the story of the region's largest arrival of enslaved Africans, milestones of black affirmation in Brazil, the development of Afro-Brazilian culture, and contemporary issues faced by black people in Brazil.

    1 hour
    Admission Included

Location

Meeting Point Map

Address

R. Pedro Ernesto, 80 - Gamboa, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20220-350, Brazil

Open Google Map

Experience

Highlights

  • Go on a historical and cultural walking tour around the Saúde neighborhood
  • Learn about Rio’s history as the world’s largest African slave market
  • Discover the impact and the legacy of the African diaspora in Brazil
  • Guaranteed small-group tour with no more than nine travelers
  • Inclusions

    • In-vehicle air conditioning
    • Guide
    • 20 Pages PDF with the highlights of the Tour

    Exclusions

    • Gorgetas

    Additional Information

    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
    • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

    Guide Languages

    • English

    • Portuguese

    • Spanish

    Cancellation Policy

    • A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.

    • No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.

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