Capital of the State of Para, Belem is located on a southern branch of the Amazon River. It is the gateway the Amazon as well as an important commercial and economic center. During the 19th century rubber boom, Belem was the main port of the region and the famous "Ver-o-Peso" market, designed and built in England, is a reminder of that era, as well the Catholic Churches and the "Peace Theater". Nowadays the modern airport regularly receives flights from the United States, Latin America and most Brazilian cities. Belem has an extraordinary abundance of exotic tropical fruits dozens of which you never heard of or seen before. For this reason, the native food has unique influences you can’t find in other regions and it's a great place to eat fish and seafood at a very reasonable priced.
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais is the fourth largest city in Brazil. It is surrounded by mountains, and has an excellent climate. It has one of the best standards of living in the country. Belo Horizonte is also the first city to be planned in Brazil, built at the end of the nineteenth century - is a metropolis where people still meet in the streets. People there are known for being friendly and helpful despite the city's big size. The state cuisine is plentiful and delicious, with meats, desserts and cachaca. Unique culinary creations specific just to Minas Gerais especially cheese and dishes made with cheese are a marking characteristic of the city and state. Anyone who gets to know Minas Gerais can never forget the springs of miraculous water, leisurely conversations, the hands of Aleijadinho, the churches, markets and bars. Minas Gerais stands for gold and diamond mines, freedom, fellowship, art, culture and a thousand stores.
Blumenau
Founded in the year 1848 by German immigrants, the city is recognized as the symbol of German colonization. The climate is hot and rainy. There is no time of the year which can be described as a dry season. Blumenau is the organizer of the largest German Folk Festival in Brazil, Oktoberfest, Brazil’s second largest festival. Oktoberfest attracts annually thousands of tourists from the whole world. Since the beginning it was immediately a huge success and the festival is, today, after Munich, the second largest "beer celebration" of the world. The inhabitants of Blumenau keep, up to now, their traditions, fragments of German language, dialects, dress lining and typical folk dances.
Brasilia
Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, with its harmonious unique architecture, was planned and designed by the world famous architects Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer. It is a futuristic city in the midst of unspoiled nature. Brasilia has a number of fine hotels and restaurants that invite you to come and enjoy this truly unique city. Because Brasilia stands right in the middle of the country, we always recommend a full day visit to Brasilia for travelers planning to visit Manaus or the Northeast of Brazil. In the way to these cities, a stopover in Brasilia can be very revealing. It's also the Gem's capital of Brazil for the Gem's lovers.
Buzios
Armaçao de Buzios once a supply point for French pirate ships, gained international status with the visit of French actress Brigitte Bardot in the 60's, who chose this city to relax for some days. Since then, Buzios has become a chic travel destination for high society in brazil, Latin America and Europe as well as a cool getaway for cariocas, residents of Rio de Janeiro, wanting a change from the paradise that they live in daily. It is a string of beaches spread out for miles, offering topless bathing, surfing, diving, and great food. There is even a natural amphitheater on lagoinha beach which offers music concerts and live shows. Buzios has a laid back atmosphere with lodging of international category, great bars, and fancy restaurants. The mix of the fishing village charm with the influences of the cosmopolitan people that visit the region makes Buzios something special.
Campo Grande
Campo Grande became the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul only 20 years ago when Mato Grosso State split in two. While there, you can see the fascinating Dom Bosco Museum, which showcases many different animals of the region including countless stuffed birds, ancient fossils, shells, insects and a very large anaconda, known locally as sucuri. There is a detailed ethnographic section with displays on the various Indian tribes of that area.
Canoa Quebrada
Canoa Quebrada Beach, a village located along reddish high sea cliffs, is known as a paradise discovered by Brazilians and foreigners not so many years ago, in search of an exotic life, mysticism, peace and, of course, breathtaking natural sand beaches.The early settling by Italian hippies gives you an idea of the laid back energy the area exudes. The colorful sands, various shades of orange red and yellow, are an identifying characteristic of the beaches there. Above the red mountainous coast there is the village, divided in two parts. Esteves is the place where the fishermen live, and in Canoa Quebrada, there are bed and breakfast hotels, cafes and nightclubs.
