VLT, metro, or a short ride from Lapa
Pequena África to AquaRio
VLT Carioca to AquaRio
VLT Linha 1 from Cinelândia or Carioca toward Valongo, the port museums, and AquaRio. Split heritage and family stops across more than one outing.
Planning
- Best time
- Daytime for museums; Monday evening if you want Pedra do Sal samba
- Who it is for
- Guests ready for a heritage day — split it if the list is too long
- How to go
- VLT, metro, or a short ride from Lapa
Walking time is movement only. The hour range includes visits.
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Stops
VLT Carioca
VLT Carioca is in Centro, about 15 minutes on foot from the studio.
Cais do Valongo
The Valongo Wharf was built in 1811 and served as the landing site for enslaved Africans until 1831, making it a UNESCO World Heritage site recognized in 2017.
MUHCAB
MUHCAB is in Gamboa, about 15 minutes on foot from the studio.
Instituto de Pesquisa e Memória Pretos Novos
The IPN grew out of an accidental find: renovating their own home on Rua Pedro Ernesto in 1996, a couple uncovered human bone fragments mixed with pottery, glass, and iron.
Pedra do Sal
Pedra do Sal is in Saúde, about 20 minutes on foot from the studio.
Casa Omolokum
Casa Omolokum is in Saúde, about 20 minutes on foot from the studio.
Bafo da Prainha
Bafo da Prainha is in Saúde, about 20 minutes on foot from the studio.
Museu do Amanhã
The Museum of Tomorrow is a science museum on Pier Mauá designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, opened December 17, 2015 with President Dilma Rousseff in attendance.
AquaRio
AquaRio is in Saúde, a transit ride from the studio.
Elevation
44 m ascent · 0–33 m
About the neighborhood
The port slope around Pedra do Sal and the Valongo Wharf is often called Pequena África: the landing and gathering ground of enslaved Africans and, later, of early samba.
Valongo Wharf is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Museums of the port and the waterfront at Praça Mauá sit on the same VLT line from Cinelândia.
Historical notes
- Valongo Wharf, the main landing for enslaved Africans in the Americas in the nineteenth century, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017. Source: UNESCO
- Pedra do Sal is an IPHAN-listed site tied to the port’s Black community, candomblé terreiros, and early samba. Source: Wikipedia
- Museu do Amanhã, designed by Santiago Calatrava, opened on Praça Mauá in 2015. Source: Wikipedia
