Sunday, Jan. 18, Fortaleza

The folks at Full Sail Hostel were in full party mode the night before, and they "convinced" me to join them, the reason I was suffering so much on this last morning in northeast Brazil.

Maybe this was fitting, this farewell to Brazil.

I would return to Colombia ready to get back to work with no urge to go out at all, something I do rarely anyway, hence the reason I was hurting so bad.

It was fun getting to know Alex and Jamily, the hostel owners, and I gave them both hugs before I left.

I hope to see them in Bogotá someday.

Tuesday, Dec. 30, Salvador

As I wondered how quickly my trip ended, I thought back to my first stop and activity.

Itaparica, the island 30 minutes from mainland Salvador, seemed like a good day trip, so Ana, Eva, and I met up with Rob and Franki, and we headed for the boat docks.

We waited in line for half an hour or so, but I didn't mind. I knew it would be something quite popular.

By the time we got to the island, carpooled in a van with another group, and got to the beach, it was about noon, still enough time for lots of fun.

This beach was not anything special, based on pure beauty, compared to the ones I visited later, but it was a fun day, thanks to the company.

I ate Moqueca for the first time, which became my favorite dish of the northeast, talked a lot with everyone about everything and nothing, and soaked up the sun at a real beach for the first time in just over two years.

If every beach day went this way, I knew it would be a good trip.

Friday, Jan. 16, Fortaleza

It seemed like everything was in place to work out the way it usually does in the movies.

I had just had a great day at Beach Park, and now it was time for my new first date.

When I got in the car, there was a warm embrace, the kind you give to someone you've been longing to see again.

There was that smile, the one that could make you melt and smile yourself, and I said, yes, here we are again, picking up where we left off, the sparks rekindled.

We held hands for part of the ride to the restaurant. We talked and laughed and talked some more, and it felt like 2012 all over again.

Marília drove to a touristy part of town, nice restaurants everywhere, bars too, of course, some of them a combination of both and all of them surely somewhat pricey, but none of that mattered.

We picked one with Brazilian food, and I told her to order, that I was in her city, I trust her judgment. We got the beef, and it came with the usual sides.

The night was going well until I tried to kiss her - and found out she had a boyfriend.

I was not hurt. I had prepared myself for the worst.

She asked if I was OK, and I smiled. She smiled too, we split the bill, and then she took me back to the hostel.

There would be no more beaches on this trip, no more Marília. I didn't see her again, didn't get any pictures of us together like I thought I would. She was busy.

All that was left was a couple of nights in a concrete jungle of 20 million people, where I enjoyed seeing my friend Felipe, who I met last year in Peru, and where I took a 45-minute bus ride to the international airport.

Tuesday, Jan. 20, São Paulo

In about 20 minutes, it's time to take my last flight, the one that takes me home, and these are the times, these waning minutes in the airport, when I become reflective of the trip I just took.

I thought a lot, naturally, about Marília, but there was no longing, no feeling of wanting more.

Not saying it wouldn't be nice, only that I'm OK with whatever happens in the future because I'm not going to try to control something as fleeting and fluid as fate.

I guess that's why I like movies with open endings, movies like 500 Days of Summer, the ones that let you draw your own conclusion.

How ironic that it was on the plane ride home that I first watched 500 Days of Summer.

It is non-linear, like this story, although I decided to write my story this way before ever seeing the film, my inspiration coming from another movie, Memento.

The main characters in 500 Days of Summer, Tom, and Summer, played by Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, do not end up together, as it once seemed they might, but they still manage to say goodbye amicably.

Maybe it's a good analogy for my situation with Marília. Maybe not. Or maybe there's a better one.

During my trip, I talked via Facebook chat with my good friend Ximena about something that had nothing to do with Marília, at least not directly.

We talked about the small sacrifices we make in life to enjoy beautiful moments, without worrying about what will happen in the future, without wondering whether we wasted our time by just appreciating the moment before us.