Costa do Sauipe
Costa do Sauipe is a 500 acre complex just 50 miles north of historic Salvador, Bahia. The beaches are beautiful and the combination of hotels and facilities makes this the perfect site for a relaxing vacation. The complex has five international-level hotels – Marriott Resort & Spa, Renaissance Resort, Sofitel Conventions & Resort, Sofitel Suites & Resort and SuperClubs all-inclusive Breezes. There is also a replica of a Brazilian colonial city, Vila Nova da Praia, with shops, restaurants, bars and six stylish pousadas, offering a less formal and more intimate way to stay at Costa do Sauipe. It's Bahia Cancun style.
Cuiaba
Its proximity to the Pantanal makes Cuiaba a popular destination in the west of Brazil. The Pantanal is a truly ecological sanctuary, a unique world of water, plants and animals and an unforgettable experience for the eyes, ears and the camera. The flooding and low-waters of the Paraguay River basin rules the lives of those who live there as well as tourists, fish and birds. The entrance to this paradise, the so-called Gateway to the Pantanal, is at Poconé, 62 miles southeast of the capital, Cuaiabá. This is also the start of the Transpantaneira, 91 miles of roadway for intrepid vehicles, crossing 126 bridges, mostly built on wood. On the road to Chapada dos Guimarães, the landscape changes completely. Chapada is a geographical accident, a flat area situated in the upper part of the plains beyond the Roncador Mountain range. There are peaks, cliffs and valleys in the dense jungle, enhanced by waterfalls of various sizes with crystal clear water.
Curitiba
Curitiba, the Capital of Parana, located south of Brazil next to the seacoast mountain ridge, one of the most beautiful regions of all of Brazil because of the lush subtropical vegetation covered mountains, has a rich colonization history, which began in the 17th century. You can take a scenic drive down the mountains to the coast or take a train with even more scenic views of the mountainous region which goes to the port at Paranagua. The city itself is known for it's modern architecture and it's well maintained municipal parks and squares. Making ecological priorities such as recycling and an efficient public transportation system a part of the urban planning result in what many consider the most pleasant state capital of the country in terms of quality of life.
Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha is part of the archipelago of the same name, with 21 islands and islets. The archipelago is the peak of a four thousand-meter deep volcanic mountain. It is the habitat of several animal species, such as the sebito bird, the tegu lizard and the two-headed snake. Out of the 18 species of coral found in Brazil, 15 are found in Fernando de Noronha, which shelters the largest reproduction reservations of sea birds and is the stopping place of migratory birds, from northern hemisphere. Joyful dolphins feed, reproduce and play in the region. The observation site is the belvedere located on the rocks, which surround the Dolphins Bay, where they gather in the morning. It is great to enjoy or to learn deep-sea diving, with or without oxygen tanks. You can see turtles, rays, small sharks and the most colorful and peculiar species of fish wish has no fear of men.
Florianopolis
Capital of the State of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, or Floripa, has become one of the hottest tourist destinations in all of Brazil. It is an immense mountainous island with more than 40 natural beaches. Known for the beauty of the people, the island attracts visitors from Argentina and Uruguay and Brazil. There is a big lagoon - Lagoa da Conceicao - in the middle of the island and a fresh water lake, Lagoa do Peri, in a park right next to the ocean on the south end of the island. You can surf on the beaches Brava, Mole, and Joaquina or surf the sand dunes next to Joaquina Beach. There is nude sunbathing also available on a more remote beach close to Galheta Beach. Because the island is the home town of 3 time French Open Champion Gustavo Kuerten if you're a tennis fan you'll be sure to find good courts as it has become the center for tennis training in Brazil. Sun, surfing, dunes, beautiful natives, and mountains make this island one of the main tourist destinations in Brazil.
