top 5 tourist destinations in brazil

Touropia Travel

Discover the World

27 Top Tourist Attractions in Brazil

By Kaeylen McCrea · Last updated on May 4, 2024

Sprawling across half of South America, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. White-sand beaches, tropical islands, music-filled metropolises and charming colonial towns are dotting its 7,500 km (4,600 miles) long coastline.

Inland, Brazil consist of imposing waterfalls, wetlands filled with wildlife, and the untouched wilderness of the Amazon rainforest where several isolated tribes still live without any contact with the rest of the world.

Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, became a Portuguese colony in 1500, remaining under Portuguese rule for 300 years. Remnants of this heritage can be seen throughout historic colonial cities even today.

Besides these tourist attractions in Brazil, it also has gorgeous beaches, famed for their surfing waves and scenic beauty. Great beaches can be found in the Rio area, while others may be so isolated getting there is an adventure in itself. If you are planning a holiday to this exciting country, here are our recommendations for the best things to do in Brazil.

27. Porto de Galinhas

Porto de Galinhas, or “Port of Chickens,” on the south coast of Pernambuco in the district of Ipojuca, is a beach town home to some of the most famous beaches in Brazil.

A prominent tourist spot, Porto de Galinhas is breathtaking, with natural crystalline-clear pools, thriving reefs, and white-sugared beaches. Right by the town center, Porto de Galinhas Beach’s sands stretch on and on. The section closest to the town is sprinkled with restaurants and bars. Grab refreshing drinks and fill up on food before snorkeling in waters full of tropical fish and tanning in the sun.

The natural pools of Porto de Galinhas are one of the top attractions of Porto de Galinhas. Off the sand strip, these pools are established naturally by the coral reef full of vibrant-colored marine life.

26. Campos do Jordao

Also known as the Switzerland of Brazil, this town is the highest in the country, located more than 1,600 meters (5,300 feet) above sea level in the beautiful Mantiqueira Mountains. Because it sits at such a high elevation, this resort town offers visitors a refreshing escape from Brazil’s heat during the summer months.

Campos do Jordao is probably best known for its Winter Festival, a popular classical musical event held in July that draws musicians from around the world. This town is also a popular draw with active visitors, who can choose from a large variety of things to do, including horseback riding, jeep tours and cable car rides.

25. Lencois Maranhenses National Park

For most people, Brazil conjures up images of stunning beaches and verdant jungles — not sand dunes. But one of its most interesting national parks , Lencois Maranhenses, is home to massive dunes. But this is not the desert. During July, torrential rains actually create gorgeous clear lagoons that can reach depths of 3 meters (10 feet) in some areas.

Interestingly enough, even though these pools are temporary — disappearing during the dry season — there are fish in them. Swimming is allowed and is one of the most popular things to do in Brazil, but visitors should be prepared for warm waters. Temperatures in these pools can be as high as 30 °C (87 °F).

24. Florianopolis Beaches

Also known as Floripa, the 42 beaches of Florianopolis are popular with surfers, partyers and sun worshipers. Arguably, its most popular beach is Joaquina, which boasts huge sand dunes and excellent waves. Though as of late, its neighbor Praia Mole has been stealing some of Joaquina’s thunder.

Travelers who like to hangout with the rich and famous should head to Jurere, which boasts huge homes and some of the best night clubs in the area. For those seeking a little solitude, Lagoinha do Leste is the beach they’ll want to visit. One caveat, this beach requires about a two-hour hike to reach it.

23. Praia de Pipa

Blessed with postcard-worthy beaches, tall cliffs and clear waters, Praia de Pipa has become one of Brazil’s best-known beach destinations and is a favorite with both locals and tourists. The town is also known for its vibrant nightlife and offers visitors a slew of activities, including boating and surfing.

But as popular as it is, the town, itself, is limited in size as it is surrounded by Environmental Protected Areas. That means that visitors can still enjoy the natural beauty of this area and swim in waters that are teeming with dolphins and turtles.

22. Museu de Arte Contemporanea

Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (MAC), or Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, is well-known for its peculiar architecture, similar to an alien spaceship, that draws in visitors from across the globe.

One of the featured landmarks of the city of Niterói, near Rio de Janeiro, the museum’s unique structure was designed by famous Brazilian modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer. The architect, Niemeyer, was one of the main leaders of the Brazilian modernist movement, with Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói being one of his more well-known works.

The museum’s location features breathtaking viewpoints of Guanabara Bay, and inside the museum are panoramic views of the bay, Ripe de Janeiro, and Sugar Loaf Mountain. Visitors will also find a diverse array of contemporary art pieces on display to view.

Buzios, or Armação dos Búzios, is a beach town well-loved by locals and tourists. The town’s warm and dry climate, beautiful beaches, and turquoise waters make for a perfect getaway destination.

Northeast of Rio de Janeiro, Buzios is home to many stunning beaches to pick and choose from. You can easily spend more than a few days taking in the appealing tropical weather of Buzios, lingering on the beaches, and soaking up the sun of Brazil’s Costa do Sol.

Within Rua das Pedras, the heart of Buzios, are cobblestone streets, boutique shops, restaurants, cafes, and trendy nightclubs popping with activity during the night. Walk down the Orla Bardot Boardwalk, connecting Rua das Pedras to Armacao Beach, for a romantic dinner stroll while peering at the famous statues designed by Christina Motta.

20. Aparados da Serra National Park

One of Brazil’s first national parks, Aparados da Serra was created to protect Itaimbezinho, one of the most impressive canyons in Brazil. Fringed with subtropical forest, the narrow canyon features sheer parallel escarpments with a depth of almost 720 meters (2360 feet).

Two waterfalls cascade into a stone plunge pool that spills over into the Rio do Boi, which winds its narrow way along the canyon bottom. A steep rocky path leads to river from the canyon rim, but it’s a tough, hair-raising walk that shouldn’t be undertaken lightly.

19. Cathedral of Brasilia

A Roman Catholic church in the capital of Brazil, the Cathedral of Brasilia, acts as the seat of the Archdiocese of Brasilia. Another enigmatic design by famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, the cathedral was completed in 1970, showcasing a crown-like structure and a stunning stained glass ceiling.

At the entrance of the Cathedral of Brasilia are four impressive bronze sculptures. These sculptures stand nearly ten feet tall, representing the four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Within the cathedral’s interior are three angel sculptures that hang above the congregation, ranging from 7 to 14 feet tall. The altar within the Cathedral of Brasilia was donated by Pope Paul VI, and the four bells in the bell tower by Spain.

Touring the Cathedral of Brasilia is a popular activity to admire modern architecture and design with its undeniably remarkable appeal.

18. Pelourinho

A historic neighborhood in western Salvador, Bahia, the Pelourinho acted as the city’s center during the colonial period. It operated as a slave market until slavery was outlawed in 1835.

Nowadays, Pelourinho is a prosperous hub spot full of culture, history, and opportunities to explore colonial architecture.

There are more than a few noteworthy tourist attractions in Pelourinho. First, visit Igreja de São Francisco, an early 18th-century church established in the High Baroque style. The interior is gilded with intricate artwork that inspires awe, along with the gold-covered ceilings.

Then, watch a live capoeira performance. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art intertwining music, acrobatics, dance, and spirituality, performed with traditional Brazilian songs and instruments. Seeing the dazzling displays of spins and kicks is a mesmerizing experience, and a peek into Afro-Brazilian history.

And these are only some of the popular activities and attractions of Pelourinho’s rich culture and history waiting to be explored!

17. Ilha Grande

An island located between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande is a beautiful and popular weekend getaway destination.

Full of luscious forest trails for hiking, clear water for swimming, and white-sugared beaches for relaxing, it’s not hard to lose track of time vacationing in Ilha Grande.

Once upon a time, the island was used as a state prison, a leper colony, and the ideal pirate refuge. Nowadays, Ilha Grande is a flawless vacation spot for locals and tourists looking to get away, relax, and some things to do in the outdoors.

Take a hike to Lopes Mendes Beach, one of Brazil’s most frequently ranked top beaches. Its endless coastline, serene atmosphere, and crystal-clear water exude a peaceful vibe that is easy to sink into. Ilha Grande has more than a few hikes available for the avid adventurer.

Hike near Vila de Abraao, passing the old prison that housed political prisoners, or hike to the island’s highest point, Pico de Papagayo, for a challenge.

16. Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park

Found centrally in Goias, with access points from Sao Jorge and Alto Paraiso, Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is situated above an ancient plateau aged at an impressive two billion years.

Throughout the national park are cascading waterfalls, dipping valleys, and steep canyons. The hikes make for a rewarding excursion. For example, the Cachoeira Macaquinhos, or Little Monkey Waterfall, the trail is less than a three-mile hike. It is beginner-friendly, offering up views of emerald-dipped pools poured into by rushing waterfalls.

Check out Vale da Lua in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. This unusual rock formation was created by millennia of erosion and is one of the park’s top attractions. Then, take pictures at the famous window frame-like landmark, Mirante de Janela, with sensational background views of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park.

15. Jericoacoara

A small fishing village transformed into a popping beach resort site, Jericoacoara, also known as Jijoca or Jeri, is one of those utopia vacation spots where you end up extending your trip to stay longer.

In Ceara, west of Fortaleza, Jericoacoara is a popular spot for windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, swimming, and backpacking. The streets are paved with sand instead of cement—the beach’s undeveloped coastlines, packed with sand dunes, stretching beyond sight.

Visit Jericoacoara National Park, which features Lagoa do Paraiso, a stunning turquoise lagoon with nearby hammocks to sway and relax in and bars to enjoy refreshments. Order fresh lobster, oysters, and other seafood dishes from local restaurants. Once nighttime hits Jericoacoara, join locals and fellow tourists at the numerous clubs and bars where live music serenades through the night.

14. Curitiba-Paranagua Train Ride

The most famous railway in Brazil, the Serra Verde Express, is where visitors can hop on a Curitiba-Paranagua Train Ride through southwestern Brazil.

The Belgium-French company Chemin de Fer Bresilien established the Curitiba-Paranagua Railway to gain access to the port of Paranagua. The railway line took five years to construct, an engineering masterpiece of the 19th century.

On this famous scenic ride, passengers can see glorious landscapes as the train passes through thriving forests, up steep mountain slopes, along lengthy rivers, and past sparkling lakes. Then, look out of Veu de Noiva Waterfall, cascading over a steep rock formation for a stunning image said to fall over the stones like a “bride’s veil”.

A small, charming town between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Paraty is situated at a scenic location featuring mountain backdrops, historic landmarks, and a waterfront setting.

Previously a bustling port during the Brazilian Gold Rush, the town has quickly become a favored tourist spot thanks to its natural appeal, Portuguese colonial architecture, and diverse activity options.

However, its cobblestoned streets are a step back in time, presenting only a piece of Paraty’s heritage. Stroll through Matriz Square, past white-painted houses with colorful doors and window frames, to Santa Rita church to bask in local history, culture, and architecture.

Complete the rewarding Mamangua Sugarloaf Peak Hike to the top of Mamangua Peak. Here, you’ll see the world’s only tropical fjord, the Saco do Mamangua. Kayak through Paraty’s mangroves, beaches, and coves, to witness the natural wonders of Paraty that draw in visitors from across the globe.

12. Copacabana

Located in Rio, Copacabana is one of the world’s most well-known beaches. It is approximately two miles long and lined with hotels and expensive homes, though there are also much more modest residences scattered in between. A beautiful boardwalk with a black-and-white checked pattern of Portuguese stone flanks the sand.

This is a very vibrant neighborhood that is home to Rio’s famous New Year’s celebration and several interesting tourist attractions, including the Copacabana Fort, which was constructed in 1914, and the glamorous Hotel Copacabana Palace.

11. Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto is a historic colonial town in the Serra do Espinhaco mountains, north of Rio de Janeiro, featuring baroque architecture and cobbled streets.

Founded at the end of the 17th century, the town played a crucial role in Brazil’s late 17th century Gold Rush, quickly becoming one of the richest and biggest towns . It was also the birthplace of Brazil’s most noteworthy artist and sculptor, Aleijadinho. Many of Aleijadinho’s masterpieces can be seen speckled throughout the city, plus a collection of sculptures in the Museum of Aleijadinho.

Outside Ouro Preto is the world’s largest gold mine open to the public, found in Mariana. Guided tours take visitors through the gold mine on an old cable car while exploring the history of the mine. And throughout the town of Ouro Preto are many spectacularly designed churches featuring intricate design and architecture. Many of these churches were embellished with native gold.

10. Teatro Amazonas

Teatro Amazonas or Amazon Theatre is an opera house located in Manaus , in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest.

It was built during the heyday of rubber trade using materials from all over the world, with furniture from Paris, marble from Italy, and steel from England. On the outside of the building, the dome was covered with 36,000 decorated ceramic tiles painted in the colors of the Brazilian national flag.

The first performance was given on January 7, 1897, with the Italian opera La Gioconda. The opera house was closed down soon after however as the rubber trade declined and Manaus lost its main source of income. There wasn’t a single performance in Teatro Amazonas for 90 years until 1990 when it reopened its doors.

9. Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha is a beautiful archipelago with pristine beaches, landscapes and wildlife, situated 354 km (220 miles) off the northeastern coast in Brazil. The archipelago was discovered by Amerigo Vespucci in 1503 and temporarily occupied by the Dutch and French before Portugal established dominion in 1737.

Today only the largest of the 21 islands is inhabited with a population of about 3,500. The islands are a Mecca for divers and snorkelers with warm waters year-round and very good visibility even at depths of 50 meters.

Established in the Bodoquena Sierra, in Mato Grosso do Sul, Bonito is a quaint town and prevalent ecotourism hub.

Crystalline waterways and prosperous forests surround Bonito. One of the biggest attractions of Bonito is Rio de Prata, or Silver River. The river’s aquamarine water brims with friendly fish, making it an excellent snorkeling spot.

Another is the Gruta do Lago Azul, or Blue Lake Grotto. The grotto is an otherworldly underwater cave filled with blue water. Scuba diving, swimming, and snorkeling are popular at the grotto; if you’re lucky, you might discover fossils of ancient prehistoric animals!

Within Bonito is Aquario de Natural, a marine preserve that is only a short trek through the jungle. Swimming, snorkeling, and glass-bottomed boat tours are popular here for a memorable adventure through the clear waters full of vibrant-colored fish lazily swimming about.

7. Historic Center of Olinda

On the northeastern coast of Brazil in Pernambuco, north of Recife, is the historic city of Olinda. The city was founded in the 16th century and is considered one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Brazil .

The Historic Center of Olinda is teeming with architecturally stunning buildings surrounded by rich vegetation and oceanside backsplashes. The city’s history is linked to the sugarcane industry, the historic center presenting the nourishment of wealth that inspired its economy to boom in the 16th century. The Catedral Alto da Se, a former Jesuit church, is the perfect example of Olinda’s appealing architecture and prosperous history.

Walking through the Historic Center of Olinda is a journey through Brazil’s history, surrounded by monuments, churches, and houses that date back centuries.

6. Salvador Beaches

In the northeast region of Brazil is Salvador, the capital of Bahia, home to some of the best beaches in Brazil.

Praia Itapua is a fine white-sanded beach, palm frond, and coconut tree-speckled paradise. The beach is near the notoriously artistic and culturally rich neighborhood of Itapua. The nearby venues have an eclectic and bohemian vibe paired with entertaining live music and tasty food options, like “acaraje”, a spicy fried-bean dish.

Join the locals at Boa Viagem, a beach strip flanked by beachfront bars, nightclubs, seafood restaurants, and a boardwalk perfect for strolling along the beach. Coral reefs protect the shallow waters of Boa Viagem, which is ideal for families to take their kids for a beach day.

The beach options are endless in Salvador!

5. Pantanal

The world’s largest flooded grasslands and largest tropical wetland area, most of the Pantanal lies within Mato Grosso do Sul, with some of it extending into Paraguay and Bolivia.

Larger than 29 U.S. states and nearly nine European countries, these wetlands are a fantastical wonderland of nature’s beauty. This refuge for wildlife is home to about 10 million caimans and just as many jaguars that hunt caimans in the Pantanal. You can also find the largest parrot in the world here, the hyacinth macaw.

These are only some of the astonishing animals in the Pantanal, drawing in millions of tourists annually to catch sight of the numerous awe-inspiring species living here, including toucans and capybaras.

From horseback to canoe, there are numerous methods to adventuring the glorious commodity of the Pantanal!

4. Rio Carnival

There are carnival celebrations in virtually every corner of Brazil, the best-known ones taking place in Recife together with the neighboring Olinda and Salvador. But the biggest and most famous carnival is undoubtedly the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The Rio Carnival attracts two million people per day on the streets and almost half a million foreigners during its 4 day celebration.

The Carnival is all over the place, in the streets and squares, bars, clubs and all other venues in Rio, concluding in the spectacular Rio Samba Parade at the Sambadrome.

3. Amazon River

The largest river in the world by water volume, the Amazon River traverses nine South American countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Nurturing the largest rainforest on earth, this mighty river is still widely unexplored, hiding discoveries and opportunities. In northwestern Brazil lies Manaus, the only city in the Amazon Rainforest that boasts a population of over one million people.

People travel from all over the world to Manaus to get a chance to explore, whether it be on a one-of-a-kind Amazon river tour or a backpacking adventure through its lush Amazonian jungles. Through these experiences, you can get the unique chance to see sloths, toucans, macaws, and the boto, the phenomenal pink-ish colored river dolphin.

2. Iguacu Falls

One of the great natural wonders of the world, Iguaçu Falls is situated on the border between Brazil and Argentina . The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along the Iguazu River. The most impressive of them all is the Devil’s Throat a U-shaped with a height of 82 meter (269 ft).

The falls can be reached from the cities Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and Puerto Iguazú in Argentina, as well as from Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. On the Brazilian side there is a long walkway along the canyon with an extension to the lower base of the Devil’s Throat.

1. Christ the Redeemer

An iconic landmark welcoming visitors to Rio de Janeiro , the Christ the Redeemer statue was labeled one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

One of the most visited and well-known tourist attractions in Brazil, the statue was established more than 90 years ago. It is the largest Art Deco statue in the world and, shockingly, only the fourth tallest statue of Jesus Christ in the world.

The cultural icon has become a global symbol, attracting millions of believers and non-believers alike to see the Christ the Redeemer statue in person as it overlooks Rio de Janeiro atop Corcovado Mountain.

Map of Tourist Attractions in Brazil

Share this post:

How to Spend 2 Weeks in Brazil: DIY Itinerary

11 Most Awesome Places to Stay in Brazil

14 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Brazil

10 Best Beaches in Brazil

5 Most Beautiful Regions in Brazil

17 Best Cities to Visit in Brazil

10 Most Beautiful Islands in Brazil

17 Best Places to Visit in Brazil

10 Most Beautiful National Parks in Brazil

10 Best Things to Do in Manaus, Brazil

Reader interactions.

February 2, 2021 at 9:07 am

Just spent some time in Brazil from 12/27/2020 to 01/11/2021 . I stayed between Copacabana and Búzios RJ and I can tell you. 6 months would not be enough to get to know all these places mentioned on this article. You might be able to visit but not to get the spirit of some locations, villages or towns. My next trip going to be to Salvador or Santa Catarina.

February 12, 2017 at 8:14 pm

Just visit praia dos Carneiros, the best place in Brazil.

January 31, 2017 at 1:23 pm

And we can put so many places into this list! Chapada Diamantina in Bahia State is, for me, a must-go-place for everyone in Brazil. Also the Chapada de Veadeiros in Goias State must be into the list, a paradise in the middle of brazilian savannah, UNESCO whs. The new touristic fisherman villages are also an amazing destination: Canoa Quebrada, Genipabu, Dunas de Rosado, Caraivas… Sure we need a ”Top100” for this country.

November 22, 2016 at 2:31 am

Its amazing to think about the scenery of top tourist places. I am coming to Brazil in the first week of December, 2016. But I am afraid of whether I would get any time to see all the interesting places as I like due to time constraint. Even that I should try to travel as much as I can during my stay in Brazil.

January 5, 2015 at 6:16 am

Visit Curitiba, the best city in Brazil.

May 25, 2014 at 8:50 am

awesome places

January 14, 2014 at 2:18 am

Beautiful sceneries! I am coming to Brazil soon. However, u will be amazed with what Uganda, the pearl of African possess!

