Taking a look at the (enormous) map and getting a bit overwhelmed about picking 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 country. 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 every sort of backpacker.
From north to south, you're going to find something incredible to do in every corner of the nation and I guarantee you'll be amazed by how varied Brazil is. Choose an open heart, listen and speak to the locals-- there is no 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 expensive. I 'd advise 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 a fantastic backpacker vibe and is a fantastic area for surfing. My favourite 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 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 wish to be. We're talking unblemished beaches, some of them just available by trekking, like Praia dos Naufragados. If you want to join the locals, you ought to attempt the hike to Lagoinha do Leste, one of the most well-known treking trails in the south of Brazil. There are 3 various options with different levels of trouble, the easiest 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 places to visit in Brazil for anybody who wishes to understand the nation ´ s history. The city's name translates 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 check out all the piece de resistances 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 many 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 party will take place. 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 celebrations 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, try 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 spot 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 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 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 indicates the sundown park) for among the most stunning views of the city.Still in the historic centre, see Largo Tereiro de Jesus, a location full of beautiful churches, restaurants and incredible architecture. Check Out the Afro Museum to find out more about Afro religious beliefs in Brazil, and Casa do Carnaval da Bahia to learn more about the history of Carnival in the city. Still around this area, examine the Lacerda Lift. Integrated in 1873, this is the simplest (and least expensive) 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 best location to see the sundown.
If you wish to purchase affordable and authentic 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, get ready for an incredible story. Bonfim Church was built between 1745 and 1772, and nowadays is the centre of a gorgeous multi-faith celebration that happens in Salvador every year in January. On this day, around 200 women dressed in white walk a pilgrimage of 8km to wash the stairs of the church with water and flowers, while the locals celebrate with music and chants of African origin. This is a gorgeous ritual to view and you ought to consider visiting Salvador during this time. And let's not forget about the Senhor do Fim ribbon, a tradition 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 come to life. This custom becomes part of the Festa do Bonfim (Bonfim Celebration), however you can discover these ribbons throughout the year in a lot of cities in Brazil.
Together with Pelourinho, Barra Lighthouse is among the most well-known 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 watch the sunset.
How can we not talk about food? Food from Bahia is amazing, and you can't leave the city without attempting 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 until 12pm, happy hours with caipirinhas, Brazilian film nights and a friendly dog. They're also found in the historical centre, which will make your day of checking out much easier.If you have a bit more time in Recife, you must consider spending a day in Olinda, a famous historical city with amazing Carnival celebrations and blocks. It's so near Recife that some individuals get puzzled and think it's the same city. Explore the historical centre and its colourful colonial homes on foot, prior to heading to Alto da Sé, a location with a remarkable view of the city and markets selling food and art.The most famous attraction in Olinda is the Carnival and its giant dolls parade. They state whatever began in 1931, when a very handsome guy utilized to walk around at midnight. After some time, he became popular (The Midnight Male) and all the single women in the city would wait on him every night. After a few years, a giant doll of him was created and a massive carnival parade with him blazing a trail to other huge dolls ended up click here being a tradition. Today the parade still follows the same route as the strange 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.