Brazil is the largest country in South America and that’s why this is an impossible list. There is so much to see and explore in Brazil that even after these 10 places it leaves you wanting more! If you like to see some videos of all these places check out my YouTube channel.
Rio de Janeiro
Of course number one on the list is the beach city of Rio de Janeiro. It’s way more popular than the actual capital of the country; Brasilia. And no wonder because the history of Rio is rich, the beaches are great and there are more sites to see than in most other cities in Brazil. From the famous beaches, to Sugarloaf mountain, to the statue of Christ the redeemer or the beautiful stairs in Lapa. I would say take at least 5 day and for the slow travelers among us take 7 days to see most of the famous hot spots.
Learn more about slow traveling the world.
Amazonian rainforest
If you want to experience what it is to be in a rainforest definitely go to the north of Brazil to see and stay in the Amazon forest. I have been there twice and it was amazing. Be prepared for the humidity, the mosquitoes and a wild adventure. There are different ways you can go and visit, there are many lodges and jungle hotels or you can go full on survival mode. There are different tours you can do at the hotels and lodges depending on how much time you have and where you are at. Usually you can go for piranha fishing, seeing the sunset on the river, jungle walks, visiting a local farmer, bird watching tours, finding Kaaiman at dusk and if you are lucky swim with the pink river dolphins. Try to go at least for 3 days but the longer if you also want to visit an indigenous tribe.
São Paulo
It’s definitely not for everyone but if you have the time to visit São Paulo you are in for a shock. This mega city is the largest in terms of population in Brazil. The people commute an average of 2 hours and 45 min per day. Crazy. This city has a lot of museums and one of the largest Japanese communities in the country. Also in this neighborhood you can find some really good Japanese restaurants. You can do a lot in São Paulo but it depends on what your interests are but I think you need at least 3 days to see the majority of the famous sites.
Pantanal
This area is not very well know with the exception of people who love nature and animals. In this area I have seen an incredible amount of birds and other animals. We stayed at the Pantanal Transpantaneira which is an area north of the national park. From there you can go inside the park to different animals but this is one of the places where it’s relatively easy to spot the jaguar. I saw two of these amazingly animals. Also spotted were ara’s, tapirs, lots of different monkeys and birds, beautiful butterflies, turtles, snakes, capybaras, kaaimans, Agoeti’s (a rodent), foxes, guinea pigs and armadillo’s. 4 or 5 days will give you plenty of time to see most of these animals. If you want to know how to get there watch my video on YouTube.
Curitiba
For total transparency I might be biased on this one. I have live in Curitiba for almost two years and I enjoyed it so much. The city is in comparison to other city’s in Brazil very organized and clean. They say that the people are a bit more distant in the south but they are super friendly. From Curitiba there are some great day trips and the city has some nice places to visit. For instance the Oscar Niemeyer museum name after the most famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer who design the museum and also the city of Brasilia the capital. There is a train from Curitiba through the hills to the town of Morretes. Of course a visit to the botanical garden can not be missed.
Foz do Iguaçu
On the border of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina is the national park of Foz do Iguaçu, inside the park are the most incredible waterfalls I have ever seen. They are taller (and wider) than Niagara and wider than the Victoria Falls. You can visit the Brazilian side and/or the Argentinian side. Yes, you have to cross the border to see the other side. In both sides there is a walk way. The Brazilian side has the most wonderful panoramic views and on the Argentinian side you can come really close to the fall to experience its might. There is a possibility to go by boat, to get up close to the falls from both sides or take a helicopter flight from the Brazilian side. <br>Go at least 3 days because on the Brazilian side there is a very beautiful bird park. Of course if you like to take your time go for longer, there are more things to do in the area.
Lençoins Maranheses
One of the craziest places in Brazil is definitely this dune area with lagunes. Most people fly to São Luis, which is also a nice town to visit and go for a 4 hour drive to Barreirinhas. From there you can go to Átins or go into the park. There are some awesome tours you can take like a horseback riding tour, enter the park with a 4×4, visit some of the lagunes, quad tour or even fly over the area like we did. The landscape is beautiful and almost outer worldly. We had 3 days in Barreirinhas and 2 days in Átins but we did everything a bit slower than most people. There was quite a lot of traveling in those days because we went up and down to Átins.
Chapada Diamantina
Do you like clear water, waterfalls, hills and caves? This place might be a good place for you to visit. The national park was a diamond mining area hence the name. This park is great for short and long hikes. There are some hikes where you explore the area for multiple days. We did a lot of day trips from the little town of Lençoins and at night enjoyed the multitude of restaurants. 5 days was almost not enough in my opinion because there is so much to do and see. The gorgeous caves with blue water are mesmerizing and really that bright due to limestone in the water. We went snorkeling in caves, stood under a big waterfall, swam in clear water, climbed to the top of a mountain to see the sun go down and went on a small zip line.
Salvador
Brazil is so incredibly diverse in terms of its culture and one of the places where you have a completely unique experience is in Salvador. If you go during carnaval it will be completely different from Rio de Janeiro. Even religion is not the same. The Bahianas are people who take care of people who need it, they do it all sorts of ways and to add to the cash register they let tourists take pictures with them in their colorful and special outfits. The city itself has a historical center where you can see the Portuguese influences. There are a lot of cool hot spots in this city so go there for at least 4 days. See the beach, the elevator, palaces, churches and the market. And don’t forget about the seafood here, delicious!
Fernando do Noronha
This is a paradise island you probably never have heard about unless you are an avid diver or surfer. When I first heard about it, I had lived in Brazil for a year and a half, even Brazilians do go there a lot. It is far away from the coast so the only way to get there is by plane. Everything is imported there and thus not cheap, but it is so worth it to go! Clear waters to see all the sea creatures, paradise beaches, a Portuguese fortress, turtles, hikes and amazing sunsets. You can be lucky there because there are lots of dolphins. Because of the showers of rain, I only saw one but I saw so many colorful fishes, turtles, octopuses and sharks. (Not the dangerous one, luckily.) This place is great for divers, snorkeling and surfing. Although it is not the cheapest to stay at the Island, try to go for at least 4 days. I stayed longer and I loved it.
As promised in this blog even after all of this there is more to explore in Brazil.
I hope you will visit one day!
Is Brazil accessible for wheelchair users?
Museums*
Most bigger museums have ramps and elevators. But smaller museums or museums in smaller cities don’t. So of course you need to check before you go because it will be different museum to museum.
Café’s and restaurants
There are so many places where you can enter but a lot of places don’t have ramps. Bathrooms in smaller places usually are upstairs. You can always go to a shopping mall because they have food courts that accessible.
Public transport
Bad in most cities. Some busses have a ramp but Al lot of them have steps. The busstops are not alway even and you will need help for sure. For a hassle free trip it’s easier to use Uber or taxi.
Toilets
If you go inside malls or other public places you will have a designated toilet for wheelchair users.
*And other attractions
Items I love while traveling
Feet hammock airplane
This airplane hammock for your feet is great for when you are traveling long flights. I love that it can be hung over the airplane table and I can rest my feet when I’m tired. It is adjustable and it is really comfortable.
Collapsible handheld fan
I don’t know about how you deal with heat but I need a bit of cooling down when I’m traveling. This easy (and cute) fan is my go to for when I am too hot. It can be charged with usb which is super practical.
Airplane pocket
Being organized always makes me happy and when I saw this amazing pocket for over your airplane table I was sold. You place it over the table (so you instantly have a clean table) and you can add all you need, when you have a long flight.