Looking at the (huge) map and getting a bit overloaded about selecting the very best places 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 delight in Brazil like a regional. I'm Brazilian and I'm about to share all my preferred 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 option 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 popular 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 mingle with the residents, you must attempt the walking to Lagoinha do Leste, among the most famous treking routes in the south of Brazil. There are three different alternatives with different levels of problem, the most convenient one taking over an hour. You will not be sorry for the views when you get there though!
Ouro Preto is one of the very best locations to visit in Brazil for anybody who wishes to understand the country ´ s history. The city's name equates 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 main attractions on foot, and simply walking admiring the scenery is truly among the best things you can do. The main attractions in Ouro Preto are the old mines from the colonial duration, 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 lots of museums where you can begin to understand more about the history of the nation. At Inconfidence Museum you can learn more about Brazil's independence, and if you're interested in Brazilian art, you must take a look at the Sacred Art Museum. A fantastic location to see Aleijadinho's work is São Francisco de Assis church, where you can discover many sculptures made by the artist.
One of the coolest things you can do in Ouro Preto is search for a university celebration. They're extremely open and accept students from all over the world. All you have to do is go to the student area Baixita and ask where the celebration will happen. You can literally knock at one of the fraternity's doors and ask. If you're going to throughout Carnival, even much better-- there will be PLENTY of student parties you can join.Start your experience walking Vila Madalena, a fashionable neighbourhood full of good coffee shops, dining establishments and classic shops. On Saturdays, you can visit 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 popular area in the city for street art lovers.
If you're into art, go to the Museum of Art of São Paulo at Avenida Paulista. You're visiting the building rather quickly from a range because of its fantastic architecture style 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 excellent pizzerias. Speaking of pizza, you MUST TRY Brazilian pizza. Forget everything you thought you learnt about the standard 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 probably observed that São Paulo is a terrific location to walk and Check out the post right here consume delicious food, so if you're not veggie, head to Mercado Municipal to try an ENORMOUS mortadella sandwich. After all this eating, 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 implies the sunset park) for among the most stunning views of the city.Still in the historic centre, see Largo Tereiro de Jesus, a location loaded with beautiful churches, restaurants and incredible architecture. Visit 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, examine the Lacerda Lift. Integrated 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 beautiful viewpoint and perfect place to view the sunset.
If you want to buy budget-friendly 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 lovely multi-faith event that takes place in Salvador every year in January. On this day, around 200 females worn white walk an expedition 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 watch and you should think about checking out Salvador throughout this time. And let's not ignore the Senhor do Fim ribbon, a custom which includes putting a colourful ribbon on someone's wrist and asking to make three desires. You make one knot for each desire, and when the ribbon falls off on its own, all these dreams will come true. This tradition is part of the Festa do Bonfim (Bonfim Party), but you can find these ribbons all year round in the majority of cities in Brazil.
Together with Pelourinho, Barra Lighthouse is among the most popular postcard pictures of Salvador. The lighthouse was integrated in the 17th century and nowadays is a museum. Simply in front of the lighthouse, there's a stunning beach for you to walk and enjoy the sunset.
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 beautiful mix of beans, shrimp, onion, salt and pepper-- all together and fried in palm oil. It's the most traditional food of the city and you can find the very best ones in Largo da Dinha.Galeria 13 hostel is an excellent base for your Salvador experience. They have a pool, breakfast up until 12pm, happy hours with caipirinhas, Brazilian film nights and a friendly canine. They're also located in the historic centre, which will make your day of exploring much easier.If you have a bit more time in Recife, you need to think about investing a day in Olinda, a well-known historical city with incredible Carnival parties and blocks. It's so close to Recife that some individuals get puzzled and believe it's the same city. Check out the historical centre and its colourful colonial houses on foot, before heading to Alto da Sé, a location with a fantastic view of the city and markets offering food and art.The most well-known tourist attraction in Olinda is the Carnival and its giant dolls parade. They say everything began in 1931, when a really good-looking guy used to walk around at midnight. After a long time, he ended up being popular (The Midnight Guy) and all the single women in the city would wait on him every night. After a few years, a giant doll of him was developed and an enormous carnival parade with him blazing a trail to other giant dolls became a tradition. Today the parade still follows the very same path as the strange guy! Viewing the Giant Carnival Dolls of Olinda is a truly magical experience and you're going to be astonished by the energy in the streets throughout Brazilian Carnival.