Taking a look at the (enormous) map and getting a bit overwhelmed about selecting the best locations to check out 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 nation. From drinking caipirinha at the beach in Rio, to going to 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 people 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 want 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 should 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 arrive 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 enter the 18th century. Nowadays, you can still experience the city's past through its architecture and the art of the amazing Brazilian sculptor Aleijadinho. You can check out all the main attractions on foot, and just walking appreciating the scenery is truly 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 jewels 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 begin to understand more about the history of the country. At Inconfidence Museum you can learn more about Brazil's independence, 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.
One of 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 area 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 throughout Carnival, even much better-- there will be A LOT OF student parties you can join.Start your experience 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 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 structure rather easily from a distance because of its incredible architecture style and you can get lost inside for hours.
After going to the museum, head to Bixiga, among the most standard neighbourhoods in the city that has lots of great pizzerias. Speaking of pizza, you MUST TRY Brazilian pizza. Forget whatever you believed you understood about the traditional Italian food and open yourself to a whole new level of nonsense. I am discussing ice cream pizza and I'm not even sorry.
By this point, you have actually most likely observed that São Paulo is a fantastic location to walk around and eat tasty 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 telling the story of more than five centuries of African history in Brazil.
For an incredible sunset and to mingle with the residents, go to Praça do Pôr do Sol (it actually indicates the sundown park) for among the most lovely views of the city.Still in the historical centre, visit Largo Tereiro de Jesus, a place full of gorgeous churches, restaurants and remarkable architecture. Go To 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, check the Lacerda Lift. Built in 1873, this is the simplest (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 stunning perspective and ideal location to enjoy the sundown.
If you want to buy inexpensive and genuine souvenirs for your loved ones back home, visit Mercado Modelo. This public market has been working for more than 100 years and has over 250 stalls selling art and food.Now, prepare for an incredible story. Bonfim Church was developed in between 1745 and 1772, and nowadays is the centre of a stunning 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 clean the stairs of the church with water and flowers, while the residents commemorate with music and chants of African origin. This is a stunning ritual to enjoy and you must think about checking out Salvador throughout this time. And let's not forget about the Senhor do Fim ribbon, a tradition which includes putting a colourful ribbon on someone's wrist and asking to make three wishes. 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 built in the 17th century and nowadays is a museum. Simply in front of the lighthouse, there's a gorgeous 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 gorgeous 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 movie 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 people get puzzled and believe it's the same city. Check out the historic 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 viajar pelo brasil giant dolls parade. They say everything began in 1931, when a really good-looking guy utilized to walk around 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 giant doll of him was created and a massive carnival parade with him blazing a trail to other huge dolls ended up being a tradition. Today the parade still follows the same route as the mysterious male! Enjoying the Giant Carnival Dolls of Olinda is a really magical experience and you're going to be amazed by the energy in the streets during Brazilian Carnival.