Looking at the (massive) map and getting a bit overloaded about picking the best places to check out in Brazil? Do not worry, we're here to assist you to make the most out of your journey and provide you the best pointers to delight in Brazil like a regional. I'm Brazilian and I will share all my favourite features of my nation. From drinking caipirinha at the beach in Rio, to visiting a national forest filled with beautiful blue lagoons in the north or assisting to save turtles in the south, Brazil has a choice for every sort of backpacker.
From north to south, you're going to find something amazing to do in every corner of the nation and I guarantee you'll be surprised by how varied Brazil is. Choose an open heart, listen and talk to 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 numerous well-known clubs, so things can get a bit more pricey. I 'd suggest that you check out Praia da Lagoinha, Praia do Specialty, Praia da Daniela, Praia Brava and Praia dos Ingleses. The east side of the island has an amazing backpacker ambiance and is a fantastic area for browsing. 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 people from all over the world, extremely cool bars and restaurants and individuals 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 unblemished beaches, some of them just accessible by travelling, like Praia dos Naufragados. If you want to join the residents, you must try the walking to Lagoinha do Leste, among the most famous treking trails in the south of Brazil. There are 3 different choices with various levels of trouble, the easiest one taking over an hour. You won't be sorry for the views when you get there though!
Ouro Preto is among the best locations to visit in Brazil for anyone who wishes to understand the country ´ s history. The city's name equates to 'Black Gold' in English, since 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 remarkable Brazilian sculptor Aleijadinho. You can go to all the piece de resistances on foot, and just walking around appreciating the surroundings is actually one of the best things you can do. The piece de resistances in Ouro Preto are the old mines from the colonial duration, where you can take a tour to find out about how lots of ores and jewels were drawn out and reclaimed to Europe, and how slave work was utilized for this.
The city also has numerous museums where you can start to understand more about the history of the nation. At Inconfidence Museum you can learn about Brazil's self-reliance, and if you're interested in Brazilian art, you must have a look at the Spiritual Art Museum. A great location to see Aleijadinho's work is São Francisco de Assis church, where you can discover numerous 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 party will occur. You can actually knock at one of the fraternity's doors and ask. If you're visiting throughout Carnival, even much better-- there will be LOTS OF student parties you can join.Start your adventure walking Vila Madalena, a fashionable neighbourhood filled with great cafes, dining establishments and classic stores. 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 scrumptious savoury treat) with a sugar walking cane juice. After getting all the energy you require, head to Beco do Batman, a famous spot in the city for street art enthusiasts.
If you enjoy art, check out the Museum of Art of São Paulo at Avenida Paulista. You're going to see the structure rather easily from a distance because of its incredible architecture design and you can get lost inside for hours.
After checking out the museum, head to Bixiga, among the most conventional areas in the city that's full of great pizzerias. Mentioning pizza, you MUST SHOT Brazilian pizza. Forget whatever you believed you understood about the traditional Italian food and open yourself to an entire new level of rubbish. I am discussing ice cream pizza and I'm not even sorry.
By this point, you have actually most likely seen that São Paulo is an excellent location to walk and consume tasty food, so if you're not veggie, head to Mercado Municipal to try a MASSIVE mortadella sandwich. After all this eating, have a walk in Ibirapuera park and go to the Afro Museum, an area committed to telling the story of more than five centuries of African history in Brazil.
For a remarkable sundown and to join the residents, go to Praça do Pôr do Sol (it actually means the sunset park) for one of the most lovely views of the city.Still in the historic centre, see Largo Tereiro de Jesus, a location full of beautiful churches, restaurants and fantastic architecture. Go To the Afro Museum to get more information about Afro religions in Brazil, and Casa do Carnaval da Bahia to be familiar with the history of Carnival in the city. Still around this location, inspect the Lacerda Lift. Built in 1873, this is the simplest (and most affordable) 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 ideal location to view the sunset.
If you want to buy economical and authentic 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 for an amazing story. Bonfim Church was built between 1745 and 1772, and nowadays is the centre of a beautiful multi-faith event that happens 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 stunning ritual to watch and you should think about visiting Salvador throughout this time. And let's not forget the Senhor do Fim ribbon, a custom which involves putting a colourful ribbon on someone's wrist and asking them to make three dreams. You make one knot for each dream, and when the ribbon falls off by itself, all these dreams will become a reality. This tradition is part of the Festa do Bonfim (Bonfim Party), however 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 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 gorgeous beach for you to walk around and view the sunset.
How can we not talk about food? Food from Bahia is amazing, and you can't leave the city without trying an Acarajé! It's a lovely mix of beans, shrimp, onion, salt and pepper-- entirely and fried in palm oil. It's the most standard food of the city and you can discover the very best ones in Largo da Dinha.Galeria 13 hostel is a terrific base for your Salvador experience. They have a swimming pool, breakfast till 12pm, happy hours with caipirinhas, Brazilian movie nights and a friendly pet. They're likewise found in the historic centre, which will make your day of checking out much easier.If you have a viajar pelo brasil bit more time in Recife, you should think about investing a day in Olinda, a famous historical city with fantastic Carnival celebrations and blocks. It's so near to Recife that some individuals get puzzled and think it's the same city. Check out the historic centre and its colourful colonial homes 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 famous attraction in Olinda is the Carnival and its huge dolls parade. They say whatever started in 1931, when a really handsome guy used to walk around at midnight. After a long time, he ended up being well known (The Midnight Guy) and all the single women in the city would wait for him every night. After a couple of years, a huge doll of him was created and a huge carnival parade with him leading the way to other huge dolls became a tradition. Today the parade still follows the very same route as the strange man! Viewing the Giant Carnival Dolls of Olinda is a really magical experience and you're going to be impressed by the energy in the streets throughout Brazilian Carnival.