Taking this tour was one of the best decisions we made! Meilin is a wonderful guide - she tailored the tour to what we were interested in; she loves Rio passionately and she is very knowledgeable about the history and secrets of the city. Our day started with the carnival experience- this was suggested by Meilin - and it was such fun! Dressing up in the costumes, dancing a little, sipping caipirinhas! We then visited the Portuguese reading room, confiteria Colombo, selaron steps( highly recommended). We also visited the botanical gardens- we loved this bit, and the Santa Teresa neighbourhood. Meilin gave us useful tips on where to eat, what to buy, and took some really good pics of us too.

One of the most amazing tour guides I have ever met. Meilin went above and beyond to understand my curiosity about Rio, and shared an authentic piece of Rio with me, that I fall in love with. Some sites might be in Portuguese but if you contact her directly planning English tailored tours might be possible, and I absolutely recommend this.

Turis Mares gave us everything we hoped for in our three hour tour of Santa Theresa. Even in the heat she had a way of putting us all at ease. Traveling with our two 13 year olds can be tricky but this art filled neighborhood had something for everyone and Turis Mares seemed to share special information fit just for us. We would highly recommend an easy 3 hour tour with Mares without the struggle of mapping out this windy neighborhood and insuring the stories and galleries and landmarks are all put in your experience.

Meilin gave us a very interesting tour throughout the city center, explaining us historically the development of the city and its architectural structures. Furthermore, she was very friendly and careful, so we could enjoy as much as possible our tour. Totally recommend her!

We had Meilin for a day in our rio tour and she picked us the first day we reached rio. She made us feel safe, did not rush, showed us what we wanted, waited where we wanted... it was a proper private tour. Highly recommended.

Meilin is a lovely person and showed me the best of Rio in under 9 hours. As a woman who was solo I felt safe and secure all day with her and in her own car. She knows the tricks to navigate lines effectively and exactly where to sit in the cable car and sky tram for the best views. I never would have seen the tile stairs or Chinese view without her. And we ate at a great restaurant in the botanical gardens district — with all the other locals. Even spotted a TV actress nearby. I would recommend Meilin!

If you are looking for a Tour Guide in Rio, then look no further. Mares speakes 4 languages, French, Spanish, English, and of course Portugese. What makes her the best tour guide is she was born and raised in Rio and knows so much in addition knows her way around the area and of course all the short cuts to get to sevearl destinations. You cannot go wrong in choosing TurisMares for a wonderful guided tour.

Miss Meilin Mares is a tour guide who could cross any cultural barriers. I am a tourist from Hong Kong and this is my first time in Rio. My Brazilian schoolmate from Sao Paulo could not accompany me to Rio but he did excellent research and found Miss Mares to be my tour guide for three days. If I had chosen a travel agent from Hong Kong, I would have been taken to a very superficial tour of Rio with visits to the usual sites. But Miss Mares is more than a tour guide. She is a friend who tries to understand me, what my interests are, what is my cultural background etc and tailored made a personal tour of Rio. She designed the day so we would go to museums and special places with great architecture, since I was an art major at school... but also typical tourist spots so I could take the standard tour pictures. She also shared her own life with me showing me neighborhood that she had worked and we went to the local eateries there. She was also think of saving costs for me. Sometimes, she would drive but when we went downtown, she took me with her on the metro and trams. That was an eye opening experience because I could see real people on the metro, the working class and ordinary people. On the third day we went up to the Jesus the Redeemer and she had the best spot to take pictures for me. As we visited the Lapa district, we walked past an open air restaurant where musicians were playing Samba music. I saw her dancing to the beat and then she also engaged me to do the Samba. She explained to me the history of Samba, being the dance by the slaves centuries ago. I was really intrigued by the moment and was not shy and participated. Looking back I was amazed that a shy chinese like me was actually doing the samba on the street. On the last day which was a Sunday, she had another assignment and could not accompany me but she planned my schedule nevertheless. She told me to go to an art fair only one metro stop from my hotel. I was able to get nice sourveniors there. She told me to go back to the hotel at 12 noon so that I could change into my swimwear and go across the street to the Ipanema Beach to enjoy some sun before I had to check out at 2pm. I am forever indebted by her hospitality that my first visit to Rio was a great success. I learned so much about Brazil through her conversations about the economy and politics. She was like a dear schoolmate who was sharing her life and her home town with me intimately. I was amazed that I had not only did the usual tour sites but experienced local food at the Kilos, rode in the metro, danced the samba, enjoyed the beautiful Ipanema Beach culture, and also witnessed the poor and socially disadvantaged people in the downtown area. I can only say that Miss Mares is not just a tour guide but is truly an ambassador for her beautiful city of Rio.

