Alternative Brazil

Today, we will collect you from the hotel for a visit to the incredible open-air museum of Inhotim. Inhotim one of the country's greatest cultural and natural treasures, combining art and botany, with art exhibitions, sculptures, drawings, photographs and videos of various national and international artists, as well as more than 40 gardens in mixed vegetation of Atlantic Forest and Cerrado (a biome in Brazil, similar to savannahs).  

The city is fascinating in many other ways, surrounded by three mountains, called S...

Ouro Preto is the masterpiece of colonial architecture in Brazil and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The city was the centre of the gold rush and Brazil’s golden age in the 18th century. During the same period, liberation movements were initiated here, inspired by the American Revolution. Ouro Preto will take us back in time, passing by beautiful churches, such as Church of Pilar and Church of Saint Francis of Assis, a great example of the Brazilian religious architecture with its sculptures and soapstone carved by Aleijadi...

Today we will head to Congonhas, is a historical town with fabulous baroque buildings such as the famous 6 Chapels and 12 Prophets Statues. Congonhas was an important city during the gold rush and now hosts beautiful baroque sculptures made by Aleijadinho, the renowned Brazilian artist of that period. We will then continue on to São João del Rey, another influential, founded in 1703 when gold was discovered. It is another example of colonial architecture and religious traditions. As we walk through streets, it is possib...

After breakfast, we will head to Ibitopeca. This private reserve is on the border of the State Park and is also a sustainability project, where nature rules. Parrots fly above the rainforest, cool rivers run through green valleys and caves, and when the sun goes down, the sky is bright with stars. The community inhabiting this reserve is an 18th-century farmhouse of Fazenda do Engenho, one of Brazil’s finest examples of colonial architecture that has been sensitively restored to its elegant beauty. Now called Engenho Lodge, its...

The reserve offers a variety of activities you may enjoy during your stay: -

• Yoga every morning
• Stand up paddle 
• Bird watching 
• Viewpoints for an unforgettable sunset and sunrise
• Meditation 
• Multisport sand court
• Pizza Festival
• Live music
• Presentation of Companhia do Sol theatre company 
• Local tradition interaction
• Amazing trails and waterfalls 

After breakfast, we will leave the reserve for the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro. 

Rio de Janeiro is world-famous for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Mount Corcovado, for the Sugarloaf Mountain, a granite peak with cable cars to its summit. The city is also known for its sprawling favelas (shanty towns), its raucous Carnaval, samba, and general party vibe.

A picturesque district of Rio, Santa Teresa is as culturally and historically important as Rio, with its well-preserved characteristics of the Old Rio. Boasting big houses and historical constructions, it tells stories of times gone by, has many handicraft galleries and the traditional trolley, known as “bondinho”. Bohemian artists influenced the district and gave it's cultural and architectural charms. 

Rio’s downtown has a mixture of antique and modern architecture as it has historical constructions t...

Today we will visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the magnificent Christ the Redeemer, the iconic statue on top of Corcovado Hill and one of Rio’s most famous landmarks. The Corcovado Hill is part of the Tijuca Forest, the largest urban forest in the world. On arrival at the top of Corcovado Hill, it is possible to admire breathtaking views of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and the Botanical Garden. We will then head to the famous Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf Mountain), an icon...

Enjoy your final morning in Brazil by walking along the famous Copacabana beach before your private car comes to collect you to head to the Airport for your departing flight, or next exciting destination!