Ximena probably summed it up best, using a contemporary method, something short and sweet.

"#worthit," she wrote.

Then we talked about putting it on some T-shirts.

Saturday, Jan. 3, Maceió, Alagoas

The beaches of northeast Brazil stretch for miles and miles, and I wondered if anyone had ever made it to all of them.

I doubt it. I bet most Brazilians haven't even done it.

My cousin's husband Gustavo, a Sao Paulo native, told me during my trip that he had yet to visit northeast Brazil and I'm not surprised because his country, in square miles, is bigger than the adjoined, continental 48 in the United States.

With limited time, I went to those that I was told I should not miss or others that just randomly became part of the journey.

That's how Praixa Paripueira ended up on my agenda.

I got to my Maceió hostel early, right around 7 a.m., the start of breakfast, and the Brazilian guests started to trickle into the kitchen area to begin another vacation day.

Two girls invited me to sit with them. Neither spoke English or Spanish, and I spoke very little Portuguese, but I could understand them, and the same for them with me when I used my Spanish.

After chatting over breakfast, one of them said, "We're going to a beach about a half-hour from here and I have a car. You want to come with us?"

How nice, I thought, and I nodded that, yes, I would love to go, that would be fun.

We picked up another girl they knew along the way, and later, the rest of the Brazilians from the hostel joined us, once they woke up.

Gregory, I would learn from sharing a dorm with him, likes to sleep in.

We eventually had a full group: Adriana and Suzy, the girls from Brasília who invited me; their friend Mariana from Salvador, who we picked up along the way to Paripueira; Gregory from Curitiba; Ricardo and Ricardo, both from Sao Paulo; and Lidice, from Cuiabá.

Gregory and one of the Ricardos spoke English and periodically would check in with me to find out if I understood what they were talking about, something I thought was very nice.

When I did listen to the conversation, I understood most of what they were saying, so I assured Gregory and Ricardo that I was fine, I was just taking it all in and thought about responding but I felt it was better to listen, to get to know everyone first and speak when spoken to instead of trying to interject, especially when I couldn't speak their language.

Gregory asked what I thought about the girls with us, and I told him they were very pretty and all seemed really smart too, both great qualities, but my mind was on an attractive attorney in Fortaleza, someone I would be seeing soon enough.

He smiled and said he was happy for me, and his smile was even bigger when I showed him her picture later that day at the hostel.

We spent the day at Paripueira, not returning to the hostel until well after dark, and then we all got ready and went out to eat.

Lidice somehow still had the energy to go out and she asked if I wanted to go to a party with her and Mariana. I went to get ice cream with Suzy and Ricardo instead, then went to bed.

Tuesday, Jan. 13, Pipa, Rio Grande do Norte

While we were eating ice cream, Ricardo told me about Natal and Pipa, to recommend them. I remembered my Swedish friend Anders was there recently so I decided to talk to him as well.

"Natal is just a sleepy place, a lot of old people," Anders said. "Like Miami in the early '80s."

He told me I should stay in Pipa. I thought about it, but I knew the goal was to get to Fortaleza, to get to Marília, because we had beach plans too, and I didn't want to risk missing the bus in Natal if I had to take another one first.

That's the only reason I stayed in Natal.

I suppose you could make that comparison, Miami of the early '80s, but I think Sarasota of the early 2000s is more appropriate.

Lots of new high rises, many overlooking the coast and a pretty beach, and enough ethnic and fancy restaurants to please locals and visitors alike.

My one free day in Sarasota south, I went to Pipa. I like the backdrop of cliffs at the north end of the beach, and the random rocks that jutted from the shallow waters near the shore, the slightly bigger surf that drew a lot board-carrying natives and tourists.

I ate too much for lunch at a churrasco restaurant near the beach and spent too much as well, 44 reals (about $17), and then I relaxed on the beach and in the beautiful blue sea where the water was no deeper than a bathtub, and just sat and daydreamed and improved my tan.