Fortaleza
Capital of the State of Ceara, Fortaleza is perennially sunny and offers sensual beach life appreciated by Latin Americans, North Americans, and Europeans more and more each year. Fresh fish and seafood are abundant here and reasonably priced. Enjoy powdery sand beaches with clean water and if you drive east or west down the coasts leaving the city the remote beaches only get better and the water even clearer such as Jericoacoara and Canoa Quebrada. The city, Brazil's fifth largest, is modern and has good infrastructure for a comfortable stay.
Goiania
Goiania, city in south central Brazil, capital of Goias State, located on a plateau near the Meia Ponte River. A planned modern city, Goiania is an administrative center. Grain, livestock, and coffee are produced in the area, and nickel, titanium, chromium, and diamonds are mined. A railroad connects the city with Brasilia and the coast. Goiania is the site of the Federal University of Goias (1960) and the Catholic University of Goias (1959). First laid out in 1933, the city succeeded Goias as state capital in 1937, and it was formally inaugurated as such in 1942.
Iguazu
Located in the State of Parana, Foz do Iguazu is a municipality where the main tourist attractions go hand-in-hand with the most exuberant scenery provided by nature and mankind in the "Land of the Falls." It is possible to take in the splendor of the Native and man-made forests, rivers and lakes, and still, in this ecological paradise, have the opportunity to shop for the most varied products, not only in Foz do Iguassu but in Cidudad del Leste (Paraguay) and Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) as well. The falls are so immense that it takes about 25 minutes to walk along a trail to eventually see all of the sections of the falls. Truly a breathtaking and unforgettable natural beauty.
Ilheus
Ilheus is the cocoa capital of Brazil and one of its major export ports. Just over 240 miles from Salvador, Ilheús was founded in 1534 and is today a modern city that has preserved its historical sites. Beaches abound in the region, and the city's Carnival celebration is one of the liveliest in Bahia. For Jorge Amado fans, this city needs no introduction. The famous Brazilian writer has set more than one of his best-selling novels in this old port town south of Salvador, on the coast of the State of Bahia. Ilheus, an important shipping center for the cocoa industry, is a growing resort area with many virgin beaches spreading both north and south from the city.
Itacare
Itacare is located in the cocoa zone of the state of Bahia, south of Salvador, 44 miles north of Ilheus. It is in Itacare that Rio de Contas, which comes from the Chapada Diamantina, meets with the ocean. The climate is tropical. The coast of Itacare is a succession of beaches and hills covered with palm trees and forest. On the beaches located close to the village, there are hotels, bars and restaurants. At a few miles from the village, the there are many beautiful preserved beaches with no infrastructure. Some of them are so small and hidden that they do not show up on maps or tour guides.
Jericoacoara
Nestled in the dunes, 197 miles from Fortaleza and 103 miles before the border with the state of Piaui, is the fishing community of Jericoacoara, or Jeri as the locals call it. It is popular with both Brazilian and International travelers, crowded on weekends mid-December to mid-February, in July and during Brazilian holidays. Despite the large influx of visitors, it remains a tranquil and safe town. The native families of fishermen join the new residents, many of them owners of small hotels and restaurants, in the commitment to respectfully explore the ecological sanctuary, which luckily is still difficult to be reached. The visitor is rewarded with towering sand dunes, deserted beaches with little shade, cactus-covered cliffs rising from the sea, interesting rock formations and a pleasant atmosphere. Watching the sunset from the top of the large dune just west of town, followed by a display of capoeira on the beach, is a tradition among visitors well worth preserving.
Joao Pessoa
Capital of the State of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa spreads over a flat coastal plain, with few tall buildings and many residential streets. First and foremost Joao Pessoa is a delightful beach town. A charming combination of sweeping coves called "enseadas" forms an ocean beachfront 14 miles long. Close to downtown is Tambau, which anchors one end of the urban beach and flows southward to the more unpopulated strands, like Cabo Branco, where a lighthouse marks the overlook at Ponta do Seixas, the most eastern landfall in the western Hemisphere.