November 19, 2013 at 6:44 am

Nice website 🙂

In my opinion, as a Brazilian who loves to travel, the best places in Brazil are: Bonito (MS), Jericoacara (CE), Abrolhos (BA), Arraial do Cabo ( RJ), Búzios (RJ), Praia do Forte (BA), São Miguel dos Milagres (AL), Pipa (RN), Chapada Diamantina (BA), Gramado (RS), Florianópolis (SC) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ).

August 19, 2013 at 8:59 am

Brazil is very lovely. i would love to go and meet people and see all the places

August 19, 2013 at 6:11 am

The Pantanal is amazing. check out Pantanal Ranch Meia Lua – It’s in Miranda, a wonderful ranch to use as a basis for your travel into the Pantanal.

August 1, 2013 at 2:15 am

its most wonderful place I would like to go to brazil I want attraction site of it

July 30, 2013 at 12:05 pm

Very good your list, I am Brazilian and agree to the destinations mentioned here.

July 19, 2013 at 2:29 am

brazil is certainly an astonishing & breathtaking place to visit.My visit was a memorable 7 once in a blue moon one.Hats off to brazil!!!!!!!!!!

April 28, 2013 at 6:37 pm

Brazil is such a beautiful country 🙂 can’t wait to go these pictures are amazing

April 28, 2013 at 11:57 am

this is reeealy goood ooh when am i gonna get the chance to go to a place like this!

April 20, 2013 at 7:02 am

where are the pictures of Ceará? yes there is very beautiful

March 8, 2013 at 1:14 pm

i have travelled every where and i think u should really go to brazil

March 8, 2013 at 7:29 am

i really want to go to brazill because it looks sooo sexy

December 10, 2012 at 3:23 pm

i want to go to brazil soooooooo bad and this makesme want to go even more.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Home » Travel Guides » 15 Best Places to Visit in Brazil

15 Best Places to Visit in Brazil

Have you been itching for lush rainforests, fantastic cities, tropical islands, and heavenly beaches?  Then you’ve been itching for a Brazilian adventure. You’ll find colonial towns that will make you feel that you’ve stepped back in time, red-rock canyons that will make you feel that you’ve stepped onto another planet, and awe-inspiring waterfalls and jungles that will make you wish you could stay forever.

Brazil is the country of Carnaval, a celebration that takes over every city and every soul. You won’t believe the human capacity for fun and joy until you experience this festas. Ask yourself what you want in your next holiday, and Brazil is guaranteed to have it on offer.

Diverse ecosystems, with rare and wild plant and animal species unique to all other places on earth, kayaking through rainforests, horseback riding, whale watching, snorkelling in coastal reefs, samba dancing, all-night DJ’s, white sand beaches, history, culture, and big, full-power cities. Let’s explore the best places to visit in Brazil !

1. Rio de Janeiro

There’s just no other place like Rio.  Welcome to lush mountains, brilliant beaches, over the top nightlife, and fanatic football fans. Known as Cidade Maravilhosa, the Marvellous City, Rio is ringed by green mountains while the coast stretches for miles.

Most people come first for the beaches.  The cariocas (locals) consider the beach a home away from home and so much happens here that you could never leave and still have a complete vacation. You’ll love biking on the beach, hiking in Tijuca rainforest, hang gliding, rock climbing, and sailing to one of several small islands just off the coast.

Music is everywhere in the city – with the most popular being the African influenced samba vibe. If you want to explore the nightlife, head to Lapa, the cities red-light distinct. You’ll find live music and street parties every night.

2. Salvador

Located in the state of Bahia, Salvador has a phenomenal energy that’s notable even for Brazil.  Most known for being Portugal’s New World capital, it maintains a great deal of its colonial architecture and you’ll find the historic centre of the town in the Pelourinho neighbourhood.

Here you’ll find large squares with small cobblestone alleys leading away, multi-coloured buildings, and churches like São Francisco with gilt woodwork and other baroque features. There’s an amazing arts movement here. You’ll find Olodum drummers on the streets, along with Capoeira martial artists, and crazy festivals happening everywhere you look.

The culture here is decidedly Afro-Brazilian and you’ll see that in the incredible food, religious ceremonies and rituals, and dance.

3. São Paulo State

Another in the long list of incredible things about Brazil is São Paulo state. It offers some of the best of the best that the country has to offer.  São Paulo city is the current Boom Town – everything here is growing:  commerce, industry, culture, finance, and, of course, tourism. But you can also leave the city for a bit and head to Serra da Mantiqueira.

Use this stunning mountain range, with its 2500m peaks, as your cosy mountain getaway. There’s also Ilhabela, to be used as your posh island escape. Or try Iporanga in the midst of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

You’ll also find great beaches with the rainforest as their backdrop – try the lovely Ubatuba for a relaxing few days.

4. São Paulo City

The heartbeat of São Paulo State is Sao Paulo city.  It’s the largest city in Brazil and one of the largest in the world.  It’s a bit of a melting pot, with all kinds of ethnic groups calling it home, including the largest community of Japanese outside of Japan.

You’ll find unbelievable art galleries and experimental theatres, as well as fantastic fine-dining restaurants and upscale bars.  If you want a taste of sophisticated city life, this is your stop.

With 20 million people, Sao Paulo is a mammoth city, and does come with a lot of big city hassles, but for those willing to look a little closer; there is a vibe here that rivals New York City.

5. Brasilia

Built in the 1960’s, Brazil’s capital is a thoroughly planned and intricately organized city. Brasilia’s landmark infrastructure is laid out in the form of an airplane.

Each section of the plane is a different district like residential, government, finance, culture, and commerce.  The architecture here attracts tourists and professional architects alike.

Be sure to check out the Three Powers Square.  Here you’ll find the Supreme Court, Congress, and the Presidential Palace.

6. Fortaleza

Another of Brazil’s big cities is Fortaleza.  It’s best known for an energetic cultural scenes, great beaches, and even greater shopping. If you’re going for the beaches, check out Meireles, Mucuripe, Iracema, and everyone’s favourite, Praia do Futuro.

Spend your mornings strolling through Centro, the oldest part of the city, and then spending your evenings in Praira de Iracema, a neighbourhood densely packed with hotels, restaurants, and nightlife.

Once you’ve had your fill of Fortaleza beaches, use it as starting point to discover the quaint fishing villages and rolling dune beaches of the Ceará coast.

One of the most popular stops for tourists is located along Brazil’s Green Coast in the state of Rio de Janeiro.  Paraty is bursting with waterfalls, emerald green sea, giant coastal mountains and tropical forests.

Once a Portuguese colony, the heart of the town is still the historic centre. Complete with multicoloured colonial buildings and cobbled streets built in the 17th century during the height of the Brazilian gold rush.  Many of the houses have been converted to bed and breakfasts’ which the locals call pousadas.  The entire historic district is great for strolling as the lanes are closed to cars.  It really feels like you’ve stepped back in time.

Don’t forget to check out the colonial forts – many that still have their original cannons – and Capela de Santa Rita, a lovely 18th century church.

There is nothing not to love about the “Venice of Brazil.”  Inside the city is a network of waterways, bridges, islets, and peninsulas, and just outside are tropical rainforests with rivers and islands to explore.  There is a wonderful historic old town here, as well as incredible culture and fantastic beaches.

The old town is known as Recife Antigo and is located on its own island near the harbour. Most would agree that Boa Viagem is the most popular beach in town due to the white sands and coral reef.

Recife is a large city with lots to offer – including an awesome place to spend Carnaval.

Six kilometres from Recife is Olinda, is a 16th century Portuguese colonial town. The historic old town sits on a hill surrounded by trees and filled with churches, museums, and restaurants. In 1982 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The rest of the town is no less charming with tons of 18th century architecture, monasteries and convents, and fantastically painted houses.

Once a leader in the sugarcane industry, Olinda has transformed into a small artists’ colony; full of artists, workshops, studios, and other creative types.  Check out the pousadas in the old town if you’re interested in using Olinda as a base to enjoy Recife.

Carnaval is slightly different here, celebrated primarily during the day with the music and dance focused on traditional African culture.

Considered by many as the gateway to the Amazon Rainforest, Manaus sits on the Negro River. The capital of Amazonas and one of the largest cities in the country it has incredible landmarks like the Rio Negro Palace and the Amazonas Opera House.

If you’re in the mood for some phenomenal nature, check out the Meeting of the Waters, a three mile stretch where the Solimões and the Negro Rivers run side by side without fully mixing. Eventually, both rivers converge to form the Amazon. Most people come here as a stopping point on their way into, or out of, the Amazon.

If you’ve got time, check out the zoo that lets many of the animals roam free, and a little beachside museum just outside the city centre.

11. Iguazu Falls

This stunning natural wonder runs for 2.7km along the border with Argentina.

Iguazu Falls is a series of waterfalls along the Iguazu. The combination of luscious green forest, exotic wildlife, and breathtaking waterfalls is intoxicating.

Use the city of Foz do Iguaçu as your base camp as you enjoy cascades like the 80 metre Devil’s Throat.  With hundreds of fall’s to discover, you might consider a tour in one of the tourist rubber boats called zodiacs.

Bonito is a one-street town full of charisma.  It serves as an ecotourism model for Brazil and as a hub for the surrounding areas.  If you’re an outdoor adventurer and water enthusiast, then this is your spot.

Discover Abismo Anhumas, a gigantic cavern covered in stalactite where you can dive and swim in an underground lake as well as do some abseiling.  Or how about snorkelling in the crystal clear Rio da Prata? If you’re a bird lover you won’t want to miss the macaws that nest deep in the Buraco das Araras.

To top it all off, explore the Serra da Boduquena National Park.

13. São Luís

The historic centre of São Luís has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its well-restored colonial mansions. There are so many museums, crafts, and galleries to explore while here.

São Luís maintains a largely Afro-Brazilian culture and you’ll find both reggae and Bumba Meu Boi music festivals. While you’re here be sure to catch the Centro de Cultura, a museum with exhibits on the three major Brazilian festivals.  You might also like the Archaeological Museum and the Casa das Tulhas, a 19th century market building.

When you’re ready, cross the Baía de São Marcos for a quick day trip to Alcântara to see this historic town as it slowly slips into tropical decay.

14. Jijoca de Jericoacoara

This hidden gem is one of the spectacular beaches in Ceara, Brazil. Named by the Washington Post as one of the Top 10 Most Beautiful Beaches in the world, you’ll find calm seas, white sand dunes, and gorgeous blue lagoons.

It’s a nesting spot for large turtles and therefore was declared an Environmental Protection Area; it’s also been a national park since 2002. Thanks to all that, the area has remained largely isolated and untouched.

They’ve had electricity for less than 20 years in Jeri and thanks to local ordinance; the streets can only be lit by the moon.

15. Curitiba

This thoroughly urban capital of Paraná state is a well-known performance centre.  Visit the Wire Opera, a steel tube building with a see-through roof, as well as the Guaíra Theatre for some great programs.

Curitiba is also well known to urban planners across the globe as one of the most efficient cities ever built.  You’ll find a six-block stretch designated as a pedestrian zone, tones of parks and trees, innovative solutions to urban problems like pollution and poverty.

It’s a unique place to recharge before ending your Brazilian adventure.

15 Best Places to Visit in Brazil:

• Rio de Janeiro
• São Paulo State
• São Paulo City
• Iguazu Falls
• Jijoca de Jericoacoara

15 things to do in Brazil that will amaze you

Sep 28, 2023 • 12 min read

Experiencing Rio’s Carnaval should be on everyone's list of the top things to do in Brazil © A.PAES / Shutterstock

Whether you prefer wilderness or dense cities, the call of frogs in the rainforest or the beat of samba drums,  Brazil  has an experience lined up for you.

The country’s status as a natural paradise is impossible to deny. While superlatives simply don’t do it justice, this continent-sized nation is home to the largest rainforest, the most sprawling wetlands, and more known species of plants, freshwater fish and mammals than any other country in the world.

Brazil is also home to a myriad of indigenous and immigrant cultures, each with their own unique languages, foods and music. Get a taste for Afro-Brazilian heritage by eating acarajé in Salvador, dance samba in Rio de Janeiro, or move to the sounds of frevo  in Olinda during Carnaval. The Amazon, too, hosts some of the biggest parties in Brazil.

If you think you’ll be ready for another vacation at the end of all that, look no further than Brazil’s tropical islands for some downtime. To help you write up your shortlist of must-dos, here are the top things to do when you visit Brazil.

1. Admire the view in Rio de Janeiro

Beaches, architecture, museums, waterfalls, nightlife...there are dozens of good reasons to visit Rio de Janeiro . But if this city has one essential thing to do, it’s getting up high to admire the view. From above, Rio’s dramatic topography is revealed in all its splendor – forest-covered mountains plunging down to the ocean with urban sprawl jammed in between. 

Visitors jostle for selfie space at two of the city’s most popular tourist spots, the 710m-high (2329ft-high)  Christ the Redeemer statue and Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain), which both offer spectacular 360-degree views.

To avoid the crowds, a splurge on a helicopter tour is worth every real. A stunning vista is the reward at the end of hikes in the Tijuca National Park – one of Brazil's best national parks . The views from the Pico da Tijuca and Pedra da Gávea peaks are particularly breathtaking. 

2. Spot whales in Praia do Rosa

Once a sleepy fishing hamlet, Praia do Rosa is now a top surf destination, with charming guest houses and hotels tucked into the hillside above a bay. In the winter months (June to November), surfers are joined by another type of visitor playing in the waves: southern right whale calves. 

Whales were hunted in these waters as far back as the 1700s and were widely thought to be extinct by the 1970s. Despite making a comeback, they’re still highly endangered. The whales migrate here from Patagonia every year to breed, and a marine reserve stretching 130km (80 miles) along the coast was established to help protect them.

Only masochists will want to swim in the sea this far south in the winter, but the beach is a beautiful destination for windy walks and whale spotting year-round. Boat tours can also be booked for a closer look.

3. Watch birds in the Atlantic Forest

Bird-watching enthusiasts will want to trek to some of the most spectacular off-the-beaten-path spots in the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest). One of Brazil’s six biomes, the Atlantic Forest is a hot spot for birding – it's home to nearly 900 bird species, a quarter of which don’t live anywhere else, including three-toed jacamars and kaleidoscopic green-headed tanagers.

You can explore Atlantic Forest habitats in dozens of national and state parks as well as hundreds of private nature reserves. Itatiaia , established in 1937 as Brazil’s first national park, is a birding paradise. Further south, among the mangroves and salt marshes of Superagui National Park and the Sebui private nature reserve, other Atlantic Forest species such as scarlet ibis and the red-tailed Amazon parrot fill the skies at sunset as they come in to roost for the night. 

11 incredible places to visit in Brazil

4. Soak up the energy at a soccer game

It’s impossible not to know when there’s a big soccer game playing in Brazil, as every screen in every bar will have it on, with shouts ringing out across neighborhoods when goals are scored. Join in the action by booking tickets to see a game, where the passionate supporters can be as much of a spectacle as the game itself. 

The Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro is legendary, and it hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup final between Germany and Argentina, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympics. SR Flamengo is the biggest club in Rio and you can expect excited crowds when the team goes head-to-head with any of its local rivals.

In São Paulo, SE Palmeiras and Corinthians both have gleaming modern stadiums, and the latter in particular is famous for its passionate supporters. The city’s Pacaembu Stadium is an art deco jewel, although it hosts fewer games these days. The soccer museum underneath the stadium is a monument to Brazil’s greatest passion.

5. Get soaked on a speed boat under Iguaçu Falls

The thunder and roar of 396,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of water pouring over the edge of Iguaçu Falls every second is a thrilling, visceral experience. Dozens of activities in and around the falls will keep visitors occupied for days, from hiking and cycling in the surrounding national park to feeding the birds at the Parque das Aves bird and wildlife sanctuary. 

There’s a good chance you’ll get wet at some stage during your visit, so why not submit to the deluge in the most adrenaline-fueled way possible, with a speedboat ride right under the falls? Turbo-dinghies with 500 horsepower outboard motors pass right beside the falls, where it’s so loud no one will hear your shrieks. The nearby Itaipú Dam – the world’s second-largest – is well worth a visit, too, and accessible via Brazil or Paraguay . 

The best times to book a trip to Brazil

6. Dance during Carnaval 

For one hot, sweaty but utterly thrilling day of your life, you can feel like a star as you don an enormous costume and join a samba school to parade down the Sambódromo during Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro. Broadcast live on national television, with many thousands of spectators cheering from the grandstands, this parade is a fierce competition that’s taken extremely seriously by the samba schools that prepare for it year-round.

But Carnaval is not all about Rio. Each corner of the country celebrates in its own way, and one of the most traditional can be found in the coastal city of Olinda. Instead of samba, the rhythms of frevo , maracatu and afoxé ring out across the hilly streets of this charming town. Local bands playing percussion and brass draw huge crowds of excitable revelers trying to keep pace.

7. Kitesurf on Brazil’s northeast coast

Some of the world's most respected kitesurfing champions are from Brazil – no surprise given the country’s thousands of miles of windswept Atlantic coastline. Ceará in northeastern Brazil has some of the best kitesurfing hotspots, including Cumbuco (a playground for some of the top athletes) and the coastal hubs of Icapuí and Preá.

A little farther north in Piauí state, Barra Grande is an up-and-coming spot for the sport. In Maranhão , lagoons in Atins offer up wind without the waves and the bonus of being on the doorstep of the desert-like Lençois Maranhenses National Park . 

How to get around Brazil

8. Contemplate the origins of life at Serra da Capivara 

The culmination of a lifetime’s work for Brazilian archeologist, Niède Guidon, the Museu da Natureza (Museum of Nature) opened in late 2018. A spiral-shaped building at the edge of the Serra da Capivara National Park , the museum explores the history of humans and other species from their earliest known existence.

Highlights include saber-toothed cat teeth and a 6m (20ft) life-size model of the giant sloth Eremotherium , fossils of which were found in the park. Serra da Capivara has an astounding 300 archeological sites where fossils, ceramics, bones and tens of thousands of examples of cave art – the largest collection in the world – have been found over the decades.

These discoveries suggest that humans settled here as far back as 50,000 years ago, challenging the mainstream theory about human settlement in the Americas. An airport was built near the Serra da Capivara in 2015, but the only commercial flights run from Petrolina and Recife; most visitors drive or catch a bus from Petrolina or Teresina.

9. Understand Afro-Brazilian culture in Salvador

Chili, coconut, coriander, dried shrimp, dendé palm oil...the ingredients of Bahian cuisine make for some of the tastiest dishes in Brazil, showing the strong African influences in the city of Salvador .

A popular street food is acarajé , a deep-fried ball of black-eyed pea paste stuffed with a dried shrimp stew and condiments. The dish is traditionally made by baianas , descendants of African women; it was even given protected cultural heritage status in 2005. Acarajé is just one of the  baiana -made foods connected to the worship of orixás , deities of Yoruban origin. 

Salvador is the best place in Brazil to immerse yourself in Afro-Brazilian culture and religion. The Caminho dos Orixás do Oxum is a tour of the city’s sights run by an agency specializing in Afro-Brazilian culture. Viare Travel also organizes tours tailored around Afro-Brazilian heritage. 

10. Float down the river in Bonito

An ecotourism boom town near the Pantanal wetlands, Bonito is a giant aquarium and a playground for lovers of nature. The clear waters here spring up through a limestone base that acts as a water purifier, allowing for astounding underwater visibility. Visitors will come face to face with all sorts of fascinating fish while floating down the Rio da Prata. Alternatively, rafting down the Rio Formoso provides a chance to look out for fish and birds while you navigate the rapids.

11. Party on at festivals in the Amazon

Trees, not people, are what dominate the Amazon in the popular imagination. But the world’s largest rainforest is home to more than 30 million people and they throw some pretty spectacular parties (they’re Brazilian too, after all). Boi Bumbá is a folk festival held in June in Parantins that recounts the death and resurrection of an ox, with music, fireworks, dancing and glittering costumes. 

The biggest Amazonian festival is Círio de Nazaré, a Catholic celebration that attracts more than a million devotees each October. Devout locals file through the streets of Belém , at the mouth of the Amazon River, in a cathartic throng. Some 966km (600 miles) upriver, the town of Maués throws a festival every December to celebrate the harvest of its energy-boosting guaraná fruit. Locals dance on the beaches of the Maués-Acú River until the early hours. 

