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 very best pointers to delight in Brazil like a regional. I'm Brazilian and I'm about to share all my preferred things about 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 every single kind of backpacker.
From north to south, you're going to discover something amazing to do in every corner of the nation and I ensure you'll be surprised by how varied Brazil is. Go with an open heart, listen and speak with the residents-- there is no better method to be familiar with our culture.
The beaches in the north of the island are more touristy and have many popular clubs, so things can get a bit more expensive. I 'd suggest that you check out Praia da Lagoinha, Praia do Forte, Praia da Daniela, Praia Brava and Praia dos Ingleses. The east side of the island has a remarkable backpacker ambiance 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 just available by trekking, like Praia dos Naufragados. If you want to join the locals, you ought to attempt the hike to Lagoinha do Leste, one of the most well-known treking trails in the south of Brazil. There are 3 various options with different levels of trouble, the easiest one taking over an hour. You will not be sorry for the views when you arrive though!
Ouro Preto is among the best places to go to in Brazil for anybody who wants to understand the nation ´ s history. The city's name translates to 'Black Gold' in English, because it was the centre of the gold enter the 18th century. Nowadays, you can still experience the city's past through its architecture and the art of the fantastic Brazilian sculptor Aleijadinho. You can go to all the piece de resistances on foot, and simply walking around admiring the surroundings is truly among the 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 extracted and reclaimed to Europe, and how servant work was used for this.
The city also has many museums where you can begin to understand more about the history of the nation. At Inconfidence Museum you can discover Brazil's independence, and if you have an interest in Brazilian art, you ought to check out the Spiritual Art Museum. An excellent location 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 very open and accept students from all over the world. All you have to do is go to the trainee neighbourhood Baixita and ask where the party will take place. You can actually knock at one of the fraternity's doors and ask. If you're checking out during Carnival, even better-- there will be A LOT OF trainee parties you can join.Start your adventure walking Vila Madalena, a stylish neighbourhood full of great cafes, dining establishments and vintage shops. On Saturdays, you can check out Feira Livre da Vila Madalena, a street market with arts and crafts, loads of fruits and veggies and remarkable street food. For a genuine Brazilian experience, attempt a pastel (a delicious savoury snack) with a sugar walking stick juice. After getting all the energy you require, head to Beco do Batman, a well-known spot in the city for street art enthusiasts.
If you enjoy art, visit the Museum of Art of São Paulo at Avenida Paulista. You're visiting the building quite quickly from a range because of its fantastic architecture design and you can get lost inside for hours.
After visiting the museum, head to Bixiga, one of the most conventional areas in the city that has lots of great pizzerias. Mentioning pizza, you MUST SHOT Brazilian pizza. Forget everything you thought you learnt about the conventional Italian food and open yourself to an entire brand-new level of rubbish. I am talking about ice cream pizza and I'm not even sorry.
By this point, you've probably discovered that São Paulo is a terrific location to walk and consume scrumptious food, so if you're not veggie, head to Mercado Municipal to try an ENORMOUS mortadella sandwich. After all this consuming, have a walk in Ibirapuera park and go to the Afro Museum, a space committed to informing the story of more than 5 centuries of African history in Brazil.
For an amazing sunset and to mingle with the residents, go to Praça do Pôr do Sol (it literally indicates the sundown park) for among the most beautiful views of the city.Still in the historic centre, visit Largo Tereiro de Jesus, a place loaded with gorgeous churches, restaurants and remarkable architecture. Check Out the Afro Museum to learn more about Afro religions in Brazil, and Casa do Carnaval da Bahia to get to know the history of Carnival in the city. Still around this area, inspect the Lacerda Lift. Built in 1873, this is the simplest (and least expensive) method to get to the high part of the city. When you're at the top, Tomé de Sousa square is a stunning perspective and best place to enjoy the sunset.
If you wish to buy inexpensive and genuine souvenirs for your enjoyed ones back home, check out Mercado Modelo. This public market has been working for more than 100 years and has more than 250 stalls offering art and food.Now, get ready for an amazing story. Bonfim Church was built between 1745 and 1772, and nowadays is the centre of a lovely multi-faith event that occurs in Salvador every year in January. On this day, around 200 ladies worn white walk a trip of 8km to wash the stairs of the church with water and flowers, while the locals celebrate with music and chants of African origin. This is a lovely routine to view and you should think about checking out Salvador throughout this time. And let's not ignore the Senhor do Fim ribbon, a tradition which involves putting a vibrant ribbon on someone's wrist and inquiring to make three desires. You make one knot for each wish, and when the ribbon falls off by itself, all these dreams will come to life. This tradition is part of the Festa do Bonfim (Bonfim Celebration), but you can discover these ribbons throughout the year in many cities in Brazil.
Together with Pelourinho, Barra Lighthouse is one of the most popular postcard pictures of Salvador. The lighthouse was built in the 17th century and nowadays is a museum. Just in front of the lighthouse, there's a lovely beach for you to walk and view the sundown.
How can we not discuss food? Food from Bahia is incredible, and you can't leave the city without trying an Acarajé! It's a lovely 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 very best ones in Largo da Dinha.Galeria 13 hostel is a terrific base for your Salvador adventure. They have a swimming pool, breakfast until 12pm, happy hours with caipirinhas, Brazilian movie nights and a friendly canine. They're also found in the historical centre, which will make your day of exploring much easier.If you have a bit more time in Recife, you must consider investing a day in Olinda, a popular historic city with incredible Carnival celebrations and blocks. It's so near Recife that some people get puzzled and believe it's the same city. Explore the historic centre and its vibrant colonial houses on foot, prior to heading to Alto da Sé, a place with an amazing view of the city and markets offering Check out here food and art.The most famous destination in Olinda is the Carnival and its huge dolls parade. They say whatever started in 1931, when a very good-looking man utilized to walk around at midnight. After a long time, he ended up being well known (The Midnight Male) and all the single women in the city would wait on him every night. After a few years, a huge doll of him was created and an enormous carnival parade with him leading the way to other giant dolls ended up being a tradition. Today the parade still follows the very same route as the strange guy! Seeing the Giant Carnival Dolls of Olinda is a really magical experience and you're going to be surprised by the energy in the streets during Brazilian Carnival.