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

“Wonderful experience! Marcelo is a great guide, the organization of the tour is stunning as well The tour is really long, but really interesting. Great!”

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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

“The tour is ok. A lot of driving but not a lot of activity.our guide had a great attitude but barely spoke English. Considering they dobthese tours every day they can have either pre-recorded or written scripts for their guides. Co sideline the cost we…”

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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

“Most comfortable trip ever: Luisa is downright a sweetheart who knows whats up. From the coach driver to the ship captain and the staff are extremely nice.. I cannot describe in words how beautiful the whole area is!! I'm very glad I booked this trip.…”

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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

“The excursion itself was great, very nice views, and nice people working too. I would like to mention that the lunch option wasn’t great (but there’s food on the boat so it was manageable). Also, the pick up was a bit messy (it was right…”

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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

“One of the best experiences of Brazil. I met amazing people and I spent a great time with them. If you are solo traveling, don’t hesitate to talk with others and make some friends!”

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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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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

“This was an excellent tour, which exceeded my high expectations. I went with three other friends; pickup at the hotel was easy as was the drive to the boat. Along the bus ride, there are nice places to stop and pick up anything you may…”

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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

“Experiência espetacular! Voltarei com toda certeza para esse paraíso. Começou chuvoso o passeio, mas logo o Sol abriu... mesmo com a chuva é tudo lindo!”

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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

“Enjoyable day. 8-6. Nice to go up into the mountains and out of Rio. The hour shopping wasn’t for us (English) but the Brazilians loved it!”

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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 tour was great but the company was even better, Rafael and his partner are wonderful persons we had an awesome time with them, Rafael is very knowledgeable and he explained everything clearly and in detail, he understood our needs and worked with us. We’re…”

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15.Petrópolis: Imperial City Tour

Explore Petrópolis, the Imperial City of Brazil, on a full-day tour featuring palaces, historic buildings, imperial jewels, and stunning mountain views.

★ 3.7

“This was a really excellent day out. It was so well organised with great communication on meeting times and schedule. Plus it never felt rushed. Chi Chi was such a entertaining fun guide. Her enthusiasm and 'ooh la la' attitude was infectious and she gave…”

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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