From Colonialism to Democracy: A Rio de Janeiro Tour with Context

Embark on an adventure through Rio de Janeiro on this walking tour with Context Travel expert and Brazil Cultural director, Javier Escudero. He‘ll help you understand Brazil‘s history from colonial times, to its independence from Portugal, all the way through to the era when the country‘s dependence on slavery grew. As you explore the Castelo District, you‘ll see how historical events brought changes to the city‘s architecture, urban planning and its society.

Starting in the very square where it all began, Praça XV de Novembro, you‘ll find out how a city with a modest population grew into a bustling metropolis of over half a million by 1890. With Javier‘s help, you‘ll understand how the Portuguese monarchy sprinkled their magic dust and transformed this city into a vibrant tapestry of cultures. You‘ll travel back in time as Javier paints a picture of what Rio de Janeiro was like back in 1763 when it dawned as the colonial capital of Brazil. He‘ll point out elements of French Neoclassical architecture in buildings like the Casa França-Brasil Cultural Center, as well as Rococo, also called late Baroque art. As you make your way to the Federal Justice Cultural Center, where our tour ends, you’ll learn about everything from the history of Carnival, to how the slavery and oppression of Black people precipitated a fight to preserve their culture.

On this walking tour of the Rio de Janeiro, you‘ll:

• Learn about how João VI opened the ports of Brazil to countries like England, accelerating the city’s growth and commercial activity, as well as the slave trade
• Hear about Rio‘s economic evolution and the impact this had on its population
• Dive into Brazil‘s historical realities, from its dependence on slavery to the profound influence of African culture in the fight to preserve culture
• Walk the same streets as key historical figures in Brazil, such as Carmen Miranda, Afro-Brazilian sculptor Mestre Valentim, and Debret, the historical painter
• Visit the 21st most visited art museum in the world, the CCBB (Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil), boasting over 2 million visitors in 2014
• Get a sense of how the Portuguese transformed the small city through their commercial activity in the region, including the development of the coffee industry during the 1800s
• Gain a profound appreciation for the exuberant Rococo art style at Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa dos Mercadores, or Our Lady of Lapa of the Merchants Church
• Trace the architectural metamorphosis of the city, from Castle Hill to the stunning Municipal Theater, inspired by the Paris Opera

Unlock the secrets of Rio de Janeiro‘s urban development since 1763, when the city became the capital of the colony, and gain an understanding of Brazil’s profound transformation in the last 250 years. Each step along this tour is guaranteed to give you a deeper insight into how Rio shifted from colonial times to the Republic, from its independence in 1822 to an era of global influence.