Brazil is the largest country in South America and the population is primarily urban, living predominantly in the coastal regions and the large metropolises. Geographically, it is diverse, ranging from paradise islands and beaches to tropical rainforests in the mountains of the interior to the arid semidesert drought-stricken sertão to the wetlands of the Pantanal.
Rio de Janeiro is an artist's dream, with curving beaches and tropical mountains soaring straight up from the sea. Music is everywhere. The famed "Christ the Redeemer" statue at Corcavado is silhouetted against the deep blue sky and cable cars take excited visitors to the top of Sugar Loaf. Brazil has the world's longest river and its also the most mysterious. It has the world's largest waterfall. Brazil probably has the happiest people on earth! Come to Brazil and find out why.
Brazil's people are much the same. From years of colonisation, slavery and immigration during the boom-years of rubber, gold, sugar cane, tobacco and coffee, the population is now a cultural melting pot but Portuguese is the official language and English has little place except where needed in the commercial centres. The Amazon of course is the most recognisable region in Brazil – the largest tropical rainforest in the world with an ecosystem beyond description... who can compete for the sheer numbers of species and subspecies of fauna and flora found in this region?
Apart from the scenery, Brazil is a nation of revellers who seldom seem to stop celebrating something. If it isn't Carnival or another of a myriad of celebrations, there is the hype of soccer, motor racing or just being a part of the night-life. But they are also a nation of intense emotions – who will ever forget the mourning of the death of Brazil's blue-eyed boy, Ayrton Senna?
The heat draws the people to the beaches where games are played and tans acquired. Brazil is the country of variety, ranging from Third World to First World, urban to rural and deep into the unexplored... for the adventurer, socialite, nature-lover and anthropologist.
Acre
Acre's capital city is Rio Branco. This heavily forested area borders on Venezuela and settlement increased rapidly after the construction of the BR364 highway through the Federal Unit. As a result, much of the forest has been destroyed. It also has a small river port. Much of this region is difficult to reach between October and June as rivers are full and roads impassable. Acre's main function is as a means of entering or exiting Brazil.
Rio Branco
Rio Branco is a federal university town and as a result is a lively social centre. Economic activities are centred around the university, as well as river trade from the port and street markets. At the Museu da Borracha one can see a collection of archeological finds and ethnography, while the Casa do Seringueiro has recorded the more recent history of the region, namely the rubber trade and its disputes. Horto Florestal (the municipal forest park, with a variety of Amazon flora, footpaths and a lake), Lago do Amapá and Parque Ecológico Plácido de Castro are other places where one can enjoy the natural beauty, go for a swim or a walk or go on a boat trip.
Amapá
Amapá is the place to go to see where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic ocean (commonly known as Pororaca) and is best viewed between January and April. In general, this region is sparsely populated and nature-lovers would find this the ideal place to spend a holiday, or at least part of it. This region has three reserves: The Parque Nacional do Cabo Orange, Reserva Biológica do Lago Piratuba and Estação Ecológica de MaracáJipioca. The latter protects mangrove swamps, dense tropical forests of Amazonian palm-trees and endangered species of alligators, flamingos, monkeys, sloth, manatees and river otters. Amapá is great for jungle walks, swimming and fishing, but take precautions against malaria.
The Festa da Piedade Batuque at the end of June in Igarapé do Lago is a celebration with religious rituals, a river procession and dancing. O Marabiaxo is an AfroBrazilian holiday. Curiaú in August is festive with the Festa de Joachim.
Macapá
Macapá, the capital, is situated at the Amazon Estuary. This is where the majority of Amapá's inhabitants live. Being on the equator, the climate is tropical with humid and damp weather. Here one can see the Forte São José de Macapá, the square stone fort that the Portuguese built as defence against French invasion, as well as the Museu de Plantas Medicinais Waldemiro de Oliveira Gomes. Large herds of water buffalo roam on the outskirts of Macapá as the area is mostly swampy savannah and forest.
Amazonas
This is the largest state in Brazil, with at least three-quarters of the entire region inhabiting the cities. The climate is hot and humid, raining hard but briefly virtually every day from January until June. This seasonal rainfall produces over 2 m(7 ft) of water per year, with temperatures ranging from 23 °C (73 °F) to 30 °C (86 °F). From July to December temperatures range from 26 °C (79 °F) to 37 °C (99 °F). The Amazon is the largest Equatorial rainforest in the world and has an incredible variety of plants and wildlife, namely the caiman, peccary, tapir, capybara, boa constrictor, toucan, macaw, piranha, leafcutter ants, mosquitoes and thousands more living amongst Brazil's nut trees, rubber trees, palms ferns, water lilies and other tropical vegetation. Some areas are still unexplored. During the rainy season, travelling by road is often impossible.
If one travels right to the Venezuelean border to the Parque Nacional do Pico da Neblina, one can see Brazil's highest mountain peak. The Pico de Neblina stands at 3,014 m (9,888 ft) high.
Manaus
Manaus is the capital of the Amazonas which experienced major economic success during the rubber boom. The Escadaria dos Remédios Port, with floating docks, is the centre of business, supplying the market with strange and often unidentifiable goods. The market is housed in huge castiron art nouveau structure called the Mercado Municipal (designed by Adolfo Lisboa in 1882 and the ironwork imported from Europe.) Manaus also boasts an eclectic neoclassical opera house, the Teatro Amazonas (a pastiche of Italian Renaissance style) five museums, ecoparks and zoos. Manaus offers an immense range of jungle tours. It also has an active nightlife, with many nightclubs and bars. In the second half of June, one can experience the Procissão Fluvial de São Pedro, A folkloric festival celebrating the patron saint of fishermen.