12. Visit a cachaça distillery 

Also known as pinga  (among dozens of other nicknames), cachaça is an exclusively Brazilian distilled sugarcane spirit that can range from cheap rocket fuel to an expensive, aged artisanal delicacy. It’s also the main ingredient in the unofficial Brazilian national drink, the caipirinha . Bars can provide an easy education in the delights of cachaça – but better still is a distillery tour. 

The Mapa da Cachaça website is a great resource, mapping out distilleries across the country. Minas Gerais is the main cachaça-producing region in Brazil and home to the oldest functioning distillery, Engenho Boa Vista, which has been in business for more than 260 years.

Overlooking the sea, the Maria Izabel distillery is a must for any visitors to Paraty . Rio Encantos runs a cachaça tour in Rio, taking in the historic center of the city and finishing up a cachaça tasting. 

13. Track jaguars in the Pantanal

The largest cat in the Americas, the jaguar is a rare and elusive creature. These famed big cats roam far and wide across Brazil, and despite game hunting being illegal since 1967, jaguars are still poached. Add in habitat loss – exacerbated by recent fires and the expansion of cattle ranching – and the result has been a decline in their population, placing these magnificent animals at risk of extinction.

One of the best habitats for spotting jaguars is the Pantanal , the world’s largest wetland, especially during the dry season (April to September). Conservation NGO Onçafari was set up in 2011 to help protect the jaguars through research and ecotourism. The group runs jaguar safaris from its base at the Caiman Lodge , a private nature reserve. A number of local tour operators also run jaguar safaris, and the deeper you get into the wetlands, the better chance you have of spotting one.

Brazil's best hikes from beaches to rainforests

14. Relax on a tropical island

Brazil has thousands of beaches along its coastline, but you can side-step the difficult task of choosing one by escaping to a tropical island instead. Ilha Grande , south of Rio de Janeiro on the Costa Verde, has warm seas and white sandy beaches fringed by the forests of the Mata Atlântica. Ilhabela combines good restaurants for the São Paulo weekenders with hiking trails and guest houses hidden away in dense, jungle-covered hills. 

Smaller Ilha do Mel in the south of Brazil near  Paranaguá feels more remote, with just a handful of accommodation options, plus a lighthouse , fort and caves to explore. The Bahian coast is a safe bet for sunshine, and Boipeba has more than 20km (12 miles) of palm-lined beaches and a castaway vibe. 

15. See street art in São Paulo 

A maze of underpasses and overpasses, sidewalks cracked by tree roots, and steep hills make walking in São Paulo something of an adventure sport. But the reward is a wealth of murals and graffiti daubed across the city’s urban sprawl, all the more striking against the city’s ubiquitous gray concrete.

The colorful Beco do Batman (Batman’s Alley) is a top spot for street art and a tourist honeypot. In Centro, artist Felipe Yung’s 10,000 sq m (107,639 sq ft)  Aquarium covers the facades of 15 buildings. The 3.5km (2.2-mile) Minhoção – officially Via Elevada Presidente João Goulart – is closed to traffic at night and at weekends, making it the perfect place to stroll while taking in artwork by such artists as Speto, Zezão and Mag Magrela.

Cambuci, in the southeast of the city, was the stomping ground for the world-famous duo OsGemeos in their youth, and it’s the best place to see their art outside of museums. In northern São Paulo, the Museu Aberto de Arte Urbana (Open Museum of Urban Art) brings together street art by dozens of creators on the huge columns underneath a metro line.

This article was first published Jan 5, 2022 and updated Sep 28, 2023.

Explore related stories

Jun 21, 2024 • 9 min read

June 25 is a holiday we can all get behind: Bourdain Day, saluting life and legacy of the one-of-a-kind chef-adventurer. Here are 22 places he loved.

Jun 10, 2024 • 9 min read

Mar 4, 2024 • 8 min read

Feb 1, 2024 • 7 min read

Jan 30, 2024 • 19 min read

Jan 16, 2024 • 7 min read

Jan 8, 2024 • 8 min read

Dec 28, 2023 • 9 min read

Dec 27, 2023 • 8 min read

Dec 2, 2023 • 8 min read

• Amazon River
• Galápagos Islands
• Indonesian Archipelago
• Mekong River
• Irrawaddy River
• India Cruises
• Pacific Coast
• Patagonia Cruises
• Machu Picchu
• Iguazu Falls
• Brazil Travel Guide

Top 10 Brazil Tourist Attractions You Have To See

The largest country in South America, Brazil occupies almost half the continent. Nearly all of it is in the Southern Hemisphere, and much of it is tropical, with vast stretches of rainforest filled with exotic plants and wildlife. The country’s 4600-mile-long Atlantic coast is lined with golden-sand beaches, and its interior is filled with mineral resources. Portugal was the colonial power that ruled Brazil until 1822. The national language is Portuguese and a strong Portuguese influence is evident in Brazil’s colonial architecture and decorative arts. Below are what we consider the top attractions worth visiting on a vacation to Brazil .

Cristo Redentor

Christ the Redeemer

One of Brazil’s most iconic monuments and Rio’s most visited attraction , the statue of Christ the Redeemer was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet tall, with horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet. The work of Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski and Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa is made of reinforced concrete clad in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles. The statue stands on a square stone pedestal about 26 feet high, which itself is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. The base encloses a chapel that is popular for weddings. The statue has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil and is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world.

In addition to the symbolic importance within the Catholic community, the statue is also one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and provides spell-binding views over Rio de Janeiro and the bay from the summit of Corcovado, 2310 feet above the city. The area on which it stands is part of the Tijuca National Park, and a rack railway climbs two miles to a broad plaza at the top. A mid-point stop on the railway leads to trails through the Tijuca National Park, replete with springs, waterfalls, and a wide variety of tropical birds, butterflies, and plants.

Way to experience the falls

Iguaçu Falls

At the point where Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina meet, ten miles before joining the Parana River, the Iguaçu River flows over rough, uneven ground, and then, amidst the exuberant forest, spectacularly hurls itself into a semicircular chain of 247 irregular waterfalls that thunder down into the gorge below. Just above the falls, the river is constricted to a quarter of its usual width, making the force of the water even stronger. Some of the falls are more than 330 feet high and they cover such a broad area that you’ll never see all of them at once, but you do get the broadest panorama from the Brazilian side.

A visit to the Iguazu falls is a heart-stopping, visceral experience, while the power and noise of the cascades, which extend nearly 1.85 miles, will live forever in your memory. The falls lie split between Brazil and Argentina in the UNESCO-acclaimed Iguaçu National Park, where subtropical rainforests are home to more than 1,000 species of birds and mammals, including deer, otters, ocelots, and capybaras. Catwalks and a tower offer different perspectives, and one bridge reaches all the way to the largest water curtain, known as the Garganta do Diabo (Devil’s Throat), which drops more than 262 feet into a creamy white pool. You can cross to the Argentinian side for closer views from catwalks that extend farther into the center of the falls. The two sides offer different perspectives and views, so it’s a good idea to plan to see both.

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro

Occupying a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the sea, Copacabana − downtown Rio’s most fashionable district − follows Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, and is famous for its magnificent two-and-a-half-mile curved beach. Skyscraper hotels, apartment houses, cafés, shops, nightclubs, restaurants, theatres, live music bars, street fairs, and pubs line the waterfront. The neighborhood is a blend of Brazilian soul; it is crowded, rowdy, and traditional. However, the most powerful draw in Copacabana is still the fantastic view of the coast and the incredible white-sand beach alongside the rolling surf.

The beach is separated from the buildings and the traffic by a broad promenade paved in black and white mosaic in a rippled pattern inspired by Rocio’s Square in Lisbon, Portugal. The huge strip of sand bordering Copacabana Beach is not the result of a natural process; during the ’70s, a large land reclamation increased the area of the beach, which is a popular playground filled with sun-worshippers whenever the weather is fine.

Carnaval (Carnival), Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro Carnaval is one of Brazil’s top tourist attractions − the mother, the mecca, the king of all carnivals. Every year, just before the beginning of Lent, Rio de Janeiro transforms into the biggest party on the planet, a party that is attended by five million people from all around the world. Few shows match Carnaval’s extravaganza for color, sound, action, and exuberance. This is not just another boisterous street party, but a carefully staged showpiece. The highlight of attending Rio Carnaval is witnessing the world-renowned Samba Parade hosted in a purpose-built stadium called the Sambódromo, where dancers and musicians from the competing samba schools strut their stuff in a dazzling explosion of brilliant costumes.

Carnaval is an exhilarating time to be in Rio, all the businesses unrelated to Carnaval shut down and the Brazilians completely embrace the carnival spirit, joining street parties across the city. You’ll also find Carnivals in Salvador, Bahia, Recife, and other Brazilian cities.

Bordered by Arpoador Beach on one end and Leblon Beach on the other end, Ipanema Beach is considered one of the main centers of activity for the city of Rio and one of the most expensive places to live. Known as the “Little Paris” of Rio, it is renowned for its avant-garde art galleries, bookstores, movie theaters, hotels, restaurants, and cafés, which make it a popular social zone year-round. The same wave design of Copacabana’s wide promenade continues here, separating the sand from the buildings. Sunday is especially busy, with an antique market at Praça de Quentaland and the Feira de Artesanato de Ipanema, alive with music, street food, art, and handcrafts with vendors selling everything from wooden dolls to swizzle sticks topped with parrots, making it fun a festive for families visiting Brazil .

Pelourinho, Salvador

Pelourinho is the historic city center of Brazil’s former colonial capital, Salvador . The cobblestoned streets and vibrantly colored buildings are a picturesque example of how the African, indigenous, and European cultures, which were thrown together in Salvador, have converged throughout the centuries. This old quarter has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its exceptional collection of 17th- and 18th-century colonial buildings, the finest such assembly in South America. This is where you’ll find Salvador’s most beautiful churches and monasteries, built at a time when Brazil was the source of Portugal’s riches, and the plentiful gold was lavished on the colony’s religious buildings.

The finest and most opulent of the city’s churches is São Francisco, built in the early 1700s and filled with intricate carvings covered in gold. Pelourinho means “whipping post” in Portuguese, and this was the location of the slave auction in the days when slavery was common. Slavery was outlawed in 1835, and over time, this portion of the city, though home to artists and musicians, fell into disrepair. In the 1990s, a major restoration effort resulted in making the area a highly desirable Brazil tourist attraction.

Ipiranga Museum

Art Museums of Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo holds some of the best collections of fine arts in Latin America, and the buildings in which they are housed are architectural landmarks as well. The Museu de Arte, MASP, is considered the premier art museum in Brazil, displaying the continent’s most comprehensive collection of Western art, with representative works by artists from Classical antiquity, the Renaissance, the Baroque period, along with plentiful works by Brazilian and other Latin American artists. The museum is a Modernist landmark conceived by Italian architect Lina Bo Bardi; bright red concrete elevates the building structure above ground making the museum stand out from the neutral-colored high-rise buildings that surround it. There are 73 bronze sculptures by Degas and works by Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Miró.

At the Museu de Arte Contemporânea, in Ibirapuera Park, you’ll find more than 8,000 works of art. This is one of Latin America’s largest collections of 20th-century Western art, comprising the most important artists, art movements, and tendencies of modern and contemporary art. It includes works by Picasso, Chagall, Kandinsky, Miró, and Modigliani along with major Brazilian painters. Additionally, Museu do Ipiranga, set above Versailles-inspired formal gardens, houses paintings, and decorative arts.

For a different type of art, don’t miss Batman’s Alley, an open-air gallery of street art by local and international artists. It is in the bohemian Vila Madalena neighborhood, where you’ll also find art galleries showing the works of well-known and rising Brazilian artists and craftspeople.

Cathedral of Brasilia

This striking modernist building is an architectural icon of Brazil, designed by renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer. The round church has 16 concrete columns representing hands raised to heaven. The columns converge to a central elevated circle, soaring 138 feet towards the sky while allowing the natural light to flood in through a glass roof offering a glimpse to the heavens with angels suspended above the congregation. Not only that but the building is surrounded by a shallow pool that reflects its beauty.

Botanical Garden of Curitiba, Paraná

The postcard-worthy botanical garden is one of Curitiba’s main attractions and rightly so because it has an impressive and colorful garden and has a fantastic greenhouse. The Park is packed with flower gardens, with ideal places for picnics. Moreover, the external garden has a lovely French style with beautiful designs and walks between the areas colored by flowers and a fountain that provides beautiful photo opportunities. Inside the glass-and-steel greenhouse, it is possible to see species of plants typical of tropical areas.

Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro

Sugarloaf Mountain is arguably one of the most important tourist attractions in Brazil. The rounded rock peak juts out of a tree-covered promontory, rising nearly 1300 feet above the beaches and the city. Its summit offers jaw-dropping views of Rio and the harbor, together with the thrill of riding suspended in a cable car between SugarLoaf and the Morro da Urca, a lower peak from which a second cableway connects to the city. Rio’s first settlement began below these peaks, near the long Praia da Urca beach, and you can tour one of the three early forts there, the star-shaped Fort São João.

While Rainforest Cruises aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information herein or found by following any link on this site. Rainforest Cruises cannot and will not accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies, or for any consequences arising therefrom, including any losses, injuries, or damages resulting from the display or use of this information.

You may also like

Best Places To Visit In The Pantanal To See Wildlife

One of the largest, most pristine, and most biologically vibrant wetlands in the world, the Pantanal offers South America’s all-around best wildlife-viewing opportunities. The “Kingdom of Waters,” as it’s sometimes called, easily […]

5 Best Places To Visit The Amazon Jungle To See Wildlife

One simply runs out of superlatives describing the rainforest of the Amazon Basin (the so-called “Amazon jungle” of popular conception). About the size of the conterminous United States, this biggest river basin […]

8 Luxury Amazon Rainforest Hotels: Where To Stay In The Amazon

The Amazon Rainforest is by far one of the most mysterious and exciting locales to visit in all of South America. Teeming with abundant wildlife, exotic trees and plants, and even indigenous […]

11 Tourist Attractions In The Amazon Rainforest You Must See

When it comes to untouched nature in a wildlife-rich environment, the Amazon Rainforest is one of the last places on earth to explore. Even hearing the word Amazon conjures up images of […]

Pantanal Honeymoon | Lodges & Itinerary Ideas For Lovers

Are you looking for a honeymoon destination full of romance and adventure at the same time? Perhaps one in a remote location in a South American country full of different landscapes and […]

Pantanal Family Travel: Top 7 Things To Do With Kids

If you’re looking for a new destination for your family vacation this year, why not consider one of the most remote and naturally unique regions in all of South America? The Pantanal […]

Where To Stay In The Pantanal

While exploring the Pantanal wetlands region in Brazil, where you lay your head at night is an important decision to make. While you may worry your options are limited, consider that several […]

5 Amazing Attractions You Must See In The Pantanal

If you’re looking for a South American adventure unlike any other and a location not teeming with crowds, then head to the Pantanal region of Brazil. Tucked within the western part of […]

Brazil Vs Argentina: Which Side Of The Iguazu Falls Is Best?

Brazil vs Argentina, it’s a long-standing battle. The two countries compete in regards to almost everything: from their football teams to their natural wonders, from their tourist attractions to their barbeques, to […]

On the Lookout for Expert Advice & Offers?

Join over 20,000 discerning travelers and be the first to receive our monthly exclusive discounts, inspiring travel content and expert tips, straight to your inbox.

• Charter (Private)

DEAL FLASH: Get Free Flights On The Nov 27 Thanksgiving Amazon Cruise Aboard Zafiro

• Virginia Beach
• History & facts
• Famous people
• Famous landmarks
• AI interviews
• Science & Nature
• Tech & Business

Discover something new everyday

Famous places

• Food & Drinks
• Tech & Business

Famous places , Travel

Brazil’s Top 30 Tourist Attractions: Discovering the Wonders of South America

Rafael Rabello de Barros , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Read Next →

Things to do Near Gare du Nord Station

Paris - Our top 10 lists

Top 45 souvenirs to bring back from Paris

28 things you probably didn’t know about Sacre-Coeur basilica in Paris

1. christ the redeemer (cristo redentor).

Nico Kaiser , CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

2. Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar)

Wutzofant. , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

3. Iguazu Falls (Cataratas do Iguaçu)

Paulo Antonio Santos , CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

4. Amazon Rainforest

lubasi , CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

5. Pantanal

Alicia Yo at the English-language Wikipedia , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

6. Salvador

PT-AVJ , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

7. Fernando de Noronha

https://upload. wikimedia .org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Fernando_de_Noronha_-_dois_Irm%C3%A3os_-_praia_do_sancho.jpg

8. Brasília

Arturdiasr , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

9. São Paulo

Thomas Hobbs , CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Daniela de Oliveira Moraes , CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

11. Ouro Preto

Alvesgaspar , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Portal da Copa/ME , CC BY 3.0 BR , via Wikimedia Commons

Lampiao3 , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

14. Chapada dos Veadeiros

Marina Campos Vinhal , CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

15. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

Julius Dadalti , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

16. São Miguel das Missões

JefersonSouza , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

17. Ilha Grande

TMbux , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

18. Petrópolis

PU1JFC , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Mariordo Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

20. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

Sergio Luiz , CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

21. São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP)

CORRETOR-CARVALHO , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

22. Inhotim

Jadderbh , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

23. Teatro Amazonas

Lucia Barreiros da Silva , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

24. Serra da Capivara National Park

Paulo César Pamplona Barreto de Sousa , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

25. Ilhabela

Jurema Oliveira , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

26. Praia do Forte

Glauco Umbelino from Moro em Belo Horizonte, Brasil , CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

27. Canoa Quebrada

Jorge Brazilian from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

28. Itaipu Dam

Angelo Leithold , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

29. Caldas Novas

Eric Gandolph , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

30. Maracanã Stadium

Brazilian Government , CC BY 3.0 BR , via Wikimedia Commons

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !

These are  Amazon’s best-selling  travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

• The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023 –  Learn more here
• Fodor’s Paris 2024 –  Learn more here

Travel Gear

• Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack –  Learn more here
• Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage –  Learn more here
• Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle –  Learn more here

Check Amazon’s best-seller list for the most popular travel accessories. We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.

Vanessa is a passionate writer driven by a never-ending desire to travel the world. She enjoys yoga and reading when she is not venturing into jungles or trying foreign foods. Vanessa writes engaging travel pieces for DW in which she highlights culinary delights, historical insights, and hidden gems and also enjoys science and nature articles and has written about famous scientists. She has a special talent for capturing her audiences’ wanderlust transporting them with engaging storylines that give them a taste of what it is like to immerse themselves in a destination.

Hello & Welcome

Popular Articles

Top 20 Streets to See in Paris

Paris in two days

Top 15 Things to do Around the Eiffel Tower

The Best Way to Visit Paris Museums

Top 15 Fashion Stores in Le Marais

Visit europe with discover walks.

• Paris walking tours
• Montmartre walking tour
• Lisbon walking tours
• Prague walking tours
• Barcelona walking tours
• Private tours in Europe
• Privacy policy

© 2024 Charing Cross Corporation

The 25 Best Places to Visit And Things To Do In Brazil!

Posted on Last updated: December 15, 2023

Categories Brazil , South America

Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.

One of the world’s most fascinating countries, there are so many things to do in Brazil that adventure-hungry travelers are spoilt for choice. Whether you want to hike in the jungles, lie on the beach or dance in the streets, you can do that here.

From tranquil beaches to vibrant cities to lush rainforests, the country spans a huge variety of landscapes — and as a result, there are so many places to visit in Brazil.

If you’re not already captivated by its scenery and biodiversity, you’ll be hooked by the culture. There are energy and a love of life that runs through every aspect of Brazilian culture.

Samba dancing, drumming in Carnival, indigenous and Portuguese influences, mouth watering food; all of these aspects and more combine to create an atmosphere that you’ll want to stay in forever.

And, to put it plainly: Brazil loves to party!

You’ll have heard of Carnaval, of course; a cacophony of music, dancing, and general joy. There are also diverse festivals going on throughout the year, great nights out in the cities and towns; not to mention just any quick drink turning into dancing at dawn!

