Highlights
Rio de Janeiro
No trip to Brazil would be complete without visiting the charismatic city, Rio de Janeiro, with its golden beaches and mountain range swathed in verdant forestry. Arguably Brazil’s most iconic sight is the magnificent Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado Mountain, a colossal sculpture honed from concrete and soapstone. Visitors can cycle along the beachfront to the Botanical Gardens or take a cable-car ride to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain. A perfect day might end with a spot of dancing at one of the many Samba Schools, before sipping chilled Caiprinhas in one of the city’s funky café bars.
The Pantanal
Covering a range of 210,000km2, twenty times the size of the Florida Everglades, The Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland. With less than half located in Bolivia and Paraguay, the majority of this natural playground lies in Brazil. The vast freshwater wetland hosts a formidable diversity of flora, fauna, aquatic plants and varied ecosystems and it is home to numerous rare and endangered species, such as the Giant River Otter, along with jaguars, capybaras, caimans and Capuchin Monkeys. There are ample opportunities to spot wildlife here, due to the largely flat open plains that offer few hiding places for animals.
Salvador
Once the magnificent capital of Portugal’s great New World colony, Salvador is a complex fusion of European and African cultures. The city offers an intriguing blend of the historic and contemporary, exemplified by its Baroque churches and colonial buildings. Colonial echoes abound at Pelourinho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site set on a ridge above the ocean, where capoeira circles form on plazas as night falls. Salvador is the country’s musical and cultural centre, and the place where Brazilians come to party all year round.
Iguazu Falls
Selected in 2011 as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, Iguazu Falls is nearly twice as tall as Niagara and is dwarfed only by Victoria Falls as the world’s tallest waterfall. The expansive UNESCO World Heritage Site spans 2.5 kilometres and has a total of 250 dizzying cascades. Devil's Throat is the most imposing, dropping more than 80 metres into a misty abyss. The lush, subtropical national parks surrounding the area boast abundant wildlife, flora and fauna.
Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo is Brazil’s economic centre and most cosmopolitan city. Perhaps unfairly, it is widely regarded as a sprawling mass of urban high-rise buildings, but the city’s numerous urban attractions compensate for any lack of natural beauty. Sao Paulo hosts a vibrant carnival every February, when the streets pulse with partygoers, bands and colourful costumes. It has a burgeoning foodie scene, exemplified by the ornate Mercado Municipal de Sao Paulo. Opened in 1933, with stained-glass windows, domes and a Belle Epoque facade, this building houses three-hundred food stalls, spilling over with vibrantly coloured vegetables, meat, fish, sweets and spices.
Trancoso
Nestled picturesquely on UNESCO-protected shores, Trancoso, a tiny former fishing village, has a delightfully tranquil vibe. Visitors are warmly welcomed as they mingle with the locals, who congregate to chat in the town square. It’s a car-free zone, creating a charming, nostalgic and family-friendly ambience. Either side of the square are casual bars and rustic restaurants, offset against a pathway to the beautiful beach, which in summer is the venue for lively Full Moon parties and has been labelled Brazil best ‘secret’ beach destination.