Taking a look at the (enormous) map and getting a bit overloaded about picking the best places to visit in Brazil? Do not fret, we're here to assist you to make the most out of your journey and offer you the very best ideas to enjoy Brazil like a regional. I'm Brazilian and I'm about to share all my favourite aspects of my country. From drinking caipirinha at the beach in Rio, to going to a national forest full of pristine blue lagoons in the north or assisting to conserve turtles in the south, Brazil has an option for each sort of backpacker.
From north to south, you're going to find something fantastic to do in every corner of the country and I ensure you'll be shocked by how diverse Brazil is. Go with an open heart, listen and speak with the residents-- there is no better way to get to know our culture.
The beaches in the north of the island are more touristy and have lots of popular clubs, so things can get a bit more pricey. 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 great spot for browsing. My favourite beaches there are Joaquina, Praia Mole, Praia da Galheta and Barra da Lagoa. This is also the backpacker hotspot of the city, where you'll discover people from all over the world, very cool bars and dining establishments and people selling their art in the street.
If you're looking for some quiet time surrounded by nature, the south of the island is where you want to be. We're talking untouched beaches, a few of them just available by travelling, like Praia dos Naufragados. If you want to mingle with the residents, you must attempt the hike to Lagoinha do Leste, one of the most popular hiking tracks in the south of Brazil. There are 3 various options with various levels of trouble, the easiest one taking over an hour. You will not be sorry for the views when you get there though!
Ouro Preto is among the very best locations to check out in Brazil for anyone who wants to comprehend the nation ´ s history. The city's name translates to 'Black Gold' in English, since 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 remarkable Brazilian carver Aleijadinho. You can visit all the main attractions on foot, and just walking around admiring the scenery is really among the very best things you can do. The piece de resistances in Ouro Preto are the old mines from the colonial period, where you can take a trip to hear about how tons of ores and jewels were drawn out and taken back to Europe, and how slave work was utilized for this.
The city likewise has many museums where you can begin to understand more about the history of the country. At Inconfidence Museum you can find out about Brazil's independence, and if you have an interest in Brazilian art, you need to check out the Sacred Art Museum. A terrific location to see Aleijadinho's work is São Francisco de Assis church, where you can find many sculptures made by the artist.
One of the coolest things you can do in Ouro Preto is look for a university party. They're super open and accept students from all over the world. All you have to do is go to the trainee area Baixita and ask where the party will happen. You can literally knock at one of the fraternity's doors and ask. If you're visiting throughout Carnival, even better-- there will be LOTS OF trainee parties you can join.Start your adventure walking Vila Madalena, a trendy neighbourhood filled with good coffee shops, dining establishments and vintage shops. On Saturdays, you can go to Feira Livre da Click here for more 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 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 lovers.
If you enjoy art, check out the Museum of Art of São Paulo at Avenida Paulista. You're visiting the building quite easily 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 traditional neighbourhoods in the city that has plenty of terrific pizzerias. Mentioning pizza, you MUST SHOT Brazilian pizza. Forget everything you believed you knew about the conventional Italian food and open yourself to an entire brand-new level of nonsense. I am talking about ice cream pizza and I'm not even sorry.
By this point, you've most likely observed that São Paulo is an excellent place 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 check out the Afro Museum, an area committed to informing the story of more than five 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 location, check the Lacerda Lift. Built in 1873, this is the easiest (and cheapest) 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 view the sunset.
If you want 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 selling 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 gorgeous 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 wash the stairs of the church with water and flowers, while the locals celebrate with music and chants of African origin. This is a beautiful ritual to watch and you should consider visiting Salvador during this time. And let's not forget about 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 dream, and when the ribbon falls off by itself, all these dreams will come to life. This custom belongs to the Festa do Bonfim (Bonfim Celebration), however 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. Just in front of the lighthouse, there's a beautiful 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 found 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 close 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 a fantastic view of the city and markets offering food and art.The most popular tourist attraction in Olinda is the Carnival and its giant dolls parade. They say everything started in 1931, when a really good-looking guy used to walk around at midnight. After some time, he ended up being popular (The Midnight Male) and all the single women in the city would wait on him every night. After a few years, a giant doll of him was created and an enormous carnival parade with him blazing a trail to other huge dolls became a tradition. Today the parade still follows the same path as the strange guy! Viewing the Giant Carnival Dolls of Olinda is a truly magical experience and you're going to be amazed by the energy in the streets throughout Brazilian Carnival.