Joinville
Joinville is a typical German community, originated by the immigrants arrived in the 1850´s. They built a town with many flowers, architecture and atmosphere very much like that in Germany. Joinville is the largest city in Santa Catarina and also has the biggest industry, more than 600 industrial companies, a large number of banks and more than 15,000 business and service companies. Besides industrial and economic development, the city is attempting now to get into tourism and open up the region for it. Land tourism, typically festivals, national events, and many additional city attractions are offered.
Londrina
Londrina, city in southeastern Brazil, in Paran? State, near the Tibaji River. The city is a road and trade center with railroad service. In the surrounding area, which has a large German and Slavic population, coffee, rice, cotton, cattle, hogs, fruit, and timber are produced. Industries in the city include paper milling, food processing, distilling, and the manufacture of metal products and furniture. The city was founded after World War I (1914-1918). Population (1996 estimate) 421,343.
North of Paraná, a region with purple and very fertile soil, was until few decades an extensive forest. The spontaneous colonization was marked by the fearlessness of the men who left Minas Gerais or São Paulo, who had been arriving at the area of Cambará, between 1904 and 1908. Quickly, the band between Cambará and Tibagi River - a string that would represent the future passage of the railroad São Paulo-Paraná - were taken by great properties whose owners, usually, had subdivided them in small sold parcels as urban or agricultural batches.
Maceio
Capital of the State of Alagoas, Maceio has an "orla", a strip of in-town beaches where most of the city's quality hotels and restaurants are concentrated. The prime beaches are Pajucara, Ponta Verde, Jatiuca and Praia de Cruz das Almas. Maceio occupies the tip of a curved peninsula, the ocean beaches on one shore and a lagoon - Lagoa do Mundau - on the other, immediately to the south of Maceio's downtown area.
Manaus
Capital of the State of Amazonas, the largest state in Brazil, Manaus is a modern city. It is also the ideal point of departure for visiting the rest of the Manaus Amazon region. Tour boats leave Manaus to see the Meeting of the Waters, where the black waters of the Negro River meet the light waters of the Solimoes River, flowing side by side without mixing for several miles. Visitors can also explore river banks and "igarapes", swim and canoe in placid lakes or simply walk in the lush forest. The most adventurous may even choose to spend a night or two in the jungle in close contact with nature.
Morro de Sao Paulo
Natal
Natal, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte has extraordinary beaches with tiny fishing villages. The most sought-after beaches are Genipabu and Cotovelo. There are also freshwater beaches along the Potengi River and its falls. The Reis Magos Fort has on one side strong waves crashing against the rocks on which the fort is built. On the other side, the beach and reefs form a gigantic, natural aquarium. It is definitely worth a visit.
Olinda
Olinda is famous for its history, art and to host one of the best carnivals of the world, comparable only with the ones of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Located 4 miles north of Recife, was founded in 1537 and named World Heritage by UNESCO in 1982. For Carnival, thousands of people dance through the narrow, hilly, bright colored house lined streets of the old city to the sound of the Frevo, the brash energetic music, which normally accompanies a lively dance, performed with umbrellas. Of particular interest are: the City Hall, once the palace of the viceroys, and the monastery of Sao Bento, founded in 1582 by the Benedictine monks. Convento de Sao Francisco (1585), with splendid woodcarving and paintings, superb gilded stucco, and azulejos, in Capela de São Roque; the Church of Nossa Senhora das Neves, the Igreja da Misericordia, built in 1540 and many other historic buildings.
Ouro Preto
Former state capital was founded in 1711. The city, built on rocky ground, was declared National Heritage monument in 1933. Its cobbled streets wind up and down steep hills crowned with 13 churches. Mansions, fountains, churches, vistas of terraced garden, ruins, towers shining with colored tiles, all blend together to maintain a delightful 18th century atmosphere. Ouro Preto is also a college town making it a good place for young people to go out and meet others.
