Now in Rio is a travel and culture website that provides comprehensive information about Rio de Janeiro for both tourists and anyone interested in travel or Brazil.
Our aim is to be the largest travel and culture site about Rio de Janeiro. We aim to be the source of information that people turn to and depend on when they want reliable advice about Rio. We aim to entertain, inspire and inform our readers about the quirks and curiosities in this city that drive our passion to embark on this venture.
Check out below to read more about how and why we started this project and what our core values are.

MEET OUR FOUNDERS
Yvonne Marie-Anne Ivanescu
Co-founder
Yvonne Ivanescu holds a Ph.D. from the University of Brussels, which focuses on community-based tourism projects in Brazil and digital marketing. She has over 8+ years of experience in communications, writing for print and online publications, and 3+ years of experience in digital marketing. In the past, she has worked with Jameson Whiskey, Dragone, Nespresso, Neil Patel, Growth Everywhere and Exposure Ninja. She recently launched my own digital marketing agency [Fernweh Marketing] that specializes in tourism and travel. She is also the co-author of the best-selling book “Profitable Social Media Marketing: How To Grow Your Business Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and More.”


Sarah Teresa BRown
Co-founder
Sarah has five years of experience in journalism with a local newspaper in Rio de Janeiro and a year’s experience as a Rio travel editor for Culture Trip. She have also worked as a Broadcast/TV Reporter for the Olympics Broadcasting Services in 2016. Having studied a diploma in Journalism, she later completed a bachelors in Business Administration and Marketing and received a First Class Honours from the University of London, Royal Holloway. Sarah speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish, and loves documenting her experiences of living in Rio de Janeiro.
Why We Began This Project
Five million
Now in Rio is putting small businesses on the digital map for
We support the three pillars of sustainable development:
- ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY
At Now in Rio we believe in a
Fair trade principles are at the core of our social business model.
We want tourism dollars to go straight to local people and communities, while also negotiating the best price and experience for travelers. Small businesses in Rio use tourism to generate a positive social and environmental impact on the ground. The local communities and
Our platform is designed to help responsible and discerning
- ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
In terms of tours or itineraries that we write about and promote, we give priority to public transport (where available) and optimize the itineraries to reduce the carbon footprint. Now in Rio also partners with different local NGOs that have their own environmental programs.
Local communities promote environmental sustainability (artisan fishing, organic agriculture, natural wine, land and ecosystem conservation, etc.) and live in harmony with nature. Now in Rio strives to promote activities that respect the environment and are designed for a low volume of participants, giving priority to eco-friendly, family-run B&Bs, pousadas, boutique hotels and locally run businesses. We also provide suggestions and guidelines for
- SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Now in Rio supports socio-cultural sustainability, minimizing negative impacts [of tourism] and focusing on more positive ones, such as promoting cultural exchanges and preserving local traditions. We
Planning to visit Rio de Janeiro?
LET US PLAN YOUR TRIP