Brazil

It’s almost impossible to mention Brazil without two vastly different images coming to mind: the Amazon Rainforest and Carnival in Rio. And while there’s a lot more to see in Brazil—exploring the Amazon could take several lifetimes, after all—Brazil’s tourism revolves around those two locales for very good reasons. With vibrant culture and spectacular geography, Brazil is the tourism Mecca of South America.

Though Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, and second-most populous in the world (behind only Mexico City), the cultural capital of Brazil is Rio de Janeiro. Beginning five days before Ash Wednesday, Carnival in Rio is an experience like none other. The highlights of Carnival are the parades and competition between samba schools; Rio even has a stadium-like structure, the Sambodromo, specifically for the Carnival parades.

But Rio has many attractions beyond Carnival. The Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) is a cultural complex featuring exhibitions, film screenings, concerts, and more. Not far from the CCBB is the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, Brazil’s best fine arts museum. The Catedral Metropolitana is a modern cathedral with spectacular stained-glass windows; it also houses the Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art), which holds important historical and religious artifacts. Collections in the Museu Nacional (National Museum) include exhibits on Brazil’s natural and cultural history.

Rio is also home to some of the most famous beaches in the world, including Ipanema and Copacabana. The Parque Nacional da Tijuca is an urban rainforest jungle featuring waterfalls and an excellent walking trail system. An ascent up Pao de Acuçar, or Sugar Loaf, gives you a breathtaking view of Rio from 1,300 feet above the city. (You don’t have to walk—there are cable cars.) Also required is a trip to Corcovado Mountain, upon which stands the famous statue known as Cristo Redentor—Christ the Redeemer—which is visible from almost the entire city when the lights go up at night.

For serious lovers of nature and adventure, it doesn’t get any better than the Amazon rainforest. The stunning beauty of the Amazon River can’t be adequately described. Many tour companies offer journeys through the Amazon basin; be sure to take some insect repellent along.

Closer to Rio, in the southwestern part of the country, is the Pantanal—the world’s largest wetlands and an area which actually has more wildlife than what you’d see in the Amazon. If you want to take pictures of beautiful animals, then the Pantanal is the place to go.

American citizens do require travel visas to visit Brazil. You can apply by mail or in person through the Brazilian Consulate nearest you.

Iguacu Falls - Brazil
This page contains some beautiful pictures from Brazil's astonishing Iguacu Falls.

Brazil: Rio - Iguacu Falls - Salvador '02
A well-organized and informative personal site with stories and pictures from Rio de Janeiro, Iguacu Falls, and Salvador.

Trip to Brazil - March 2003
An excellent travelogue about a trip to Rio during Carnival and then onward to Manaus and the Amazon basin.

My Trip to Rio
A well-written account of a trip to Rio during a non-Carnival time of year.

My Trip to Rio de Janeiro
Great pictures from Rio. The main page is text-only, so it loads super-quickly.

The Pantanal Summer 2004
A journey to the Pantanal wetlands region of Brazil.

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TripLogs: Brazil

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