Leticia
Leticia, bordering on the Amazon River, is where Brazil, Columbia and Peru meet. It is a well developed tourist spot which provides tours to Isla de los Micos, famous for its yellowfooted monkeys, and the Parque Nacional Amacayacu where the Ticuna and Yaguas Indian tribes live.
Maués
Maués is the largest cultivator of guaraná, a mild stimulant produced from the berries of the guaraná tree, a tradition of the original Indian tribes of the area. It is believed to be accountable for the heightened spirits of carnival which can be experienced here at the Festa do Guaraná during November and December.
Tefé
Tefé is a port along the Amazon River and caters for longer jungle tours.
Presidente Figueiredo
Presidente Figueiredo, on the edge of the BR174 highway is a good place for exploring. There are waterfalls, grottoes and caves. It is this area that provides Manaus with mineral water.
Parantins
Parantins, the Tupinambara island on the Amazon River hosts an incredible cultural festival at the end of June. The Parantins Folk Festival is an enactment of a legend involving bullfighting.
Pará
Pará is a huge area which includes a large section of the Amazon. Mining and hydroelectric schemes are the economic activities of the region. On the borders of Pará and the Amazonas is the Parque Nacional da Amazônia which attempts to protect its forest region.
Belém
Belém, the biggest port in the Amazon, is the capital of Pará with a turbulent history of revolutionaries, guerrillas and the rubber boom. Wet and humid, there is no dry season to speak of, but cool winds blowing off the Atlantic provide a welcome respite from the heat. Fruit and fish are, of course, abundant and form the basis of the regional cuisine. The Mercado Ver-o-Peso is the daily market with an awesome selection of traditional medicines and potions available. Also to see is the Teatro da Paz and the Basílica de NS de Nazaré, where on the second Sunday in October, Círio de Nazaré is celebrated with fireworks, hymns, bells, a procession and a feast, all in praise of the Virgin Mary. Museu Emílio Goeldi is the natural history museum and a research centre with a park, zoo (with jungle cats, giant river otters, manatees and Amazonian birds), an aquarium and a permanent exhibit. Belém has an active nightlife of music, dancing and shows.
Ilha do Mosqueiro
Ilha do Mosqueiro is an island of nineteen freshwater beaches such as Praia do Farol. There are also traditional folklore, art and music festivals in June and July and the Círio de NS do Ó in December.
Salinópolis
Salinópolis is Pará's major coastal resort which has beaches and mineral spas.
Ilha de Marajó
Ilha de Marajó has a population of approximately 250,000 despite the fact that from January to June most of the island is submerged and swampy. With a size of almost 50,000 km² (19,305 miles²) it is one of the largest fluvial islands in the world. Strips of forest, low-lying fields, palms and mangrove forests form the vegetation in the eastern half, while the west is forest only. Fauna include buffalo which forms part of the major economic activity, snakes and flamingos. Soure is the commercial centre of Ilha de Marajó and hosts a number of festivals: São Pedro at the end of June, the AgroPecuária buffalo fair in September and Círio de Nazaré in November.
Santarém
Santarém , just south of the equator, has some lovely forests and beaches. The economy is based on rubber, hard woods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, black pepper and fish, as well as the recent gold and bauxite finds. In June, Festa do Sairé, an Indian festival, and Festa da Saúde, a Christian festival, run concurrently, and a few days later, the São Pedro river procession honours the patron saint of fishermen.
Rondônia
The capital of Rondônia is Porto Velho on the banks of the Rio Madeira. Cattle farming, gold prospecting and drug smuggling feed the economy. Swimming and fishing are popular along the river beaches and for trainenthusiasts, the Estação MadeiraMamoré and the Museu Ferroviária house the history of the area's railway. In June, saint's day festivals are celebrated.
However, the highlights of Rondônia are its parks and reserves such as the Reserva Biológica do Guaporé, Parque Nacional de Pacaás Novas and the Estação Biologica Cuniã wellknown for its birdlife and fish.
Roraima
Roraima, a territory north of Amazonas, is the mountainous region on the Venezuelan border. It has been declared an Indian reserve for the Yanomami tribespeople. Sparsely populated, more than half of the inhabitants live in Boa Vista, a planned city on the Rio Branco. And here, once again, it is the natural surroundings which generate more interest. Mt Roraima, one of Brazil's highest peaks at 2,875 m (9,432 ft) and here one finds an abundance of waterfalls, rapids, grassland and jungle.
Distrito Federal
Distrito Federal is where one will find Brasília, the capital of Brazil, the giant modernist architectural spectacle. Designed by Lucio Costa, Oscar Niemeyer and Burle Marx, this great planned city in the interior was meant to be a symbol of Brazil's affluence. Devoid of greenery, it is a hot, dry and rather unpleasant place to be unless one enjoys the sterility of Modernism.
In Brasília one can see the Memorial JK, the television tower, Catedral Metropolitana and Santuário Dom Bosco (concrete columns and a lot of glass instead of the more traditional places of worship found everywhere else) as well as interestingly landscaped government buildings and the eclectic Teatro Nacional with its Aztec appearance. The Parque Rogério Pithon Farias is the city park with a heated public swimming pool, a lake for boating, and woods, while the Parque Nacional de Brasília is the ecological reserve which protects endangered species such as banded anteaters, giant armadillos and maned wolves.
Other places of more natural interest in Distrito Federal are Estância de Agua de Itiquira, Cachoeria Saia Velha and Cachoeira Topázio which have waterfalls, natural pools and forest areas.