Friday, Jan. 9, Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco

I got a lot of rave reviews about this place while I was in Maceió, including from Meiri y Mércia, two sisters from Sao Paulo who later joined our happy group, and it turned out to be the best beach I would see on my trip.

Porto de Galinhas is where you can snorkel by the big coral reef, or walk on it if you so choose, and on days when the surf picks up, you can grab a board and ride the waves.

I opted for the latter.

It was my first time surfing since I was 16 when I lived in Hawaii, and I thought, "No problem, I've done this so many times before."

I rode maybe four waves, missed countless others, fell off the board enough times to make it more of a workout than recreation. But I loved it.

The waves were no bigger than a couple of feet but considering my performance, that was probably a blessing.

As my brother said, "It's not like riding a bike again."

I had that great meal at Peixe na Telha as well, the one I told you about in my favorite foods post.

It would have been nice to spend the day with my new friends I made in Maceió, I thought, but going it alone was still fine when I thought about everything I experienced.

I also knew that I already had plans for my last beach day, that I would probably have company, but first we had to finish that new first date.

Every trip brings something unique. Sure, some will remind you of others, either through common needs, a second encounter with familiar people or a specific feature shared among different landscapes, something.

But as I thought about the four things you need, from Salvador to Fortaleza, the journey I just made, I kept coming back to what you will read about below.

1. Patience

Patience easily is No. 1.

This region of Brazil moves at a slower pace, and trying to hasten the lifestyle to move like New York is a Sisyphean task.

When you find yourself waiting longer than necessary, take a deep breath. You're on vacation after all.

If you miss your bus, as I did one day in Recife, just politely explain why to the friendly person at the ticket window of your bus company. They'll understand more than anyone. They live here.

They put me on the next bus to Natal, no extra charge necessary, and the bus was full so that probably meant someone in line with me was not allowed to buy a ticket.

As my friend David Binns said, "It's what makes the culture so beautiful and frustrating at the same time. But more beautiful."

2. Mosquito Repellent

What isn't beautiful is the number of mosquitos in some coastal cities, making bug repellent a must.

I brought this stuff I bought in Colombia, a small cream-colored cube that melts away with a bit of water, creating a cream you put on your skin. It's called Nopikex and I think I paid only 5,000 pesos (about $2.50) for it at a Colombian pharmacy. 

It was especially handy in Recife, probably because the city is split in two by a wide river that serves as a great breeding ground for mosquitos.

3. Electrical Adapter

Recife is also where I bought my electrical adapter.

In Salvador, I didn't need one because there were wall outlets that work for both 160 and 220-volt devices. It's a touristy city and is prepared for visitors.

That was not the case in Maceió, which is popular mainly with Brazilians, and my cell phone and laptop slowly began to lose battery power.

How would I keep in touch with Marília if I suddenly could not get on Facebook, either on my computer or my phone?

I was lucky that one of the Brazilians staying at the hostel had an extra adapter and let me borrow it, and that kept me digitally connected until Recife when I needed to make a trip to the mall.

I paid 5 reals ($2) for my adapter.

4. Sunscreen

That's cheaper than what I would have paid for sunblock. It's expensive in Latin America, about $9 for a small tube in Colombia, where I live, and about the same in Brazil, but you need it here if you're going to the beaches on the northeast coast.

The sun bears down on you, hard. I recommend, if your skin is of the fairer shade like me (thanks to my light-skinned mother), at least SPF 45. I brought SPF 30, put it on several times one day, and still got a little burnt.

On the bright side, all I needed was some skin moisturizer and rejuvenator and it turned that red to brown, the benefit of having a dark-skinned father.

Maybe I'll just stick with the SPF 30.

Wednesday, Dec. 31, Salvador

They wear white on New Year's Eve in Salvador. They believe it brings good fortune in the New Year and who the hell am I to argue, so I put on the whitest outfit I could find without looking like I was selling ice cream.

