Tourist sites
- For the Brazilians, Rio is the cidade maravilhosa (magnificent city). More than seven million Cariocas live in between the ocean and the mountain, turning Rio into one of the most populated places in the world. However, its reputation of being the world capital of pleasure should not overlook a less brilliant reality: a third of the population lives in favelas at the bottom of the mountains.
- P?o de Acucar
- Lapa : popular old district with its famous arches
- Beautiful beaches in Rio and its region (Ilha Grande, Paraty, Buzios...)
- Corcovado with the famous and impressive Cristo Redentor (Redeemer Christ)
- Santa Teresa, pretty old district where artists settled down.
- Rio's former city centre, between the Teatro Municipal and the port, will allow you to get an idea of the carioca architecture in colonial times.
- Salvadore de Bahia: The superb churches, the houses dating from the XVIth and XVIIth centuries as well as an important colonial district are pleasant to visit in the morning. The Cathedral Basilica is the most beautiful of the town. Igeja S?o Francisco is a baroque church, which has been built by slaves. The Igreja NS do Bonfim is renowned for its miraculous curings: the room of the miracles is full of ex-voto. For the candomblistas, it is the most important church. One of the biggest bank holidays of the country takes place over there in January. Less famous than the carnival of Rio, the Salvador carnival is more authentic.
- Amazonia is a huge ecosystem with its rivers and forests, it covers half of Brazil and sticks out the borders. The State of Amazonas, the vastest of Brazil, covers almost the totality of the Occidental amazonian basin. Manaus, the capital, located at the edge of Rio Negro, counts 1,160,000 inhabitants.
- Ouro Preto is the real architectural jewel of the golden age of Minas Gerais, Ouro Preto is located in faraway mountains of the Serra do Espinhaco. This beautiful city enables walks along its paved streets. Numerous churches and museums are worth visiting. The city is 1,000 m beyond the sea level and the temperature may vary between 2?C and 28?C over there.
- Iguacu's falls: the source is in the coastal mountains of Parana and Santa Catarina, the Rio Iguacu covers 600 km westward. It widens majestically and goes around a magnificent forest before diving into space. They are wider than the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe, higher than the Niagara's (up to 80 m). One counts 275 falls over 3 km. The good period to go there is from August to November. Indeed, from May to July, the level of the water is too high.
For more information about tourism
in Brazil
, check out the following web site(s) :
Brazilian Tourism Board
Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau
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