Goiás
The state of Goiás' main attractions are its historic colonial cities and parks, such as the Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros and Parque Nacional das Emas from July to October the grassy plains and open woodland is excellent for game-spotting.
The capital, Gioânia's economy is based on cattle and apart from this, there is not much to do or see in the city, but you can eat a good steak. Goiás Velho (formerly the state capital of Vila Boa) is far more interesting. There are many remnants of colonial architecture from the gold rush, such as Igreja de Paula, the Museu das Bandeiras, Museu de Arte Sacra and the Palácio Conde dos Arcos. Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations are very impressive, with a torch-lit procession.
Pirenópolis, on the National Heritage register, has some wonderful historic churches, including the Igreja NS do Rosario Matriz, the oldest in the state. During Cavalhadas and Carnaval, Pirenópolis is very crowded, as the festivities are very popular. Another marvelous celebration is Festa do Divino Espírito Santo. Camping and mountain-biking are of the most popular activities.
Worth visiting is the Santuário de Vida Silvestre, a farm and wildlife sanctuary with its forests. Here there are black howler monkeys, brown capuchin, agouti, armadillo and other strange animals and a wide variety of birds. The Parque Estadual da Serra dos Pirineus is great for hiking with waterfalls and strange rock formations.
Calvas Novas is the place to go to relax and rejuvenate. The hot springs have curative powers and it has recently become a popular resort.
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul are two separate states divided by the Pantanal. The Pantanal extends across parts of both these states.
Mato Grosso is a hilly highland plain punctuated by fish-filled rivers. The ground is fertile and industries include cattle, rice, cotton, soybean, corn and manioc farming as well as mining. Culturally and historically there is little to see except in July when the Festa de São Benedito is celebrated.
Chapada dos Guimarâes is a rocky plateau where one can see the Véu de Nova falls and the Mirante Lookout. Also in the area is the Aroe Cavern and Lagoa Azul, also known as the blue lake.
Poconé is the city which is the entry point into the Pantanal via the Transpantaneira, a raised dirt road. In May there is a week-long cattle fair and Rodeos to celebrate Semana do Fazendeiro e do Cavalo Panteiro.
Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul are two separate states divided by the Pantanal. The Pantanal extends across parts of both these states.
Mato Grosso do Sul, is on the other side of the Pantanal and Corumbá is the port city on the Rio Paraguai and the Bolivian border.
Campo Grande is the Capital of Mato Grosso do Sul. This region supports itself by its manganese, rice, soy and cattle products. The Museu Dom Bosco has an immense insect collection, but there is not much else to see except the Forte Coimbra, an old military defence. Bonito is the state's major tourist drawcard because of its caves and clear rivers. During the time from September to December the piracema draws many visitors to Bonito and Coxim. This is when the fish migrate in large numbers through the rapids to spawn. Species include pacú, pintado, piracema and dourado.
Tocantins
In 1989 the state of Tocantins was declared in order for the indigenous Indians to have their own territory. Palmas is the capital, a planned city with few attractions apart from the Palácio Araguaia. Gurupi, is the most important agricultural and industrial area in Tocantins. It is in June that a large agricultural fair is held and celebrated in conjunction with the Festejos de Santo Antônio.
Formosa do Araguaia's only real area of interest is its agricultural project these rice plantations are really huge and are the home of a variety of wildlife too. Miracema do Tocantins on Rio Tocantins is a small town with a few beaches that are only exposed from July to September, and flooded for the rest. Ilha do Bananal is a river island of 20,000 km² (7,722 miles²) in the Rio Araguaia. Primarily an Indian reserve, the island is a fertile forested region with excellent fishing.
Alagoas
The region of Alagoas could easily be mistaken for a leisure resort. This northeastern coastal region has excellent beaches and lush coconut palms. The main economic activity is fishing and the area is densely populated. There are also some small areas of forest and mangrove swamps despite the growth of commercialism. There are a number of small, less populated fishing villages on the coast, such as Jarapatinga, São Miguel dos milagres, Porto de Pedras and many others
Maceió
Maceió, the capital of Alagoas, is a modern city geared towards tourism. In the centre of the commercial area is a small historical site where one can find the Museu do Instituto Histórico (which contains the regional history of Alagoas). The ocean has coral reefs and there are plenty of boat rides and areas to swim amongst them. Festa do Mar (celebrated in December) is apparently a relatively safe, lively and fun carnival experience, although the area becomes very crowded due to the festival's popularity. Seafood, particularly the oysters which are so plentiful, beach activities and the nightlife are not to be missed.
Marechal Deodoro
Marechal Deodoro, known for its exquisite lace and homemade sweets, was the capital of Alagoas during the early 19th century. It is the place to go for cultural exploration, with many churches such as Igreja e Convento São Francisco (17th century) and Igreja de Ns da Conceição (which houses a museum of high Catholic religious art.) There is also the Museu Deodoro, the museum dedicated to the first president of Brazil.
Barra de São Miguel
Barra de São Miguel is situated on the mouth of the Rio São Miguel and is the seaside weekend retreat for the wealthy.
Bahia
From 1549 to 1763, Salvador in Bahia was the colonial capital of Brazil as it was the centre of the sugar industry. Bahia is divided into three distinct regions: the Recôncavo (a hot, humid band where sugar cane and tobacco thrive) ; the Sertão (a vast arid region) and the Litoral (beach region used primarily for cocoa-production). Bahia still retains its African roots with the inhabitants still practising capoeira an African form of martial art used as a weapon against their slavemasters The AfroBrazilian religious cult of Candomblé which originated in what is now Nigeria, Africa, is practised by the Yoruba people.