Pantanal
The Pantanal is a truly ecological sanctuary, a unique world of water, plants and animals and an unforgettable experience for the eyes, ears and the camera. The flooding and low-waters of the Paraguay River basin govern the lives of those who live there as well as tourists, fish and birds. The entrance to this paradise, the so-called Gateway to the Pantanal, is at Poconé, one hundred kilometers south east of the capital, Cuaiabá. This is also the start of the Transpantaneira, 147 kilometers of roadway for intrepid vehicles, crossing 126 bridges, mostly built on wood. On the road to Chapada dos Guimarães, the landscape changes completely. Chapada is a geographical accident, a flat area situated in the upper part of the plains beyond the Roncador Mountain range. There are peaks, cliffs and valleys in the dense jungle, enhanced by waterfalls of various sizes with crystal clear water.
Paraty
Paraty was founded in the early 17th century. Today it is a charming colonial town, declared a National Historical Monument in 1966. Motor vehicle traffic has been banned from its narrow, stone-paved streets. Located between Sao Paulo and Rio on the mountainous, rocky coast the town remained isolated. The isolation helped to keep intact the harmonious architectural complex of the town, besides preserving its inhabitants' uses and customs. Tourists enjoy not only to walk around the beautiful streets of the historical center with various outstanding restaurants to choose from, but also to explore the 65 islands and over 300 beaches of the region as well. The topography of the land here is very beautiful, the subtropical rainforest mountains gradually run into the sea forming all of those islands. There are great places to hike and waterfalls to bathe in or slide down. Try to go out on a boat to get a complete experience of the region.
Petropolis
A summer hill resort and industrial city, 42 miles north of Rio, Petropolis is reached by bus along a steep, scenic mountain road, one of the most beautiful drives in Brazil. It stands at 2654 feet in the Serra da Estrela range of mountains in the Serra do Mar. The city is referred to as Imperial City, a name given to it in 1981. It is also nicknamed City of Hydrangeas because of the abundance of these flowers there. For some 80 years, Petropolis was the summer capital of Brazil which resulted in a wealth of architecture and a noble atmosphere which remains in the city to this day.
Pipa
Pipa, in the words of the Lonely Planet Guide of Brazil, is hidden within one of the last "tiny pockets" of virgin Atlantic forest still remaining in the northeast, having escaped the ravages of the sugar cane exploitation during Brazil's colonial era. It has been a hidden ecological paradise for centuries, known only to a few people outside of the fishing culture which lives here. These days face of Pipa began to change. Dirt roads were paved, elegant pousadas (rustic country hotels), restaurants, bars and stores started to appear amidst the palm trees and simple unadorned houses of the native people. Very soon this remote beach became one of the most popular in Brazil, fashionable without, however, losing its distinct personality.
Porto Alegre
Capital of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre is located on the banks of the Guaiba River. An interesting visit for those interested in "gaucho" culture, a name given to the Brazilians living in this state, is the Gaucho Tradition Center, located on Praia Street, downtown, and is a popular area for a leisurely stroll. Boat tours along the Guaiba River are also very enjoyable. One of the biggest cities in Brazil, it offers many options for dining and going out.
Porto de Galinhas
Very close to Recife, the warm and crystal-clear waters of its pools, in addition to the shadows provided by a huge coconut plantation, make Porto de Galinhas one of the most visited beaches in the State. After a day of sunbathing, beer drinking on the sand and jeep and raft tours, hotels and bars guarantee the visitor comfort, good food and lots of night excitement.
Porto Seguro
About 250 miles south of Ilheus on the coast is the old town of Porto Seguro. The town is a popular holiday resort with many charter companies flying in directly from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. It is now Bahia’s second most popular tourist destination. The State government has invested heavily in the region; the airport has been enlarged to take jet aircraft and a major water theme park has recently opened. Known as kind of a wild party place, people buy mixed drinks with strange names at stands in the streets or at bars and walk through the city streets having a good time and meeting people. It has a special energy and people always have nothing but crazy stories to tell about their trips there.
