Rio de Janeiro: Audio Guided Walking Tour (3 hours – 24 audio reviews)

You arrive in front of the famous Arcos de Lapa. Emblem of the neighborhood that has become another symbol of Rio, in the same way as Corcovado, Copacabana or the Selaron staircase.

The pink and white palace you see in front of you is the Lavradio Masonic Palace. It was classified and protected in 1972 by INEPAC, the State Institute of Cultural Heritage, for the historical importance of Freemasonry during the imperial period in Brazil.

So, you certainly didn't expect to find a pyramid-shaped cathedral when you visited historic Rio. And yet, the Cathedral of San Sebastian is indeed an avant-garde representation recalling the pre-Columbian pyramids.

This beautiful facade, richly sculpted, is that of the royal Portuguese reading room. This library is listed by the State Institute of Cultural Heritage and was voted the fourth most beautiful library in the world by Times magazine.

See this beautiful vintage café on your right. This is the Colombo confectionery, a real institution in Rio. It's like being in the Paris of the Belle Époque! This café was founded in 1894 by Portuguese immigrants.

This big building, in front of you on the left, is the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center. With a name like that, as you can see, this neoclassical building was originally dedicated to the world of finance!

You are now facing the beautiful Baroque church of Our Lady of Candelaria. Its story starts with a legend. In the 17th century, a boat named Candelaria suffered a storm on the sea and narrowly avoided a shipwreck.

You are now going up Avenida Rio Branco, the Avenue of the White River in French. Formerly called Central Avenue, it was the main urban reform carried out by Mayor Pereira Passos at the beginning of the 20th century.

Here you have the entrance to the São Bento Monastery, or Saint-Bento in French. Do not hesitate to pause the audio guide and start the tour.

You arrive at Praça Mauá, completely remodelled for the Olympic Games. When the city was born, the place was called “Largo da Prainha”, that is, the patio of the small beach, in reference to the very beautiful cove that opened below.

But what draws the eye to this square is of course this incredible museum that you see at the edge of the bay. It is the Museu do Amanhã, the Museum of Tomorrow, THE centrepiece of the major project to revitalize the Porto Maravilha district.

It is by moving a little away from the museum, and by admiring it in this way, standing out all white on the turquoise waters of the bay, that we become aware of all the uniqueness of the building.

This entire landscaped promenade, which allows you to reach the 15th November Square along Guanabara Bay, is also part of the process of transformation of the urban port area.

This strange sculpture, which recalls the games of children blowing on windmills, is none other than the Rio 2016 Olympic flame. After the opening ceremony, which took place at the Maracana stadium, the flame was carried to this square.

This small paved street that you are now taking is called Travessa do Comércio and maintains all the charm of colonial Rio with its ancient stone houses and narrow sidewalks.

Here you are in the heart of the historic district of Rio de Janeiro, on November 15 Square. Note that November 15 is an important date in Brazil since it is the proclamation of the Republic.

The large white building that takes up the entire side of the square, simple and modest, was nevertheless the residence of the emperors Dom Pedro I and II. It was built in the 18th century, initially planned to serve as the residence of the governors of the captaincy of Rio de Janeiro.

Right next to the Imperial Palace, you have the Tiradentes Palace. It is the seat of the Legislative Assembly. Brazil is a federal country, like the United States, Australia or even Germany, Switzerland or India.

You arrive at Carioca Square, one of the most popular in the city for its important metro station that serves several lines. Although it's modern and home to hundreds of costumed executives, employees, and street vendors, it's also home to elements from colonial Brazil.

You arrive in front of the beautiful Municipal Theater of Rio. If it's vaguely telling you anything, it's simply because it was built on the model of the Opéra Garnier in Paris.

Here you have, on your left, the National Library of Rio. Its architecture, presenting an eclectic style, combining neoclassical and art nouveau elements, is deliberately impressive.

This whole area, in which you are located, is now called Cinelandia. Everyone will tell you that you are in Cinelândia Square, although its real name is Floriano Peixoto Square, in honor of the second President of the Republic of Brazil, whose statue you saw in front of the library you saw.

It denotes this Riachuelo theater, with its Arabic style in the middle of modern buildings in the center. This Moorish revival architectural style is quite rare in the city.