Salvador da Bahia
Salvador da Bahia is the capital of Bahia and has a population of approximately 2.1 million. The city centre still retains its colonial appearance with a predominance of baroque architecture. Central Salvador is divided into Cicade Alta (upper city) and Cicade Baixe (lower city). Cicade Alta is where the capital of Brazil was built; on the hilltops for maximum security. This is now the tourist centre of Salvador and many of the 17thcentury churches and buildings have been restored, such as the Catedral Basílica, Igreja São Francisco, Meseu AfroBrasileiro (which houses a variety of Candomblé artefacts), the old slaveauction site and whipping post, the Elevador Lacerda (a 19thcentury steam elevator) and many more places of architectural interest. Cicade Baixa is the commercial centre with its own port. This area is much poorer, but still has some interesting sites, such as the markets. Mercado Modelo is geared more toward tourists, while Mercado São Joachim is a more authentic open market. The Igreja NS do Bomfin further along the Itagipe peninsula is a shrine; the most important for Candomblistas as it is supposed to have curative powers. During January one can experience the Lavagem do Bomfin, a combined Candomblé and Catholic festival, and on New Year's Eve, the Procissão do Senhor Bom Jesus dos Navegantes is celebrated.
Carnaval (February/March) in Salvador is authentic and spontaneous with music and dancing. There are, in fact, so many celebrations in Bahia that only July and September are not marked by major events. Also worth a visit are the Museu de Arte Sacra da Bahia and the Museu de Arte Moderna. Music and dancing is the style of the nightlife always crowded and festive.
Itaparica
Itaparica, the large island off the coast is a quieter beach alternative than those on the mainland and has a calm, shallow bay good for swimming. At the northern tip one can see the São Laurenço Fort (built by the Dutch invaders), the Igreja Matriz do Santíssimo Sacramento (an old church) and the Fonte da Bica (a mineralwater fountain).
Ceará
Ceará, similar to Bahia, is divided into three distinct areas. The coastline is of course the most popular, while the interior is dusty sertão and the hilly regions are lush and green. Despite the size of Ceará it has only about eight million inhabitants as a result of droughts.
The Coastline
Fortaleza is a major fishing port with a strange collection of historical sites, mainly museums, to visit. Apart from the usual anthropological museum, there is the Museu deo Automóvel which has a collection of veteran cars and the Teatro José Alencar this Scottish imported theatre is now used for cultural events. In the Mercado Central, markets are open almost every day of the week, selling mainly craftwork made of bamboo, leather, lace and vines. Praia do Futuro is the cleanest city beach. The Parque Ecólogico do Côco protects the mangrove swamps from the growth of the city.
July and August are the months of festivity in Fortaleza when there is a jangada regatta (also known as the Regata de Jangadas Dragão do Mar), the Iemanjá festival and a week of traditional folk celebrations.
Travelling further southeast, the beaches continue, with the most popular being Canoa Quebrada. Northwest of Fortaleza is Beach Park, a modern beach resort famed for its Aqua Park. Fortaleza has a population of approximately 1.8 million.
The Sertão
Serra de Baturité is a range of hills in the sertão region. Despite the aridity of the sertão, the hills receive a lot of rain. Coffee and bananas grow very well. The town of Baturité is the commercial centre for this production.
The Hilly Region
Candindé in October is the place to see the religious pilgrimage of O Santuário de São Francisco das Chagas, where many travel to worship the saint. Just outside of the small town of Ubajara is the Parque Nacional de Uberjara where one can ride a cable way to see the limestone caves or walk through the forest and see the waterfalls.
Maranhão
The state of Maranhão's major resource is the versatile babaçu palm which grows everywhere except in the sertão and rainforest areas. The population is approximately 5 million in this state of 324,616 km² (125,335 miles²).
São Lúis is the capital, still sporting the old colonial architecture. The Colonial District, or Projeto Reviver as it is known since the largescale renovations, has a variety of historical buildings and fountains. The people hold strongly to their folk traditions and in midJune, the festival of Bumba Meu Boi is celebrated, and in July they celibrate the AfroBrazilian festival, Tambor de Mina. The nightspots favour reggae and the beaches tend to have rough surf, but are still popular. São Francisco is the more modern builtup district with many bars and restaurants. Outside of São Lúis is a huge aluminium processing plant.
Alcântara is another historical site to visit with 17th- and 18thcentury buildings. The Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Marenhenses (near Barreirinhas) also makes for an interesting visit with its mangroves, lagoons, dunes and beaches on the coast.
Paraíba
The capital of Paraíba, João Pessoa, is a coastal city. The major attraction of the city is the Igreja São Francisco and the Museu Fotográfico Walfredo Rodrigues. The surrounding beaches are great for swimming, diving, boat trips and this is where the nightlife is most active.
Sousa in the sertão, which floods during the rainy season, is an interesting place to go to see dinosaur footprints. These footprints were discovered in 1920.
Pernambuco
Recife
Recife, broken up into districts by the waterways but connected by bridges, is the capital of Pernambuco. Here, Carnaval preparations already begin two months before the big event. The sugar industry left its legacy in the form of churches and museums scattered throughout the city. The coastline is lovely, particularly to the south of Recife. Here there are coconut palms, calm clear waters and protective reefs. Cabo de Santo Aghostino is a great place for spearfishing and snorkelling.
Igarassu
Igarassu is another historical city and is worth a visit especially in September and November when the Festa dos Cosme e Damião and the Festa do Côco are celebrated.