So, what are some of the best things to do in Brazil? With so much on offer, how can you narrow it down? We’ve got some suggestions below.

The 25 Best Places to Visit And Things To Do In Brazil! 🇧🇷

Page Contents

Rio de Janeiro

Fernando de noronha, iguazu falls, recife & olinda, lençóis maranhenses national park, parque nacional da chapada diamantina, ilha grande, florianópolis, amazon from manaus, são miguel das missões, alter do chao, belo horizonte, the pantanal, salvador city, chapada dos veadeiros national park, vale dos vinhedos, armação dos búzios.

World-famous for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Christ the Redeemer statue and wild Carnaval, Rio de Janeiro is absolutely top of the list of things to do in Brazil. We can’t pretend it’s a quiet place, but it’s got a relaxed, carefree attitude that is intoxicating for travelers.

Otherwise known as the Cidade Marvalihosa (Marvelous City), here you’ll find lush forests and mountains circling the city while the beach acts as the city’s backyard.

You can hike, surf, sail or rock climb – or just chill on the sands, if you’d rather! It’s a stunning landscape for a city and you’ll never stop appreciating the beauty. In a city this, well, marvelous, it’s hard to get past the superlatives and decide exactly what to do — so to help, we have put together a list of the top things to do in Rio de Janeiro Brazil!

The rich and varied history means there’s plenty to discover among Rio’s myriad attractions. That is, if you want to leave the endless fun of the bars and the beach. Arriving at a festival time means you’ll soak up even more of the joyful celebration, whether it’s a big football match, Carnaval or weekend samba parties. New Year is also a pretty spectacular time to enjoy all that makes Rio special.

The tropical oasis of Fernando de Noronha is in an entire league of its own. The isolated tip of a submerged ocean volcanic, the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, lies 271 miles (350 km) off Brazil’s northeast coast and consists of 21 islands.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site with a sensitive ecosystem, tourist numbers here are restricted to around 450 to 500 people per day. But the lucky few that make it here are duly rewarded …

Fernando de Noronha has everything you could want from an unforgettable island getaway. Picturesque scenery, majestic seascapes, fine white sand beaches, bountiful diving, animated snorkeling, turquoise waters, and oh-so-much-more.

Only one island in the chain is inhabited, with a population of around 5,000 people. Otherwise, most of the rest of this paradisaical retreat is left to the seabirds, reptiles, turtles, and exotic marine life. A nature lover’s paradise, Fernando de Noronha can be compared to Fiji , an arresting beach island scene straight out of a Hollywood film set.

There are a limited number of flights daily, so getting here – and accommodation once you arrive – is not particularly cheap. Still, if you can stretch your budget, Fernando de Noronha is worth every cent.

As well as fascinating cities, Brazil also has some of the most stunning natural wonders in the world; the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls are among these. There are 275 separate drops along the 2.7 kilometers of the falls, which separate Argentina and Brazil. From the Brazilian side, you go to the Igauçu National Park to enjoy the spectacle.

There’s an intricate series of footpaths and walkways that enable visitors to get up close to the natural beauty and on the Brazilian side, there’s a long pathway along the canyon.

A must-see for everyone is Devil’s Throat, a narrow chasm that takes half of the river’s flow along; you can imagine the power and noise of the water there.

Get a panoramic view of the falls from the trail or splurge on a helicopter ride for the bird’s eye perspective. Stay in the nearby town of Foz de Iguacu so you can get up early to beat the heat and the crowds; then enjoy being mesmerized by the majesty of this remarkable place.

Recife and Olinda are sister cities on Brazil’s northeast coast that stand within sight of each other. Both started life as colonial cities under Portuguese rule, exploiting the vast richness of the New World, but over the centuries Recife has pulled ahead while Olinda has kept its small-town charm. The juxtaposition of both is tantalizing, and ensuring visiting them together is one of the top things to do Brazil.

Recife, the capital of Pernambuco state, has a booming population and everything from charming canals and vividly painted colonial buildings to glistening skyscrapers, palm-fringed beaches, and exuberant nightlife. An energetic and inspiring city, Recife also has plenty of entertainment and cultural attractions, more than a dash of grit and growing traffic problems. A true metropolis – warts and all.

In contrast, Olinda – just a short bus trip to the north – has very much maintained its colonial charm and clings to a slower pace of life. Position on a hillside overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, this UNESCO World Heritage site is an artsy counterpart to Recife with galleries, workshops, baroque churches, convents, monasteries, and wonderfully preserved houses and manors.

It is rare in the world to find two destinations that contrast and complement each other so completely. On their own, each would be worth a visit – but together, they become one of the absolute top highlights of Brazil.

A must-visit destination for anyone fascinated by the natural landscape, this 1550 square kilometer national park is a spectacular area filled with dunes, lagoons, and beaches. Its undulating dunes give the park its name – ‘Lençóis’ means ‘bedsheets’ and these expanses really do look like sheets draped across the land.

The rains between May and September get filtered by the sand to create incredibly clear blue lakes between the hills of sand. You can choose whether you navigate the area on foot, on horseback or in a car; whatever you do, you won’t regret making the effort to come here. It’s got an almost otherworldly quality, making a dramatic impact.

It’s easy to see why it is called one of the most beautiful places in Brazil – and people make the considerable effort to get here. 

The most convenient way to explore is to stay at Barreirinhas on the river although if you don’t mind heading somewhere more remote, Santo Amaro and Atins are more peaceful bases.

An expansive national park in eastern Brazil, Chapada Diamantina attracts adventurous tourists looking for nature, hiking, colonial wonders, and off-the-beaten-track experiences. And boy, do they find it here.

An almost untouched wonderland of cascading waterfalls, intrepid hiking, and panoramic views – the entire park sits atop an otherworldly 41,751 square kilometers (16,120 sq. mi) plateau bounded by cliffs in central Bahia.

The most famous attraction is the Fumaça Waterfall, one of the tallest waterfalls in Brazil, which at 340 m tall evaporates in a mist before even reaching the ground. Another famous highlight is the cauldron-like Devil’s Pool, with its deep black water and sinister history, or the enormous sandstone-and-quartz Lapão Cave.

Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina offers everything from day hikes to multi-day journeys. There are plenty of trained local guides happy to help you organize your expeditions once you arrive. The old colonial mining towns of Lençois and Mucugê are popular bases for exploring the park and offer cobblestone streets, outdoor cafes and a cute range of pousadas (a boutique inn that provides a more intimate experience than your traditional hotel).

If you’re tired of the mega-cities yet still want to experience town life in Brazil, Ouro Preto is the place to go. It’s one of several colonial towns in the state of Minas Gerais that date back to the 18th-century gold rush and by far the most beautiful.

It’s not just historically important for the gold mining but also for being the setting for the country’s first independence movement. That is probably why they made if a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you have traveled to places like Lisbon,  you’ll really be able to see the influence of Portugal on Ouro Preto. In fact, Ouro Preto actually has some of the best-preserved Portuguese colonial architecture, with few signs of modern urban development—unlike Macau.

Sure it might not be that easy to get to, but the best places never are and you will be justly rewarded with a fairytale town like no others. It’s pure magic!

There’s so much joy here in getting lost in the narrow, cobbled, steep streets (not to mention you’ll have thighs of steel by the time you’re done!) and the views once you get to a vantage point are incredible.

It’s also one of the more artistic things to do in Brazil with a range of art galleries and cultural centers showing off the mineiro art.

Do you dream of cocktails at sunset? White sand under your toes and the sound of waves crashing on the beach? A stress-free location away from chaos where no cars are allowed, prices are low, and your biggest worry will be ‘Açai or Coconut for lunch?’

Well then, do we have the island for you. Ilha Grande is a fabulous tropical island located only a few hours bus and boat trip away from Rio de Janeiro on Brazil’s stunning southeast coastline. Yes, this could be all yours: gorgeous blue skies, empty beaches, and that tempting ocean. Just imagine…

It’s a natural paradise with 99% of the island being covered in natural Atlantic Rainforest, only one small town and a series of paths crisscrossing the dense vegetation leading to deserted beaches.

Yes, it sounds like heaven— and that’s because it probably is.

Then there is the thriving (but laid-back) nightlife scene, incredible sunsets, fantastic snorkeling, funky monkeys, range of affordable accommodation islands, and abundance of caipirinhas.  Most people who travel here end up extending their stay, but it’s hard to know beforehand if you will like it, and how long you will need, so we have put together a more comprehensive guide to things to do in Ilha Grande to help you fall in love with this magnificent place.

From secluded natural beauty to wild and wonderful festivities with a cacophony of noise and color. An annual festival held in February in the run-up to Lent, this is a time where Brazilan cities let loose with parades, music, and dancing.

A lot of dancing.

While the Rio Carnaval is the most famous, you can go to any city in Brazil at this time and experience the best party you’ve ever been to. The entire county celebrates Carnaval and unifies for almost a week of non-stop partying.

In the Southeast Region you’ll hear a lot more samba; in the Northeast, more frevo and maracutu. Whatever the music and wherever you are, shine your sequins and get ready for spectacle galore!

Freshwater snorkeling in heavenly Bonito one of the best-kept secrets in Brazil, though its popularity is growing.

Bonito is an eco-tourism hub in Mato Grosso do Sul state in Southern Brazil. The encompassing area has garnered a reputation for its crystal-clear rivers, huge, stalactite-covered cavern, and a bounty of colorful fish.

Located on the edge of the great Amazon basin, Bonito is a mirror into the underworld – similar to the great cenotes of Tulum and Cuba . While unassuming on the surface, there is a reason by Bonito is named after the Portuguese for “beautiful.”

While snorkeling in the magical waterways that end in shallow (and warm) pools as clear as glass is the main highlight, Bonito is also the jumping-off point for expeditions into the Pantanal region, filled with jaguars, boa constrictors, and colorful birds. Then there are the river-beaches on clear water lakes, zip-lining adventures, paddle boarding, scuba diving, and fantasy waterfalls.

An aquarium come to life; Bonito is a jungle-laden paradise with just enough eco-tourism operators to make life easy— yet not enough to destroy what makes this spot so enchanting.

The capital of southern Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, Florianópolis, is the place to go for beach resorts, surfing, boating, and a heavy German influence.

Most of the city lies on the spectacular 54-kilometer-long Santa Catarina Island and connected to a mainland commercial area via the famous Pedro Ivo Campos Bridge. The frontier between Portuguese and Spanish empires, the region was filled with German-speaking immigrants in the 1820s to act as a buffer – and has had a lasting legacy.

These immigrants kept their small family-owned farming practices, similar to North America at the time, yet vastly different from the mega-plantation culture of most of Brazil. This resulted in Florianópolis having a healthier legacy of equality and egalitarian policies than the rest of the country — a trend that continues today. Not to mention a wild Oktoberfest festival, fascinating history, and a flourishing cultural scene.

For tourists, there is sun, sand, and surf aplenty, with beach hopping being the most popular attraction. The seafood and beer are both expectedly standout, as is the sophisticated city vibes. With over a hundred beaches, all encircled by picturesque hills covered with lush Atlantic Forest vegetation – it is impossible not to love this unique place in Brazil.

What Sao Paulo lacks in Rio-style beauty and landscape, it more than makes up for in energy and pride. Ask any resident and they’ll tell you at length how they’ll never live anywhere else – so it’s definitely somewhere that travelers should check out. Traffic galore there may be but there’s plenty to experience in this bustling cosmopolitan city.

 It’s the art center of Brazil so, as might be expected, there are a wealth of museums, galleries and cultural centers. Not to mention all the street art.

Head downtown for the historic area and many of the main attractions; head to the other areas for more of an insight into the daily life of the Paulistanos. In the evenings, aside from a great nightlife, there is always something happening, whether it’s theatre, musical performance and international events.

We love heading to Avenida Paulista on a Sunday to join in the masses of people walking, cycling and rollerblading along the temporarily pedestrianized street. The city is also home to a wide range of culinary delights and it’s definitely one of the top places to go in Brazil for foodies.

Another contender for the most beautiful town in Brazil, Tiradentes in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, is an unspoiled case of Portuguese colonial architecture. It is so well preserved and so appealing, you would at times think you have mistakenly wandered into a movie set – and will catch yourself thinking,’ how can a place be so perfect.’

Gorgeous homes set along cobblestone roads enveloped by green mountains and a truly majestic church: Tiradentes is the kind of place dreams are made of. Except it is real. When gold became scarce, this historic mining town was largely forgotten and fell into decay. Crucially, this meant it wasn’t modified or ravaged by growth and modernity. When tourism began to trickle back here in the late 1970s, intrepid guests were rewarded with exceptionally preserved Baroque structures thanks to the years of isolation.

Beyond the obvious visual appeal, there is a booming restaurant scene, lush forest hikes, and some wonderfully insightful museums. The charming São José Fountain should not be missed, along with the vintage steam train that runs between Tiradentes and the magnificent Serra São José grouping of quartzite blocks.

If you’re looking for things to do in Brazil that give you more of a perspective on the country, then Brasilia is one of those. Established as the capital city in 1960, it was a utopian vision of organized urban design in response to the perceived chaos of Rio and Sao Paulo.

It was designed in the shape of a crucifix but is also often compared to an airplane, with Eixo Monumental forming the central body with the star attractions laid out along it and two wings making up the residential and commercial sectors.   

It’s a spread-out city with lots of spaghetti junctions so you can’t walk around it the same way you would other cities, but there’s still plenty to discover.

Head up to the viewing platform of the Television Tower to appreciate the city plan or stroll past the government buildings on the Esplanade of the Ministries. Go bar hopping, starting at old favorite Beirute, or enjoy culinary experiences in some of Brasilia’s ever-increasing contemporary restaurants.

A small town popular with backpackers, Paraty is flanked by the jaw-dropping mountains on Brazil’s Costa Verde and supremely positioned between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

The perfect place to break up a trip, Paraty has a lot going for it with a rich Portuguese colonial center including cobbled streets and many excellent 17th- and 18th-century buildings due to its history as an important port during the Brazilian Gold Rush.

Today more of a popular artist refuge and tourist hotspot than an export hub, Paraty was recently recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site along with the nearby island of Ilha Grande.

Paraty is a welcome escape from the city madness, with tropical hiking, horseback riding, boat cruising, and snorkeling. Or you can just spend hours exploring the colonial-era streets, darting into small cafes, whitewashed churches, and modern galleries. Paraty has long been a beloved getaway for residents of Rio, but now the cosmopolitan vibes have been taken a step further with the influx of international vacationers.

In August, Paraty host the annual Festival of Cachaça, and in May, there is the Paraty Bourbon Jazz Festival, which includes many of the world’s top artists. Add to this the 65 islands and 300 beaches nearby, a fun cook school, a slew of bars and luxe lodgings, and it is safe to say Paraty will firmly keep its status as one of the best places to visit in Brazil for the foreseeable future.

The Amazon has captured the imagination of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the ages and for good reason. Its incomparable ecosystem and diverse flora and fauna are fascinating not just to biologists, but to travelers, which is why going on an Amazon Rainforest River Tour on the Rio Negro is so popular!

Cruising down the Amazon River taking in the quiet majesty of the area is one of the things to do in Brazil that just can’t be missed.

Manaus is the largest city nearby and definitely the most convenient location you can explore from. Here you’ll find a wide range of accommodation options and tour operators to fit every budget. And prices are a lot lower here than what you can find in the Ecuadorian Amazon or Peruvian Amazon if that helps…

You can go on organized hikes into the jungle, canoe trips or even go fishing. All of these are unforgettable experiences to help you appreciate the power of the river and the life it generates around it.

São Miguel das Missões in Rio Grande do Sul state is a monumental Spanish Jesuit mission ruins from the 17th century.

It was built because the Jesuits at the time of colonization were on a mission of evangelizing the Indigenous people of Bacia do Rio Prata (a territory that today is spread across Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil), to preserve their culture and language and protect them from Portuguese slave traders. Eighteen such villages were built as places where converted Indigenous people lived, to adapt their lifestyle to Christianity.

The Jesuits were eventually expelled under the Treaty of Madrid when the area was transferred from Spain to Portugal. The Guaraní tribes who lived here refused to comply with the order to relocate from their homelands, and thus a joint Portuguese-Spanish army attacked and defeated the Guaraní. The São Miguel das Missões was left in ruins, the Guaraní were killed and enslaved, and this great social experiment ended.

The ruins today have a ‘paradise lost’ feel to them, with an incredible museum and many gorgeous viewpoints to appreciate the scale of the undertaking.

In 1984 the Mission was listed as World Heritage under the Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis listing, along with three others in Argentina including the equally impressive San Ignacio Mini.

Hidden in the murky depths of the famous Amazon jungle, Alter do Chao is a quirky and offbeat beach destination that boasts astonishing white sandy stretches that will convince you you’ve somehow traveled to Brazil’s famous north coast.

Located around 33 kilometers west of the already isolated Santarém, Alter do Chao is most well-known for its Ilha do Amor (Island of Love), an arresting island ringed by a white-sand beach. But there is much more to this place than just beaches; there is a three-fingered lagoon to investigate – either by canoe or stand-up paddleboard – and boat tours into the surrounding Amazon.

You should not miss a trip to Ponta do Cururu at sunset where large numbers of pink and grey dolphins gather for an evening meal. An ethereal experience — to say the least.

Positioned on a major tributary of the Amazon river between Belem and Manaus, the isolation of Alter do Chão’s and retreat from the modern world is the appeal here – and the main reason why there are so few visitors. A lack of roads in the region means the main way to get here is by flying to Santarém and then catching the bus. You’ll be duly rewarded for your efforts.

While not on most tourist itinerary for Brazil, landlocked Belo Horizonte is the capital city of Brazil’s Minas Gerais and the countries sixth-largest city.

A lively, industrial and gritty city – architectural lovers should not miss this city and the Pampulha Lake Architectural Complex, home to an assortment of incredible designs by Brazil’s modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer. There is the wavy-topped Church of St. Francis of Assisi, a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club, and various other edifices all in collaboration with famed landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx and give a hint to what he would later build in Brasília.

The artificial lake itself is also stunning and has capybara living around its edge.

Back in the concrete jungle, Belo Horizonte is a sprawling mess – but has plenty of charm if you are willing to seek it out. The Instituto de Arte Contemporânea Inhotim is the world’s largest open-air contemporary art museum with 87 acres of beautiful gardens— then there is a vibrant central market and a revitalizing museum scene.

Ouro Preto is also a short distance away, making Belo Horizonte a convenient stopover point.

Another of the most incredible natural sites in Brazil, the Pantanal is virtually unpopulated. It’s an enormous wetland covering approximately 210,000 square kilometers and hosting an amazing variety of animals.

Definitely, one for the nature lovers, the wildlife here is unmissable if you like to see creatures in their natural habit. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pantanal Conservation Area actually consists of a group of four protected areas with a total area of 187,818 ha.

Positioned in western central Brazil at the south-west corner of the State of Mato Grosso, the protected site stewards 1.3% of Brazil’s Pantanal region, one of the world’s largest freshwater wetland ecosystems.

The headwaters of the region’s two primary river systems, the Cuiabá and the Paraguay rivers, are found here, and the wealth and diversity of its vegetation and animal life are magnificent.

Belém, the largest city of the state of Pará in the country’s north, is the eastern gateway to the Amazon River.

2.5 million people reside in this tropical metropolis, which has benefited throughout its history from a position approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean.

While many might flit through this transit hub in a rush to more exotic adventures, you should spend a few days exploring the dynamic city filled with mango trees, vibrant markets, museums, and a growing restaurant scene. For a while during the rubber boom in the late 19th century Belem was known as the ‘tropical Paris; with electricity, grand monuments, streetcars, and a sophisticated European vibe – though today Belem is very much forging its own path.

The standout highlight has to be the colorful riverfront district Cidade Velha (old town) filled with Portuguese-colonial architecture similar to Lagos or Porto – with plenty of ornate churches, picturesque azulejo-tile houses, and an extensive 17th-century fort.

Another ‘must-see spot’ is the vast Ver-o-Peso open-air market located on Guajará bay’s docks and hawking exotic Amazonian fish, unknown fruit, and indigenous handicrafts. It is considered one of the largest markets in Latin America, and you can spend at least a few hours perusing the items on sale, interspersed with breaks for a gratifying bowl of pulped açai berries at one of the stands and a cold bottle of Tijuca beer to top it all off.