I wore a white tank top and my black and white surf shorts, and for some silly reason, my shoes as well.

The night took us to the beach, where the tide came in when I was not paying attention, drenching my shoes. Good job moron, I said to myself. Maybe next time you can bring sand to the beach as well.

I laughed it off and got back to having a great time but oh what a clusterf*#k it was earlier in the night.

Our group got bigger, and at the last-minute a couple - a guy from France and a girl from the south of Brazil - joined us. The girl got sick, held up the group, and when she finally felt better we later rushed to the beach, to see the fireworks.

The disorganization of it all led to the group splitting up. I was with Ana (Spain), Takashi (Japan), Veronica (Chile), Sebastian (Chile), their friend from home whose name I cannot remember, and that couple, who apparently used us to get a cheaper taxi fare because they left us shortly after we arrived at the beach.

We had lost Eva, as well as Rob and Franki, the British couple, along with their German friend, whose name escapes me at the moment. Takashi and I looked for them, missing most of the very brief fireworks show in the process, hence no pictures.

Keep that in mind if you're in Salvador for a special occasion: coordinating a handful of taxis for a big group of people is difficult.

Takashi and I didn't find anyone during our search. But we later reconvened with Ana and the Chilenos to go see some live music in the nightlife district of Rio Vermelho.

Veronica had met the drummer from the band a day or so earlier, and we sat right in front of the stage, although I think that coincidence and timing had more to do with it than her new friendship. The table was open when we got there.

There was a special, all-you-can-drink for 75 reals (about $30) per table, so we had some beer, danced, and then when the yawning started we headed back to the Pelourinho, to get a last drink or two there before calling it a night.

That's where we ran into Eva and we traded stories about the night, about how we were sad to lose her, but she was in good spirits after having a fun night with some friends, and we laughed about it in the end.

The only thing missing from my night was a New Years kiss but that wasn't possible, what with Marília in Fortaleza. I mean, it was possible, but I wanted the kiss to be with her.

The opportunity would arise 16 days later, in the big coastal city Marília calls home.

Friday, Jan. 16, Beach Park, Aquiraz, Ceará

Alex, one of the owners at Full Sail Hostel, said this would be the day he finally goes to Beach Park, a place about 45 minutes outside Fortaleza, where you can ride some big slides and scare yourself senseless in the process, at least for a few moments.

The park claims to have the highest slide in the world, the Insano, 145 feet straight down. It was the first thing we rode.

The speakers attached to the stairway warn that pregnant women or people with heart conditions or high blood pressure should not ride this slide. I don't have the latter two, and last I checked I wasn't pregnant, so I was ready to go.

I started getting nervous as I waited for Alex to go first, as I watched him disappear over the edge, as I sat down to get ready to push off. Too late now, I thought. No turning back.

I crossed my legs at the ankles, as the park attendant told me, and my arms across my chest and before I knew it…

WOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH!!!!

Gravity separated me from the slide for what must have been at least 40 percent of the fall and I could feel my stomach climbing inside me, but it was over before I knew it, and we rode again immediately.

We hit several other slides too, all of them fun, although none as thrilling as Insano, so I ended my day at the park there, to scare myself one last time.

I was exhausted after that day but was happy I did that, happy I spent the 180 reals (about $80) to get in. When we got back, we went to the hostel bar for caipirinhas and I waited for Marília to come pick me up so we could go to dinner.

On occasion, it felt like being in Florida. That's what happens when you're spending so much money, an inevitability for the cost of travel in northeast Brazil.

I knew going on the trip would be a bit expensive. I already paid 416,000 Colombian pesos (about $208) for my Visa, a necessity for Americans.

At least the exchange rate has improved, 2.5 reals for every dollar, although you'll usually pay around 17 reals (about $6.50) every time you use the ATM in Brazil.

That was a surprise. But what surprised me more was part of the context of my expenses.

