Ready to explore the rhythm and beauty of South America’s largest country? These Brazil destinations offer everything from lush rainforests and golden beaches to lively cities bursting with color and culture.
If you are in a hurry, I recommend:
Unique Brazil Destinations:
1. Sao Paulo
With a population of over 12 million people, Sao Paulo is one of the most populous cities in the entire world. This bustling metropolis is jam-packed with cultural attractions, like the Pinacoteca do Estado and The Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) art museums, the neo-Gothic Sao Paulo Cathedral, and Ibirapuera Park. In Sao Paulo, visitors can also enjoy some of the most delicious food in South America, with a wide array of international restaurants, many of which are owned or hosted by famous chefs, or attend one of the city’s many cultural festivals, including one of the world’s largest LGBT Pride parades in the world, held each year during May.
2. Angra dos Reis
The 365 islands that make up Angra dos Reis are located in the southwest region of Rio de Janeiro. The biggest of these islands, Ilha Grande, is known internationally as a destination for scuba diving, and visitors to Ilha Grande can explore beneath its waters to find shipwrecks, coral reefs, and a multitude of sea life. Angra dos Reis is renowned for its beautiful beaches as well as for the colonial era mansions on the islands. Visitors can tour old villages, hike amongst the beauty of Ilha Grande State Park, and even explore the ruins of the old Cândido Mendes prison.
3. Armacao dos Buzios
This famous resort, known by locals as Búzios, is located about 100 miles east of Rio de Janeiro and was originally founded as a trading post for whalers. In the centuries since, Armacao dos Buzios has become a thriving destination for tourists, in part due to the numerous beaches that each offer different opportunities for guests, from the calm waters on Ferradura, which are great for snorkeling, to the massive waves of Geribá Beach, where surfers find their heart’s desire. The town is lovely as well, with boutiques, restaurants, bars, and over 200 hotels to provide visitors with everything they could want.
Romantic Brazil Destinations:
4. Arraial do Cabo
Located on the coast of the beautiful South Atlantic Ocean, a class="ref1" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arraial_do_Cabo" target="_blank">Arraial do Cabo is another great Brazilian destination for divers. The astonishingly diverse variety of life beneath the waves includes sea turtles, dolphins, squids, stingrays, and many more sights for divers to take in. For those who don’t wish to get wet, a boat tour of the area will show visitors some of the amazing sights in Arraial do Cabo, both on land and in the water. The town of Arraial do Cabo is not a resort, and does not contain any huge luxury hotels, but the small inns and family-run restaurants will offer guests not only a more affordable beach holiday, but one with a much more personal touch as well.
5. Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte was established in the late 19th century, and it was the first city in Brazil to be planned, with well-organized streets and a carefully curated flow to the city’s design. One of the largest cities in Brazil, Belo Horizonte, known as Beagá by locals, is surrounded by mountains in the southeastern region of the country and is home to bustling street fairs and markets, fascinating museums that cover everything from art to regional history, and a restaurant and food scene that is simply to die for, with local dishes like feijão tropeiro, made with sausage and beans, or torresmo, a salty pork rind.
6. Bonito
Adventurers and nature lovers will sate their wanderlust in Bonito, whose stunning clear rivers are home to schools of tropical fish and whose skies are graced by colorful macaws. Visitors can go snorkeling in the blue waters of Rio da Prata for a look at the abundant ecosystems that dwell underwater, or go diving or abseiling in the Abismo Anhumas, a massive cave with dangling, rocky stalactites descending from its roof down towards an underground lake. Bonito’s stunning nature can be fully explored within the Serra da Bodoquena National Park, with mountains, forests, and grasslands that are home to natural features like waterfalls and caves, and wildlife that includes capybaras, parrots, and ocelots.
7. Brasilia
The layout of the capital city of Brasilia was extensively planned by architects Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer during the 1960s, and every building in the city adheres to a strict code of regulations that follow its unique “pilot plan.” This architecture and layout is entirely singular, and is renowned for its resemblance to an airplane. Visitors to Brasilia will marvel at the unique and orderly layout and distinctive white architecture in this city, which is the federal capital of Brazil. With plenty of green spaces and a massive lake that offers water sports and activities like stand-up paddleboarding, Brasilia is a unique addition to any Brazilian vacation.
Family-friendly Brazil Destinations:
8. Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park
The waterfalls and canyons of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, located in central Brazil, are some of the most beautiful sights in the country. Hikers can enjoy the trails within the park, which vary in length and difficulty from the short but beautiful Dos Cânions trail to the 23 km Sete Quedas (Seven Falls) trail. The sheer canyons and stunning rock formations of Chapada dos Veadeiros, some of which are over a billion years old, are a fascinating home to some of nature’s most amazing creatures, including macaws, jaguars, and armadillos. The park is accessible from either the town of Alto Paraíso de Goiás or from São Jorge.
9. Curitiba
Curitiba, capital of the state of Paraná, offers a lot of history and sightseeing opportunities for tourists. Visitors to Curitiba can explore the 19th century Catedral Basílica de Nossa Senhora da Luz, walk along the pedestrian-only Rua das Flores, or see the giant 24-hour clock on the main street. Curitiba is known for its culture and is home to many different theaters within the city as well as museums, galleries, and a beautiful botanic garden. Touring the city of Curitiba is easy as well, with a bus line designed specifically for tourists, which will take them to some of the most visited sites in the city.
10. Fernando de Noronha
About 200 miles off the coast of Brazil’s mainland, Fernando de Noronha is a small volcanic collection of islands characterized by jagged, rocky coasts and lovely natural beaches. Because of its distance from the mainland, Fernando de Noronha is very secluded and great efforts are made to preserve the natural wildness of this beautiful place. There are only a few thousand permanent residents in Fernando de Neronha, and tourism is incredibly restricted. Travelers can visit Fernando de Neronha only with a purchased package from a handful of agencies, and once on the islands, they can scuba dive, snorkel, and see the dolphins and sea turtles that call the area their home.
📔 I get asked this a lot so I decided to include it:
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What is the largest country in South America?
- Brazil is the largest country in South America, dominating the central and eastern portions of the continent.
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What kind of natural attractions does Brazil offer?
- Visitors to Brazil will find plenty of beaches and sunshine to sate their needs, but also some of the most beautiful nature in the world.
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Where can tourists experience the Amazon Rainforest?
- Home to the massive and legendary Amazon Rainforest, tourists can travel to the city of Manaus to see the meeting of the waters, where the Solimões River meets the Rio Negro to form the Amazon River.
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How can visitors explore the Amazon Rainforest?
- From Manaus, travelers can take a tour into the depths of the rainforest.
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What ocean activities can visitors enjoy in Brazil?
- On the coast, visitors can scuba dive to find coral reefs, shipwrecks, and an abundance of marine life in the Atlantic.
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What unique landscapes and experiences can tourists find in Brazil?
- They can see the sand dunes and seasonal lagoons of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park or enjoy Brazil’s national cocktail, a caipirinha, on the beaches of Jericoacoara.
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