Rio de Janeiro State
About 3km east of town is Praia Itaúna, Saquarema's most beautiful beach and one of the best surf spots in Brazil. National and international surfing…
Must-see attractions in Brazil
Museu Histórico de Santa Catarina
Centro & the Mainland
Formerly the colonial governor’s palace, this gorgeous must-see building has ornate parquet floors and extravagant 19th-century ceilings.
Santa Catarina
The postcard view of Lagoa da Conceição awaits at this must-stop lookout, which frames both sides of the lagoon, the dunes of Joaquina and beyond.
Salvador
The centerpiece of the Cidade Alta is the Pelourinho, a Unesco-declared World Heritage site of colorful colonial buildings and magnificent churches. As…
Mineirão & Museu Brasileiro do Futebol
Belo Horizonte
An obligatory stop for football fans, Belo Horizonte's legendary 65,000-seat stadium was completely renovated for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, incorporating a…
São Paulo
With 46 stories, this skyscraper just south of the Praça da República is the tallest in the city center. You have three options to see the view: weekdays…
São Paulo
Take a stroll down Brazil's 'Rodeo Drive', a leafy, tree-lined thoroughfare brimming with cafes, concept stores and flagship boutiques, top-end…
Salvador
This excellent nautical museum in Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra contains relics and displays from the days of Portuguese seafaring, plus exhibits on the…
Rio Grande do Sul
One of the region's most awarded vineyards, Almaúnica's syrahs and Quatro Castas blends are top notch. The friendly owner is often in the tasting room,…
Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades
Piauí
Sete Cidades is a small 62-sq-km national park with bizarre rock formations that some have claimed are sete cidades (seven cities) left behind by some…
Minas Gerais
Already an old man, sick and crippled, Aleijadinho sculpted The Prophets between 1800 and 1805. Symmetrically placed in front of the Basílica do Bom Jesus…
Amazonas
About 105km by river from Leticia, eco-fierce Palmarí's rambling lodge and research center sits on the south (Brazilian) bank of the river, overlooking a…
Amazonas
Spanning nearly 23,000 sq km, Jaú is Brazil’s second-biggest national park, and one of the largest tracts of protected tropical rainforest on earth. It…
Brazil
Praia de Tambaba, 10km south of Jacumã, is famed as the only official nudist beach in the region. It's a beautiful place that warrants a visit on its own…
Rio de Janeiro
Rio's formerly derelict port district has been reborn as a wide promenade lined with massive street art. A handful of renowned artists have painted…
Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó – Portaria Areias
Minas Gerais
The park's main entrance, south of Santana do Riacho, serves as the gateway to several hiking destinations. Two especially popular day trips are the 16km…
Rio de Janeiro
This 35-hectare estate was once the home of Brazil's most famous landscape architect, Roberto Burle Marx. The estate's lush vegetation includes thousands…
Recife
Inaugurated in 2014, this bold museum highlights the culture of the sertão (the interior of Pernambuco state), especially as it relates to the godfather…
São Paulo
Tucked under the bleachers of colorfully art deco Pacaembu Stadium, this fantastic museum is devoted to Brazil’s greatest passion – football (soccer). Its…
São Paulo
You can't miss the stunning facade of this Av Paulista newcomer. Its sliding vertical plank entrance sits in stark contrast to the surrounding concrete…
São Paulo
São Paulo's most expansive green space and a much-loved urban oasis for Paulistanos, Parque Ibirapuera is a leafy 2 sq-km park in Vila Mariana. In…
São Paulo
Half of Estação da Luz has been given over to this museum, with fascinating permanent exhibits documenting the rise of the Brazilian language as distinct…
Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura
Fortaleza
This excellent, extensive complex includes cinemas, performance spaces, a good cafe, a planetarium and two good museums: the Museu de Arte Contemporânea…
Mercado Municipal de Pinheiros
São Paulo
A smaller, cleaner and more manageable version of São Paulo's far larger and more chaotic Mercado Municipal, Mercado Municipal de Pinheiros has served…
Búzios
Orla Bardot, the eastward continuation of Rua das Pedras, is a delightful winding oceanfront promenade linking the two oldest and most picturesque…
Rio de Janeiro
The largest aquarium in South America is Rio's newest major downtown attraction. You can get an up-close look at some 350 different species (there are…
Parque Nacional de Anavilhanas
Amazonas
Stretching along the Rio Negro for almost 130km and with 400 islands, this national park, centered on the Anavilhanas Archipelago, is one of the most…
Estação Biológica de Caratinga
Minas Gerais
This seriously off-the-beaten-track nature reserve offers the exceptional opportunity to observe the Americas' largest primate and one of its most…
São Paulo State
Embu's weekend arts-and-craft fair is the biggest draw in the São Paulo region for artisanal wares.
Salvador
Picture-perfect Largo do Pelourinho is a sloping, triangle-shaped square, once the site of the pelourinho (whipping post) – one of several nearby…
Parque Nacional Marinho de Abrolhos
Bahia
Charter a trip to this 913 sq km park, located about 65km from mainland Brazil, to experience the natural splendors of the Atlantic ocean. Flocks of busy…
Fernando de Noronha
The wildest of Noronha's big three, broad and rugged Praia do Leão is perhaps the one place that best encapsulates Noronha's impressive isolation. It's a…
São Luís
Set in the former customs house built right on the river mouth, this informative and colorful museum is dedicated to Maranhense culture and features a…
Fernando de Noronha
Diminutive Baía dos Porcos is the smallest of Noronha's signature beaches and has just 30m of golden sands divided by dark volcanic rocks facing…
Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó – Portaria do Retiro
Minas Gerais
The northern entrance to the park, accessed via a 3km paved road from Santana do Riacho, is the trailhead for day hikes to several points of scenic…
Santa Catarina
This is one of the East Island's best and most secluded beaches. It's hidden from SC-406 and accessed by a small trail. The northern end is very popular…
São Luís
At the eclectic and fascinating Casa do Nhôzinho, you can see a collection of ingenious fish traps, rooms featuring Maranhão indigenous artisanry, and…
Praia da Pipa
This advanced surf beach is accessed off the eastern part of Av Baía dos Golfinhos. You can rent surfboards here and in town for around R$30 per hour (or…
Minas Gerais
On the southwestern side of town, this is Brazil's second most opulent church (after Salvador’s São Francisco). It has 434kg of gold and silver and is one…
Ceará
A wonderful long stretch of compact sand, Lagoinha's beach sits down below the town and is backed by a tree-covered escarpment which makes it feel more…
