THE MOST POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN BRAZIL

Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer statue on top of the Corcovado, with Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance in Rio de Janeiro. This emblematic view can be witnessed in possibly Brazil´s most famous city. Rio de Janeiro perfectly blends golden shores, lush forests and a bustling urban life to create a unique city for its 6m residents and an exotic holiday destination for millions of tourists every year. As well as the obvious attractions such as Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and Copacabana, don’t miss the more off-the-beaten-track parts such as the Trans Carioca 180km-long hike, or the impressive sunset at Arpoador. For music-lovers, head to the samba schools for their all-year-round samba shows, including live music and jaw-dropping dancers. Or chill in a Bossa Nova bar for a more low-key musical experience.

São Paulo

São Paulo is nick-named the concrete jungle for a reason. This massive city, home to over 12m people, is regarded as the business and financial capital of Brazil. However, this sweeping definition tends to forget the quirks and curiosities that make São Paulo the buzzing cosmopolitan city that it is famed for. For culture, it has some of the country’s finest art galleries and museums, and you can tickle your tastebuds in one of many international restaurants celebrated for their top-end cuisine. For a change of pace, head to Praça Roosevelt for cool bars and an alternative, liberal crowd. The nightlife in the city is second to none, which gives São Paulo its reputation as the city that never sleeps.

Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte is known for its cool bar scene rather than bustling nightclubs, and houses dozens of bars packed together to create the ideal late-night drinking hangout for socializing and winding down at the end of the week. When hunger sets in, there is everything from mobile stalls to sophisticated restaurants serving up classic Minas Gerais cuisine based around home cooed delights and slow-cooking. For art-lovers, hire a car to Inhotim, a large interactive art gallery set within a botanical garden for a cultural and artistic view of this incredible city.

Olinda

Founded in the 16th century by Portuguese settlers, Olinda is a small colonial town close to the much larger Recife. The collection of baroque churches, 18th-century convents, and vibrant houses built into the hillside, blends eclectic architecture with sweeping ocean views. The local bohemian crowd have restored many of the buildings into artistic hubs, creating an array of art galleries, museums and open studios. Come here in February to experience one of Brazil’s most traditional and lively carnivals.

Fernando de Noronha

Get away from the cities on this picturesque and exclusive island gem. Found 350km off the Brazilian coast, you take a flight from Recife to arrive at the volcanic archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. Its jagged coastlines, unspoiled scenery and shallow seas full of tropical fish, sharks, turtles and dolphins, which is a protected area, offers a number of opportunities for relaxing on golden beaches and unique wildlife encounters. The eco-sanctuary limits its visitors each year, which is why it offers some of the most stunning natural landscapes in Brazil.

Florianopolis

Located in the south of Brazil, Florianopolis, the capital of Santa Catarina is known for its pristine beaches, pastel-hued sunsets and popular holiday resorts. Enjoy the various beaches on 54km Santa Catarina Island. Or for a more adrenalin-filled option, head to Lagoa da Conceição, a saltwater lagoon with strong winds ideal for windsurfing and boat trips.

Foz do Iguaçu

Down in the south of Brazil, on the border of Argentina and Paraguay, is the small town of Foz do Iguaçu, one of the most visited hotspots in Brazil due to the Foz do Iguaçu waterfalls. Iguazu is one of the world’s largest waterfall systems, formed of hundreds of enormous cascades. Venture out onto the wooden platform that juts over the Devil’s Throat waterfall, where mist clouds the bottom on a rainy day. Then marvel at the exotic feathered friends at the bird park, which has several ongoing conservation projects. Other highlights include a trip to the Itaipu Dam, an imposing hydroelectric dam, and quick bus trips over to the border towns of Argentina, and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, known among savvy shoppers for its duty-free shopping opportunities.

Bonito

Bonito is located in Mato Grosso do Sul, close to the Pantanal, and is a system of crystal-clear freshwater pools and deep abysses, creating a unique ecosystem. Nutrient-rich rivers such as the Rio da Prata attract hundreds of freshwater species offering excellent snorkeling opportunities with shoals of brightly colored fish. From stalactite-covered caverns and underground lakes, to a depression in the earth that houses nesting macaws, Bonito excels due to its ecology and beauty alike.

Chapada Diamantina National Park

Take a walk on the wild side at Chapada Diamantina National Park in Bahia. Blessed with rocky landscapes of flat-topped mountains and deep canyons, the area is home to incredible natural wonders such at the Cachoeira da Fumaça, one of Brazil’s tallest waterfalls, so tall that the water lacks sufficient volume to reach the bottom and turns into a cloud of mist. Two of the most striking features in the area are Poço Encantado and Poço Azul, which are deep, underground caves. The two pools contain water so clear that it appears the crevices are empty and the sunlight that enters gives each pool a striking electric-blue tone.

Mount Roraima

This imposing mountain is on the border with Venezuela, but also stretches out to Guyana and Brazil. Found in the far north of Brazil, it is totally off the beaten track and hard to get to, which makes it even more appealing to adventurers and trekkers. Those who make the trip are guaranteed solitude and nature in its rawest form, with untouched rocky landscapes, stupendous heights and sweeping views over three countries at the same time.

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

The name Lençóis literally translates as “bed sheets” and when you are stood on the top of a rolling white sand dune in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, this unusual name suddenly makes sense. This northern national park consists of an endless stretch of sand dunes, like someone gently shaking a large white bed sheet. After the rainy season is the best time to go, when the dips between the dunes fill up with deep blue pools of fresh water. This otherworldly landscape offers solitude and scenery you will probably ever have witnessed before.

Pantanal

If you are choosing where to go in Brazil on a true adventure that will take you into the heart of the wild, you will have to visit the Pantanal, the largest wetland in the world. Located in the center of the country, this vast wetland includes spectacular natural landscapes that are home to one of the planets most unique and complex ecosystems. Explore this remarkably preserved natural habitat and keep your eyes open for caimans, capybaras, hundreds of bird species and even the occasional shy jaguar.

Amazon

One of the most famous ecosystems in Brazil, the vast Amazon rainforest continues to be a deep, mysterious jungle, despite deforestation and illegal mining in the area. This complex ecosystem composed of hundreds of different species, which co-exist unlike anywhere else on the planet. Sustainable tours in the region are actually good for the forest, providing a well-needed income to resource-lacking locals who can live from tourism instead of hunting endangered animals. It also gives you the opportunity to explore a magnificent part of the world where river dolphins, monkeys and brightly colored tree frogs all call home.

Manaus

Manaus may not be top of the list of where to go in Brazil, however this is the appeal of traveling in the area. Manaus is a city in the northwest of Brazil, and sits on the banks of the Negro River. The nearby natural phenomenon known as the “meeting of the waters”, where the dark, nutrient-rich waters of the Negro River flow into the brown, murky waters of the Solimões River, create a long stretch that is half black, half brown. Hang out by the riverbank at sunset for an excellent visual treat and explore the Amazon Theatre for a spot of culture.

Curitiba

For a country with over 210 m people, it’s easy to forget that Brazil is more than just Rio de Janeiro, and Curitiba is a good reminder of that. Located in the south of the country, Curitiba is hailed as being among the top cities in the world when it comes to urban planning, including examples of sustainable architecture, leafy parks brimming with trees and an efficient recycling system. With its efforts to address homelessness and create organized public transport links, it’s a safe and functioning city which is perfect to sit back and soak up the culture.