In the evening – try to catch an opera or performance at the Theatro da Paz, which would look right at home in Vienna or Buenos Aires .

We love Salvador, Brazil’s third-largest city, for its lively mix of cultures and styles, its 17 th and 18th-century architecture, and its endless vibrancy. This is the epicenter of Brazil’s Afro-Brazilian community and where the best music and culture can be found.   

Of all the things to do in Brazil, make Salvador one of them. During the days, explore streets so picturesque that you feel like you have stepped back in time, especially in the center (Pelourinho); at night, take a ride on the 85 meters Art Deco Lacerda Elevator on your way to a delicious meal in one of the many restaurants. Architecturally blessed and culturally diverse, Salvador was the first capital city of Brazil and has it all.

In between times, chill on the beach. This is a city that likes to live, so enjoy being part of it!

An improbable eco-tourism destination, the remote Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in the central Brazilian state of Goiás is 650 square kilometers of big sky country. There are rolling hills, lush flora and fauna, dramatic canyons, and plenty of hiking trails to keep you occupied for at least a few days.

Rivers crisscross the park (and surrounding private land), creating a lattice of canyons, cliffs, and rivers – usually with a waterfall somewhere to allow for a refreshing dip at the end of the hike. There is an abundance of orchids, and iconic wildlife species like jaguars, armadillos, jaguars, and toucans.

Guides are no longer required to hike here, but if you want to learn about the biodiversity here, they are recommended. The Travessia das Sete Quedas hike, in particular, is simply magical, a 23-kilometer trail through a spectacular canyon and crossing the Rio Preto river twice. You can do it all in one day, or overnight in a campsite with seven small waterfalls nearby.

Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park access is from the nearby town of São Jorge, which connects to kooky Alto Paraíso de Goiás and the rest of the start.

Who would have expected one of the top things to do in Brazil to be to visit wine country, but yes – the Vale dos Vinhedos Wine Region proves this marvelous country does have it all.

Located in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul between the cities of Garibaldi, Bento Gonçalves, and Monte Belo do Sul, this area has a strong Italian influence. It also offers the unique properties required in terms of soil, climate, topography, and culture to create a desirable bottle of wine.

Vale dos Vinhedos covers 82 square kilometers (32 square miles) and is home to over 30 wineries and an influential national grape and wine research bureau. Miniature estates sit alongside larger wineries providing plenty of options for wine tours, with most allowing drop-in visitors.

Even for those who don’t like wine, the attractive area also houses a cornucopia of cheese factories, art workshops, craft houses, restaurants, and boutique accommodations. The work of the Italian immigrants over the last 150 years has culminated in Vale dos Vinhedos getting a reputation for outstanding vintages, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It was even recently named one of the world’s ten best wine travel destinations recently, joining the likes of Queenstown in New Zealand or Champagne in France.

While not yet swamped with international tourists, the Vale dos Vinhedos is exceptionally popular with locals and has a well-established collection of rural inns and tourist routes. You’ll be rubbing your eyes and thinking you have been transported to Italy or Northern California.

One hundred eighty kilometers from Rio de Janeiro is Armação dos Búzios – or just Búzios for the devoted, a renowned seaside town where Rio’s elite flock each weekend.

An urbane Eden of greenery, clear waters and narrow cobblestone streets create an enduring appeal that has seen Búzios transform over the past 50 years from a small fishing village to Brazil’s St. Tropez. Located on a jutting peninsula, Búzios is a collection of three settlements and 17 beaches with oceanfront dining, an arresting harbor, and all the expected tourist amenities.

There is everything from hostels to high-end hotels and more options for relation, shopping, and nightlife then we could ever cover. It is hard to know where to start. And then there are the off-shore islands, ideal for diving, world-class gastronomy, world-class galleries, and boutique shopping.

But our favorite activity has to be people watching here. Buzios attracts the most fashionable people from not just Brazil but around the world. So, as you might imagine, one of the best things to do is simply choose a seat at a pavement cafe, order a Caipirinha, and watch the gorgeous people go by…

• NEWS & ADVICE
• NORTH AMERICA
• SOUTH AMERICA
• HOTEL & CRUISE
• FOOD & DRINK
• TRAVEL TIPS

Trip and Wellness

Destinations , south america, 15 top tourist attractions & things to do in brazil.

Nestled in the heart of South America, Brazil beckons as the fifth-largest country on the planet, offering a vast expanse of adventure and exploration. Travelers are drawn to the picturesque white-sand beaches, exotic tropical islands, vibrant music-filled metropolises, and enchanting colonial towns that adorn its extensive 7,500 km (4,600 miles) coastline.

When exploring inland Brazil, you will encounter magnificent waterfalls, vibrant wetlands teeming with wildlife, and the pristine expanse of the Amazon rainforest. This region is also home to isolated tribes who have had no contact with the outside world.

Travel to Brazil, the magnificent destination in Latin America, where you can explore the rich history of this country. Embark on a journey back in time as you discover how Brazil, once a Portuguese colony in 1500, thrived under Portuguese rule for an impressive span of 300 years. Travelers can still witness the enduring legacy of this heritage in the charming streets of historic colonial cities.

In addition to these popular tourist destinations in Brazil, the country is also renowned for its stunning beaches, known for their excellent surfing conditions, and breathtaking landscapes. The Rio area is renowned for its stunning beaches, offering a perfect destination for travelers seeking sun, sand, and relaxation. Some of these beaches are nestled in remote locations, making the journey to reach them an exciting adventure in its own right. If you are planning a trip to this captivating destination, here are our suggestions for the top tourist attractions in Brazil.

Christ the Redeemer

The Christ the Redeemer statue, an iconic landmark that greets visitors to Rio de Janeiro, earned the distinction of being named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

This statue, which stands as one of Brazil’s most visited and renowned tourist attractions, was erected over 90 years ago. It holds the distinction of being the world’s largest Art Deco statue and surprisingly, only ranks as the fourth tallest statue of Jesus Christ globally.

This cultural symbol has transcended boundaries, drawing millions of people, both believers and non-believers, from around the world to witness the Christ the Redeemer statue in person as it stands sentinel atop Corcovado Mountain, overlooking Rio de Janeiro.

Accommodation: Where to Stay in Rio de Janeiro : Best Areas & Hotels

Iguaçu Falls

Situated on the border between Brazil and Argentina, Iguaçu Falls is a magnificent natural wonder that captivates travelers from around the globe. The magnificent travel destination known as the Iguazu River is home to a breathtaking system of 275 waterfalls. One of the most awe-inspiring sights to behold is the Devil’s Throat, a magnificent U-shaped formation towering at a staggering height of 82 meters (269 ft).

Travelers can easily access the magnificent falls from the vibrant cities of Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, Puerto Iguazú in Argentina, and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. In Brazil, you can explore a scenic walkway that stretches alongside the canyon, offering breathtaking views. This walkway even extends to the lower base of the Devil’s Throat, allowing you to get up close to this magnificent natural wonder.

Copacabana Beach 

Situated in Rio de Janeiro, Copacabana stands as one of the globe’s most renowned beaches. It spans approximately two miles in length and is surrounded by a mix of hotels and upscale residences, with more modest homes interspersed throughout. A stunning boardwalk, adorned with a black-and-white checkered pattern made of Portuguese stone, runs alongside the sandy shore.

This vibrant neighborhood serves as the host for Rio’s famous New Year’s celebration and boasts several captivating tourist attractions, including the Copacabana Fort, constructed in 1914, and the luxurious Hotel Copacabana Palace.

Salvador Beaches

Located in the northeast region of Brazil lies Salvador, the vibrant capital of Bahia, offering an array of breathtaking beaches that are among the finest in the country.

Praia Itapua is a pristine stretch of white sandy beach, adorned with palm fronds and coconut trees, creating a picturesque paradise. It is located near the culturally rich and artistically vibrant neighborhood of Itapua. Nearby venues exude an eclectic and bohemian atmosphere, featuring lively live music and delectable food options, such as “acaraje,” a spicy fried bean dish.

For a local experience, join the residents at Boa Viagem, a beachfront area bordered by beachside bars, nightclubs, seafood restaurants, and a scenic boardwalk perfect for leisurely strolls along the shore. Boa Viagem benefits from coral reefs that protect its shallow waters, making it an ideal destination for families looking to enjoy a day at the beach.

Nestled in the Bodoquena Sierra of Mato Grosso do Sul, Bonito is a charming town and a thriving hub for ecotourism.

Bonito is enveloped by pristine waterways and lush forests. One of its premier attractions is the Rio de Prata, or Silver River, known for its crystal-clear aquamarine waters teeming with friendly fish, making it an ideal spot for snorkeling.

Another captivating destination is the Gruta do Lago Azul, or Blue Lake Grotto, an otherworldly underwater cave filled with mesmerizing blue water. Scuba diving, swimming, and snorkeling are popular activities in this grotto, where lucky explorers may even stumble upon fossils of ancient prehistoric creatures.

Within Bonito, you’ll find the Aquario de Natural, a marine preserve just a short trek through the jungle. Here, swimming, snorkeling, and glass-bottomed boat tours are favored activities, offering a memorable adventure through the clear waters inhabited by lazily swimming, vibrantly colored fish.

Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha, located 354 km (220 miles) off the northeastern coast of Brazil, is a stunning archipelago known for its breathtaking beaches, picturesque landscapes, and diverse wildlife. In 1503, Amerigo Vespucci embarked on a remarkable journey and stumbled upon a captivating archipelago. Over time, the Dutch and French adventurers also ventured to this enchanting destination, leaving their temporary mark. However, it was Portugal who ultimately claimed dominion over this alluring archipelago in 1737.

Today, travelers can explore the largest of the 21 islands, which is home to a population of approximately 3,500 people. The travel destination is a paradise for adventure seekers, attracting divers and snorkelers from all over the world. With its consistently warm waters and excellent visibility, even at depths of 50 meters, it offers an unforgettable experience.

Rio Carnival

Brazil is a vibrant destination with carnival celebrations happening in various parts of the country. Among the most famous locations are Recife, Olinda, and Salvador, where you can experience the lively festivities. However, when it comes to travel, one of the most renowned and celebrated events is the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The Rio Carnival is a popular travel destination, drawing in two million people per day on the streets and nearly half a million international visitors during its four-day celebration.

The vibrant Carnival takes place in various locations throughout Rio, from the lively streets and squares to the bustling bars, clubs, and other venues. The festivities culminate in the breathtaking Rio Samba Parade at the iconic Sambadrome.

Ouro Preto, located in the Serra do Espinhaco mountains north of Rio de Janeiro, is a historic colonial town characterized by its baroque architecture and cobblestone streets.

Founded at the close of the 17th century, the town played a pivotal role in Brazil’s Gold Rush of the late 17th century, rapidly becoming one of the wealthiest and largest settlements in the region. It was also the hometown of Brazil’s most celebrated artist and sculptor, Aleijadinho. Visitors can admire many of Aleijadinho’s masterpieces scattered throughout the city, along with a collection of his sculptures displayed in the Museum of Aleijadinho.

Just outside Ouro Preto lies the world’s largest gold mine open to the public, located in Mariana. Guided tours allow visitors to explore the gold mine via an old cable car while delving into its rich history. Within the town of Ouro Preto, numerous elaborately designed churches showcase intricate architectural details. Many of these churches were adorned with native gold, adding to their splendor.

Teatro Amazonas

Teatro Amazonas, also known as Amazon Theatre, is an opera house situated in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, in Manaus.

Constructed during the prosperous era of the rubber trade, the opera house utilized materials sourced from around the world, including furniture from Paris, marble from Italy, and steel from England. The exterior of the building is adorned with a dome covered in 36,000 intricately decorated ceramic tiles, painted in the colors of the Brazilian national flag.

On January 7, 1897, the opera house hosted its inaugural performance featuring the Italian opera “La Gioconda.” However, due to the decline of the rubber trade, Manaus lost its primary source of income, leading to the closure of Teatro Amazonas shortly after its grand opening. For nearly 90 years, the opera house remained dormant until it reopened its doors in 1990.

Amazon River

The Amazon River, renowned as the world’s largest river by water volume, meanders through nine South American countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

As the lifeblood of the largest rainforest on the planet, this formidable river remains largely uncharted, concealing countless discoveries and opportunities. In the northwestern region of Brazil lies Manaus, the sole city within the Amazon Rainforest boasting a population exceeding one million residents.

People from around the globe journey to Manaus in search of the chance to explore this unique environment, whether embarking on a one-of-a-kind Amazon River tour or embarking on a backpacking adventure through the lush Amazonian jungles. These experiences offer a rare opportunity to encounter sloths, toucans, macaws, and the captivating, pinkish-colored river dolphin known as the boto.

Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park

Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park offers easy access from Sao Jorge and Alto Paraiso. This magnificent park is perched on an ancient plateau that dates back an astonishing two billion years.

As you explore the national park, you will encounter breathtaking cascading waterfalls, picturesque dipping valleys, and awe-inspiring steep canyons. Traveling to the various hiking trails offers a fulfilling adventure. For instance, when exploring the Cachoeira Macaquinhos, also known as the Little Monkey Waterfall, travelers can embark on a scenic trail spanning less than three miles. It is a travel destination that caters to beginners, providing breathtaking views of emerald-dipped pools filled by cascading waterfalls.

Explore the stunning Vale da Lua located within the breathtaking Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. One of the park’s most popular attractions is this remarkable rock formation, which was formed over thousands of years through the process of erosion. Next, capture breathtaking photographs at the renowned Mirante de Janela, a landmark that resembles a window frame, offering stunning panoramic vistas of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park.

Historic Center of Olinda

Located on the enchanting northeastern coast of Brazil in Pernambuco, lies the captivating city of Olinda. Just a short distance north of the vibrant city of Recife, Olinda is a destination steeped in rich history and cultural significance. This travel destination was established during the 16th century and is renowned as one of Brazil’s most well-preserved colonial cities.

The vibrant streets of Olinda’s Historic Center are filled with magnificent architectural wonders, embraced by lush greenery, and complemented by picturesque coastal views. The city’s rich travel history is intertwined with the sugarcane industry, as evidenced by its historic center. This area showcases the prosperity and economic growth that flourished in the 16th century. Located in the charming city of Olinda, the Catedral Alto da Se stands as a remarkable testament to the rich architectural heritage and vibrant history of this destination. Once a revered Jesuit church, it showcases the captivating allure that Olinda has to offer to travelers seeking a glimpse into its prosperous past.

Exploring the Historic Center of Olinda takes you on a captivating voyage through the rich history of Brazil. Immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere as you encounter ancient monuments, magnificent churches, and centuries-old houses.

Jericoacoara

Jericoacoara, also known as Jijoca or Jeri, has evolved from a quaint fishing village into a bustling beach resort, earning its place as one of those idyllic vacation spots that often tempt travelers to extend their stay.

Located west of Fortaleza in Ceara, Jericoacoara is a favored destination for activities such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, swimming, and backpacking. Here, the streets are made of sand rather than concrete, and the undeveloped coastline stretches as far as the eye can see, adorned with sprawling sand dunes.

Explore Jericoacoara National Park, home to the mesmerizing Lagoa do Paraiso, a turquoise lagoon complete with nearby hammocks for leisurely relaxation and bars offering refreshments. Savor fresh lobster, oysters, and an array of seafood dishes at local restaurants. When nightfall descends upon Jericoacoara, join both locals and fellow tourists at the numerous clubs and bars where live music serenades the night away.

Ilha Grande

Located between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande is a stunning and popular weekend getaway destination.

With lush forest trails for hiking, crystal-clear waters for swimming, and powdery white beaches for relaxation, it’s easy to lose track of time while vacationing on Ilha Grande.

Once serving as a state prison, a leper colony, and even a refuge for pirates, the island has transformed into an ideal vacation spot for both locals and tourists seeking a serene outdoor escape.

Embark on a hike to Lopes Mendes Beach, consistently ranked among Brazil’s top beaches, boasting an endless shoreline, tranquil ambiance, and crystal-clear waters that invite you to unwind. Ilha Grande offers a variety of hiking options for adventurous souls, whether you choose to explore the vicinity of Vila de Abraao, passing by the historic prison that once housed political prisoners, or embark on a challenging journey to the island’s highest point, Pico de Papagayo.

Pelourinho, a historic neighborhood in western Salvador, Bahia, once served as the city’s colonial center and operated as a slave market until the abolition of slavery in 1835.

Today, Pelourinho thrives as a vibrant hub brimming with culture, history, and opportunities to delve into colonial architecture.

This neighborhood boasts numerous noteworthy tourist attractions. Begin your exploration with a visit to Igreja de São Francisco, an early 18th-century church built in the High Baroque style. Its interior is adorned with intricate gilded artwork that inspires awe, complemented by gold-covered ceilings.

Next, be captivated by a live capoeira performance. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that intertwines music, acrobatics, dance, and spirituality, accompanied by traditional Brazilian songs and instruments. Witnessing the dazzling displays of spins and kicks offers a mesmerizing glimpse into Afro-Brazilian history.

These are just a few of the popular activities and attractions that await those eager to explore the rich culture and history of Pelourinho!

Q: Is it safe to visit Brazil as a tourist?

A: Brazil is generally safe for tourists, but like any destination, it’s important to take precautions, especially in crowded areas.

Q: hat’s the best time to visit the Amazon rainforest?

A: The dry season (June to December) is ideal for Amazon tours when wildlife is more accessible.

Q: How can I experience Carnival in Brazil?

A: To enjoy Brazil’s famous Carnival, plan your visit during the festival season in February or March.

Q: Are there any visa requirements for traveling to Brazil?

A: Check the visa requirements for your country on the Brazilian consulate website before your trip.

Q: Can I explore Brazil on a budget?

A: Yes, Brazil offers budget-friendly options for accommodations, dining, and transportation, especially in smaller cities.

Related posts:

administrator

27 Top Tourist Attractions in Brazil

Brazil, spanning half of South America, is the world’s fifth-largest nation. Its 7,500 km (4,600 km) of coastline is dotted with white-sand beaches, tropical islands, music-filled metropolises, and attractive colonial villages.

Impressive waterfalls, wildlife-rich marshes, and the unspoiled Amazon rainforest are just a few of the attractions waiting to be explored by visitors in Brazil’s interior.

The Portuguese colonised the biggest nation in South America, Brazil, in the year 1500. They kept control of the country for another 300 years. Historic colonial cities still retain many of the architectural and cultural features that make them unique. Brazilian beaches are world-famous for their surfing waves and picturesque scenery, and are just as popular as the country’s other tourist attractions. There are several fantastic beaches in the Rio region, and some of them may be so remote that just getting there may be an experience. Discover some of Brazil’s finest attractions here.

27. Porto de Galinhas

An aerial view of the stunning Porto de Galinhas beaches in Pernambuco, Brazil. Image source: Brastock/ Shutterstock.com

Porto de Galinhas, one of Brazil’s booming beach attractions, sees crowds of vacationers every summer. What, then, is it about Porto de Galinhas that makes it so unique? White sand beaches, blue oceans, pleasant temperatures, and a variety of comfortable hotel options are only the beginning of the attractions here.

The beautiful natural pools that occur in the reefs at low tide at Porto de Galinhas are what really set this place apart.

26. Campos do Jordao

A scenic view of the beautiful Campos do Jordao in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Image source: eli medeiros/ Shutterstock.com

Located in the stunning Mantiqueira Mountains at an altitude of more than 1,600 metres (5,300 feet) above sea level, this hamlet is Brazil’s highest. This resort town is located at a high altitude, making it a welcome respite from the sweltering summer heat in Brazil.

Most people know Campos do Jordao for its annual Winter Festival, a classical music festival that takes place in the city every July and attracts performers from all over the globe. Horseback riding, jeep trips, and cable car rides are just a few of the many active excursions available to tourists in this area.

25. Lencois Maranhenses National Park

A breathtaking view of the sand dunes in Maranhenses National Park, Brazil. Image source: T photography/ Shutterstock.com

Most people think of Brazil in terms of its beautiful beaches and lush rainforests, not its sand dunes. Huge sand dunes, however, may be found at Lencois Maranhenses, one of the country’s most fascinating national parks. Although we are far from the Sahara, this is not a desert. In fact, the tremendous rains of July produce stunningly beautiful lagoons, the depths of which may reach up to 3 metres (10 feet) in certain places.

