Brazil Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

Brasília
See Oscar Niemeyer's futuristic vision in the capital Brasília. Often overlooked by visitors, the city was designed by the renowned architect, and many of his creations, including the city's cathedral and the national congress, are now UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Christ the Redeemer
Take Rio de Janeiro's cog train (www.corcovado.com.br) to the top of Corcovado (Hunchback) mountain and enjoy one of the most beautiful views in the world from under the arms of the iconic Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue.

Fortaleza
Journey to the northern coastal city of Fortaleza, a popular resort and the starting point for a trip to Jericoacoara. Just four hours by car, this picturesque village sits between a dazzling white sand-dune desert and a balmy turquoise sea.

Manaus
Visit Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon. Transformed by the 19th-century rubber boom, the city boasts some extraordinary colonial buildings including the famous Teatro Amazonas and the Centro Cultural de Palacio Rio Negro, containing extensive archives of naturalist Alexandre Ferreira.

Minas Gerais
Head to the mountainous inland state of Minas Gerais (www.turismo.mg.gov.br) and witness some of Brazil's best preserved colonial architecture. Owing to the area's abundant gold and diamond mines, the state has become a haven of gold and baroque art.

Olinda
Join the carnival atmosphere in the historical town of Olinda, a colorful, colonial town that was once the center of Brazil's slave trade and is another of the country's UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Pantanal
Photograph Brazil's natural beauty in the Pantanal in the southwest. This vast wilderness supports a number of different ecosystems, including the largest wetlands area in the Americas.

Paraty
Wander the cobblestone streets of Paraty (www.paraty.com.br), a charming town that was once a major port for the export of gold. This wealth is reflected in the beautiful colonial buildings, such as Santa Rita Church, built by freed slaves.

Rio Grande do Sul
Visit the ruins of 300-year-old Jesuit missions (www.rotamissoes.com.br) in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. One of the most fascinating is Saõ Miguel das Missões, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site.

Salvador da Bahia
Explore the colorful city of Salvador da Bahia, with Pelourinho's colonial era buildings and winding cobblestone streets. This UNESCO World Heritage site boasts a staggering number of churches. The Museu Afro-Brasileiro (www.ceao.ufba.br/mafro) gives a fascinating insight into Afro-Brazilian culture.

Top Things to Do

Amazon
Explore the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest. It contains one-third of all the living species on earth and is crossed by 10 of the world's 20 largest rivers, including the Amazon River. The usual base for trips is Manaus.

Beautiful coastline
Explore the many islands and gorgeous beaches along Brazil's coastline, including the chic beach resort of Buzios, the bohemian Jericoacoara in Ceará state and the car-free Morro de São Paulo in Bahia. Surfing hotspots include Joaquina Beach on Santa Catarina island and Saquarema in Rio state.

Diamantina National Park
Go hiking in Bahia's Diamantina National Park. This is one of Brazil's ecotourism hotspots and an adventure playground for trekking, caving, diving and rafting. The park is full of natural attractions including mountains, forests, caves, underground lakes and waterfalls.

Go diving
Dive into the deep blue waters of coastal Brazil. Diving is popular in the protected marine park on the island of Fernando de Noronha. The coast off Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro state is littered with 300 islands ripe for underwater exploration.

Football
Watch a game of football in Rio's Maracanã Stadium, which was the largest stadium in the world when it was built. Football is a national obsession and matches are colorful and noisy affairs.

Hang-gliding
Soar above the tropical landscape on a tandem hang-gliding flight from Pedra Bonita in São Conrado, just outside Rio. This popular adventure excursion gives a bird's-eye view of Rio and the Atlantic forest before landing on the beach.

Iguaçu Waterfalls
Go rafting beneath the awe-inspiring Iguaçu Waterfalls. Set amid rain forest in southern Brazil, these majestic falls are one of the great wonders of the Americas, with 275 individual falls encompassing a vast area.

Learn Samba
Learn to dance the samba. Have a local show you the moves at a celebration inside an escola de samba (samba school), which open their doors to visitors a couple of months before Rio de Janeiro's Carnival.

Pantanel wildlife
Go wildlife watching in the Pantanal, a spectacularly rich ecosystem that is home to jaguars, caiman, giant river otters, toucans and hundreds of other species.

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival
Join the mayhem at one of the world's best parties. While Rio's event is famed, Carnival is celebrated throughout Brazil. Salvador also holds a big city-wide carnival, as does Olinda, which throws the most traditional fest.