I'll go through what you should expect to spend when drafting your vacation budget for northeast Brazil, both the costs we all think about and the ones that snuck up on me, so you're better prepared.

Let's get started with the obvious.

Your primary costs are likely to be five things: buses, food, lodging, nightlife, recreation/tours.

The buses I'm talking about are the ones you take to get from one state to another, the longer trips, at least four hours or more.

I can't quite make sense of the interstate buses. Case in point, I paid 96 reals (about $39) for a bus from Natal to Fortaleza that was comfortable but nothing special. I paid 74 reals (about $30) for a bus from Recife to Natal that was much nicer.

Perhaps the difference came from the fact that the Fortaleza trip took one and a half hours longer. But I would think the difference in the quality of the buses would have made it a wash.

Again, it's like being in Florida.

High food costs, at least, typically can be avoided, depending on where and how much you eat.

You'll probably be eating out a lot so let's admit that to get it out-of-the-way. Most hostels don't offer the space or equipment to make a great meal, and you'll want to eat the Brazilian cuisine anyway. It's good.

Just take the time to check different restaurants before making a decision. You can often find a good meal for under 30 reals (less than $12), which is a good price in Brazil.

Remember, I said it's almost like being in Florida. That means you're spending a lot more money here than you would in Ecuador.

It can be exponentially more if you pick the nicest restaurant all the time, and that doesn't always mean the best food.

I'm not saying it won't be good, but a lot of these smaller, independent places make the original recipe for a good price, not some trussed-up version of it that allows them to add another 20 reals ($8) to the bill.

Here's where it gets tricky: eating at those churrasco-style restaurants, where you fill your plate then bring it to a scale.

You're picking among so many good offerings, rice and beans, maybe 10 veggie options, and sometimes up to a dozen different meats that will mean not only filling your plate, but making a mountain.

I avoided the mountain when I was in Pipa, but I still paid 44 reals (about $17). That's expensive.

To put it in perspective, I found a restaurant in Recife that does rodizio, but with sushi. That means you pay a set price, in this case 40 reals ($16), and you can eat all the sushi you want.

Another example to drive the point home: many of my favorite Latin restaurants in Florida during my seven years living there usually charged no more than $12 for a meal, and that includes Amazon Grill, a Brazilian place where I would weigh my plate before I ate as well.

Like food, lodging costs are necessary unless you have a friend you can stay with or you don't mind sleeping in the street.

I was in northeast Brazil during the high season, right around New Year's Eve, and hostels sometimes cost up to 150 reals ($60) a night. Out of high season, they are much more reasonable, 25 to 30 reals (about $10 to $12).

Nightlife always comes with a significant cost, but it depends how much you go out and how much you consume when you do go out.

I'm at the point where nightlife is not too important to me, where a good night ends at midnight after a few drinks and a nice meal, maybe some dancing afterward too.

That means I'm mainly spending money from my food budget and using this as a night to treat myself, or, "Treat yo self," as Donna and Tom would say.

So what were the costs that I wasn't expecting? There are three.

The first is refreshments. I'm not talking about beer or liquor, just water, juice and soda. If you're from a hot and humid place, this might not affect you much.

I live in Bogotá, the Colombian capital, 9,000 feet elevation and low humidity, and always a little frigid, about 14 degrees (57.2 degrees Fahrenheit) on average.

In Brazil I was fighting temperatures in the high 80s and humidity to match, sometimes both numbers in the low 90s. You could pull a bottled water from the freezer and watch it start to sweat shortly thereafter.

I easily spent around 30 reals (almost $12) a day just on cold drinks, to beat the heat. Over three weeks, that adds up to $264!

Taxis are worse. You really are paying U.S. prices when you take a taxi in Brazil. Maybe it's a little cheaper, and definitely cheaper than New York, but not much cheaper on average.

I would take taxis only when necessary, when I had all my things with me and I hadn't gotten familiar with a new city or it was already dark out and better to not take the risk, but I had to do this enough that I spent a fair amount of money.