There are fish in these ephemeral lakes, which dry up during the dry season. Visitors may swim, although the water is likely to be warm. These pools may become as hot as 30 degrees Celsius (87 degrees Fahrenheit).

24. Florianopolis Beaches

A beautiful view of the coastline at Mole beach in Brazil. Image source: Wonderful Nature/ Shutterstock.com

Surfers, partygoers, and sunbathers flock to Florianopolis, sometimes called Floripa, for its 42 beaches. Joaquina Beach, with its towering sand dunes and high-quality surf, is among the most well-liked in the area. Recently, though, Joaquina’s rival, Praia Mole, has been grabbing some of the spotlight.

Tourists interested in rubbing shoulders with Hollywood A-listers can travel to Jurere, which is home to several mansions of impressive size and many excellent nightclubs. Lagoinha do Leste is the beach for people who like to spend some time alone. A word of caution, though: it takes roughly a two-hour climb to get to this beach.

23. Praia de Pipa

A stunning view of Praia de Pipa beach in Brazil. Image source: Gorloff-KV/ Shutterstock.com

Due to its picture-perfect beaches, towering cliffs, and crystal-clear seas, Praia de Pipa has become one of Brazil’s most well-known beach destinations. There is a wide variety of things to do in the town, from surfing and boating to partying all night long.

Despite its widespread appeal, the town is very small because of the presence of ESAs all around it. As a result, sightseers may still take in the area’s natural splendour and enjoy a swim in seas abounding with marine life, such as dolphins and turtles.

22. Museu de Arte Contemporanea

A beautiful view of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Image source: Cacio Murilo/ Shutterstock.com

The Museu de Arte Contemporânea (Modern Art Museum) might be mistaken for an inverted chandelier, an alien spacecraft, or a fancy bowl, depending on your point of view.

The museum, which was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated in 1996 in Rio’s Niteroi district, offers stunning views of the city and harbour. It has been said by some tourists that the structure itself is more magnificent than the exhibits housed within.

A stunning aerial view of Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Image source: Catarina Belova/ Shutterstock.com

Buzios, a beach resort located 105 miles outside of Rio de Janeiro, is a popular destination for vacationers. Buzios is home to 23 beaches, each of which is designed to attract a certain kind of visitor (surfers may like Geriba, while families may go toward Tartaruga).

There’s a colourful fleet of boats in the port of the fishing community that sits along the water’s edge. Snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, biking, shopping for crafts, and eating on the Rua das Pedras are all very well-liked pastimes.

20. Aparados da Serra National Park

the Aparados da Serra National Park in Cambara do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Image source: vitormarigo/ Shutterstock.com

Protecting Itaimbezinho, one of Brazil’s most magnificent canyons, led to the establishment of Aparados da Serra, one of the country’s first national parks. narrow canyon with subtropical vegetation at its edges and about 720 metres of steep parallel escarpments (2360 feet).

The Rio do Boi makes its way down the canyon floor, and two waterfalls drop into a stone plunge pool before it. From the canyon’s edge, you may make your way down to the river along a rocky route, but be warned: it’s no easy trek.

19. Cathedral of Brasilia

A view of the iconic Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília, Brazil. Image source: Edson J Ferreira/ Shutterstock.com

Whenever a Roman Catholic church doesn’t appear like a church, and especially when Oscar Niemeyer was responsible for the design. When compared to other churches, the Cathedral of Braslia stands apart. It is more like an Indian tent than a church, and it is made up of 16 concrete columns, each weighing 90 tonnes.

The front has Dante Croce’s sculptures of the Four Evangelists, who were completed in 1970. This progressive church certainly deviates from the norm.

18. Pelourinho

A colorful street in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Image source: Luis War/ Shutterstock.com

Salvador, one of the oldest cities in the Americas, was founded in 1549 and is home to the city’s ancient district, Pelourinho. The Pelourinho, or “pillory,” is where slaves were taken to be beaten.

The pastel-colored buildings in this historic district are as elegant as the music and dancing that fill the streets. You may get some authentic prawn dishes and local handicrafts here.

17. Ilha Grande

A scenic view of Ilha Grande Abraao Beach in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Image source: Arkadij Schell/ Shutterstock.com

The stunning “Big Island” (Ilha Grande) is located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Before becoming a high-security jail in 1994, the area served as a leper colony.

As a result, the island of Ilha Grande has a pristine Atlantic rainforest and stunning tropical beaches. Despite being the island’s biggest settlement, Vila do Abrao is home to barely 1,900 inhabitants. The island has a strict no-car policy.

16. Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park

A beautiful view of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in Goias, Brazil. Image source: Luiz Antonio Nasser Jr/ Shutterstock.com

About 240 kilometres (150 miles) from Brasilia lies Chapada dos Veadeiros, a national park in Goias state. This area of Brazil is the highlight for many visitors to Brazil due to its abundance of waterfalls, animals, vegetation, and trekking opportunities.

However, they stress that hikers need to be in excellent physical shape since some of the treks are strenuous. Two days in the park is a minimum suggestion.

15. Jericoacoara

A stunning view of the sunset at Jericoacoara beach in Ceara, Brazil. Image source: rocharibeiro/ Shutterstock.com

Getting to Jericoacoara, or Jeri, as it’s called locally, may be challenging due to the bumpy dirt roads, but the pristine beach town may be worth the effort.

Jeri is a lovely area to relax because of its abundance of waterside hammocks, sandy roads that are normally off-limits to cars, and pristine white beaches. Sunsets atop the Por do Sol dune are a famous attraction.

14. Curitiba-Paranagua Train Ride

The train ride from Curitiba to Paranagua offers stunning views of the lush green hills. Image source: Luciana Nobre Deliza/ Shutterstock.com

One of the most beautiful train trips in Brazil is the Serra Verde Express, which travels from contemporary Curitiba to mediaeval Paranagua in Parana state across 84 kilometres (52 miles) of Atlantic rainforest, 14 tunnels, and 30 bridges. The trip terminates at Morretes six days a week; on Sundays, riders may continue on to the seaside town of Paranagua.

Paraty’s historic center is full of charming, narrow streets like this one. Image source: Catarina Belova/ Shutterstock.com

Parati (also known as Paraty) is a great destination for pedestrians since the historic district is car-free. With its brightly painted buildings and lovely beaches, Paraty is one of Brazil’s most beautiful old cities.

Horseback riding through the jungle to the coast is the main draw in this location, which is around 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of Rio. This colonial settlement in the 1600s was a significant supplier of gold to Europe.

12. Copacabana

Copacabana, in Rio de Janeiro, is one of the most famous beaches in the world. It’s about two miles long and dotted with hotels and luxurious mansions, with some more humble properties interspersed. On each side of the beach is a stunning boardwalk made of black-and-white striped Portuguese stone.

In addition to hosting Rio’s world-famous New Year’s Eve celebration, this lively area is also home to a number of fascinating landmarks, such as the historic Copacabana Fort (built in 1914) and the luxurious Hotel Copacabana Palace.

11. Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto (which literally translates to “black gold”) was established at the end of the 17th century and is one of the best-preserved colonial cities in all of Brazil. In a short amount of time, it became the focus of a new gold rush in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.

Portions of the city’s Portuguese colonial architecture have been meticulously conserved, and new construction is required to meet strict guidelines designed to protect this heritage. Ouro Preto’s golden cathedrals from the 18th and 19th centuries and the sculptures of Aleijadinho help to make Ouro Preto a top Brazilian tourist destination.

10. Teatro Amazonas

The Amazon Theatre is one of the most beautiful landmarks in Manaus, Brazil. Image source: Arnika Ganten/ Shutterstock.com

There is an opera theatre called the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, right in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest.

During the height of the rubber trade, it was constructed using European and even some Asian elements, such as French furniture, Italian marble, and British steel. The building’s dome was embellished with 36,000 ceramic tiles in the colours of the Brazilian flag.

The Italian opera La Gioconda was the first to be performed there on January 7, 1897. Unfortunately, the opera house was closed not long thereafter because Manaus’s primary source of income—the rubber trade—disappeared. In 1990, after 90 years of inactivity, the Teatro Amazonas once again welcomed audiences for live performances.

9. Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha island, a UNESCO World Heritage site located off the coast of Brazil. Image source: Alexandree/ Shutterstock.com

Located 354 kilometres (220 miles) off the northeastern coast of Brazil, the Fernando de Noronha archipelago is a sight to see thanks to its pristine beaches, scenery, and animals. Discovered in 1503, the archipelago was inhabited by the Dutch and French until Portugal took control in 1737.

About 3,500 people call the biggest of these 21 islands home now. With warm seas all year and excellent visibility to depths of 50 metres, the islands are a paradise for scuba divers and snorkelers.

The Grotto of Lago Azul in the city of Bonito, Brazil. Image source: Vinicius Bacarin/ Shutterstock.com

Bonito serves as a starting point for ecotourists who want to explore some of the most spectacular waterfalls and cave systems in all of Brazil. The crystal-clear canals, where visitors may swim with exotic species, are, nevertheless, its most alluring feature. And the most daring may go caving in Abismo Anhumas, where they can descend into a cavern and stroll amid stalagmites and other cave formations.

Divers and snorkelers will find even more fantastical structures under the surface of the cavern’s water.

7. Historic Center of Olinda

The historic city of Olinda, in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Image source: OSTILL is Franck Camhi / Shutterstock.com

Olinda, like Recife, is a well-preserved colonial city on the northeastern coast of Brazil. Olinda is a vibrant metropolis, its white buildings and red roofs standing in sharp contrast to the blue of the Brazilian Atlantic Ocean to the north.

It’s known for the historic district, the churches, and the world-famous Carnival of Olinda, all of which draw many visitors each year. The abundance of cafes, restaurants, and workshops for local artisans only adds to the quaint atmosphere of the area.

6. Salvador Beaches

Aerial view of Costa del Sol beach, El Salvador. Image source: Guayo Fuentes/ Shutterstock.com

The capital of the state of Bahia, Salvador is home to a charming historical district, a thriving musical scene, and a plethora of world-class beaches. The beaches provide everything from protected coves perfect for swimming, diving, and sailing to open sea beaches with powerful waves beloved by surfers. There are other beaches where the reefs have formed natural stone pools that are safe for kids to play in.

5. Pantanal

aerial view of the expansive wetlands of the Brazilian Pantanal. Image source: FCG/ Shutterstock.com

Although it is mostly located in western Brazil, the Pantanal also crosses into Bolivia and Paraguay. It is a popular destination for tourists because of the abundant animals.

Wildlife sightings are almost assured in the Pantanal, unlike in the Amazon jungle. Massive populations of capybara and the Yacare Cayman may be found there. One of the greatest populations of jaguars in the Americas may be found in the Pantanal.

4. Rio Carnival

A vibrant and colorful parade during the Carnival festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Image source: Gustavo Ardila/ Shutterstock.com

Almost the whole country of Brazil celebrates carnival, with the most well-known festivals being in the cities of Recife, Olinda, and Salvador. But without a doubt, the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the largest and most well-known carnival in the world. During the four-day Rio Carnival, an average of two million locals and tourists flock to the streets.

Carnival is going on all over Rio, in the streets, squares, bars, clubs, and other places. The Rio Samba Parade at the Sambadrome is a great way to end the Carnival.

3. Amazon River

An aerial view of the vast and lush Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Image source: Curioso.Photography/ Shutterstock.com

The Amazon River is the world’s biggest by volume and the second longest at around 6,400 km (4,000 miles), behind only the Nile. Over 3,000 fish species have been identified in the Amazon, and more are likely to be found.

Half of the world’s surviving rainforests are found in the Amazon Basin. Jungle excursions focus more on the experience of sailing upriver into the humid, bustling, oppressive ambiance of the Amazon rainforest than on actually viewing animals, despite the fact that ten percent of the world’s estimated 10 million living species may be found there.

2. Iguaçu Falls

A panoramic view of the majestic Iguazu Falls in Brazil. Image source: Nido Huebl/ Shutterstock.com

Located on the border between Brazil and Argentina, Iguaçu Falls is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest natural marvels. There are 275 individual waterfalls in the Iguazu River waterfall system. Of them, the 82-meter-tall U-shaped Devil’s Throat is the most remarkable (269 ft).

All three of Foz do Iguaçu, in Brazil; Puerto Iguaz, in Argentina; and Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, are all reasonable travel options to the falls. There is a lengthy boardwalk that runs alongside the canyon to get to the lower base of the Devil’s Throat from the Brazilian side.

1. Christ the Redeemer

An aerial view of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Christ Redeemer statue. Image source: IrenaV/ Shutterstock.com

Rio de Janeiro is home to the world-famous Christ the Redeemer monument. From its vantage point atop Corcovado, a mountain that rises to an altitude of 700 meters (2,300 feet), one may take in breathtaking views of the whole region, from the northern interior of Guanabara Bay to the southern Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.

An iconic image of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, the Christ the Redeemer statue is 39.6 meters (130 feet) tall, with its 9.5 meters (31 feet) base.

Helena Felipe

17 best cities to visit in brazil, 25 best caribbean beaches, you may also like, best places to visit in colombia for singles, best places to visit in florida in november, best places to visit in jamaica for families, best places to visit in toronto for free, best places to visit in north georgia, best places to visit in rhode island in..., best places to visit in south america in..., best places to visit in arizona in december, best places to visit in hawaii in december, best places to visit in connecticut in the..., leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

Subscribe to our Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

At OnTravelX, we’re passionate about travel and helping people explore the world. Our mission is to provide comprehensive, informative, and inspiring travel content to our readers. From destination guides and travel tips to the latest trends in travel and tourism, we strive to cover every aspect of the travel experience.

Contact us: [email protected]

@2023 – OnTravlex. All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by OnTravlex

• Terms Of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy

19 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Rio de Janeiro

Written by Lana Law and Michael Law Updated Jan 19, 2024 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

The city of Rio de Janeiro, with its evocative name, brings to mind golden sand beaches populated by sun-kissed bodies by day and the passion of the samba by night. Many people consider this to be the most beautiful city setting in the world, and UNESCO cited "the staggeringly beautiful location for one of the world's biggest cities" in naming Rio a World Heritage Site .

The best way to appreciate Rio is to rush headlong into the experiences and attractions with passion and gusto. Corcovado, Sugarloaf, Copacabana, and Ipanema are the top places to start but there are many must-see places. When you're done touring the sites, hit the beach, and then head out in the evening for first-class dining, to see a football game, or to enjoy the nightlife.

Discover the best this city offers with our list of the top attractions in Rio de Janeiro.

See also: Where to Stay in Rio de Janeiro

1. Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor)

2. sugarloaf, 3. copacabana, 5. carnaval (carnival), 6. escadaria selarón (selaraón steps), 7. jardim botânico (botanical garden), 8. prainha beach (little beach), 9. maracanã, 10. são bento, 11. tijuca national park, 12. são francisco da penitência, 13. teatro municipal (municipal theater), 14. quinta da boa vista, 15. nossa senhora do carmo and monte do carmo, 16. ilha fiscal, 17. catedral de são sebastião, 18. take a boat trip to ilha de paquetá, 19. day trip to petrópolis, where to stay in rio de janeiro for sightseeing, tips and tours: how to make the most of your visit to rio de janeiro, map of tourist attractions in rio de janeiro, rio de janeiro, brazil - climate chart.

Towering over the city with its welcoming arms, the Christ the Redeemer statue is the iconic symbol of Rio de Janeiro and it's something you must visit while you're here. Set atop 709 meter-high Corcovado Mountain , this monument has been watching over the city for nearly 100 years.

Views from the deck below the 30-meter-high monument out over the city, ocean, and surrounding mountains are incredible on a clear day.

For the famous shot of yourself in front of the statue, walk about halfway down the stairs to the lower deck and shoot backward towards the statue.

Visiting Christ the Redeemer isn't all about views and selfies, the ride up to the top on the incline railway is half the fun. Ascending through the lush jungle, the steep ride to the top takes about 20 minutes and provides beautiful views.

Visiting Christ the Redeemer is one of the most popular things to do in Rio de Janeiro, with over 800,000 people visiting annually. Be prepared for crowds at the top. To avoid long queues for the train, book your tickets in advance online and select a time. Another option for getting to the top is taking a van ride, which is cheaper but far less scenic and enjoyable.

The best time to visit is early in the day, as the statue can become foggy as the day progresses.

Note: The former restaurant at the top is permanently closed; the only food and drink option is a small snack bar, although there are plenty of places to buy souvenirs!

It's hard to imagine a more perfectly placed mountain than Sugarloaf. Just slightly offshore from mainland Rio de Janeiro, this towering monolith provides sweeping views of the city and across to Christ the Redeemer. At the top, you'll find multiple viewing platforms, most of which are protected from the punishing equatorial sun. Views also extend to Rio's famed harbor with the Ponte Pres. Costa e Silva bridge in the foreground and back towards Copacabana and Christ the Redeemer.

The ride to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain is via a scenic two-stage cable car ride. Don't be distracted by the first stopping area with its shopping mall; the best views are from the top. As you exit the first station, just keep walking to your left and you'll eventually find the second station. The ride up from here is stunning, keep an eye out below for mountain climbers ascending the sheer face of the mountain.

As with Christ the Redeemer, lines can be long, so book your tickets in advance . You can book for specific days but not times. The best option, if you don't mind paying a little more, is to buy the VIP ticket which allows you to skip the lines on the way up and down (surprisingly you need to show your ticket to get down). This is an excellent investment!

The attraction is also known as Pão de açúcar when searching for the drop-off point using UBER .

This 2.5-mile stretch of golden sand is synonymous with Rio de Janeiro. Packed with people on warm summer weekends and throughout the Christmas holidays, it's a lively and fun scene and the beach where people from all walks of life come for sun, surf, and fun. The beach is wide, so be prepared for a significant walk to the water's edge.

The water is refreshingly cool and the waves can be surprisingly large depending on the day. Rio does a good job of keeping people on the beach safe, don't be surprised if you see a red helicopter doing water rescues if the surf is up. Chairs and umbrellas can be rented for a reasonable fee from organized beach service operators, who also provide cold drinks and meals. They also provide free showers.

Back from the beach is a wide walkway with black and white stones arranged in a decorative pattern. Here, you'll also find beachside restaurants and, in the evening, vendors selling all manner of handicrafts and souvenirs. At the far northern end of the beach are restaurants, many with live music, clustered under the large headland. Be sure to plan to come here in the early evening. It is an excellent spot to enjoy the sunset with expansive views of the beach.

If you can tear yourself from your towel, the early 18 th century Fort Copacabana and Military Museum at the south end of the beach is worth a look.

Note: The mood on Copacabana Beach varies. It's generally very family-oriented on weekends and holidays during the day. Night on the beach can be rowdy at times, especially on holidays in the late evening. Normal weekdays are much quieter.

Address: Praça Coronel Eugênio Franco, Rio de Janeiro

Continuing on westward from Copacabana's four-kilometer strand, the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon are separated by the Jardim de Alá Canal, which drains the lagoon, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. Along the seafront promenade are large hotels, sidewalk cafés, and restaurants.

These two districts, although best known for their beaches (one of which was made world-famous by the song The Girl from Ipanema ) have a lively cultural life, with art galleries, cinemas, and an avant-garde theater. Praça de Quental in Leblon is the scene of an antiques market every Sunday, and Praca General Osorio hosts the Sunday Feira de Artesanato de Ipanema featuring crafts, music, art, and local foods.

Carnaval is the biggest event of the year on the city's calendar. The festival brings a riot of color and endless action to the streets of Rio each February (sometimes late January, depending on the year). Some visitors plan their entire trip to Brazil around Carnival, and if you are going to attend, you need to do some serious advanced planning.

The celebrations begin shortly after New Year, but the splendor and extravagance reaches its spectacular climax in the four days before Ash Wednesday, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators to its street parades, samba parties, and shows. Other Brazilian cities celebrate Carnaval; it is also a major tourist event in Bahia and Recife, but Rio's is the most lavish.