Itamaracá
Itamaracá is a popular beach town on Ilha do Itamaracá. On the island is also Forte Orange, a 17thcentury Dutch fort. On the first Saturday in February the whole town celebrates Buscada de Itamaracá.
Caruaru
Caruaru holds Feira Livre every Wednesday. This is a large market where traditional craftwork (the best known being ceramic figurines) is sold while musicians, poets and actors entertain the keen shoppers.
Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha is a collection of 21 islands and is now technically a part of Pernambuco. As the total area only spans 26 km² (10 miles²), the population is small (roughly 1,500) and their main income is tourism as the whole island group is a national marine park. Only Vila dos Remédios, the largest island, is inhabited. The rainy season is from February to July and apart from the incredible marine life, there are also mangrove swamps and beautiful beaches, although access to some is denied for environmental reasons.
Piauí
Piauí is a very poor state and the geography and climate almost reflects this. It is predominantly a sertão region which is arid and dry, with September to December being the hottest months. However, the areas on the coast is cooler. Parnaibá and Lúis Correia in the littoral region on the coast are popular beach resorts.
Teresina
Teresina, the capital, is reputedly the hottest city in Brazil and therefore not a great tourist trap, but the Potycabana, an aquatic entertainment centre, is always popular. From June to August the main festivals take place, while in November comedians and anyone who thinks he/she is funny takes part in the Salão Internacional de Humor do Piauí.
Pedro Segundo
Pedro Segundo is the town close to which the only opals in Brazil are found. The Parque Nacional de Sete Cicades protects some ancient rock formations, while the Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara has prehistoric rock paintings.
Rio Grande do Norte
Rio Grande do Norte is a coastal region with some excellent beaches, particularly around Senador Georgino Alvino. Small fishing villages dot the map, such as Baía Formosa and Barra do Cunhaú.
Natal is the capital of Rio Grande do Norte. This is another beach city but has little cultural interest. The nightlife is active and if you want to top off a prefect day at the beach, buggy rides are readily available. The beaches extend over 9 km (6 miles) and are good for surfing.
Tibaú, on the border of Ceará, is another popular beach resort.
Sergipe
Sergipe is the smallest state in Brazil, with Laranjeiras being one of the nicest places in the region to visit. Up in the hills, in amongst the greenery is the old colonial town where one can visit an old sugar mill, churches, museums and the Gruta da Pedra Furada, an escape tunnel built by Jesuit priests. And at the beginning of January, the Encontro Cultural folklore festival is celebrated.
The coastline is not as impressive as elsewhere in Brazil and as a result there is very little development in this region, and the sertão area also holds little attraction. Most of the inhabitants form part of a river culture that lives and celebrates by the waters, such as the people of Propriá. In January, the Bom Jesus dos Navegantes is celebrated with a river procession and dancing.
Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo is not exactly a tourist spot. Heavy industry is the primary source of income and the area is not as attractive as others in Brazil although there are mountains and beaches.
The port city, Vitória, is the capital, but its waters and the surrounding beaches are quite polluted. The Anchieta Palace, once a Jesuit college and church, is now the central government building. Also to see is the Catedral Metropolitana and the Teatro Carlos Gomes. Vila Velha is a pilgrimage centre where many come to travel to the NS de Penha monument on a granite outcrop.
Guarapari is known for one of its beach, Praia do Morro, which has monazitic radioactive sand that is proclaimed to have healing properties.
Piúma's attractions are hanggliding and climbing at Monte Aghá.
Domingos Martins, initially a German settlement, has a musical waterclock featuring the twelve apostles. In the surrounding mountainous area horse riding, hiking and climbing are popular.
Conceiçáo da Barra on the coast between the Itaúnas and Cricaré rivers is almost completely obscured by 20- to 30mhigh (66- to 98fthigh) sand dunes.
Minas Gerais
Minais Gerais is a fairly mountainous region, which is lush and green except for the sertão in the north. The rainy season is from October to February and the dry from March to September, when temperatures are cooler. The economy is based on iron, tin, zinc, phosphates, quartz and diamond mining.
Belo Horizonte is the capital a planned industrial city surrounded by hills. The Museu de Mineralogía has a large collection of diamonds and gems on display, while Museu Histórico Abílio Barreto is what is left of the colonial architecture in Belo Horizonte. In the hills are the Gruta de Maquiné, a sevenchambered cave.
Minas Gerais is, however, mostly known for its historical towns, mineral spa towns and national parks.
Rio de Janeiro
Think of Brazil and one thinks of Rio de Janeiro, the city where the party never stops. Rio de Janeiro State's capital is Rio de Janeiro City. Guaranabara, or Baía de Guanabara, part of Rio de Janeiro State, is the coastal region with over one hundred islands. Ilha da Paqueta used to be the place to be seen, but now it is quiet, primarily a place for the inhabitants of Rio to get away from the bustle of the city.
Rio de Janeiro City
Rio de Janeiro City has a population of over seven million and is a pleasure capital for those who can afford it, but the city has extremely high pollution levels. From December to March the summer weather is hot and humid with some rain, but even in winter, it rarely gets below 20 °C (68 °F).
The south is the wealthy sector, while the north is the home of the lower classes. The business district is the Centro and after hours this area is deserted, except for the fringes of what is known as Cinelândia, the entertainment sector with cinemas, restaurants, hotels and bars. Daytime activities at the Parque do Flamengo are centred around socialising on weekends.
The most noted place of course is Copacobana, the beach resort with one of the world's highest population densities. The beaches are for tanning and being seen. Arpoador is the beach for surfing. But for football, the place to go is Maracanã, the stadium, and it is not a place to go to relax. Football in this country is a serious business.