Praia do Forte
One of the most beautiful coastal regions in Brazil, located some 50 miles from Salvador is Praia do Forte. It is now a quiet resort, with a strong emphasis on preservation of the local flora and fauna. Inland from the coast is a restinga forest, which grows on sandy soil with a very delicate ecosystem. Near the village is a small marshy area, which is host to a large number of birds, caymans and other animals. Bird watching trips on the area are rewarding. A hundred thousand coconut palms stand on 7 miles of white sandy beach protected against the exploitation of tourism and other threats to the environment by a private foundation. The growth of hotels and campsites here is carefully monitored. For every coconut tree cut down, four more have to be planted. Praia do Forte is also the site of a major preservation center for sea turtles.
Recife
Capital of the State of Pernambuco, Recife is known as the "Brazilian Venice" because of its many canals and waterways and bridges that span them. It is the major gateway to the northeast, with regular flights to all major cities in Brazil as well as Lisbon, London and Frankfurt. International cuisine is available as well as succulent fish dishes, typical of the region. Fresh coconut water is found everywhere. Close by is Piedade Beach and further out, the unspoiled beaches of Tamandare, Sao Jose da Coroa Grande, Maria Farinha and Porto de Galinhas. The sun shines brighter in Recife than anywhere else and Recife's beaches are undoubtedly among the loveliest in the northeast.
Rio de Janeiro
After seeing Rio with your own eyes you'll understand why it is the Wonderful City. Usually the first thing people think of when they hear the word Rio is CARNIVAL and BEACHES packed with tan scantily clad bathers. It's the unique combination of dense sub-tropical forest covered mountains gradually disappearing into the sea, creating extensive natural bays and powdery sand beaches that make this a truly unique, breathtakingly city in the continent. It's really worth taking a drive through the Tijuca Forest and visiting the other PARKS Rio offers. The drive up the mountains is refreshing after a rough day bathing in the sun. The temperature change with altitude is quite noticeable. You can walk under some fresh mountain water to wash the salt-water feel away and see some awesome views of the city, beaches, and the lake down below. In the middle of the elite south side of the city, it's between this lake and the ocean where the fancy neighborhoods IPANEMA and LEBLON lie.
Salvador
Capital of the State of Bahia, and also Brazil's capital until 1763, Salvador is divided into two parts. "Lower City" is at sea level and contains the old port and the commercial area with a complete and varied assortment of Brazilian arts and crafts at the Modelo Market. The art there is very unique to the region with very bright, live colors. It is also the best place to watch "capoeira", developed by African slaves in Brazil, originally a combat and now a dance and folklore tradition. "Upper City" can be reached by stone steps, alleyways or the famous Lacerda Elevator. This part of the city contains the old government buildings, residential districts, museums, churches and newer architecture. Salvador has a very quiet way of life, with lots of Jamaican reggae walking around the city and it's also very common to run into large groups of natives playing drums to powerful Brazilian rhythms. Its cuisine is greatly influenced by the african slaves roots and is very spicy.
Sao Paulo
More than likely if you're planning a visit to Sao Paulo you're coming on business but remember all work and no play make jack a dull boy, so make some time for fun too. You're not going to just any old city in Latin America. Sao Paulonever sleeps and people come from other countries as well as all over Brazil looking for opportunities trying to make something of their lives. Sao Paulo, the third largest metropolitan area in the world is the wealthiest and most important commercial center in the southern hemisphere. It is in the forefront of medical technology and its universities are the most respected ones as well. It has the largest and busiest hotels, convention centers, and airports not to mention the second largest helicopters fleet in the world. It's well known for its cultural diversity. Like the rest of Brazil it is a racially mixed culture with less distinct color lines than the ones existing in the States. Nightlife is usually more interesting on the weekdays.
BRAZIL