The most spectacular events are the parades of the samba schools, which are held in a unique venue designed by renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. The Sambódromo is a long parade route lined by stadium-style boxes designed so that up to 90,000 spectators can watch the parades of brilliantly costumed dancers as they compete. The parade route is 700 meters long and 13 meters wide. It was first used in 1984 and updated as a venue for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Address: Rua Marquês de Sapucaí, Rio de Janeiro

Official site: www.sambadrome.com

A fun distraction when visiting Rio is the Selaraón Steps. Colorful stairs wind their way up a steep incline, each decorated with an assortment of tiles.

Work on the stairs began in 1983 by Jorge Selearón, who collected tile castoffs and affixed them to the dilapidated staircase running outside his home. Until his suspicious death in 2013, the somewhat eccentric artist kept adding, replacing, and repairing the tiles on stairs in the colors of the Brazilian flag and the tiles on the edges of the staircase in red.

The stairs are exceptionally photogenic and attract large crowds during the day. If you want to get the iconic shot with the staircase name, those tiles are near the bottom of the 125-meter-high staircase. Be sure to walk to the top of the stairs to get a feel for the amount of work Selearón put into this monument.

Small restaurants on shops selling cold beverages line the stairs. A good stop is a small restaurant at the top; it has a shady patio, a bit of a breeze, decent food, is well-priced, and provides good views of the stairs and a bit of downtown Rio.

The area around the stairs is a bit gritty (some call it Bohemian), I wouldn't recommend venturing too far away from the stairs, and I wouldn't come here at night.

If you've had enough of the urban beat of Rio de Janeiro and crave a bit of nature, take a trip over to the Botanical Gardens. The wide trails under the canopy of green are well-maintained and provide an oasis of calm and a pleasant change from the concrete jungle nearby.

A highlight is Aleia Barbosa Rodrigues, a wonderful wide walkway lined on both sides by towering Royal Palm trees with the famous Fountain of the Muses in the middle. Near the fountain is a giant Kapok tree.

The gardens are a UNESCO World Biosphere site and are home to over 8,000 species of plant life. Trails are well marked in English and be sure to follow the signs to both the Orchidarium, an iron-and-glass greenhouse built in the 1930s, and the Japanese Gardens.

Note that an admission fee is charged to enter and at the time of writing only cash was accepted.

Address: R. Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro

If you have visited the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema and still crave more, but at the same time are looking for something a bit different, take the 20-kilometer jaunt down to Prainha. Where the rainforest meets the ocean, this beach is more natural than the ones in the heart of Rio.

Golden sands and large round boulders are lapped by the sea, and finding your own patch of sand to soak up the sun is never an issue. If you like to surf, this is the place to do it. Nice right and left breaks provide consistent rides in May, then flatten out until September.

A must-see for football (soccer) fans when a game is scheduled, Brazil's largest stadium was home to the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. It was completely renovated for the FIFA World Cup 2014 and holds more than 78,000 fans.

The stadium is used for matches between Rio's major football clubs, the Flamengo, Botafogo, Fluminense, and Vasco da Gama, as well as for concerts. The brief tour would be of interest to avid fans, but others should give it a miss.

The shore of Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas , near Copacabana and Ipanema, where many other Olympic events took place, is lined by parks and sports clubs, and its waters are popular for regattas and other water sports.

Address: Av. Pres. Castelo Branco, Rio de Janeiro

On the hill just above the harbor are the church and monastery of São Bento, one of the finest Benedictine complexes in Brazil. The original 1617 church was without aisles until it was enlarged in the second half of the 17th century by the addition of eight side chapels. The finest artists of the Benedictine order were involved in decorating the interior.

The exuberant carving that covers the walls and ceiling was mainly the work of a monk named Domingos da Conceição, who was also responsible for the figures of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica on the high altar.

The choir chapel has silver work by Mestre Valentim and 14 paintings by Ricardo do Pilar, a monk who was the foremost Benedictine painter of colonial Brazil. His masterpiece, Senhor dos Martírios (Christ of the Passion), is in the sacristy of the monastery.

Tijuca National Park protects the Tijuca Forest and several viewpoints overlooking the city, and surrounds Cristo Redentor , the giant-sized statue of Christ on Corcovado. To explore the park, you can leave the train up to Corcovado at a midpoint and follow the road through the forest.

The 3,300-hectare Tijuca Forest, one of the world's largest forests within a city , was planted in the late 1850s on land that had been destroyed by coffee plantations, to safeguard the springs that supplied Rio de Janeiro's water. Most of the trees are native species and provide habitat for Capuchin monkeys, quatis (Brazilian raccoon), colorful toucans, hawks, brilliant blue butterflies, and many other species of wildlife, which you may spot while exploring its trails and roads.

Near the station of the Corcovado railway is Largo do Boticário , one of Rio's most picturesque squares, surrounded by colonial-style houses. From the pagoda-style pavilion at Morro da Vista Chinesa, 380 meters above the shore, are views of the Municipal Park, the Botanic Garden, and a long stretch of the south coast.

There are more views from Mirante Dona Marta, a viewpoint on a spur of rock above Botafogo Bay. Several waterfalls drop from the forest springs, including the 30-meter Cascatinha Taunay .

Set in extensive gardens near the park is the Museu do Açude , with the valuable porcelain collections of the West India Company; old views of Rio de Janeiro by Brazilian and foreign artists; and azulejos, traditional Portuguese tiles from the 17th through 19th centuries.

The Igreja da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco da Penitência is divided into three sections with separate entrances, and the simple façade of this church belies the riches within. The interior, which was begun in 1657 and completed in 1773, is a riot of gilded wood carving.

Among those who contributed to the decoration of the interior were Manuel and Francisco Xavier de Brito, two leading Portuguese sculptors and woodcarvers. They had very similar styles, known as Brito, using decorative forms that influenced Aleijadinho and other masters of Brazilian Baroque.

The ceiling of the choir has the earliest trompe-l'oeil painting in Brazil, completed in 1736, the work of Caetano da Costa Coelho, who later painted the ceiling of the nave in the same style.

Address: Rua da Carioca, Rio de Janeiro

The grand Municipal Theater, built in the early 20th century, was inspired by the Paris Opera of Charles Garnier, and its interior is even more ornate and luxurious than the dramatic towered façade. Important highlights to see are the sculptures by Henrique Bernardelli and paintings by Rodolfo Amoedo and Eliseu Visconti, as well as the drop curtain, the proscenium frieze, and the ceilings.

Guided tours, some in English, are available or, better yet, attend a classical concert or ballet performance here.

Address: Praça Floriano, Rio de Janeiro

The gardens, villas, and imperial palaces of São Cristóvão are now public parks and museums, the foremost of which is Quinta da Boa Vista. From 1808 to 1889, the palace was the residence of the royal and the imperial family and was later altered and rebuilt as the Palácio de São Cristóvão. It houses the National Museum , which has the largest zoological, botanical, ethnographic, and archaeology collections in the country, totaling more than a million items.

In the expansive park are gardens with lakes, woodlands, and caves, which you can reach via a miniature railway. Also inside the park is a zoo with more than 2,000 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles from Brazil and around the world.

Address: São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro

The parish church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo was the Capela Real (Royal Chapel) from 1808 to 1889 and the cathedral until the modern one replaced it in 1976. Connected to it by a passage is a second Carmelite church, Monte do Carmo, begun in 1755.

Highlights are its Baroque façade, stone doorway, and the white and gold carving by Mestre Valentim in the Chapel of the Novitiate. The 1761 former cathedral is richly decorated with carving and has a silver high altar. In a side street is the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Cabo da Boa Esperança (Our Lady of the Cape of Good Hope), the last surviving street oratory in the city.

Address: Rua 1 de Maráo (off Rua do Ouvidor), Rio de Janeiro

This neo-Gothic castle in Rio de Janeiro's harbor was built in 1889 and used for many years as a customs inspection building. Today this architectural gem, complete with turrets and towers, is open to the public.

Inside Ilha Fiscal, you'll find smooth hardwood floors with mosaic patterns throughout, while impressive stained-glass windows glow in Rio's tropical sun. As you wander around, take a stroll through the museum that showcases Brazilian naval history.

Access to the island is generally by boat , which passes some spectacular scenery along the way including colonial architecture on Ilha das Cobras and the skyline of downtown Rio. The ride is about 20 minutes .

Prior to departure, you are welcome to wander around and check out some military hardware including a helicopter, tank, and a submarine which you can go inside. Buying tickets can be done in person but it's best to purchase them in advance online at the official website where you can select the date and time of your tour.

Architect Edgar Fonseca, who designed Rio's Catedral de São Sebastião, took his inspiration from Mayan pyramids, interpreting their soaring forms in a modern context. Built between 1964 and 1979 and often referred to as the New Cathedral to distinguish it from its immediate predecessor, Nossa Senhora do Carmo, the church seats 5,000 in its 96-meter interior. Four stained glass windows rise 64 meters from the floor to light the interior with brilliantly colored natural light. At night, the church is lit from within, a bright beacon in the central skyline.

If you are visiting the Selaraón Steps, the church is visible from the restaurant at the top of the staircase, just look off to your left.

Address: Av. Chile 245, Rio de Janeiro

The island of Paquetá, with an area of a little more than a square kilometer, lies in Guanabara Bay, an hour's boat trip from Praça 15 de Novembro . It became a fashionable resort in the early 1800s, when Portuguese Emperor Dom João VI spent his summers here (the colony of Brazil became the seat of the Portuguese Empire in 1808, when Napoleon's armies occupied Portugal).

Solar del Rey, a palace in which Dom João VI frequently stayed, is among the interesting old buildings, which also include the 1698 chapel of São Roque and the house of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, father of Brazilian independence. No cars invade the peace of the island, but you can explore it on foot, by rented bicycle, or in a horse-drawn carriage. Palms line the island's beaches, where you'll find impromptu food stands grilling fresh fish.

Petrópolis, 68 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro, sits high in a forested valley of the Serra dos Órgãos and was chosen by King Pedro II of Brazil as his summer home. Aristocrats quickly followed, building their own summer palaces and villas and making Petrópolis an elegant upper-class resort.

It was later a favorite of artists and intellectuals and a popular tourist destination for its beautiful buildings and pleasant year-round climate. Today, the former Summer Palace is the Imperial Museum , filled with memorabilia from the days of the Brazilian Empire. Also worth seeing are the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Alcântara , the Crystal Palace, and the house of aviation pioneer Santos-Dumont.

Rio de Janeiro stretches between the bay and mountains, its attractions so spread out that there is no neighborhood convenient to more than a few of them. Fortunately, Rio's Metro system is fast and efficient, so the best hotels for tourists are in the safe beach neighborhoods of Copacabana and Ipanema, amid restaurants and shops and handy to Metro access. Another option is Botafogo, a residential area adjacent to Copacabana, near the cable car to Sugarloaf. Here are some highly-rated hotels in Rio de Janeiro.

Luxury Hotels :

• Featuring a scenic rooftop pool, Miramar Hotel by Windsor is right on Copacabana beach, where sun chairs and umbrellas are available for guests; it's a short walk from Ipanema.
• Belmond Copacabana Palace is an icon of Copacabana's reputation for sophistication and glamor, a place where film stars and royalty have basked in Old World elegance.
• The rooftop pool at JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro overlooks Copacabana Beach (umbrellas and chairs are reserved for guests) and there is a spa and fitness center.

Mid-Range Hotels:

• A block off the beach, the friendly Ipanema Inn offers personal service in the midst of Ipanema's vibrant dining and arts scene.
• On a quiet street in the heart of Copacabana, Hotel Sesc Copacabana is a block from the beach and surrounded by restaurants and shops.
• Also a block off the beach, Windsor Palace Hotel has a small rooftop pool, a large breakfast buffet, and a free airport shuttle.

Budget Hotels:

• Ibis Copacabana Posto 5 is a few blocks off the beach and near the Metro station, with plenty of dining options nearby.
• Close to the Metro in residential Botafogo, one stop from Copacabana, Ibis Rio de Janeiro Botafogo is near the Sugarloaf cable car.
• So is Mercure Botafogo Mourisco , whose higher rooms have a view of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado.
• Day Tour: On an eight-hour Full Day Complete Tour of Rio de Janeiro, you'll get a good overview of the city, with stops to visit the major highlights, including Copacabana beach, the Tijuca Forest, Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Escadaria Selarón, and the Baroque São Bento Monastery. Also included in the tour is the cable car ride to Sugarloaf and lunch at a steakhouse.
• Corcovado and Sugarloaf Tour: See Rio from the two most prominent points in the city on the Corcovado Mountain, Christ Redeemer, and Sugarloaf Mountain Day Tour . This full day of Rio's most famous landmarks includes a cable car ride to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain and travel by van or cog train through the Tijuca Rainforest to the Christ the Redeemer statue.
• Jeep Tour: Explore the immense National Park on the slopes of Corcovado on a Tijuca Rain Forest Jeep Tour from Rio de Janeiro. As you ride through the rainforest in an open-top Jeep, you'll have a four-hour eco-tour, with a hike to observe butterflies, monkeys, sloths, and birds. Stop to see the Cachoeira dos Macacos (Waterfall of the Monkeys) and for panoramic views from Vista Chinesa (Chinese View) as you learn about the flora of the Mata Atlântica from your guide.

More on Brazil

Our local experts can design your trip based on your preferences

Warning - You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to properly view this website.

• Destinations
• South america
• Top attractions

Top attractions in Brazil

Amazing beaches, a vast array of wildlife, historical colonial towns and a calendar of festivals that would be hard to beat anywhere in the world... here are our top recommendations of things to see in Brazil.

1. Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro

Recently voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, you can’t go to Rio, or Brazil, without taking the train to the top of Corcovado, from where the views are phenomenal. Read more about Corcovado...

2. World Cup 2014 / Olympic Games 2016

Brazil’s attention will be focused as it prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 . 

3. The Pantanal

The Pantanal is home to 650 bird species. Lots of mammals, too, including the capybara, caiman, marsh deer, and armadillos. Read more about the Pantanal...

4. Iguaçu Falls

  “Poor Niagara!” Eleanor Roosevelt exclaimed upon first seeing the magnificent falls at Iguaçu. The world’s greatest collection of waterfalls is simply breathtaking. Read more about Iguaçu Falls...

Amazonia, the lungs of the world, supports 30 percent of all known plant and animal species, including 2,500 fish species, 50,000 higher plant species, and millions of insects. Read more about the Amazon...

6. Pelhourinho, Salvador

According to Unesco, the Pelourinho is the most important grouping of 17th- and 18th-century colonial architecture in the Americas. Read more about the Pelourinho...

7. Carnival 

Brazil is justifiably famous for its huge, exuberant pre-Lent Carnival, the biggest and brashest in the world. Like the beaches, it would seem unfair just to highlight one, as Brazil has an embarrassment of riches that start with Rio, Salvador, Recife and Olinda. Read more about Carnival...

8. Historic Towns of Minas Gerais

Gold and diamonds made Ouro Preto rich, and financed the Baroque architecture and sculpture that led Unesco to declare it a World Cultural Monument. But the historic town is much more than just Ouro Preto: equally memorable is Congonhas do Campo , site of the two greatest works of the 18th-century sculptor Aleijadinho.

9. Sugar Loaf, Rio de Janeiro

There are those who claim the views of Rio and the bay are even better from the top of Sugar Loaf mountain than from Corcovado. It’s a hard one to decide, so go see for yourself. Read more about Sugar Loaf...

A masterpiece of colonial architecture and charm that is also home to one of the world’s newest and most prestigious literary festivals. Read more about Parati...

Read more from the travel guide to Brazil

• Historical highlights
• Cultural features
• Plan your trip
• Top restaurants
• Useful phrases

• Real Estate

Posted: 14/06/23

Latin America

Top 5 Tourist Destinations in Brazil

Author: Hannah Vernon

Share article:.

About the author :

The word “Brazil” conjures up an image of dazzling colours, sparkling sunshine, and a welcoming atmosphere, so it’s no wonder that the country attracts millions of tourists annually. With countless places to explore, this magnificent country offers something for every type of traveller. With this in mind, we delve into the top 5 tourist destinations in Brazil.

Florianópolis

A coastal city which lies across both the mainline and Santa Carina Island, Florianópolis is often referred to as “Floripa” by the locals but also goes by the name of “Magic Island”—and it’s easy to see why.

The island is a traveller’s paradise, featuring 42 stunning beaches, lush rolling hills, waterfalls, lagoons, and much more. Adventurers will love hiking in the rainforests, surfing at Joaquina Beach, or exploring the sand dunes at Joaquina Dunes. In addition, the towns are packed with enticing restaurants which serve fresh seafood and local specialities.

The city also offers a rich history, and visitors can explore the well-preserved 18th-century forts and colonial-era buildings in the city centre.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, affectionately known as Rio, needs little introduction. Its magnificent landmarks, such as the towering Sugarloaf Mountain and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, captivate tourists with their awe-inspiring beauty.

The city’s dynamic culture is another major attraction, as vividly demonstrated during the annual Carnival Festival, which features pulsating samba rhythms, flamboyant parade floats, splendid costumes, and lively street festivities. In addition to its energetic ambience, Rio is home to beautiful beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema.

São Paulo is Brazil’s financial hub and the largest city in South America. The state is the most internationally visited in Brazil, surpassing Rio.

A buzzing metropolis, the city offers visitors a diverse array of things to see and do. Foodies will delight in the city’s culinary scene, which ranges from traditional Brazilian fare to world-class gourmet cuisine.

São Paulo’s art scene is also a draw, with institutions such as the São Paulo Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art housing impressive collections.

And for those interested in architecture, the city’s skyline—punctuated by buildings like the Martinelli Building and the Edifício Itália—offers an eclectic mix of styles from different eras.

The country’s capital, Brasília, stands apart thanks to its modernist architecture and city planning.

The city emerged anew in the 1950s, a masterpiece conceived and designed by the brilliant minds of Oscar Niemeyer and Lúcio Costa, and is now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city’s architectural splendour is a visual banquet featuring remarkable edifices such as the National Congress of Brazil, the Cathedral of Brasília, and the Pálacio da Alvorada. Along with these man-made marvels, the city’s verdant parks and open spaces, like the stunning Parque da Cidade, provide a refreshing contrast and respite from the surrounding urban sprawl.

Salvador is known for its Portuguese colonial architecture, Afro-Brazilian culture, and tropical coastline. The city’s historic centre, known as the Pelourinho, is a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with colourful colonial buildings and cobblestone streets. Salvador is also the heart of Brazil’s Afro-Brazilian community, and this is reflected in the city’s music, cuisine, and vibrant festivals, like the annual Salvador Carnival and the Festival of Yemanja. For beach lovers, the area offers gorgeous sandy beaches like Porto da Barra Beach and Farol da Barra Beach.

One of these top 5 tourist destinations in Brazil is sure to take your fancy. Whether you are looking for a relaxing beach break or want to experience an adventure, Brazil truly is a country that has it all.

Contact us today to discover available properties in Brazil.

Related Properties

Invest in Florianópolis, Brazil. Luxury community only 3 mins from Praia do Novo Campeche beach offering apartments from only $172,000. Buyers need 30 per cent down and then balance on completion Q1 2024.

Located in the heart of Punta del Este, a coastal city in Uruguay, Sudeste combines the practicality of an urban building with the easy-going style of a beach resort. The development comprises 36 one and two-bedroom apartments with luxury amenities.

Related Articles

A Guide to Buying Property in Brazil As a Foreigner

Brazil is a beautiful and diverse country with a booming economy, making it an attractive destination for those looking to invest in property. Discover our guide to buying property in Brazil as an overseas buyer.

Posted: 30/05/23

Is it a Good Time to Invest in Brazil?

As investors look to explore new markets, Brazil is emerging as an increasingly attractive option. With a devalued currency, foreign direct investment is soaring. Meanwhile, Brazilian house price growth recently experienced an almost 10-year high.

Posted: 06/04/23

Our portfolio.

We have properties to suit all goals and requirements. Explore our latest opportunities today.

Destination Guides

Explore our various property markets by reading our destination guides.

Receive weekly news updates on all things real estate, investment and travel.

• Subscribe *
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Privacy Overview

7 Underrated Places To Visit In Brazil

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

• Travelers should consider exploring lesser-known destinations in Brazil to avoid the crowds in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
• Underrated spots like Fernando de Noronha, Paraty, and Lençóis National Park offer breathtaking scenery and unique experiences.
• From hidden beaches to stunning national parks, Brazil has plenty of hidden gems waiting to be discovered by adventurous travelers.

