Meet Renato, your expert in Brazil!
🌍 Lives in: São Paulo
Regions of Expertise: São Paulo city & state, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Amazon rainforest, Northeastern Brazil
Experience: 10 years guiding and designing trips
Languages: English, Português, Español
Renato’s Specialties:
Get to know Renato!
A note from Renato
"Olá gente! My name is Renato and I'm a journalist and tour guide born and raised in São Paulo city.
I graduated in journalism with an emphasis in Culture and Education and have worked as a reporter for several radios, magazines, and newspapers during my career. I've also been a guide for the last 10 years now.
I think combining my two careers has made me a better guide as I've written articles and done pieces on all different sides of the city - social problems, cultural events, new urban scenes, food & drink, and also the history of this massive metropolis. As a guide, I'm able to incorporate this knowledge and experience into really unique and interesting tours.
I started to work as a guide in 2013, inspired by two big events: the soccer World Cup and the Olympic Games. My beginning as a guide started with a personal project called Urban Bike SP that offers cycle tourism in São Paulo. Our bike tours go all over the city covering covering areas such as the historical center, Paulista Avenue, and Ibirapuera Park. I also work as a driver-guide and guide visitors in our national parks, small towns in the countryside, and our gorgeous beaches on the coastline.
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More recently I've started specializing in street art, which in my opinion has become the new trade mark of São Paulo. The idea of my tours is very simple, show the areas of the city painted by the most talented local urban artists. Some of these places are very hyped and touristic, like the famous Beco do Batman (Batman's Alley)and the art galleries in the Vila Madalena neighborhood.
But we also have countless other fascinating areas - areas are under viaducts, overpasses, abandoned buildings, forgotten neighborhoods of the periphery, etc. These are not exactly pretty, but this is the way to understand the context of the authentic street art. A few months ago I had an opportunity to do a tour for a reporter from the NYT and this experience was part of his article called "36 Hours in São Paulo"
I also work for different tour agencies specialized in Study Abroad programs in Brazil for American universities. I take the groups all over Brazil - Rio, Salvador in the northeast, Manaus in the Amazon, Iguazu Falls, etc.
Since 2015, I've had groups from around the US including Colorado, Massachusetts, Washington, Texas, Illinois and Arizona and have really enjoyed it. The programs have been on countless different subjects and have been great opportunities to improve my English vocabulary and my knowledge about both my own country and the USA!
So this is my experience! I think between my career as a journalist and now as a guide that I know my city and state and have lots of interesting insight to share. It will be a pleasure to introduce São Paulo and Brazil to you. Hope to see you soon!"
Brazil Travel Consultations
Sit down with Renato for a one-hour planning session to get his expert advice and the best local tips and recommendations.
Our travel consultations are the perfect solution for do-it-yourself travelers who want to plan on their own, but could use some expert local advice. Each consultation is personalized, and Renato is available to help in whatever way you need.
From working on your itinerary and advising on routes and transportation, to ideas for off the beaten path destinations and truly authentic experiences, he's got you covered.
For the best local advice, go ask a local!
Why plan with Renato
Spend 60 minutes tapping into Renato’s hyperlocal expertise to plan a better trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Consultations cost $125 USD.
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Consultations are held over Google Meet. Once you’ve scheduled your call, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing the link for your video call. On the scheduled day and time, just click that link to join.
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Each consultation is different, but here are some common things that our experts typically help with:
Itinerary planning
Transportation, driving routes, and tips for how to get around
Practical travel information; culture, safety, weather, language, money/tipping, etc.
Suggested hotels/accommodations and advice on where to base yourself
Local recommendations for restaurants, activities, and unique experiences
Advice on reputable tour guides, tour operators, and excursions
Pro tips on how to best visit popular sights and attractions
Ways to avoid overcrowded destinations and tourist traps
Insider ideas on off the beaten path places, authentic experiences, and ways to connect with locals
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What you can get done in an hour depends on your goals for the consultation and how organized you are coming into it.
In most cases, an hour is ample time to create a solid itinerary, answer your major travel questions, get practical advice on how to travel in your destination, and discuss lots of great local tips and recommendations.
To ensure that the hour is used efficiently, when you schedule your call, our pre-consultation questionnaire will ask you what your primary goals for the consultation are. Prior to the call, your Local Expert will review your questionnaire and prepare detailed information addressing those goals.
They’ll come into the call ready to share specific advice, recommendations, itinerary ideas/revisions, and useful links and resources for you to review together.
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Yes! Each consultation is guided by a comprehensive pre-consultation questionnaire that you fill out immediately upon booking.
We’ll ask you a series of 30+ detailed questions that really dig into you, your trip, your interests and travel style, and what you want to discuss with your Local Expert.
The questionnaire will cover things like: the dynamics of your group, the things you enjoy while traveling, your budget, how early you want to start your day and how late you want to end it, whether you want to hit the highlights or roam the back streets, and even what types of restaurants you want to eat at.
Your Local Expert will focus only on your interests and travel style.
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Our Local Experts are seasoned travel professionals who have spent decades working in their countries/regions. While their personal interests may be different from yours, they’ve worked with thousands of travelers and have recommendations and advice for every type of individual.
They know their destinations in-depth and can help plan a trip for every traveler and taste.
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No. Our service is geared toward independent, do-it-yourself travelers who intend to make bookings on their own.
Our goal is not to plan your trip for you, but rather to help you plan a better trip independently. To that end, our Local Experts will give you all of the information that you need to confidently put your trip together yourself.
When Local Experts recommend things like restaurants, hotels, excursions/activities, tours, drivers, etc., they’ll provide you with contact details and links so that you can make the final arrangements on your own.
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Almost every Go Ask A Local expert has at least 10 years of professional travel experience as a guide or trip planner in their country/region.
We work with a vetted team of seasoned professionals who know their destinations inside and out.
Unlike other companies, when you book a call, you’ll always be connected directly with your chosen Local Expert. We never pass anyone on to a junior sales associate or some anonymous back office team. With us, what you see is what you get.
Ready to plan with Renato?
Here’s how to schedule your consultation:
Private Guided Tours
In addition to our Brazil Travel Consultations, Renato is also a fully licensed local guide. He offers tours, day trips, and multi-day excursions all over the São Paulo region.
All of Renato’s tours can be fully customized. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, send him a message to discuss what you could cook up together.