A 10-minute taxi ride in northeast Brazil costs about 15 reals, or $6. My guess is, I probably spent more than $200 on taxis during my trip.

I saved about $200 too, by taking public transportation within cities when possible.

All the buses in the cities are less than 4 reals (under $1.75), compared to a taxi ride that can cost up to $20, depending on traffic, how far you're going, if it's a holiday, anything the taxi driver can use as an excuse to up your fare.

In Recife, they have a metro that cost less than 2 reals (80 cents or so). I used it a bit, including my last day there, to get to the bus terminal.

The Recife metro reminded me of the L in Chicago, although cheaper. According to the L website, a pass costs $1.10 on average.

This is a situation that did not feel like Florida, but only because public transportation is awful in the Sunshine State.

The last surprise was in my last major stop: Fortaleza. We went to a place called Beach Park, and the entrance alone was 180 reals (about $69), but you'll find out why I went in a later post.

Other than that, I spent very little on recreation, just basic charges like going to certain beaches, which I will explain later as well.

So, to sum up, I spent about $1,500 on my three-week trip, and I'd break it down this way:

1. Buses/transportation: $250

2. Food/refreshments: $600

3. Lodging: $300

4. Nightlife: $200

5. Recreation/tours: $150

Again, this is just me. You might spend more, maybe less, maybe different amounts for different parts of your trip.

The main thing is, you have fun.

Friday, Jan. 16, Full Sail Hostel, Fortaleza, Ceará

She looked so elegant, in her business attire, a white-collared shirt, and black skirt, it almost seemed like she was walking in slow motion like I was watching a movie, a scene when they introduce the lead actress and they want to capture your attention.

Marília owned mine at this moment.

Here I was in Fortaleza, her hometown and my last stop on my three-week trip to northeast Brazil, a journey in which I will tell you about big cities, beautiful beaches, budget tips, things you need, favorite foods, and almost everything else you should know about this region of South America's biggest country.

Now back to Marília. I was seeing her again for the first time in 2.5 years. She was a student when we met. She's a lawyer now.

But our reunion was nothing like that.

That's just how I pictured it as I sat at Full Sail Hostel, open only four months now, where I made new friends, including the owners, Alex and Jamily, both such nice people and always so helpful.

Most of the time, I was chatting with them. When my mind wandered, I thought of Marília, that I imagined what she would look like when I saw her again.

She looked lovely when I opened the door to her car when she came to pick me up at the hostel, but she wasn't in business attire, just elegantly casual instead.

I know you're probably thinking at this point that this is some romantic journey in which someone tries to track down a lost love in another part of the world, and they live happily ever after. Hold on.

There are two bigger reasons I took this trip:

1. Colombian Visa law requires me to leave the country twice a year, based on my immigration status, which I won't get into here because this is not a story about Visa law either.

2. I have always wanted to visit Brazil.

Now, Marília skewed the geography of my trip, no doubt. It's a big country. I could have gone to Río de Janeiro, as one of my friends reminded me by inquiring several times about why I was not going.

This story should explain everything.

I should warn you that the story is not in chronological order, that there are eight parts, and it hops around more than a field rabbit and might seem like it's moving just as fast if you're not paying attention.

People will come and go, some will appear more often than others, and I'll include far more experiences without Marília than I will those with her.

Maybe there wasn't much to our reunion. You'll have to keep reading to find out.

Monday, Dec. 29, Salvador, Bahía

A Canadian traveler named Raymond raved about Salvador during a day at Iguazú Falls, where waterfalls collide to give visitors the kind of scenery seen on our favorite travel shows.

On that day in mid-2012 in Argentina, I decided that I would someday see Salvador for myself.

Two days before the eve of 2015, I made it happen.

I was lucky enough to meet Eva, a nice girl from São Paulo, at my hostel. She was born in Chile. Then her family moved to Brazil when she was just a baby.