Pão de Açúcar is the cable way that takes one up over Rio and Baía de Guanabara or for another great view, climb Corcovado, the mountain with the statue of Cristo Redentor at the top. Parks in the city vary from botanical gardens to places for families can go to play games, as do the museums which house mythical, social and anthropological legends, art and traditional craft. For other entertainment there are facilities for horse racing, ballooning, cycling, golf, surfing, sailing, hang-gliding and paragliding, hiking and climbing.
Carnaval in Rio is big, both in the street and at Carnaval balls. During this time the whole city and all its visitors parade and revel in the streets, dressing up in bizarre costumes. At Carnaval time, Rio is filled to capacity.
If one misses the Carnaval festivities, Rio has a broad selection of cultural sites to visit, such as the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, the Museu Carmen Miranda or for a taste of Carnival, the Sambódromo & Museu do Carnaval.
São Paulo
São Paulo State is the industrial and commercial centre of Brazil. The coast of São Paulo has over seventy beaches and fifteen islands from which to choose. Ubatuba is perhaps the best beach resort and, of course, very expensive and popular. At the end of June the Festa de São Pedro Pescador is celebrated here.
São Paulo City
São Paulo City is the capital, settled on a high plateau to form a modern and cosmopolitan city, traversed by a good subway system. You won't be at a loss to see things in the city as there is an incredible range of museums, churches, parks and markets, as well as Edifício Itália, the tallest building in the city, and the impressive Teatro Municipal. The University of São Paulo contributes a large student population and in general the nightlife doesn't stop, particularly in Bela Vista and Bixiga. Outside of the city centre, one finds the Liberdade, the Oriental district which adds another flavour to the melting pot of cultures. The closest beach to São Paulo City is Guarujá.
Ilhabela
Ilhabela, the island of 340 km² (131 miles²), is essentially a tropical jungle popular for hiking, with areas of sugar cane and numerous waterfalls. Summer is the tourist season and many flock to the island as a quick escape from the city. Water and beach sports form most of the daytime entertainment, although there are a few colonial buildings to see.
Paraná
Curituba
Curituba is the capital of Paraná with a population of over 1.5 million and is one of the few Brazilian cities that functions well as an urban environment. The historic quarter, Largo do Ordem is well preserved and here you can visit the Museu de Arte Sacra in the Igreja da Ordem. Curituba also has an arcade complex which is open all day and night &173 this bears testimony to the active nightlife of the city. The locals are mainly of Italian, German and Polish descent and there is a large student population. For train enthusiasts, there is an excellent ride to Paranaguá with many bridges and tunnels. Along the way is the Marumbi State Park which is excellent for hiking.
Paranaguá
Paranaguá is one of Brazil's major ports, exporting corn, soy, cotton and vegetable oil. In the older section of the town, there are colonial remnants and the Museu de Arqueológico Etnologia has a good collection of Indian artefacts.
Parque Nacional do Superaguí is a marine park in the Baía de Paranaguá which protects salt&3173marshes and mangroves. The fauna includes Mata Atl&3226ntica shark, dolphins, jaguar and parrots.
Ilha de Mel
Ilha de Mel is popular in summer because of its good beaches, unlike the mainland, and is a good surfing spot. Carnaval is a big celebration here, as is Easter.
Foz do Iguaçu
Foz do Iguaçu is a World Heritage Site. It is an incredible waterfall surrounded by rainforest in the coastal mountains of Paraná and Santa Catarina.
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is more commercial than Rio Grande do Norte. Porto Alegre is the capital and has a freshwater port. Summer temperatures reach 40 &176C (104 °F) while winters are cold. The Mercado Público is an interesting market, while other attractions are the Museu Histórico Júlio de Castilhos, Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul and the Instituto Gaúcho de Tradição e Folclore. River cruises on the Rio Guaíba are perfect for seeing the brilliant sunsets of the region.
Litoral Gaúcho
Litoral Gaúcho is the coastline of the region but only really functions from December till March when the weather is pleasant. In season, however, it is lively, drawing many visitors. Torres, Capão de Canoa and Tramandaí are the most popular resort towns.
Rio Grande can be found on the Lagoa dos Patos and is an active port city with a number of museums such as the Museu da Cicade and the Museu Oceanográphico. Just out of town is Cassino, a beach resort without much class but still popular.
Serra Gaúcha
More pleasant is the mountainous region of Serra Gaúcha. The Gramado mountain resort hosts the Brazilian Film Festival in June and draws large crowds, while in winter snowfalls occur. Slightly less upmarket is Canela, another mountain resort which has good hiking trails, particularly in the Parque Estadual do Carocol and the Parque das Sequoisas. The end of May sees the celebrations of Festa de NS de Carravagio.
For naturelovers, Parque Nacional de Aparados de Serra houses some incredible sites such as the Canyon do Itaimbézinho, the Canyon da Fortaleza in amongst Brazil's last araucária forest.
Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina has a population of about four million. This farming state is quite prosperous and is visited mainly for its beaches. The water is calm and warm in most places except for the popular surf spots. As a result, January and February in Santa Catarina are crowded months, particularly at Balneário Camboriú.
Florianópolis is the capital of Santa Catarina where one can visit the old waterfront with its colonial buildings, the Catedral Metropolitana and the state museum.
Joinville is a fairly conservative, middle-class city which hosts a flower festival in November and a dance festival in July.
Ilha de Santa Catarina is the island to go to for swimming, tanning surfing and dunesurfing. The interior of the island is where one can find Lagoa da Conceição, the lagoon which is excellent for pleasant boat trips. The historic city of Laguna supports itself by its fishing industry as well as tourism.