Despite being larger than the contiguous United States, Brazil is one of the most visited countries in South America. However, visitors frequently only pay attention to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Travelers who choose to escape the crowds in these two metropolises will find many worthy yet underrated destinations around Brazil .

Due to their lower tourist numbers, many of these locations have remained hidden from view, and others may be challenging to reach due to the lack of nearby airports. Brazil has more than 4,500 miles of coastline, several national parks, and lesser-known places to explore. When planning your next vacation to Brazil, consider these underrated destinations instead of popular tourist spots.

10 Incredible Natural Wonders In Brazil Worth Checking Out

Waterfalls, national parks, rivers, and more; Brazil is home to so many natural wonders, and these are the most incredible to visit.

7 Fernando de Noronha

A remote yet stunning island you've probably never heard of.

Fernando de Noronha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site off Brazil's coast, comprises 21 islands, with only one inhabited by around 3,000 people . This remote archipelago is an underrated place to visit in Brazil due to its location, yet it offers breathtaking scenery, adventure, and relaxation, featuring rugged cliffs and lush foliage.

Exploring the trails or climbing the Fernando de Noronha lighthouse provides stunning panoramic views of the Atlantic, where dolphins, sea turtles, and whales can be spotted. The island's protected marine sanctuary is perfect for scuba diving and snorkeling, showcasing thriving coral reefs.

Known for its commitment to ecotourism and sustainability, Fernando de Noronha remains pristine. Its crown jewel, Baia do Sancho, often called the world's most beautiful beach, features soft sand, abundant sea life, and a sheltered location, making it a must-visit for beach lovers.

6 João Pessoa, Paraíba

An underrated beach spot with fewer crowds and stunning sunrises and sunsets.

João Pessoa is among the greatest of the numerous underrated beaches in the Northeast region of Brazil. It remains less crowded and widely undiscovered compared to Brazil's more famous destinations. Due to its location near the easternmost point of the Americas, this city is the first in Brazil to see the sunrise in the morning or earlier during the summer.

Snorkeling is possible in the area's numerous naturally created swimming ponds and surrounding coral reefs during low tide. The sunsets of João Pessoa are also mesmerizing; visitors can enjoy watching them at Jacaré Beach while listening to Ravel's "Bolero." If tourists want a more sedate setting, they can go to Hotel Globo and take in the Sanhauá River sunset.

5 Paraty, Costa Verde

This colonial town exudes old-world charm and a tranquil atmosphere, featuring cobblestone streets and crowd-free beaches.

Paraty, a hidden gem along Rio de Janeiro's Costa Verde , is distinguished for its old-world charm and stunning natural beauty. This coastal town features cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and gorgeous beaches. Recognized with UNESCO World Heritage status , Paraty's well-preserved colonial architecture, quaint churches, and artsy museums transport visitors back in time.

The air is filled with the aroma of fresh seafood, with local delicacies like Peixe à Cambucu and Casadinho dessert tempting food lovers. Abundant islands, crystal-clear waters, lush mountains, and hidden coves offer endless exploration opportunities through swimming, snorkeling, and boat rides.

Dense rainforests and hiking trails with breathtaking viewpoints showcase the vibrant biodiversity. Overall, Paraty's tranquil atmosphere and warm hospitality make it an ideal destination for a peaceful getaway or romantic retreat.

10 Most Beautiful National Parks In Brazil That Should Be On Your Travel Radar

There are up to 69 national parks in Brazil but these are the most beautiful which is why they should be on your travel radar. 

4 Fortaleza, Ceará

A lesser-known city alternative to rio and são paulo, with miles of gorgeous beaches.

Despite being a Brazilian state capital, this city remains relatively underrated, as most international tourists tend to favor Rio and São Paulo. However, it gained some recognition by hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Popular among Brazilians, the city boasts stunning miles of urban beachfront along its coast. Each of its four beach areas—Iracema, Meireles, Mucuripe, and Praia do Futuro—offers a distinct vibe, catering to different preferences.

Iracema is known for its vibrant nightlife, Meireles for upscale hotels and restaurants, Mucuripe for its picturesque fishing boats, and Praia do Futuro for its expansive and lively beach barracas. This variety, combined with its local charm, makes Fortaleza one of Brazil's hidden gems yet recognized by UNESCO .

3 Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina, Bahia

A hidden gem national park with seemingly more natural wonders than internet availability.

Even though Chapada Diamantina is undoubtedly Brazil's most well-known national park , few people outside the country are aware of it. Therefore, it is considered one of the most underrated places in Brazil to visit. It draws people who enjoy the outdoors and wish to get away from it all for a few days, as there are more natural wonders than internet in this region of Bahia.

The primary features of the park include Pai Inácio Mount, Fumacinha Waterfall, and Pati Valley. There are also many caverns and mountains, in addition to over 200 waterfalls . Renting a car with a dependable GPS for a few days is the ideal way to see Chapada Diamantina; however, trips may be arranged in Lençóis, the biggest town in the area.

Visit These Incredible Beaches In Northeast Brazil Instead Of Rio

Northeast Brazil has nine states where travelers can discover a paradisiac coastline with palm trees, coral reefs and warm waters.

2 Lençóis National Park, Maranhão

Visit one of brazil's most remote locations, where a stunning white desert creates an otherworldly landscape.

This national park in the southern part of Brazil may appear to be a desert at first, but upon closer examination, you'll notice that the massive, sweeping sand dunes are actually divided by turquoise lagoons. Due to the region being just outside the Amazon basin, rainwater pools in the valleys between the dunes produce a breathtaking panorama.

Beneath the sand is a layer of impervious rock that keeps the water above ground. It's difficult to access the park because there are no roads and 4-wheel drive vehicles are needed, but tourists who go won't quickly forget this mesmerizing vista. Despite its unique beauty, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is an underrated Brazilian destination due to its remote location and challenging accessibility.

1 Curitiba, Paraná

An overlooked city perfect for art, architecture, and culture aficionados.

Distant from Brazil's coastal allure and lacking a surrounding jungle, as well as not as renowned for vibrant nightlife as other major cities, Curitiba's charm is not immediately apparent and is underrated. However, upon closer inspection, visitors will discover a city globally recognized for its recycling and sustainability practices.

Plus, Curitiba is known for its rich offerings in art, nature, and world-class urban planning . The Oscar Niemeyer Museum will captivate anyone with even a passing interest in architecture, the majestic Botanical Garden showcases a stunning array of flowers and plants, and the area's low crime rate provides reassurance to visitors.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Destinations A-Z

I Used Insider Tips to Plan a Multi-city Brazil Trip — Here's How You Can, Too

Recommendations from family and friends made my first trip to Rio, Trancoso, and Salvador unforgettable.

Rio de Janeiro

JohnnyGreig/Getty Images

After years of intermittent planning, replaying scenes from the famous film “Black Orpheus,” and seeing streets teeming with swaying hips and sparkle during Carnival, I finally visited Brazil for the first time.

Equipped with a list of guidance from friends who frequent the South American country each year, those recommendations doubled with the help of people I met while there. One conversation can lead to some of the most lasting travel tips and memories — a gift that no Google search or online research can replace.

Here are some highlights of my visits to Rio, Trancoso, and Salvador de Bahia that made my week-long trip memorable. 

From my home base of Los Angeles, my Copa Airlines flight landed me in Rio a little after midnight. An overnight stay at Hotel Fasano , part of Leading Hotels of the World , offered views of the lulling waves of Ipanema Beach across the street at dusk — a vast contrast from the photos of shorelines brimming with tanned bodies and swimmers I’ve seen over the years. The moment was a peaceful introduction to a place where the city and sea spill into each other. The Phillipe Starck-designed property is an ode to modernism, with a lobby drenched in oceanside sunlight and buttery leather and wood textures. From my balcony, the golden sands of Copacabana, sounds of samba, and neighboring favelas seemed so close and far all at once. With just three days in Rio, I would, of course, visit the more well-known tourist attractions, but thanks to those recommendations and a bit of luck, I would learn much of the city's history and people, too.

Tomas Rangel

What to Do in Rio de Janeiro 

The following day, I checked into Hotel Emiliano , which would serve as the base for the rest of my Rio introduction. The 90-room hotel's distinctive exterior of white, foldable shutters makes it stand out among the row of unmarked high-rise buildings and vendors just below on Copacabana Beach.

A rooftop pool with expansive views of Copacabana’s shimmering shoreline, an intimate spa, and two restaurants — including a foliage-filled Brazilian and Italian fusion restaurant, Emile . My tour guide , Edson “Eddie” Vander Campos Alves, was lively and informative. We visited Sugarloaf Mountain on a rainy day, and despite the less-than-ideal visibility from a location known for its awe-inspiring panoramic views of the city, Eddie’s undeniable passion for Rio made the weather a second thought.

After lunch at the plant-filled Escama , where families and friends dined over seabass and grilled lobster paired with zippy viogniers, we headed to Little Africa, located on the port of Rio. Shaped much in part by Black matriarchs who played a critical role in the creation of samba and the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé, Little Africa is the site of where nearly a million enslaved Africans finished their forced transcontinental journey to reach Brazil’s shores. Their traditions have had a lasting impact that still breathes life into every corner of Brazil — from samba drums to the palm oil and okra (quiabo) used in some of the country’s most famous dishes. Little Africa includes the port of Cais do Valongo — where enslaved Africans first arrived in Salvador — and Pedra do Sal, considered the samba's birthplace in Rio.

Mariana Monteiro

“In this region, Black people reimagined life in the diaspora, recreated affective bonds, resisted, earned money, made art, loved, and celebrated. Little Africa is a very important place to connect with the roots of Brazilian history and culture and to understand that the Black population was and is a fundamental part in building this nation, even though the official history denies it, “ said Luana Ferreira, a historian who offers licensed tours about Brazil’s Black history. Through her passionate knowledge, the streets of Little Africa came alive.

“Usually, Black people are only portrayed when the slavery system is spoken of, and on the tour, it is inevitable to touch on this subject. However, our main goal is to break this paradigm and present this region as the birthplace of Black culture in Rio de Janeiro, the birthplace of samba and our popular carnival.” Fortunately, several city officials and community members agree with this sentiment and advocate for bringing Little Africa to the forefront of tourism investments in the coming years. 

Where to Eat in Rio de Janeiro 

I arrived in Rio with a long list of restaurant recommendations from friends and colleagues. Some of my favorite meals included:

Mesa do Lado is a “gastrosensorial” experience created by Michelin chef Claude Troisgros. To get to the 12-seat experience, you’ll have to walk to the back of a restaurant called Chez Claude through red curtains. The orchestrated experience — more than two hours — is meant to heighten the dining experience through taste, hearing, sight, touch, and smell, achieved through projections of images and videos, set to songs by artists like Paulinho da Viola, Elza Soares, Cesária Évora, and even AC/DC. My favorite dishes of the night were the cassava biscuit served with truffle-infused parmesan cream and saumon à l'oseille — a salmon filet immersed in a cream-based sauce that contains chardonnay, dry vermouth, and sorrel leaves.

Then there's Oteque . Set in an old house in Rio’s Botafogo neighborhood, Chef Alberto Landgraf and his team execute an impressive seafood-based menu from an open-air kitchen. Landgraf's seasonal courses celebrate his Japanese heritage, including raw bluefin tuna with seaweed vinaigrette, pine nuts and caviar, monkfish with creamed burrata, and several fresh ceviches. Oteque also features many organic wines, chosen by sommelier Leonardo Silveira.

Lastly, up a winding hill in Rio’s bohemian Santa Marta neighborhood, Aprazível welcomes crowds from its multi-leveled, treehouse-like structure. Shaded wooden tables surrounded by lush plants offer views of Rio in the distance. It’s an ideal place to spend a slow afternoon and enjoy a passionfruit caipirinha and the catch of the day served alongside coconut rice and baked banana.

Located on the coastline of Bahia, Trancoso is a small fishing village turned bohemian enclave dotted with coral-colored buildings, long stretches of golden sand beaches, and dirt roads decorated with banana trees and bursts of jungle plants. To get there, I flew just under two hours from Rio to Porto Seguro airport. Then, it’s a 90-minute drive through bumpy dirt roads to get to the vibey beach town that's drawn celebrities like Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, and Leonardo DiCaprio to its shores.

What to Do in Trancoso 

Courtesy of Hotel Fasano Trancoso

Choosing Trancoso as a second stop on my multi-city Brazil trip was deliberate. There’s only so much to do in the laidback region, and that slow pace is exactly what I craved after leaving Rio’s busy streets.

I checked into Fasano Trancoso , a sprawling 740 acres set amongst a natural reserve between tropical forest and the ocean. Like its Rio sibling, the property, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, came highly recommended by several friends for its sweeping location. Here, 40 geometric white bungalows face the ocean, some with rooftop decks, and a beachside restaurant decked out with salvaged furniture is where I enjoyed a freshly grilled lobster and the addictive queijo de Coelho, a firm white cheese that’s grilled and topped with honey.

The hotel is just a 20-minute drive from Trancoso’s Quadrado, a historic town square that I quickly learned is the heartbeat of the area. During the day, most of the tropical-colored fishing homes and a 16th-century white church that borders its grassy center are closed, but at night, the live drumming and capoeira dancers fill the square, and several restaurants and bars open their doors to crowds. About a five-minute drive from the Quadrado, Nativos Beach is a popular stretch of sand that includes two volleyball fields, beach bars, and hotels. For a more isolated location, consider Rio da Barra, about a 15-minute drive north of the Quadrado.

JohannesCompaan/Getty Images

Where to Eat in Trancoso 

Proximity to the beach and a tropical environment means there’s no shortage of seafood and fruits like acerola, the fibrous and sweet mangaba, and carambola (star fruit). At Capim Santo , first created by celebrated Brazilian chef Morena Leite’s mother, Sandra Marques, the menu focuses on Brazilian dishes executed with French techniques. I ate alfresco in their garden restaurant, on grounds also home to a small boutique hotel.

While dining at Mesa do Lado in Rio, Chef Troisgrois insisted that I dine at Alma Ninho , helmed by Morena Leite, who was raised in the Quadrado and focuses on highlighting the seafood flavors of Bahia. “We are on the beach and eat a lot of foods influenced by African cuisine, so coconut milk with seafood and fruits is part of what makes our tropical cuisine in Bahia so special.”

Antonio Soto

At Alma Ninho’s wooden bar, alongside just five other diners, I indulged in courses like churros with tapioca, grilled lobster with salad and granola from the nearby garden, and black ravioli with seafood — all plated on seashell-shaped plates.

The gastronomic experience is hosted in Leite’s six-suite guesthouse that overlooks the ocean and a mountainside bursting with plants. “We want you to feel at home here, and I want to share all the research I’ve done around the world, from the flavors of the food to the art displayed on the walls,” she said. This intimate celebration of Bahian food was my favorite part of visiting Trancoso.  

From my hometown of Los Angeles, Copa Airlines offers the shortest flights, typically with a layover in Panama City. Once in Brazil, regional airlines like Azul Airlines offer flights out of Rio to nearby cities like Porto Seguro and Salvador. 

After Trancoso, a one-hour flight north on the reliable and regional AZUL airlines landed me in Salvador , a city I had dreamed of visiting for years because of its rich Afro-Brazilian history. Fortunately, I arrived equipped with a wealth of recommendations from a friend, Aja, who visits the region annually with her family.

“As an African-American and member of the larger African diaspora, I am inextricably linked to Salvador, its people, history, and culture,” she told me before my visit. “I fell in love in Bahia, and every time I return with my growing family, our love deepens. Because of all that Salvador has given me, I am continuously finding ways to give back to this amazing city and its people.”

During my three days there, she gave me several incredible tips on what to see in the UNESCO World Heritage city, including the open-air market Feira de São Joaquim and Solar de Unhao, a complex of historic buildings near the Modern Art Museum. Over the years, the community has opened several bars and restaurants in this location, including the beloved Afro-Brazilian-themed restaurant Dona Suzana.

I checked into Hotel Fasano Salvador , a towering retreat housed in a building from the 1930s that overlooks a sheltered bay that opens to the Atlantic Ocean called Bay of All Saints. Fasano is one of the few luxury hotels in Salvador, but that’s set to change, as the city — which offers several welcoming bed and breakfasts — is rife with luxury development. Inside, 70 rooms in the Art Deco space are highlighted with warm organic tones, and a rooftop pool offers the best sunset views in the city alongside people watching on Castro Alves Square just below.

Booking Tip

Brazil’s summer months are between October and November, when tourist crowds are few and hotel prices are reasonably low. Carnival celebrations in Rio and Salvador in 2025 will occur at the end of February.

What to Do in Salvador

If I did just one thing in Salvador, Aja advised, it would have to be getting tickets to the Balé Folclórico da Bahia show. The 38-member dance troupe pays tribute to African deities (orixás), reenacts Maculelê, a dance celebrated by enslaved at the end of sugar cane season; capoeira, a martial arts dance brought to Brazil from Angola; and, of course, samba, whose roots began in the sugar cane mills of Salvador. The palpable joy of this performance, the whirlwind of colors that took flight with dance, the remembrance of a people who found the will to go in the face of the unimaginable — this is what this performance succeeds in covering and what is ever present on every corner of Salvador.

Salvador has the largest population of African descendants outside of Africa. Nearly every revered tradition in Brazil today, from capoeira to Carnival, was created by formerly enslaved people. The origins of that world-famous celebration can be viewed in the historical center of Pelourinho at Salvador’s Caso do Carnaval , which features several video projections, large-scale exhibits, and even a cinema room where you can learn several traditional Brazilian dances.

At Blue Praia Bar in the seaside Vermelho neighborhood, the city’s cool kids are scattered about among Balinese-style beds built between swaying palms and tableside at an al fresco dining space that overlooks Buracão Beach. This is where I spent my last afternoon in Salvador, with plates of cod croquettes and espetinhos de queijo. Tucked away on a quiet street, I instantly felt as though I had discovered one of the city’s gems, where the hours pass with ease as residents play soccer on golden sands and order glasses of passion fruit caipirinhas.

Where to Eat in Salvador 

Central to food in Salvador are the flavors of Africa, like palm oil (dendê), coconut milk, and cassava. Walking around the city, Baiana women dressed in billowing white cloth to honor Oxalá (the god of creation) sell acarajé, a typical Bahian snack made of mashed black-eyed beans, onions, and shrimp fried in palm oil. During slavery, many descendants of enslaved women gained their freedom and financial independence by selling these snacks. Don’t miss an opportunity to stop at a tabuleiro (stand) on the street and get a taste of this important symbol of power. At Casa de Tereza , you can try acarajés and another famous Bahian dish — moqueca. The rich, coconut-based stew includes palm oil, dried shrimp, cassava flour, tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

More flavors from Africa, like a black-eyed pea dumpling called abará, can be enjoyed at Zanzibar, which overlooks the Bay of All Saints and Dona Mariquita , where popular dishes include cassava leaf stew and a milk pudding used in Candomblé to celebrate the Orixá, Yemanjá.

One of my favorite evenings was watching the sunset with a caipirinha in hand at Antique Bistrô , a former mansion with a patio with panoramic bay views. There are several small plates to pair with their popular cocktails, such as the tender smoked rib I had, which could have easily won at any barbecue competition.

At Origem , various takes on Brazilian foodways, from Indigenous corn to the citrusy umbu fruit, take center stage at this fine-dining favorite. A rotating tasting menu focuses on the five biomes of Bahia (Cerrado, Caatinga, Atlantic Forest, Coastal, and Marine Zone) to create a genuinely expansive gastronomic experience.

On my last night, I reserved a marina-side table at Mistura Contorno, a seafood-focused restaurant highly recommended by everyone I spoke to about Salvador’s dining scene. Mistura’s menu results from Chef Andréa Ribeiro's vision to fuse Mediterranean and Brazilian flavors, which, based on the lively space filled with patrons, has succeeded.

During my splurge-worthy finale dinner in a city I will return to, I enjoyed plates of grilled fish, calamari, lobster, octopus ceviche with coconut and Sicilian lemon, and a pappardelle ossobucco.

A final sunset and crayola-colored sky from my hotel balcony completed my first visit to Brazil — though it certainly won’t be my last.

Related Articles