Taking a look at the (enormous) map and getting a bit overwhelmed about picking the best locations to visit in Brazil? Don't stress, we're here to help you to make the most out of your journey and give you the best pointers to enjoy Brazil like a regional. I'm Brazilian and I'm about to share all my favourite features of my country. From drinking caipirinha at the beach in Rio, to checking out a national park filled with beautiful blue lagoons in the north or helping to conserve turtles in the south, Brazil has an alternative for each sort of backpacker.
From north to south, you're going to find something remarkable to do in every corner of the nation and I guarantee you'll be shocked by how diverse Brazil is. Choose an open heart, listen and talk with the locals-- there is no much better method to get to know our culture.
The beaches in the north of the island are more touristy and have numerous well-known clubs, so things can get a bit more costly. I 'd advise that you visit Praia da Lagoinha, Praia do Specialty, Praia da Daniela, Praia Brava and Praia dos Ingleses. The east side of the island has a fantastic backpacker vibe and is a terrific area for surfing. My preferred beaches there are Joaquina, Praia Mole, Praia da Galheta and Barra da Lagoa. This is likewise the backpacker hotspot of the city, where you'll find individuals from all over the world, extremely cool bars and restaurants and individuals offering their art in the street.
If you're looking for some quiet time surrounded by nature, the south of the island is where you wish to be. We're talking unblemished beaches, some of them only available by trekking, like Praia dos Naufragados. If you want to join the residents, you ought to attempt the walking to Lagoinha do Leste, one of the most well-known treking trails in the south of Brazil. There are three various alternatives with different levels of problem, the most convenient one taking over an hour. You won't be sorry for the views when you get there though!
Ouro Preto is one of the very best locations to visit in Brazil for anyone who wishes to comprehend the country ´ s history. The city's name translates to 'Black Gold' in English, due to the fact that it was the centre of the gold rush in the 18th century. Nowadays, you can still experience the city's past through its architecture and the art of the incredible Brazilian carver Aleijadinho. You can visit all the piece de resistances on foot, and just walking appreciating the scenery is really among the very best things you can do. The main attractions in Ouro Preto are the old mines from the colonial period, where you can take a trip to become aware of how tons of ores and precious stones were drawn out and reclaimed to Europe, and how slave work was used for this.
The city likewise has lots of museums where you can start to understand more about the history of the country. At Inconfidence Museum you can discover Brazil's self-reliance, and if you're interested in Brazilian art, you ought to take a look at the Spiritual Art Museum. A great place to see Aleijadinho's work is São Francisco de Assis church, where you can discover lots of sculptures made by the artist.
Among the coolest things you can do in Ouro Preto is look for a university party. They're incredibly open and accept trainees from all over the world. All you have to do is go to the student neighbourhood Baixita and ask where the celebration will take place. You can literally knock at one of the fraternity's doors and ask. If you're visiting during Carnival, even much better-- there will be A LOT OF student parties you can join.Start your adventure walking Vila Madalena, a fashionable area full of nice cafes, dining establishments and classic stores. On Saturdays, you can visit Feira Livre da Vila Madalena, a street market with arts and crafts, loads of fruits and veggies and incredible street food. For a genuine Brazilian experience, attempt a pastel (a scrumptious savoury snack) with a sugar cane juice. After getting all the energy you need, head to Beco do Batman, a well-known area in the city for street art fans.
If you're into art, visit the Museum of Art of São Paulo at Avenida Paulista. You're going to see the building rather quickly from a range because of its amazing architecture style and you can get lost inside for hours.
After going to the museum, head to Bixiga, one of the most conventional areas in the city that has lots of great pizzerias. Mentioning pizza, you MUST TRY Brazilian pizza. Forget everything you believed you understood about the standard Italian food and open yourself to an entire new level of nonsense. I am talking about ice pontos históricos do brasil cream pizza and I'm not even sorry.
By this point, you've most likely observed that São Paulo is an excellent location to walk around and eat delicious food, so if you're not veggie, head to Mercado Municipal to try a HUGE mortadella sandwich. After all this consuming, have a walk in Ibirapuera park and go to the Afro Museum, an area committed to informing the story of more than 5 centuries of African history in Brazil.
For an amazing sunset and to mingle with the locals, go to Praça do Pôr do Sol (it literally indicates the sundown park) for among the most lovely views of the city.Still in the historic centre, see Largo Tereiro de Jesus, a place full of beautiful churches, restaurants and incredible architecture. Go To the Afro Museum to get more information about Afro faiths in Brazil, and Casa do Carnaval da Bahia to be familiar with the history of Carnival in the city. Still around this area, check the Lacerda Lift. Built in 1873, this is the easiest (and most affordable) way to get to the high part of the city. When you're at the top, Tomé de Sousa square is a gorgeous viewpoint and ideal place to enjoy the sundown.
If you wish to purchase cost effective and genuine keepsakes for your enjoyed ones back home, see Mercado Modelo. This public market has actually been working for more than 100 years and has more than 250 stalls offering art and food.Now, prepare yourself for a fantastic story. Bonfim Church was constructed in between 1745 and 1772, and nowadays is the centre of a beautiful multi-faith celebration that happens in Salvador every year in January. On this day, around 200 women dressed in white walk a pilgrimage of 8km to clean the stairs of the church with water and flowers, while the residents commemorate with music and chants of African origin. This is a lovely routine to see and you need to think about checking out Salvador throughout this time. And let's not forget the Senhor do Fim ribbon, a custom which includes putting a vibrant ribbon on someone's wrist and inquiring to make 3 dreams. You make one knot for each desire, and when the ribbon falls off by itself, all these dreams will become a reality. This custom belongs to the Festa do Bonfim (Bonfim Party), but you can find these ribbons all year round in many cities in Brazil.
Together with Pelourinho, Barra Lighthouse is one of the most famous postcard images of Salvador. The lighthouse was built in the 17th century and nowadays is a museum. Simply in front of the lighthouse, there's a lovely beach for you to walk and see the sundown.
How can we not speak about food? Food from Bahia is remarkable, and you can't leave the city without attempting an Acarajé! It's a stunning mix of beans, shrimp, onion, salt and pepper-- completely and fried in palm oil. It's the most conventional food of the city and you can find the best ones in Largo da Dinha.Galeria 13 hostel is a great base for your Salvador adventure. They have a pool, breakfast till 12pm, happy hours with caipirinhas, Brazilian movie nights and a friendly pet dog. They're likewise located in the historic centre, which will make your day of exploring much easier.If you have a little bit more time in Recife, you should think about investing a day in Olinda, a popular historic city with remarkable Carnival parties and blocks. It's so near to Recife that some people get confused and believe it's the same city. Check out the historic centre and its vibrant colonial houses on foot, before heading to Alto da Sé, a place with an amazing view of the city and markets offering food and art.The most popular attraction in Olinda is the Carnival and its huge dolls parade. They say everything started in 1931, when a very good-looking male utilized to walk at midnight. After some time, he became well known (The Midnight Male) and all the single women in the city would await him every night. After a couple of years, a huge doll of him was produced and a massive carnival parade with him leading the way to other huge dolls ended up being a custom. Today the parade still follows the exact same route as the mysterious male! Seeing the Giant Carnival Dolls of Olinda is a really magical experience and you're going to be impressed by the energy in the streets during Brazilian Carnival.