Caminhos Language Centre
Caminhos Language Centre
5
7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
About
Learn Portuguese in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We have highly qualified Portuguese Teachers that use the communicative approach in the classroom. We offer free activities for our students and we have our own on-site social program for children from the Cantagalo and Pavão-Pavãozinho communities. Our highlights: - Professional and experienced native teachers - Group lessons from R$25 per hour - 9 different levels from Beginners to Advanced and special class for Latin speakers - Free After-Class Activities - Great location near Ipanema beach and the subway - Free coffee and Wifi - Support unprivileged children and teens. - Samba classes - Beach volleyball - City Tours
Duration: More than 3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Ipanema
Ipanema is considered Rio's crown jewel. It offers the best view of the sunset from Arpoador and is inspiration for the legendary song, “The Girl from Ipanema.” Ipanema is an upscale area, home to many high-end restaurants and luxury shops, many of which can be found on the charming Garcia d'Ávila Avenue. The neighbourhood is very rich culturally, housing many art galleries that show contemporary art. There is also a great variety of nightlife in the neighbourhood, which buzzes with many options for every taste.
How to get there
  • General Osório • 6 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travelers are saying
  • Bernardo Cavadinha
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent
    I really enjoyed my stay at Caminhos! I learnt a lot not only from the teachers but from everyone there during my time at the school and during the activities with Davi. I really recommend this place to anyone who wants to learn Portuguese from native Brazilian teachers and to anyone who wants to explore the city, the Brazilian culture and have fun. I can definitely say that Caminhos made my life a lot easier as I'm new in town and needed to learn the language quickly to be able to get around more easily
    Hi Y1030ZSbernardoc, Great to hear Caminhos was important in your life as a resident of Rio de Janeiro. Thank you for recommending the school. Obrigada
    Written April 5, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2023
    Written March 21, 2023
  • Lucas G
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I can only say great things about thiz school
    I can only say great things about thiz school! I don't go every day as I have a private tutor which gives me more flexibility but whenever I'm there I feel like it's a really good place for anyone who's learning how to survive in Brazil, whether it is because of the language barrier or because of the cultural part of it. It seems like a very lively and interesting place to be at whilst still being really organized by an efficient and helpful administration staff. Keep the good work!
    Hi Lucas, Thank you so much for your nice review. Obrigada
    Written April 5, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 21, 2023
  • Franck B
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    5 stars
    I had a great experience during my time at Caminhos. From the reception where the ladies are professionals, kinds, and welcoming. To the teachers who are full of knowledge, patient and happy irradiate their passion for their cultures. To the rest of the staff who is available to help and organize whatever is necessary to make a seamless experience for the students. This school has a family feel, perhaps due to the numerous activities they make available for free to discover the Brazilian culture. So i may speak for myself, but i can hardly find anything wrong to say about this school, because after spending 6 weeks with them, i am able to communicate in Portuguese with Brazilians without any majors difficulties. So thank you Caminhos for your help.
    Hello, C8099VJfranckb We are very happy to hear about your positive experience at Caminhos. Obrigada
    Written August 23, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Written July 10, 2023
  • Laura Echeverri
    Medellin, Colombia1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    You won't regret it...
    Learning at this school was a once in a lifetime experience, forever grateful i found this place and learning for almost four months by the hand of excellent native teachers, the classes are dynamic, different learning methods, after class homework and actual useful things you will use in real life. All the after school activities were useful and fun to help discover rio, their client service is excellent as well, both online and in person. If you're looking to live a unique portuguese learning experience, meet people from all over the world and live the 𝘊𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘢 from a closer to carioca point of view, caminhos is your way to go!
    Oi Laura_echeverrii_, Thank you so much for your kind words. We are very happy to hear about your positive experience in Rio with Caminhos. Don't forget to pay us a visit next time you are around. Obrigada
    Written August 23, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written August 13, 2023
  • Amelia G
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing experience learning Portuguese
    Caminhos goes above and beyond to make sure students have the best time. Not only are the classes well thought out and include a wide range of activities, the activities programme is also fantastic. Everyday there is something you can do, and there’s something for everyone!
    Hi 880ameliag, Thank you for your kind review.
    Written January 15, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written January 14, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles689 reviews
Excellent
636
Very good
44
Average
0
Poor
5
Terrible
4

Coffee B
United States1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Friends
I studied at the school and have to say the experience at the school was great. Teachers are very nice and lessons are fun. They also have a wide variety of activities throughout the week which are done by Davi who is such a
lovely guy and you meet lots of people.

