Brasília
The 75m-high observation deck of the TV Tower gives a decent overview of the city, but it’s still not quite tall enough to really get a sense of the city…
Must-see attractions in Brazil
Recife
Built between 1696 and 1724, this gem of Brazilian baroque, part of the Convento de Santo Antônio, owes its name to the huge quantities of gold (said to…
Fernando de Noronha
Easily the best preserved of the island’s Portuguese forts, Forte dos Remédios is well worth a visit and has great views from its hilltop above Vila dos…
Fortaleza
Part of Fortaleza's excellent Centro Cultural Dragão do Mar, this museum hosts exhibits on Ceará's traditional way of life and culture. Temporary…
Piauí
This modernized museum on the edge of town has excellent info (in English) on what you will see in the park. It also exhibits the oldest human skull found…
Rio de Janeiro
Beneath Morro da Urca, narrow Praia Vermelha has superb views of the rocky coastline from the shore. Its coarse sand gives the beach the name vermelha …
Concatedral de São Pedro dos Clérigos
Recife
The 18th-century baroque Concatedral de São Pedro dos Clérigos has been totally renovated and contains incredibly fine stonework and wood carvings…
Rio de Janeiro State
In the upper section of Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, this jumble of massive boulders is one of the park's highest peaks (2548m) and a favorite climbing…
Rio de Janeiro State
Parque Nacional do Itatiaia's highest peak, Agulhas Negras (2791m) gets its name – meaning 'Black Needles' – from the serrated form of its imposing…
Santa Catarina
Santinho is the north island’s best surfing beach, acclaimed for its consistent waves and uncrowded conditions.
Parque Nacional de Monte Pascoal
Bahia
Experience wild flora and fauna and the culture of the Paxato, one of the largest indiginous communities in Brazil, at this stunning park. It's free to…
Curitiba
On Sundays, Largo do Ordem and Praça Garibaldi host a lively art and artisan market with more than 1000 stalls.
Ceará
It's the smallest national park in the country, but Parque Nacional de Ubajara crams plenty of attractions into its boundaries. Atop a thickly forested…
Rio de Janeiro
This is one of the finest colonial churches in Brazil. It was built between 1617 and 1641 on Morro de São Bento, and has an excellent view over the city…
Manaus
As close as you'll get to experiencing a real Amazonian ecosystem on a half-day trip from Manaus, this 9000-acre park has flooded forests, giant water…
Manaus
Manaus’ best beach has fine white sand and tea-colored water, and can be coupled with a visit to the Museu do Seringal for a nice city escape. Like all…
Rio de Janeiro
The epicenter of Rio’s Carnaval, the Sambódromo was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1984. During big parades, come here for fantastic views…
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
Rio de Janeiro
Housed in a beautifully restored 1906 building, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil hosts some of Rio's top exhibitions. Facilities include a cinema, two…
Mercado Municipal Adolfo Lisboa
Manaus
Manaus' historic city market was inaugurated in 1882, a downscaled replica of Paris' famed Les Halles market. Safe and bustling, the central building has…
Recife
This scenic museum in Várzea, 11km west of central Recife, contains a huge collection of European and Brazilian art, swords, armor and historical…
Curitiba
In the far south of the city, the Jardim Botânico is a vast, flower-filled expanse, studded with sculpture and crisscrossed by walking paths. The…
Real Gabinete Português de Leitura
Rio de Janeiro
Built in the Portuguese Manueline style in 1837, the gorgeous Portuguese Reading Room houses more than 350,000 works, many dating from the 16th, 17th and…
Ceará
Cumbuco, 35km from Fortaleza, has a long wide beach with soft sand, an expanse of dunes and a few lagoons that make it very popular for buggy rides and…
The Amazon
Remote Forte Príncipe da Beira, beside the Rio Guaporé, 210km south of Guajará-Mirim, was constructed by the Portuguese between 1776 and 1783 to…
Rio de Janeiro
Unearthed in 2011, the Valongo Wharf was the first arrival point for an estimated 900,000 enslaved peoples brought to Brazil after long, harrowing voyages…
Rio de Janeiro State
Only 80km from Rio's Galeão airport, Nicholas and Raquel Locke have created this nonprofit nature reserve, dedicated to restoring native ecosystems within…
Amazonas
Zacambú is one of the closest reserves to Leticia, about 70km away by boat. Its lodge is on Laguna Zacambú, just off Río Yavarí, on the Peruvian side of…
Igreja São Francisco da Penitência & Convento de Santo Antônio
Rio de Janeiro
Overlooking the Largo da Carioca is the baroque Igreja São Francisco da Penitência, dating from 1726. The restored church's sacristy, which dates from…
Fortaleza
A clean length of soft sand stretching 5km along Fortaleza’s east-facing coast, this is easily the best city beach, though it's far from most…
Pará
Henry Ford briefly moved his Fordlândia operations to this tidy little town in the 1940s and this site, 40km from Santarém, makes for an easy day trip…
Amazonas
Spanning over a 10,000 sq km, Floresta Nacional de Tefé can be visited through various community-based tours. Most begin with a long boat ride across Tefé…
Rio de Janeiro
The stately Tiradentes Palace houses the seat of the legislative assembly. Exhibits on the 1st and 2nd floors relate the events that have taken place here…
Brasília
About 45km east of Brasília, near the satellite city of Planaltina, this religious community was founded in 1959 by a clairvoyant, Tia Neiva. It's really…
Bahia
Located about 1.5km outside of the village, Praia da Cueira has a nice stretch of palm-tree-lined beach facing the Atlantic that you'll likely find less…
Brasília
The visually striking Templo da Boa Vontade was created by the Legion of Goodwill in 1989 as a symbol of universal solidarity. It incorporates seven…
Rio de Janeiro
At the northern end of Parque do Flamengo, the Museu de Arte Moderna is immediately recognizable by its striking postmodern edifice designed by Affonso…
Rio de Janeiro
Though closed for renovations at the time of research, the small Museu do Índio features multimedia exhibitions on Brazil’s northern tribes and provides…
Salvador
Holding one of Bahia’s most important collections, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro exhibits wood carvings, baskets, pottery and other artwork and crafts linking…
Rio de Janeiro
This enormous fair (32,000 sq meters, with over 600 stalls) is not to be missed. It showcases the culture of the Northeast of Brazil, with barracas (food…
Pará
This large (9940 sq km) Amazonian rain-forest national park lies west of the town of Itaituba (population 65,000), which is 250km southwest of Santarém…