I know this is a long review, but I really want people to know what a great guide Meilin is and how she can make any visit to Rio a fabulous experience. I am an usually an independent traveler, but if I had simply taken taxis to see the major sites on my own, I would have missed out on experiencing Rio. Meilin was the perfect guide to help me get the most out of my trip and leave me wanting to return to see/experience even more. At first I thought I would sign up for one or two day tours, but ended up hiring her for transfers and more than three days of touring. She was amazing and the price was extremely reasonable. I think the key to Meilin's success is that she is genuine. She asks questions and learns about your preferences, limitations, and expectations, then makes suggestions for a personalized Rio experience. While touring, she is quick to pick up on your energy level, enjoyment, and any disappointment to adjust the pace, the order of destinations, or throw the itinerary out the window and follow the client's whims. As a Rio native who has been guiding for 10 years, she can help you understand the city, its history, its people and its culture while snapping some great photos, too. Meilin provides a very personal experience. She has the knack to make you feel like you are traveling with a friend. She is an easy conversationalist with a great sense of humor. I learned not only about the tourist sites, but also about the people and life in Rio. She can be an encyclopedia of information, but she can also give you quiet time in the car or walking in a park. I did want to see the usual top sites--Redeemer, Sugarloaf, etc., but I also wanted to visit places where I would not just look at the view from up high. We did a fabulous walking tour of the city center that included the metropolitan cathedral, Sao Francisco da Penitència Church (blinding gold) , Boulevard Olimpico with Kobra murals, shopping streets, and the interiors of several marvelous buildings. We went to a samba school to share in lunch, live music, and dancing. (Meilin is an avid percussionist who plays during Carnival and has marched in the Samba parade competition.) At my request, we visited the São Cristóvão fair for another authentic Brazilian lunch and live music. We stopped in at a photography exhibit and other spots that I would never have found on my own. The sort of "extras" that Meilin provides include checking on opening times and tickets for sites and events that you may be attending on your own, teaching you how to use the Metro and tram, showing you places to visit on your own, recommending restaurants, and taking you to local restaurants, explaining the foods and helping you pick out what to sample. She is a professional--prompt communication via email, Whatsapp, and in person; agreed upon price with no surprises; deposit via Paypal then balance in cash; on-time (or early) for pickups; entire tour as agreed (and even extras for people like me who tend to move quickly). I think she works very hard to make the customer feel like everything is smooth and easy. I enjoyed the days packed with activity yet never felt rushed. If I were returning to Rio, Meilin is the first call I would make.

It was like riding around with a friend all day! I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and her company. I didn't know Rio at all and her knowledge was very helpful. It was a great day and I recommend her as a tour guide!

Meilin was great to work with, from the get go. We liaised for a couple of months prior to my Mum & I coming to RIO. She showed us around and really showed us Rio through her eyes. She was a great comfort to be around, felt like we'd known her for a very long time. Made us feel completely safe and comfortable, and even though the weather wasn't the best - so limited views were available, she really did went above and beyond showing us around. I truly recommend Meilin. She really gives you the experience that you are wanting, as she has lived in Rio all her life. Wonderful experience.

Meilin was an absolute gem for my mother and I. Firstly, her English is fluent and she was a fabulous guide and showed us her City with enthusiasm and passion. Secondly, she was a complete delight to be around. Thank you for showing us Rio through your eyes and making it safe and comfortable for my mother and I. I recommend Meilin to anyone visiting Rio. She knows the city like the back of her hand, so she has many adventures to offer. Wonderful guide 😊

We met with my parents in Rio (we're from Australia, my parents from Germany) and explored this amazing city together. As a birthday present we gave my mum a one day guided tour - best present ever! Such a great way to get to know a foreign city. Meilin is full of energy, creative & passionate. We asked for a tour of the beaten tracks and she surprised us. Her English is clear and easy to understand. She even found a vegan / vegetarian restarant - a little gem in this meat eating country. She goes above and beyond. We can only highly recommend her. Thanks again for the amazing day and see you soon!

Meilin was just fantastic and certainly made our time in Rio very memorable! Her English is perfect, beside being fluent in French and Spanish also, her personality bubbly and kind at the same time. She grew up in Rio and lived there all her life so knows the city like no other. Absolutely loved our time with Meijlin!

We hired a personal guide as we had not been to Rio before. This was the right thing to do as she took us to places we would never have discovered. One day when to rainy to go up Sugar Loaf she changed plans to accommodate us..perfect