A Full Day In Rio - Cultural Immersion

A Full Day In Rio - Cultural Immersion Photo #1 of 2 Photo copyright ShoreTrips.com.

Overview

A little bit of everything that makes Rio, Rio!

Rio de Janeiro, the so-called "Marvelous City," is the second largest city in Brazil. Despite its size, it is also a beach resort, located by the Atlantic Ocean and the big Guanabara Bay. The city is nestled between mountains and sea, bordered on one side by the blue ocean and on the other by verdant hills. Between them lies a colorful state of mind called "carioca," relaxed and high-spirited. This full day immersion will introduce you to a few of Rio's cultural jewels!

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the largest festival in the world. It's history dates back to the 1640s and participation in the parade has grown tremendously since then. The celebration now spans several days while preparation for the event lasts the whole year. Today we are visiting the warehouse of one of Rio's most famous Samba Schools. Here, you will have the opportunity to see costumes and allegoric floats. After learning the history of Samba and Carnival Parades, it's time to dress the part. This once in a lifetime opportunity will allow you a chance to try on the intricate Carnival costumes, take pictures and truly experience the behind the scenes atmosphere of Carnival.

Now that you have worked up an appetite, it's time for a tantalizing culinary lesson with a local chef. Your Chef will not only lead a lesson on Brazilian recipes, but will also explain Brazilian culture through exploring it's food in this dynamic culinary class meets cultural immersion. During the class you will get to know ingredients, techniques, and different flavors that you can apply to your own recipes back home. You'll learn how to prepare a Caipirinha, Brazil's national cocktail. This refreshing drink is prepared with Cachaça, a sugar cane rum, lime, sugar and ice - and of course will pair perfectly with our meal. You'll also learn how to make coconut “batidas”, “brigadeiro” (a delicacy consisting of condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter), “moqueca” (a seafood dish), and more.

After lunch, you will head to Botanical Garden. This 140-hectare park lies at the foot of the Corcovado Mountain and contains more than 6,000 different species of tropical and subtropical plants and trees, including 900 varieties of palm trees, bromeliads, orchids, carnivorous plants, cacti and 140 species of birds. The garden also houses monuments of historical, artistic and archaeological significance. There is an important research center, which includes the most complete library in the country specializing in botany with over 32,000 volumes. This tour truly has it all!

- Please alert us in advance of any dietary restrictions. A vegetarian menu is available with advance notice.
- All food and drinks are included.

- This tour is not available on Sundays.
- Please note: If you book this tour for a date during Carnival, an additional surcharge may apply.

Days offered: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday