Things not to miss in Brazil

#01 Views from the Corcovado, Rio

Ascend the Corcovado mountain – where the image of Christ the Redeemer stands – for breathtaking views taking in the whole of Rio and Guanabara Bay.

© galaro/Shutterstock

#02 Capoeira

Step into a capoeira school, where you can watch the dance-like sparring of this distinctive martial art for free.

© Vladimir Gappov/Shutterstock

#03 Markets

Walk through any market in Brazil to get a sense of the country’s natural abundance. São Paulo’s Mercado Municipal, crammed with produce from all over Brazil, is particularly impressive.

© Thiago Leite/Shutterstock

#04 The Pantanal

You’ll be hard-pressed to not spot wildlife in the world’s biggest inland swamp.

© Uwe Bergwitz/Shutterstock

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#05 Theatro Municipal, Rio

If you can’t catch a show inside Rio’s sumptuous belle époque theatre, be sure to stop for lunch or a drink in its lavish, Assyrian-inspired café.

© Catarina Belova/Shutterstock

#06 Trekking in the Chapada Diamantina

Explore the dramatic terrain of this enormous national park, which includes mesas, forest, river beaches, waterfalls and a kilometre-long grotto.

Chapada Diamantina cave, Brazil © Alekk Pires/Shutterstock

#07 Churrascarias

Sample grilled meats – numerous cuts of beef, plus pork, lamb, chicken, duck and more – at these typical gaúcho barbecue houses.

Fresh vegetables, crispy roasted Churrasco © TMON/Shutterstock

#08 Pedra Azul

This massive stone mountain is renowned for the shade of blue it seems to turn at dawn and at sunset.

© Eduardo Menezes/Shutterstock

#09 Candomblé celebrations

Usually identifiable by their white dress, followers of this popular Afro-Brazilian religious cult worship together in exuberant dance ceremonies as well as at fiestas.

© Alf Ribeiro/Shutterstock

#10 Parque Nacional Chapada dos Veadeiros

Head just a few hours north of Brasília to take in this spectacular wilderness area, dotted with striking geological formations, caves, waterfalls and hiking trails.

The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is in the state of Goias, in central Brazil © Luiz Antonio Nasser Jr/Shutterstock

#11 Paraty

This picturesque spot remains one of Brazil’s best-preserved colonial towns, and it’s a great base from which to explore the surrounding Costa Verde.

© LucVi/Shutterstock

#12 Florianópolis beaches

Head to the island capital of Santa Catarina state, where kilometres of beaches include treacherous surfing spots and calm waters for safe swimming.

Matadeiro Florianopolis beach Armacao, Brazil © Gustavo Testo/Shutterstock

#13 Ouro Preto

Some truly remarkable Baroque churches are tucked away in the steep, narrow streets of this charming town.

Top view of the center of the historic Ouro Preto city in Minas Gerais, Brazil © Fred S. Pinheiro/Shutterstock

#14 Northeast beaches

North of Salvador the coastline is stunning, with waters good for surfing or sailing in a traditional jangada, as well as fine white sand dunes, seen here near Fortaleza.

© marchello74/Shutterstock

#15 Parque Nacional da Tijuca

This impressive expanse of Mata Atlântica is criss-crossed by shaded trails and features refreshing waterfalls and spectacular views across Rio.

© Dmitry V. Petrenko/Shutterstock

#16 Museu de Arte Contemporânea, Niterói

Take a short ferry ride from Rio and spend some time at this spaceship-like museum, one of Oscar Niemeyer’s architectural masterpieces.

© Juliano Galvao Gomes/Shutterstock

#17 Brazilian architecture

Whether it looks like a futuristic dream or a modern-day nightmare, Brazil’s contemporary architecture is often otherworldly. For more information, see East: Niterói and the Costa do Sol & Oscar Niemeyer.

© Thiago Fernandes BHZ/Shutterstock

#18 Rio nightlife

A rather seedy inner-city bairro by day, Lapa at night pounds to infectious Brazilian rhythms, its nightclubs and bars teeming with locals and tourists alike.

© Shutterstock

#19 River journeys

Take a slow boat along the Amazon for close-up views of the mighty river and its wildlife.

© Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock

#20 Colonial Rio

There are more colonial churches in Rio than anywhere else in Brazil – the pretty Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro is perhaps the city’s finest.

Church of Santa Rita de Cassia in central Rio de Janeiro, Brazil © Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock

#21 The Aquário Natural

Snorkel among some thirty-odd species of fish in the crystalline waters of this marine sanctuary, or spy on them from above in a glass-bottomed boat.

© Vanessa Rung/Shutterstock

#22 Visiting Rio’s beaches

On weekends you can hang with locals who escape to Rio’s sands to play sports, catch up on gossip or simply people-watch.

© Aleksandar Todorovic/Shutterstock

#23 Iguaçu Falls

The power and beauty of the falls is quite simply astonishing, only rivalled by the tranquillity of the Mata Atlântica behind

© Attila JANDI/Shutterstock

#24 Carnaval

For a memorable experience, take in the most important of Brazil’s festivals, celebrated in notably grand style in Rio, Salvador and Olinda.

© Gustavo Ardila/Shutterstock

Travel advice for Brazil

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