The radioactive mineral baths at Tubarão and Criciúma are a great place to go to relax, and to see snow, the city of São Joaquim is ideal in winter.
Pará
Pará is a huge area which includes a large section of the Amazon. Mining and hydroelectric schemes are the economic activities of the region. On the borders of Pará and the Amazonas is the Parque Nacional da Amazônia which attempts to protect its forest region.
Belem
Belém, the biggest port in the Amazon, is the capital of Pará with a turbulent history of revolutionaries, guerrillas and the rubber boom. Wet and humid, there is no dry season to speak of, but cool winds blowing off the Atlantic provide a welcome respite from the heat. Fruit and fish are, of course, abundant and form the basis of the regional cuisine. The Mercado Ver-o-Peso is the daily market with an awesome selection of traditional medicines and potions available. Also to see is the Teatro da Paz and the Basílica de NS de Nazaré, where on the second Sunday in October, Círio de Nazaré is celebrated with fireworks, hymns, bells, a procession and a feast, all in praise of the Virgin Mary. Museu Emílio Goeldi is the natural history museum and a research centre with a park, zoo (with jungle cats, giant river otters, manatees and Amazonian birds), an aquarium and a permanent exhibit. Belém has an active nightlife of music, dancing and shows.
Ilha do Mosqueiro is an island of nineteen freshwater beaches such as Praia do Farol. There are also traditional folklore, art and music festivals in June and July and the Círio de NS do Ó in December.
Salinópolis
Salinópolis is Pará's major coastal resort which has beaches and mineral spas.
Ilha de Marajó
Ilha de Marajó has a population of approximately 250,000 despite the fact that from January to June most of the island is submerged and swampy. With a size of almost 50,000 km² (19,305 miles²) it is one of the largest fluvial islands in the world. Strips of forest, low-lying fields, palms and mangrove forests form the vegetation in the eastern half, while the west is forest only. Fauna include buffalo which forms part of the major economic activity, snakes and flamingos. Soure is the commercial centre of Ilha de Marajó and hosts a number of festivals: São Pedro at the end of June, the AgroPecuária buffalo fair in September and Círio de Nazaré in November.
Santarém
Santarém , just south of the equator, has some lovely forests and beaches. The economy is based on rubber, hard woods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, black pepper and fish, as well as the recent gold and bauxite finds. In June, Festa do Sairé, an Indian festival, and Festa da Saúde, a Christian festival, run concurrently, and a few days later, the São Pedro river procession honours the patron saint of fishermen.
Paraná
Curituba
Curituba is the capital of Paraná with a population of over 1.5 million and is one of the few Brazilian cities that functions well as an urban environment. The historic quarter, Largo do Ordem is well preserved and here you can visit the Museu de Arte Sacra in the Igreja da Ordem. Curituba also has an arcade complex which is open all day and night &173 this bears testimony to the active nightlife of the city. The locals are mainly of Italian, German and Polish descent and there is a large student population. For train enthusiasts, there is an excellent ride to Paranaguá with many bridges and tunnels. Along the way is the Marumbi State Park which is excellent for hiking.
Paranaguá
Paranaguá is one of Brazil's major ports, exporting corn, soy, cotton and vegetable oil. In the older section of the town, there are colonial remnants and the Museu de Arqueológico Etnologia has a good collection of Indian artefacts.
Parque Nacional do Superaguí is a marine park in the Baía de Paranaguá which protects salt&3173marshes and mangroves. The fauna includes Mata Atl&3226ntica shark, dolphins, jaguar and parrots.
Ilha de Mel
Ilha de Mel is popular in summer because of its good beaches, unlike the mainland, and is a good surfing spot. Carnaval is a big celebration here, as is Easter.
Foz do Iguaçu
Foz do Iguaçu is a World Heritage Site. It is an incredible waterfall surrounded by rainforest in the coastal mountains of Paraná and Santa Catarina.
Tourist Offices
The quality of tourist offices in Brazil varies, because many are sponsored by municipalities or states, often on very small budgets and these offices are not always centrally located. But all the state capitals have tourist information offices at bus stations and airports, marked by an Informações Turísticas sign. The Brazilian Tourist Board, Embratur, has its headquarters in Brasília and offices in Rio de Janeiro.
Visas and Passports
A valid passport and a return or onward ticket is required for all citizens of Western European nations, except for France. French, Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian citizens will need a visa in advance from the relevant embassy. A World Health Organisation health certificate is also required. A tourist visa allows you to stay for ninety days and can only be renewed once (at least 15 days before it expires). To stay longer, one must exit the country and reenter. Visitors below the age of 18 years will need a notarised letter of authorisation from a parent or legal guardian.
Customs
Airport customs do random passenger checks, while land border searches are more comprehensive, particularly if one is coming from Bolivia, because of the drugsmuggling. The traveller may bring in one of each of the following: radio, tape recorder, typewriter, video camera, still camera and a personal computer. The visitor may also buy up to USD 500.00 worth of dutyfree items as well as bringing in goods valued at USD 500.00 from abroad. Drugs are not tolerated in any quantity and possession usually leads to imprisonment. Bribery and corruption is wellknown amongst customs officials and offering a bribe to an official if it is hinted at, can be an easy but expensive way around such crises.
Money
Brazil's currency is the real (BRR), plural reais, which was introduced in July 1994 and is made up of 100 centavos. There are one, five, ten, twenty-five and fifty centavo coins. One-real comes in both note and coin form. Real notes come in denominations of BRR 5.00, 10.00, 50.00 and 100.00.
Business Hours
Generally business hours in cities are from 09:00 to 18:00, Mondays to Fridays and 09:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays.
Public Holidays
| 1 January |
New Year's Day |
| 6 January |
Epiphany |
| 7 February to 12 February 1997 |
Carnaval |
| 28 March 1997 |
Good Friday |
| 31 March 1997 |
Easter Monday |
| 21 April |
Tiradentes day |
| 1 May |
May Day |
| 29 May 1997 |
Corpus Christi |
| 7 September |
Independence Day |
| 12 October |
Our Lady of Aparecida Day |
| 2 November |
All Souls' Day |
| 15 November |
Proclamation Day |
| 25 December |
Christmas Day |
Peak Seasons
The best time to visit the city centres of Brazil is during Carnaval, but also take into account that during certain times of the year certain areas in Brazil is very uncomfortable to visit.
Post & Telecommunication
Generally, post offices are open from 09:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, and also on Saturday mornings. Mail leaving Brazil is very expensive and the rates are raised frequently, but the service is fairly good and reliable. To receive mail one can use a local posta restante, where mail will be held for 30 days. American Express customers can direct their mail to any American Express office as an alternative. Internal mail takes between three and four days to reach its destination, airmail to Europe and North America, approximately one week and surface mail, one month.
Phoning from Brazil is expensive. Phone company offices, or posto telefônico, can be found in all towns. These are for long-distance calls, requiring a large deposit. A 25% discount is given for calls made between 20:00 and 06:00, Monday to Saturday, and apply all day Sunday. Posto Telefônicos can all be used for national long-distance calls, but the cheaper rates do not apply. Public telephones are operated using tokens called fíchas which are sold everywhere. Red public telephones are for local calls and use fíche local, while blue ones are for inter-urban calls and use fícha interurbano. Phonecards are also widely available. Telegrams can be sent and received from all post offices, and larger branches provide fax services.
Useful telephone Numbers
| 107 |
International operator |
| 000333 |
Information on international calls |
| 102 |
Information |
Electricity
Electrical current can be problematic in Brazil as it isn't standardised, ranging from 110 volts to 220 volts, 60 cycles AC. The most common power points have two round sockets and it is advisable to carry an adaptor.
Disabled Travellers
Facilities for the disabled are minimal. Most buildings do not make provisions for wheelchairusers. When there are lifts, the doors are often too narrow and ramps also are not common. Taxis, long-distance buses and airlines provide the most comfortable transport for the disabled traveller. Wheelchairs are available at most airports.
Budget Travel
Youth Hostels or albergues de juventude are spread throughout Brazil. Members of Hostelling International pay a reduced rate and don't have to buy a guest membership card which is available from the head office in each state, as are hostel listings and directions. Other forms of cheap accommodation are the dormitorio (dormitory rooms with several beds) and the budget pousadas (private rooms with shared bathroom facilities). Camping is also an option.
History
About 20,000 years ago, the American Indians crossed the Bering Straits from North East Asia. The were huntergatherers following the migrating animals that served as their food source. From here they moved further south to warmer regions which eventually led them to the Amazon Basin and its surrounds. Their population was estimated at somewhere between two and five million people living in Brazil. Divided into small communities, they lived in communal dwellings, bonded by traditions of dance , music and games. After a few years, each community would pick up their meagre possessions and move on. This nomadic lifestyle dictated the size of their communities as well as the nature of their existence. They left very little of their culture for future discovery. With the advent of colonisation, many of these people retreated into the dense jungles in the interior to escape enslavement.
The Portuguese were the first to colonise Brazil. On 23 April 1500, Pedro Alvares Cabral accidentally landed in southern Bahia, the region dominated by the Tupí tribe who had a ritual predilection for human flesh.(Cannibalism, however, was rare in most other regions.) Cabral, after a week's exploration, attempted to continue to sail to India but drowned in a shipwreck. A year later, Amerigo Vespucci was sent to explore Brazil, first named Terro do Brasíl, after the first export of the country – a tropical redwood. The idea was to secure the coastline by dividing it up into captaincies and giving it to the Portuguese nobility. However, interest was minimal and thus the common Portuguese gentry were awarded possession. But colonisation proved problematic as the Indians grew wary of the Portuguese when they abused the local customs and beliefs, and when they started taking the best land. Voluntary labour became slavery, which developed into Brazil's second largest enterprise – many Indians were hunted down and captured for this purpose, but they didn't give up without a fight. These slavehunters became known as bandeirantes.
African slaves were introduced in the 1550s, primarily because the diseases that the colonisers brought with them were killing the Indians. The Africans, who had developed greater immunity, had no people of common heritage with which to seek refuge. Slaves formed a significant part of daily life, and integration was not uncommon, except for white female immigrants who led very short, protected lives. The mulatto population emerged quickly. They were the offspring of mixed black and European heritage. Slavery was only abolished in 1850, and its three centuries left a considerable impact on the region.
In the 1600s, many attempts at colonisation were made by the competing powers. France managed to operate trading stations in Brazil, but only for a few years before the Portuguese managed to force them out. The Dutch proved more difficult. After Portugal and Spain unified, the Dutch ceased to handle the situation peaceably. Many battles over the Brazilian coastline ensued and the Dutch managed to settle and trade despite ongoing battles. Only in 1654 was peace established.
The discovery of gold by bandeirante in the 1690s just beyond Rio de Janeiro saw the first real attempts at settlers moving into the interior. Many left despite the incredible danger of the journey. Competition amongst gold hunters was very strong and often led to violent disp |