BUT what is not ok, is the accommodation they provide students with. I had a lot of problems with my host stay. The bigger problem is that I've spoken to many other students from

Caminhos who had (and still having) problems that just are not acceptable for the amount of money we're asked to pay. My own experience kinda ruined my stay in Ipanema. The woman responsible for rentals lives in Australia so it's impossible to get hold of her in an emergenc
y and when she does finally get back to you, often times she is rude and dismisses you. She actually told me I wouldn't be getting a refund so I should just deal with it or find an alternative myself. When you live so far away from home and you're expecting your accommodation
needs to be taken seriously that's tough. The 'landlady' where I stayed kept a dirty house (I stopped using the fan because the vent was full of dust), she actually refused to let us cook in the kitchen and on multiple occasions complained about the use of lights, saying it's
expensive. Another student told me their shower literally started smoking, their own bathroom facilities were out of use for over a month (despite paying extra for a private bathroom). Another told me they were also locked out of their kitchen between 10pm and
8am and wasn't sure why. During the Rio carnival, one landlady rented one of the rooms in her house out without consulting any of the other guests putting everyone's safety at risk. If you've never been to Rio before, you trust in the school's rep and rely on them to provide safe
and affordable alternatives. After shopping around, I discovery that the accommodation on offer from Caminhos is very expensive for the terrible quality and worse, I found that Bel makes a real big commission on rentals. Absolutely not ok. I complained to reception on
multiple occasions, their manager has now also moved away I'm told but nobody seems to take the complaints seriously. I get the impression they're used to it.

The school itself is cool, good curriculum. I
would definitely not book accommodation through the school though. I strongly ask management do a serious review and inspection of all their rental properties (and owners- ya'll mine was crazy!) I also don't see how someone who lives in Australia can be of
any use or help, also because she is quite passive aggressive and made me think she knows theres issues but just doesn't care at all. It would make much more sense to hire someone local to Rio who can check up on landlords and be there in person in
emergencies, there's plenty of Brazilians need jobs!
Written March 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, coffeeb708 Thanks for your review. We are looking to change the structure of our homestay and are taking your claim seriously. Can you send us in private the name of the landlady of your homestay so our director can take a closer look at this issue? Best regards, Amanda
Written March 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Rebecca
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Solo
If you are staying in Rio you HAVE to study at Caminhos! If you are looking to learn Portuguese, this is the place to do it. The teachers are very patient and make the lessons fun and interesting. What I enjoyed most about Caminhos were the activities they run. I did a samba and forro lesson with Bruno which was so much fun. They also have the best tour guide in Rio, Davi, who runs other activities during the week where you can explore tourist attractions in the city for free. Make sure you try the capoeira class. Davi is the best and will look after you well to make sure you have the best time in Rio. I am so lucky I found Caminhos and everyone there helped to make my time in Rio incredible.
Written June 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Rebecca Thanks for your kind review! Obrigda
Written July 7, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Gabriel Q
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
I did a linguistic immersion in Rio de Janeiro at Caminhos Language Center from May 21 to June 19, 2022. I was doing level C with teacher Jessica Alves. She was an excellent teacher. Also, for two weeks, I took private classes with professor Josana Belarmino. Prof. Jossie designed and implemented suitable learning situations for my particular needs. She evaluated learning through different teaching resources playfully. She carried out oral and written comprehension and expression activities in Portuguese. Not only that, but she selected a variety of learning activities suitable for my prior knowledge of the language. We work on the variations of the Carioca and São Paulo accent, as well as the most common slang of the region. I recommend Caminhos Language Center and Professor Jossie to anyone who wishes to study Brazilian Portuguese in an excellent immersion environment in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Written September 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oi, GabrielQ194 Great to hear you had such a positive experience at Caminhos and with teachers Josie and Jéssica. Thank you for leaving us a review on TripAdvisor. Obrigada.
Written October 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Business
At the end of january 2020, I started going to Caminhos language. I completed 4weeks total at the school and had as teacher Bruno Couto. In only one month I learned and progressed a lot. The course was super interesting covering grammar, reading, prononciation, etc. But also, because of the knowledge of my teacher, about the Brazilian culture, geography, politic and more. Having a great teacher makes all the difference in a course. It brings you the motivation to study hard, the energy to participate and even more important the courage to make mistakes and this is how you learn.
In few weeks I entend to continu my courses at Caminhos and I’m hopeful that I will be able to continu my journey with the same teacher.
Written April 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oi Marie, we are very happy to hear about your positive experience with Caminhos Language Centre! Thank you.
Written August 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bernardo Cavadinha
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
I really enjoyed my stay at Caminhos! I learnt a lot not only from the teachers but from everyone there during my time at the school and during the activities with Davi. I really recommend this place to anyone who wants to learn Portuguese from native Brazilian teachers and to anyone who wants to explore the city, the Brazilian culture and have fun. I can definitely say that Caminhos made my life a lot easier as I'm new in town and needed to learn the language quickly to be able to get around more easily
Written March 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Y1030ZSbernardoc, Great to hear Caminhos was important in your life as a resident of Rio de Janeiro. Thank you for recommending the school. Obrigada
Written April 5, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mel
Hirzenhain, Germany1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
The Caminhos school and all of the team is amazing. I am very happy with the quality of the teaching (I did group plus private classes) and find all of the teachers very passionate about their teachings. They usually change the group teachers every week which gives the students the opportunity to learn with many different teachers.

