Rio de Janeiro

15 Best Day Trips from Rio

The escapes Rio day-trippers rate: Angra’s 365 islands and Ilha Grande’s car-free beaches, Petropolis with its imperial palace in the hills and Buzios, the fishing village Bardot made famous. The coast competes hard with the city.

1.Rio de Janeiro: Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande Full-Day Tour

Discover the natural beauty of Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande with this full-day tour from Rio featuring lagoons, beaches, marine life, and local cuisine.

Most Popular★ 4.6

“It was very good. Just bare in mind it's almost 3hs on his, then 50min on boat, then the 4 stops on the island (very very worth it, we even saw turtles!) and then back.. so it's tiring too”

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2.Full Day Excursion to Petrópolis from Rio de Janeiro

Discover Petrópolis with this full-day tour from Rio, exploring imperial palaces, museums, shops, and more — a blend of history, culture, and scenery.

★ 4.5

“Nice to see the historic town, palace, etc. However, the trip was supposed to be from 8am to 6pm, but then were picked up at 7am and spent the next 2 hours driving around Rio picking up other passengers. Also got back around 8pm, even…”

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3.From Rio de Janeiro: Angra dos Reis Boat Trip with Lunch

Discover stunning islands near Rio with a full-day boat trip to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande, including stops, snorkeling, and a buffet lunch. Perfect for water lovers.

★ 4.0

“Why so many bad reviews? They picked me up on time! They tell you on the bus that LUNCH, is at FOUR PM.4pm) BUT THEY STOP LIKE 2x to buy hot food. Or, you can order the expensive food ahead. The buffet meal isn’t the…”

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4.25 – Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande

Discover Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande on a full-day boat tour from Rio, featuring stunning beaches, snorkeling, and a delicious lunch — all at an accessible price.

★ 4.0

“This budget-friendly tour is a solid deal if you’re looking for a cheap escape, with lunch included and the opportunity to experience both a bus ride and a boat trip. However, most of the day was spent traveling—first on the bus picking up passengers of…”

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5.Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Grand Island

Discover Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande on a full-day tour offering scenic boat rides, beaches, and snorkeling. Great value but long travel times.

★ 4.0

“This budget-friendly tour is a solid deal if youre looking for a cheap escape, with lunch included and the opportunity to experience both a bus ride and a boat trip. However, most of the day was spent travelingfirst on the bus picking up passengers of…”

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6.From Rio de Janeiro: Angra dos Reis & Ilha Grande Day Tour

Discover the stunning beaches, clear waters, and lush landscapes of Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis on this full-day tour from Rio, with guides, lunch, and snorkeling.

★ 4.6

“Every activity of the tour was very well chosen and carried out. Guide Daniel was the best. Hardworking, efficient and very pleasant to all people from different cultures and backgrounds.”

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7.Transfers Rio X Buzios

Enjoy seamless, private transfers between Rio de Janeiro and Buzios with professional drivers, flexible timing, and top-rated service for a stress-free trip.

★ 5.0

“Great driver. Communication with the company was outstanding. Many checking to make sure timing was correct”

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8.From Rio de Janeiro: Petrópolis Day Trip with Optional Lunch

Discover Petrópolis on a full-day tour from Rio, visiting the Imperial Museum, Cathedral, and Quitandinha Palace, with optional lunch and brewery visit.

★ 4.3

“The trip to Petrópolis was a delightful day, and our tour guide Julio was exceptional. He explained everything in Spanish, Portuguese and for 3 of us English. It was packed with different tours and it was photographers dream. The places we visited where fabulous and…”

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10.Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande: Small-Group Fast-Boat Tour

Experience the beauty of Ilha Grande on a small-group speedboat tour from Rio, including beaches, snorkeling, and personalized guides for an unforgettable day.

★ 4.4

“The whole trip was amazing, specially the snorkeling! And every stops we had some activities! And big thank you for the guides! I could see that they working with love and passion, they like what they are doing! This was gave more to the trip!”

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11.Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis with Lunch

Discover Angra dos Reis on a full-day boat tour with island visits, beaches, and a buffet lunch. Enjoy scenic views, authentic experiences, and practical insights.

★ 4.0

“La guía no fue muy buena y el tour era desorganizado e innecesariamente largo, el almuerzo recién fue a las 18.00 y llegamos de vuelta casi a medianoche (partimos a las 8 de la mañana). A pesar de que no recomendaría tomar el tour con…”

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12.Exploring Angra Dos Reis and Ilha Grande in One Day

Discover the highlights of a full-day tour from Rio to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande, featuring stunning beaches, snorkeling, and authentic Brazilian cuisine.

★ 4.5

“Good but not great. We spent A LOT more time on the bus going to and coming from than expected— we were picket up at 7:30 and didn’t arrive to the town where the tour started u til almost 12 (4 hours). This was partially…”

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13.Petrópolis Day Trip from Rio de Janeiro including Imperial Museum and Crystal Palace

Discover the highlights of Petrópolis on this full-day Rio tour, including the Imperial Museum, Crystal Palace, and optional brewery visit—great for history lovers and culture seekers.

★ 4.0

“Very good saw lots of things beautiful screeners. Tour guide was great. Carol australia”

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14.Discover Petropolis and its Hidden Gems with our Private Tour

Explore Petrópolis, Brazil’s Imperial City, on this private tour featuring historic palaces, architecture, and local charm with personalized guides and flexible options.

★ 5.0

“the whole experience was great, even jnr the driver, was smiling and helpful. we thoughly enjoyed the knowledge imparted by the Guide Famy and she gave us very good history. the casino was ubelievable a woderful folly ! oved every minute of the tour.”

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More Day Trips from Rio

4.5Petropolis The Imperial City with Beer tour and Lunch10 hours (approx.)$59.84 3.5Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande Day Trip with Schooner Cruise and Lunch12 hours (approx.)$96.40 3.5Shared transport Rio de Janeiro Ilha Grande$27.55 3.5Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande Day Trip from Rio de Janeiro12 hours (approx.)$98.57 3.5Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande Tour from Rio with Boat Ride and Lunch14 hours (approx.)$64.00 4.5Angra dos Reis Boat Tour with Lunch12 hours (approx.)$71.90 4.0Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande14 hours (approx.)$101.85 3.5Shared Transfer Rio x Ilha Grande (Vila do Abaão)2 to 3 hours (approx.)$44.54 4.5Petropolis: The Imperial City with Lunch10 hours (approx.)$56.85 3.3From Rio de Janeiro: Búzios Full-Day Boat Tour13 hours$69 4.523 – Guided Excursion to Búzios with Boat Trip and Lunch14 hours (approx.)$105.00 4.5Guided Tour to Búzios with Boat Tour and Lunch$105.00 5.0Private VIP Paradise Ilha Grande Speed Boat and Transfer from Rio9 to 10 hours (approx.)$1,013.95 4.7Full-Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande14 hours$77 4.521 – Guided Tour to the Imperial City of Petrópolis with Lunch10 hours (approx.)$80.00 4.5Imperial Petrópolis – Historic Tour + Teresa Street and Lunch9 hours (approx.)$57.83 4.5Guided Tour to the Imperial Cida of Petrópolis with Lunch$80.00 3.0Búzios Day Trip from Rio de Janeiro12 hours$94 3.5Buzios Day Trip with Lunch, City Tour and Cruise from Rio de Janeiro13 hours (approx.)$95.74 4.2From Rio: Full Day in Búzios with Catamaran Tour and Lunch14 hours$76 4.5Tour Angra dos Reis + Ilha Grande | Departures from Rio de Janeiro13 hours (approx.)$61.75 4.5Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande Tour in an Adventure Day14 hours (approx.)$86.27 4.0Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande Boat Tour from Rio de Janeiro14 hours (approx.)$64.43 5.0Historic Petrópolis From Rio: The Imperial City Palaces, Architecture & Culture10 hours (approx.)$296.00