Bossa Nova Walking Tour

Despite intermittent rain, Gui conducted an amazing tour. Really enjoyed his passion, breadth of knowledge, and musicality. As we walked and listened to his songs and fascinating stories, we also saw his genuine interaction with locals in the community. It was one of the most unique and imaginative tours I had ever experienced. Highly recommended! Unique tour with Bossa Nova Troubadour!

This tour was cancelled on the morning of the tour because of the weather forecast.

I’ve always wanted to hit Rio for that Bossa Nova fix. When I asked the AI for Antônio Carlos Jobim spots, she suggested this tour—lol, even the robot nailed it. Our guide Gui is a legit musician. He kicked things off with “Chega de Saudade” and—boom—instant goosebumps. I was like, “OMG, so glad I came to Brazil!” Heartfelt magic. He even took my random song request on the spot - Conversa De Botequim. Plot twist: I figured we’d walk, look at stuff, and maybe get a song at the end. Nope—he sang the whole time while guiding us. Walking Bossa Nova concert? Yes please. We wrapped at Garota de Ipanema and stuck around chatting with Gui and his friends. With Jobim gone, thank god for musicians like him keeping the flame alive. Highly recommend!!:)

Fantastic tour! The weather was great, the sites were wonderful and my guide Guimeres was amazing, a wonderful singer and musician, very friendly and knowledgeable! I'd recommend this tour for anyone who wants a bit of history and culture during their stay in Rio!

the tour was absolutely amazing very informative walk around. Fabulous guitar playing and singing and local historical knowledge of buildings and songs

Gui took us on a walking tour of streets where famous musicians of the Bossa Nova period had lived in the 1950's and1960's. In doing so he played relevant songs of that era and tied them to places where the musicians had lived. His desire to involve his tourists with thew music really engaged me. He then added anecdotal stories of their contribution to music and provided both background and context to their lives and their musicianship. Gui's skill in both guitar, singing and story telling made for a thoroughly authentic and fabulous experience. His was a one off tour for me, the type I'd not encountered before. There was such a warmth in his delivery and a generosity of experience and sharing of historical and musical knowledge. The tour ended on the beach with the classic 'Girl from Ipanema.' Serendipitously, a friend appeared on the beach with a percussion instrument and the effect was just glorious. Both belted out a steady rhythm and the effect with the beach as a backdrop with the crowd on sight was almost movie like! I'm not often moved but definitely was on this occasion. I really hope this style of tour pushes ahead; cleverly crafted and executed by a highly skilled and warm Gui. I wish him and the company all the very best for the future and thank him for delivering a memory that will stay with me. Such a fabulous introduction to the streets of Rio de Janeiro.

This is a great walking tour! It was fun to have the guide play the guitar throughout the tour. He was fun and funny! I would highly recommend.

oh my god just thinking about this trip gets my panties so freaking wet ughhhh it feels amazing this was the best holiday ever!!!!!!!!

Our guide Guilherme is a steadfast keeper of the flame for the great heritage of Bossa Nova music, and an inspiration for those interested in learning more about it. He is both knowledgeable about the history and details of the many episodes in the development of the great songs as well as the relationship of the music to Brazil’s history and development in modern times. Guilherme also an accomplished musician, and wove live music with instruments and singing into his presentation. This tour not only gives an informative factual history, but gently leads participants to realize that great music is about the people who make it and listen to it, ultimately living it.

We were so very lucky to be the only two people (elderly gay couple) of the tour and having it on a beautiful sunny day. We had to wait a bit for our tour guide, since he had overslept. But he is superfriendly, personable and knowledgeable, so we had immediately an amazing time together and invited him for lunch at the last stop of this walking tour, the restaurant where the song 'The Girl of Ipanema' was composed. On the way we enjoyed his renditions of many Bossa Nova songs, his interaction with locals and even an impromptu concert together with another tourist from Belgium, originally from Chile. It was not just informative, but very entertaining!

I absolutely enjoyed learning about the history of bossa nova and visiting all the landmarks with Gui. He was an excellent guide and played a lot of beloved classics while explaining the significance of the genre to Brazil. I especially enjoyed the walk along Ipanema beach. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Rio and seeking to get a rich and authentic cultural experience!

Really enjoyable, our guide was knowledgeable and friendly, educational. We really enjoyed it! The walking was totally manageable and we saw some great sites!

We loved the Bossa Nova walking tour! It was a fun way to learn more about one of Rio's famous music genres and familiarize ourselves with the neighborhood. Guilherme was a great tour guide. I would highly recommend!

A wonderful way to get to know more about Rio de Janeiro and learn about the origins of bossa nova. Guillermo is a great guide!

A highlight of the visit to Rio, what a wonderful time spent with Gui! Highly recommended - very knowledgable about the history of Bossa Nova and such a lovely voice. Amazing experience <3

It was a nice tour, walking around Ipanema and hearing about some of the history of bossa nova. The guide was knowledgeable and played parts of songs for illustration. I’m not a huge music person, so it’s more something I would like than love. But it was enjoyable.

Even though our tour guide was 20 minutes late, my life partner and I enjoyed this tour tremendously, especially since we were the only couple in attendance. Guilherme is very knowledgeable, a great musician and very personable. He extended this walking tour beyond the missing 20 minutes, interacted easily in English and with many people en route, which added to the flavor of this tour. Fully recommend this tour to anyone that loves Brazilian music!

Outstanding experience. Guilliame was very knowledgeable and told the story of bossa nova very well. Hearing him sing and play the music along way really brought it alive. I highly recommend the tour!

Highly recommended. This tour covers the historical sites of bossa nova, and the guide shares stories only Carioca musicians know. I'm a Japanese bossa nova singer, and this tour made my trip to Rio de Janeiro even more memorable. I'll remember forever the performance of "The Girl from Ipanema" with the guide on Ipanema Beach.

Lovely, fascinating musical experience and a highlight of our trip to Rio. Gui is a great storyteller, and a fine musician and singer.

Strolling through Ipanema with Gui and his guitar was a special treat! It was inspiring to visit the birthplace of bossa nova and hear stories you wouldn’t find in a book. I would go again just to hear Gui play/sing! A delightful tour all around.

Excellent your and guide, Learning the history of Bossa Nova to the strains of the tunes that made it famous..we loved it.

Highly recommend the Bossa Nova walking tour. Our guide, Gui, was fantastic both with the cultural context of the time period but he included the music theory all as it relates to Bossa Nova. If you happen to be a music, cultural or history enthusiast this is the tour. Enjoy!!

Gui was an excellent guide and we enjoyed the whole tour. He was very friendly and accommodating. Had a great time singing with him.

It was an amazing experience, where I learned about the history of Bossa Nova not only by visiting iconic places and hearing the explanations but also listening to the music that was created in this magical town. I loved the fact that the tour guide is local and he knows very well the place, so it felt like an organic experience!

Gui is a great storyteller & musician. You will enjoy the tour immensely. We learned so much not only about the history of bossa nova but also Rio & Brasil itself.

Gui was an excellent, personable, easygoing guide and an amazing musician with a golden voice and great sense of humour. It was very romantic to walk through the streets of Ipanema and Copacabana as he played and told many anecdotes to walk us through the material history of Bossa Nova. I would highly recommend this trip to any music lover, not just Bossa Nova fans

Super nice experience! Highly recommended if you have any interest in bossa nova, which is a wonderful legacy of the city. The guide was knowledgeable and easy going, he showed up with a guitar and sang lovely songs along the way :)

Our guide Gui was delightful. As he taught us the history of Bossa Nova, he accompanied his songs with his fabulous guitar made in Grenada, Spain.

It is the most unique tour of any kind I’ve had. Three hours walking the neighborhoods of Ipanema with a strolling professional guitarist playing and singing songs of all era’s in Brazil rich history of the boss nova and samba while also explaining the history of the development of the music along with the country. Not to be missed whether or not you are a music lover.

What an amazing journey we had! Guilhermo brought us through the history of Bossa Nova through music and participation. We brought us along with him in the journey instead of giving us a lecture about it. Excellent!

Amazing tour! Our guide was super and he had a lot of knowledge around the subject! The walk was wonderful and he was able to adjust it to our needs! Strongly recommend it! Worth every peny!

It was my dream-comes- true experience strolling where Bossa Nova was born as I am listening to live Bossa Nova music and hearing anecdotes. Gui is a great musician and a wonderful guide. It was a lovely unforgettable experience.

If you are a fan of bossa nova and would like to know the history of it then check out this tour. Gui was our friendly guide and singer. He provided a wealth of knowledge of bossa nova and its foundation. It was fun to hear Gui sing bossa nova songs as we walked around the neighborhoods of Copacabana and Ipanema learning its foundation. This experience is worth it, as this is not your typical tour.

This is a wonderful tour. Gui provides an intimate guide to Bossa Nova and its context in the history of Brasil. The tour is conducted as a leisurely walk in and round the streets and beach fronts of Ipanema and Copacabana, visiting key locations in the development of Bossa Nova, including the cafe where "the Girl from Ipanema" was composed. However it is more than just a walk and a talk. Gui plays guitar and sings many famous songs throughout the tour. It is a beautiful way to experience this part of Rio and its rich cultural heritage. Gui is very friendly and is also a mine of useful information about Rio. I can highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see a different side of Rio from that covered by the big organised bus tours and to any fan of the iconic Bossa Nova sound.