Learning material is very well structured and the organisation works perfectly. Everyone is 100% reliable and super organised.

Beside the classes they offer may different guided daily activities for free and some for payment. This is great to connect with all other students and also with the community.

The school is located in Ipanema, a very beautiful and safe area.

Some students come for a short period to learn the basics and some do more than 6 months. It's all possible and learning curve is great.
Written April 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oi Melanie, It is great to hear you had a positive experience at Caminhos. Thank you for taking your time and leaving us a review. Obrigada
Written May 4, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Barbara
Cologne, Germany3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
If you are looking for a portuguese course in Rio, I can highly recommend this school!

The teachers are lovely and motivated and the classes are really diversified. Even with having only a little previous knowledge of portuguese, they will get you to talk quickly.

The staff is also so nice and really helpful with any kind of probems.

In the courses and also through the offered free time activities, you get to know new friends really fast. Which is perfect for people who travelling alone so you don’t have to explore Rio on your own! And also you can practise your portuguese outside the classes!

I immediately felt welcome at the school and also at my amazing homestay family!

Unfortunately I could only stay for two weeks this time. But I already booked my next stay.

Thanks Caminhos for the great experience! See you soon!
Written February 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oi barbaratr86, We're glad to read your opinion about our school. It is very important to us that our students have a good experience at Caminhos. Obrigada
Written March 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

anthi g
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Solo
I'm very happy that I decided to take portuguese classes in Caminhos, even if it was only for one week. I learned the basics and I could understand and communicate with locals.
People at the Caminhos are amazing! Classes are super cool and full of people around the globe. Teachers are amazing too! Lais💜
They organize a lot of activities as well in the afternoons, like beach volley, samba and tours in the city.
They offer as well accommodation in families in the neighborhood and transfer from the airport.
Caminhos is the best way to have a full experience of Rio de Janeiro!
Beleza! 🤙💜
Thank you, Caminhos! You made my trip to Rio, awesome!
Written August 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oi 728anthig, We are very happy to hear about your positive experience at Caminhos. Too bad you could only stay for a week. But don't forget to pay us a visit next time you are in Rio. Thanks for your kind words. Obrigada
Written August 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mario C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
I spent 1 month learning Portuguese and it was greatest experience ever. I wish I could have stayed longer since I felt I was making so much progress and it was such a great atmosphere.
I'd definitely recommend this school for anyone who wants to learn Portuguese fast whilst enjoying the Brazilian culture.
Written December 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oi mariocW3102TR, If you visit Rio again, don't forget to pay us a visit!
Written December 18, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Andrea Sarahi
Mexico City, Mexico4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
Caminhos language centre is more than incredible! I spent a month over Rio de Janeiro and Caminhos community was of course a key to have a great experience.
First of all, the lessons are fantastic. All the teachers are more than professionals, also they share a lot of facts regarding the culture, live and brazilian traditions. The group environment is great, I felt so comfortable. AAlso I took some lessons outside the classroom (at the beach, in a museum, or a hike) and was absolutely an incredible experience, it helped us to learn different vocabulary and know new people!
A special mention for the city tours with Davi! Absolutely incredible. Davi showed Rio de Janeiro in a special way to discover the city. The hikes, museums, streets were so much fun with him.
In general all the planned activities were so amazing because of the great people who leaded them (samba lessons, "bate papo", volley...) The place were I stayed was so near from the school and the beach.
Thank you caminhos for being with me in this amazing journey through Rio, without you these wouldn't be the same!
Written February 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oi Andrea We are so happy to read your review. People like you give us the energy to keep doing a great work. Thanks
Written February 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Caminhos Language Centre - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Caminhos Language Centre

Caminhos Language Centre is open:
  • Mon - Fri 7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
  • Sat - Sat 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM