Plan Your Days in Rio
We design your days in Rio around who you are — then run them with you, adapting as the day unfolds. You plan directly with the team behind every detail, not through a booking platform.
Start PlanningRio doesn't fit a template
Most Rio itineraries online are someone else's trip: a fixed list of sights in a fixed order, written for no one in particular. They'll get you to Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf, but they can't know you'd rather spend a slow morning where visitors don't go, or that you're really here for the food, or that you've got one free evening and want it to count.
Rio rewards knowing where to be and when — the right light, the quiet windows at the big sights, the days things close, the route that saves an hour in traffic. That's the difference between checking Rio off a list and experiencing it on your terms.
How we design your days
It starts with a conversation, not a catalog.
You tell us who you are
What you want out of Rio, who's traveling, your pace, the things you'd hate to miss and the ones you'd rather skip. First trip or fifth, three days or ten — we start from you, not from a list.
We design the days
We build each day around your answers: the right sequence, the right timing (golden hour where it counts, quiet windows at the big sights), meals where locals actually eat, and the connections between stops that generic itineraries miss. You see the plan before anything's locked, and we shape it until it's right.
An expert guide runs them with you
On the day, a Cadastur-certified guide who knows Rio leads, and the plan flexes as you go. Linger where you love it, drop what isn't landing, add a stop on a whim. The day bends to you, not the other way around.
And throughout, you deal directly with the team that designs and runs your days — no booking platform, no handoffs.
Start from a day we've shaped, or a blank page
You don't have to start from nothing. Our sample itineraries are real days we've run many times: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf done right, a sunrise that beats the crowds, a day trip to Petrópolis or Ilha Grande. Some people see one that fits and book it as it is. Most use it as a starting point — keep the spine, swap the parts that aren't you, stretch a morning, trade a viewpoint for a neighborhood, add the helicopter at sunset.
And if none of them fit, we start from a blank page and build your days entirely around you. Either way, the price is clear before you commit, and the day still flexes once you're in Rio.
Explore Sample ItinerariesBefore you plan: a few things worth knowing
How many days do you need in Rio?
Three full days cover the city essentials without rushing: Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, the beaches, a morning in the historic center. Four or five let you slow down and add a day trip beyond the city — the imperial mountain town of Petrópolis, the beaches and clear water of Ilha Grande, and more. Two days work only if every hour is planned well. Most first-timers are happiest with four.
When is the best time to visit?
Rio is good year-round. May to October is drier and milder, with easy walking and clear views. December to March runs hot, lively, and busy (Carnival and New Year's are their own kind of trip). Sunset shifts a lot across the year — from around 5:20 p.m. in June to past 6:40 p.m. in December — which changes how we time Sugarloaf and the golden-hour stops.
Is a private guide worth it in Rio?
For most visitors, yes, and not mainly for the history. A guide who lives here handles the logistics that eat your time, knows which areas to skip, and adapts the day to how you're actually feeling. You spend your hours experiencing Rio instead of managing it.
First time in Rio — where should we start?
Base yourself in the South Zone (Copacabana, Ipanema, or Leblon) for easy access and peace of mind. Do the two icons early in your trip and early in the day. And keep one day loose: Rio's best moments usually aren't the ones you planned.
How far ahead should we plan?
Two to four weeks is comfortable, and longer in peak season (December to March), when the best guides and dates book up. We put together well-designed days on shorter notice when we can, so reach out either way.
Who designs your days
Your days are designed and run by Marcelo Elias and a team that's been showing people Rio since 2013 — the same Cadastur-certified guides and drivers behind Be Free Tours. You plan directly with us, not through a platform.
200+ reviews as Be Free Tours ranked among Rio's top tours see them on TripAdvisor
Let's design your days
Tell us when you're coming and what you're after. We'll come back with a plan — and a price — built around you.
Start Planning