Ten Must-See Places/Cities in Brazil

1. Ten Must-See Places/Cities in Brazil By: Kalyn Kaufman

2. 10. Curitiba • Here are three things to see in Curitiba, Brazil. • Wire Opera House at Quarry Park . To get to the theatre, guests must cross a bridge over a lake. The Opera House is surrounded by lushes plant life and waterfalls. It is a 5175-square-foot stage whose acoustics benefit from a 90-foot tall rock wall. • The Botanical Garden. In addition to having a treasure trove of local plants, the Curitiba Botanical Garden is also identified for its greenhouse, made of iron and glass and inspired in London's Crystal Palace. • Panoramic Tower. The 360-foot tall watch tower allow guests a 360° vision of Curitiba and has a telephone museum on the ground floor.

3. 9. Boipeba • Boipeba, Brazil, also known just as Boipeba Island, is off the Southern Bahia Coast. • Boipeba Island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and the Inferno river estuary on the other. • This island is of rare natural magnificence, home to a great diversity of ecosystems. • Other than going to one of the many beaches on this island, boat tours and hiking tours are some of the top things to do in Boipeba. You can also go bathing, look out at the sea, take a nap in a hammock and eat the local food. • This picture is one of Boipeba’s beaches. 

4. 8. Brasilia • These are two highly recommended tourism attractions in Brasilia. • The Brasilia Cathedral. Before you enter the cathedral you pass four Evangelists statues. Just at the entrance of the Cathedral there is a marble pillar with pictures of some passages of the life of Our Lady, the Mother of God. If you look up then, you will see three angels suspended by steel cables. Hanging from a wall is a cloth. On the cloth there are stains of human blood, with the marks of Jesus of Nazareth’s scourging and torment. This cloth is the biggest evidence that Jesus existed indeed and what he suffered. • Palácio dos Arcos/Palácio do Itamaraty/Itamaraty Palace . The bridge over an enormous decorative pool scattered with islands of exotic plants leads to one of the largest community art collections in Brazil. There is a massive hall on the ground floor that is 220-square-meter and is lined with columns and it features a 2.3 meter wide staircase. The walls are made of marble. The gardens feature plants from the Amazon Region, and there is a carved sculpture of Meteoro, and it has been in the garden since 1967. There are tons of paintings and sculptures. When you get to the upper floor, you see the desk that Princess Isabel used to sign the Lei Áurea (the law which got rid of slavery in Brazil) in 1888.

5. 7. Ilha Grande • IlhaGrande is a popular tourist site on the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Ilha Grande is the perfect location for those in search of a close contact with nature. The reasons are numerous: a rocky tropical island where no cars are allowed; an island covered by a dense tropical rainforest for most of its extension; hiking paths crossing the island from north to south and east to west; peaceful beaches and crystal-clear waters. Ilha Grande is definitely not for those keen on sophistication, shopping and a thriving night lifte. • In Ilha Grande one of the top rated things to do is go to the Lopes Mendes Beach. It is an ocean beach about 3 kilometers long, with white sand that is very fine and solid. Though the ocean is choppy, the clearness of the water is moving, as is its variety of shades. In the past, many people lived in this wonderful place. Today it is an isolated beach with little drinking water and plentiful shade provided by almond trees. It is the most sought after for practicing surfing in the whole Ilha Grande. It is said to be the perfect place to just relax.

6. 6. Iguaçu Falls • The Iguaçu Falls/Iguazu Falls is an obvious stop for most tourists going to Brazil and Argentina. In spite of its popularity and overfilling through specific times of the year, the beauty of the falls is so breath taking that you don’t need to make a big effort to forget the crowds and enjoy the place.

7. 5. Alter do Chão and the river Tapajós • Alter do Chãois located at the beginning of a lake formed on the right bank of the Tapajós river – one of the biggest tributaries of the Amazon and it is known for its dark-blue waters. When the height of the Amazon river is low, from July to January, a coast of fine and clear sands appears at the beginning of the lake, the Praia do Amor. • Alter do Chão is known as the Caribbean Amazon for its mixture of clear waters and sand.

8. 4. The Pantanal • The Pantanal is the one of the world’s largest wetlands and one of the most wonderful nature destinations in Brazil. It is also a difficult destination for the independent traveler due to its large addition, the lack of dependable information and the attendance in the area of a handful of dishonest agencies. That is how people attempt at deciphering the Pantanal. • Because a large part of the Pantanal is under water for half of the year, the amount of human activity in the area is very much reduced. There are no large cities in the Pantanal.

9. 3. Lençóis Maranhenses • Lençóis Maranhenses is a desert that is filled with lagoons and a national park. • Lençóis Maranhenses, is in most people’s opinions, one of the most wonderful places in Brazil. • The beauty of the area, and the fact that mass tourism has yet to reach it, is why is leaves such an impact on those that visit it. • What people like most is that it is a wonderful and unique landscape and the feeling that it is a remote place that has yet to be altered by people.

10. 2. Paraty • Paraty is a very special place and one of Brazil’s worst kept secrets. • What people like most is the historic village and the state of protection of the historic heritage; the absence of cars; the gorgeous beaches; being able to actually walk on the streets at night; the relaxed atmosphere; the boat trips; the high tide that floods the streets; dining by candlelight at dinner. • You can go scuba diving and snorkeling, hike the gold trail and visit the Atlantic Rainforest.

11. 1. Fernando de Noronha • The archipelago of Fernando de Noronha is Brazil’s closest spot to heaven. 300 km away from the north east shore of the country, Noronha concentrates places of unrivalled magnificence and serenity. On top of that, Noronha is a extraordinary place where preserving the surroundings is the primary worry for its people. • Part of the archipelago forms the Maritime National Park of Fernando de Noronha. • What people like most are the fantastic beaches; the color of the sea; the fact that you can snorkel anywhere at anytime; the dolphins, colorful fish and marine turtles that you will see during your dives; the silence; and the stars.