Guilherme was an excellent guide and made Brazilian culture come to life through his musiciansip, knowledge and anecdotes. I really enjoyed the tour and learnt a lot about the history and music of Brazil.

This was a fantastic few hours. Wandering the streets and beachfront of Ipanema, hearing the musical, social and political history of Bossa Nova music, and much more besides. Gui was a wonderful musician, guide and performer. The tour ended in the cafe where The Girl from Ipenema was composed. It is a lovely restaurant - we stayed on for a long slow lunch after the tour ended. We also met some other interesting people in the tour group. A brilliant morning, highly recommended.

Faniastic tour! For Bossa Nova fans like ourselves, this was truly a wonderful experience. Aside from walking through Rio in the steps of the Bossa Nova greats like Jobim, what makes this tour special is the live music that was played by the lovely guide (and talented musician), Gui. He explained and sang through the history of Bossa Nova as we walked through Ipanema and Copacabana...great fun and a day to remember! Really a wonderful way to see Rio from the sounds of Bossa Nova.

I loved this tour! So much fun learning about the music history of Bossa Nova (and therefore history of Rio/Brazil!) and watching it come to life in various spots on the tour. I learned so much and loved the pauses for live songs as well. The guide really knows his stuff. Truly a unique tour and experience. I'd say it's a must for any music lover :)

The Bossa Nova walking tour is an amazing experience we'll remember for a lifetime. Having the opportunity to walk through Ipanema and Copacabana to see different places that are really meaningful in the bossa nova's history with a Guide was such a privilege. We felt our Guide's passion and love for bossa nova through his narration and the songs he played with his guitar at each spot. After the experience, Rio Bossa Experience still got surprises for us and gave us many precious gifts. We recommend the Bossa Nova Walking Tour not only to have a unique experience in the Cidade Maravilhosa, but also to help Rio Bossa Experience keeping Bossa Nova alive and spreading this amazing Brazilian musical heritage. For a bossa nova fan who has the opportunity to visit Rio, it is such as a "pilgrimage" to do once in his/her life.

Imagine exploring the streets of Ipanema and Copacabana with your own knowledgeable troubadour. We had Gui with his guitar making the tour fun and enjoyable with his knowledgeable explanation of the sites we visited in the lens of how music developed into the Bossanova genre.

It was great to learn about the history of bossa nova along with the Guilherme my guide playing the classics.

We had an amazing time with Gui. This was the very first visit we did when we arrived in Rio and it was a perfect introduction to Brazil. We really enjoyed getting to know Ipanema and Copacabana through music. We 100% recommend.

We really enjoyed the tour with Guilherme earlier this week, a wonderful experience! He provided a lot of information about the history of bossa nova, its origins in 1950s-1960s and how it evolved over the years. Plus singing many songs walking along the streets of Ipanema and Copacabana, with nice guitar chord progressions: we tried to sing/hum along with Guilherme which was fun! I'd definitely recommend the tour to those who love music, in general, and bossa nova in particular. And even if you are not that much familiar with bossa nova and its roots, take the tour - it will open up an important part of Brazilian culture for you and ignite (or maybe reignite) your passion for music. 5 stars!

If you like music, this your is a must do for your itinerary in Rio. It’s a great blend of story telling, music and walking tour, taking in the sights, sounds and history of Bossa Nova. Gui is a great guide and really makes the tour such a great experience. Really enjoyable and good fun.

Loads of music history stopping at the places where that history happens with instrumental and singing of the songs. Great way to experience Ipanema!

We had a most wonderful walk in Rio with our guide, Gui Guimarães. He literally sang us a history of Bossa Nova as we walked through historic places where the rhythm was born. Through his stories and songs we could easily visualize the atmosphere of those years. We learned a lot about Rio too. Overall this was a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Wonderful Bossa Nova walk with Guilherme! It was a great pleasure to walk through Ipanema with Gui and to hear his stories and songs. Everything very relaxed and yet informative. We heard many songs from Gui and his guitar on our way. Absolutely recommended!

To get to know a country, a city or a place in general I can find no better way than to do it through their music, culture, what inspires them, the essence of their history and everything that moves their spirit. This tour left me a very nice feeling in the heart ❤️‍🩹. Guille was a very good storyteller and with his music it was easy to connect with Bossa Nova. Thank you!