She had lived in London for the past 15 years, spoke English, Spanish and Portuguese perfectly, and we became fast friends.

We walked around the city, ate acarajé, went to the beach, went out for drinks, and made New Year's Eve plans with other friends.

I was lucky not only to meet her but to have already formed a friendship with a British couple, two journalists on a round-the-world trip, people I met in Medellín.

The architecture of Salvador, that old colonial-style so prevalent in Europe, really gave Salvador's Pelourinho neighborhood a special flavor. It reminded me of Cartagena, Colombia, only on a grander scale.

Even Michael Jackson filmed parts of They Don't Care About Us in this neighborhood--something one business owner promotes from his place on the plaza. In one part of the video, the King of Pop stands on his balcony.

Salvador, it turns out, is one of the first places slaves touched ground in South America.

It is a fascinating history, and you see its origins today, in the dark skin of the many Brazilians there and the African flavors in the food they eat and the music they love.

I hear Carnaval in Salvador is the craziest one in Brazil, and that doesn't surprise me.

Locals asked if I planned to come back for it, but I told them, no, I can't, and they told me I would still have fun on New Year's Eve, something I looked forward to as we got ready to go out that night.

[R]io de Janeiro, the bustling metropolis at the feet of the Christ the Redeemer Statue and along Guanabara Bay, is also known as the cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city) and for good reason.

Rio is one of the most visited cities in the southern hemisphere and is widely heralded for its spectacular natural surroundings, its glistening beaches, carnaval, rambunctious nightlife, and the friendly attitude of the local cariocas.

Rio has long been a popular tourist destination--indeed, the most popular in South America--but has further catapulted into the wider international imagination as the recent host of the World Cup as well as for the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics.

Whether you're just passing through or settling in for a longer stay, one of the best ways to get to know a new city is to have a local show you around for the day.

Rio Cultural Secrets was founded in 2012 and has grown to become one of the top tour agencies in the city which specializes in private tours catered exclusively to you and your friends or family.

They offer a variety of private tours in Rio de Janeiro with professional tour guides that are fluent in English, along with private transportation in comfortable vehicles.

All of the tours are meant to be fun and informative and will show you some of the hidden treasures of the Marvelous City.

Get to know the historic center of town with a private tour which will transport you through the history of this vibrant global city from the days of the Monarchy up until the Republic.

Rio Cultural Secrets' walking tour begins at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro and includes visits to the San Antonio Convent, the XV November Square, Cinelândia Square, the Opera House, and many more culturally important landmarks during this four-hour tour.

You'll even have time to swing by the famous Cafe Colombo for coffee and a sweet treat.

If you're looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city for a few hours, you should definitely consider a visit to the Tijuca Forest.

Rio Cultural Secrets offers a private tour along with transportation up to this hand-planted rainforest which is also the world's largest urban forest.

This four-hour tour includes a visit to the Taunay waterfall, spectacular vistas of the Marvelous City from the Chinese Overlook where you can see Corcovado Mountain with the Christ the Redeemer Statue as well as Sugarloaf Mountain, and it is capped off with a visit to the Botanical Garden.

Rio Cultural Secrets offers a handful of other engaging and informative tours in and around Rio including the favela Vidigal tour where you can learn about life in the shanty towns and how things are changing, or a visit to the Petropolis, the former summer residence of the Brazilian Emperors.

Indeed, Rio has so much to offer visitors that it can be difficult to find time to take it all in.

Going with a tour guide can truly help you maximize your time in a new city allowing you to see more and learn more than you otherwise would be able to do on your own.

There are a variety of tour operators that offer large group tours of the city and surrounding area, but if you're looking for the attention and dedication of a private tour guide that will cater to you and your questions be sure to reach out to Rio Cultural Secrets.

They would love to help you connect with the history, culture and amazing sights that Rio has to offer with their private tours in Rio de Janeiro.

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This post was published in partnership with Rio Cultural Secrets.