RAFAEL IS BACK TO RIO - BACK TO WORK

THERE'S BEEN A WHILE I AM BACK FROM MY LATEST AMAZON TOUR IN MARANHAO...But so many things happened here that I could not update this GUEST'S HOME which is my blog.

Yes, this is the place where you know more about myself, a place where you really notice that not a tour guide will welcome you in your fascinating trip to Rio, you will be sure that you are meeting a friend who is honored with your visit!!!!

I am here to make Rio your home....Here will be the place that you will come back over an over again.

I am back to my people, back to one of the places that I mostly love in this endless World....

RIO DE JANEIRO WAS WAITING FOR ME AND WHEN I GOT BACK I REALIZED THAT I HAD SO MANY THINGS TO DO!!!!

Well, back to the nights of Lapa where SAMBA RULEZ!!!!!!!!!

It is a privilege to take my friends to the MECCA of our culture. Just a stroll around the streets of this bohemian neighborhood in Rio will be your self assurance that Rio is a smiling place, where we all have space left in the heart to give you shelter.

In Lapa you will find the temples of Samba such as CARIOCA DA GEMA, RIO SCENARIUM, SEMENTE AND SACRILEGIO...churches of our brazilian music that will prove that "MUSICAL MIRACLES" do exist!!!!

Marcone, my great "right arm" and fascinating Tour Guide is always with me taking our people to the best and unique places in Rio for you to have JUST FUN!!!


I am always proud to work with friends and I am honored to have colleagues and associates in other countries in South America as well. Back to Rio, the argentinean Tour Guide and wonderful friend Veronica Lampon, always trust me her guests in one of the stops in Rio de Janeiro.

We tour together around Rio and we take our people to the real spirit of the city!!!!

Veronica and I work together either in Brazil or Argentina and we are always ready to show you the real stuff, we are ready to make you in touch with our people and genuine culture!!!

Thanks Vero for everything you give to me, it is very special to have you so present in my life!

This day we had a glorious tour with our friend Merilyn from Germany...we had a blast!!!

Everywhere I go in Rio I always meet incredible people and I take my guests to places where locals love to go, and forget about formalities, here you will be treat as my great friends and I always take my friends to special places!!! Free spirit, lots of information and loads of fun. This is my compromisse with you when you trust your brazilian dreams in my hand!!!

Right after my trip to Maranhao, Geshu and Kane were my first guests in Rio and we were planning for such a long time this honeymoon trip!!! Geshu proud the wisdon and curiosity of India and kane proud the joy and the strengh of Africa. And I provided the heart of Rio...So our days in Rio were very complete and they had the chance to see places where very few tourists can visit.

Well, I never have tourists in my tours...I HAVE TRAVELLERS IN MY TOURS!!!!

That is the difference...and this is what make the tours so unique and so special.

I welcome guests and I turn them into great friends!!!

Thank you Geshu and Kane for your confidence and great generosity!!!

By the way, this lovely couple live in New Jersey, USA!!!!

Back to my neighborhood. I live in Copacabana, probably this is also the place where you will stay in Rio. Copacabana is more of a district, it is a real city!!! Here you can feel the positive vibe of Rio, it is for sure one of the most glamourous places in the World.

If the city of Rio had a capital, Copacabana would be the one...

Copa explains the city very well and you will have the chance to be part of it.

In Copa I am close to my guests and we all have a lot of facilities all around!

Right after I returned from my trip to Maranhao, I also had the great pleasure to welcome Cinzia and Luca from Milan, ITALIA!!!! We had lots of fun, and they really experience Rio in a very different way. We spent most of our time in Niteroi visiting places that not even the locals know!!!

It was a fantastic experience for all of us!!!

I am sure that this wonderful couple will send more italian friends!

and I am very grateful for such a deep confidence and friendship!

Also with another tour with italians, with the journalist Domenico Pacifico and his girlfriend Giulia, I could take them to see one of our best hidden treasures, an indigenous tribe settled in the ocean side of Niteroi, in Camboinhas. I have taken so many guests to see this absolutely hidden surprise of all tours! Here my friend, a member of a tribe called PATAXÓ from Bahia was explaning me a lot about their culture in the own enviroment.

So folks I am finally back to Rio...back to my so dear land!

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES

Tour Guide and Travel Planner