I’m sure you have thought about visiting Brazil at least once in your life! From pictures alone, it’s easy to acknowledge just how beautiful the place truly is. Although most times people reduce Brazil to the popular destination of Rio de Janeiro, that’s not all there is to this wonder of South America. As a Brazilian, I’m going to give you 7 reasons to visit Brazil beyond the attraction of Rio de Janeiro!
People
In my travels to other countries, I’ve never met warmer people than Brazilians and this can be easily justified by the popular “come to Brazil” saying. That’s mainly because Brazilians usually love people from other countries, especially if they’re interested in our culture, and they go out of their way to understand tourists and make them feel welcome in the country. Also, if you’re worried about getting robbed on the streets like some people are, don’t be. I know that many advertise that Brazil is a very dangerous place, but common sense and being cautious just like in every other place in the world are enough precautions for visiting this stunning destination.
Music
The most popular Brazilian music genre is most definitely samba, but there’s much more than that. Brazil also offers many other genres, such as Sertanejo, Funk, Axé, MPB, and Bossa Nova. Among younger people, the most popular ones are Sertanejo and Funk, which are definitely worth checking out. Fun music and live entertainment are huge parts of Brazilian culture that anyone can enjoy while visiting this country!
Touristic spots
Usually, the first thought associated with Brazilian tourism would be Christ the Redeemer, which is the most beautiful and popular tourist spot in Brazil. However, there are many other places worth visiting, like Avenida Paulista in São Paulo, Botanical Garden in Curitiba, Amazonas Theater in Manaus, Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, Inhotim in Brumadinho, Mercado Central in Belo Horizonte, which is a huge market that sells everything you can think of, and the cities of Ouro Preto, Mariana and Tiradentes. Since pictures speak louder than words, here are some of the mentioned spots.
Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo
The city of Tiradentes
Avenida Paulista in São Paulo
Cuisine
One of my favorite parts about living in Brazil is the food. Since the country is so big, every state or region has its own cuisine for every taste. If you go to the state of Minas Gerais, for example, you have to try Feijoada, Pão de Queijo and Feijão Tropeiro! If you go to the state of Bahia, you need to try Acarajé and Moqueca. It all depends on where you’re visiting, but either way, I would recommend for you to try the following: paçoca, coxinha, pastel, pão de queijo and brigadeiro. All of those are perfect for either dessert or a snack and, to accompany, the famous Brazilian soda Guaraná. You’ll thank me later when you get a chance to sample these delicious and unique cultural flavours!
Feijoada
Acarajé
Brigadeiro
Coxinha
Pão de queijo
Weather
In the process of planning a trip to Brazil, the first and one of the most important things to remember is that the country is in the Southern hemisphere, which means from November to January is summer and from June to August is winter. Probably the best time to visit is either in the spring or autumn, so it’s not too cold, hot or rainy. However, since Brazil is such a big country, depending on the places you’re planning on visiting, it’s highly recommended for you to do some specific research first on the local weather for different times of the year, so you can plan the best time to visit.
Landscapes
Although the beaches are especially popular in Brazil, there are other landscapes worth seeing, like plateaus, lakes, natural swimming pools, bays, waterfalls, mounts, dunes and caves! The country is so big that it allows you to choose which landscapes you want to see and which places you want to visit. Overall, whether you are more drawn to the water or the mountains, Brazil has it all.
Ilha Grande, near Rio de Janeiro
Lago de Furnas in Minas Gerais
Natural swimming pools in Porto de Galinhas
Sancho Bay in Fernando de Noronha
Lençóis Maranhenses in Maranhão
Iguaçu Waterfalls in Foz do Iguaçu
Lagoa Azul Cave in Mato Grosso do Sul
Veadeiros Plateau in Goiás
Encontro das Águas in the Amazon Forest
Nightlife/parties
Last but not least, the nightlife and the parties in Brazil are on a whole other level! In the United States, clubs are open until 2 am, but in Brazil, they are open until 10 am and some parties until 12 pm (and not even on special occasions). Of course, during Carnaval and New Years the possibilities are unlimited, and no one can party like the Brazilians! It’s no wonder these events are so popular all over the world and especially draw in tons of tourists during these holidays. Besides parties, you can also find great nightlife in the bar scene around Brazil. The most popular city known for its bars is Belo Horizonte, which has the most number of bars in the whole country!
As much as, I tried to detail in this article the main reasons to travel to Brazil, this is only a glimpse of the country! Brazil is one of those places you have to experience for yourself to truly understand all the beauty and phenomenal culture. Consider planning your next vacation to Brazil and get to know this wonderful country for all that it has to offer before it’s too late!
