Language · 11 published
Country guide
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest on earth, with over 213 million people, 26 states and a Federal District built to hold the capital, Brasília. Its Atlantic coastline runs 7,491 kilometres and it borders every country on the continent except Ecuador and Chile. Most of the Amazon basin is Brazilian, including the world's largest river system and the most extensive virgin tropical forest left standing; the same country also holds wetlands, savanna, plateau and low mountains. São Paulo is the most populous city and Rio de Janeiro the second. The distance between any two of these is the planning problem.
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Thomas Hobbs · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photograph · Rafael Rabello de Barros · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Liberdade is São Paulo's historically Japanese-Brazilian district, the largest such community outside Japan. The area developed through twentieth-century immigration and retains distinct cultural markers in its streetscape, commerce, and public spaces.
Christ the Redeemer, known locally as Cristo Redentor, stands atop Corcovado mountain as Rio de Janeiro's most iconic monument. The Art Deco statue depicts Jesus Christ with outstretched arms, symbolizing welcome and protection over the city.
Edifício Altino Arantes is a prominent skyscraper in São Paulo, Brazil. It stands in the city centre and has been a significant part of the skyline since its completion.
Edifício Itália is a prominent skyscraper in São Paulo, Brazil. It stands as one of the city's most recognizable landmarks in the downtown district.
São Paulo Cathedral, known locally as Catedral Metropolitana de São Paulo or Catedral da Sé, stands as a monumental neo-Gothic structure marking the geographic heart of the city's historic centre.
The Copan Building, known locally as Edifício Copan, stands as one of São Paulo's most distinctive architectural landmarks.
The National Library of Brazil, or Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil, stands as a major cultural institution in Rio de Janeiro.
Valongo Wharf, known locally as Cais do Valongo, is a historic archaeological site in Rio de Janeiro's port zone. It served as the main disembarkation point for enslaved Africans arriving in Brazil during the 19th century.
Mirante do Vale is a skyscraper in the historic centre of São Paulo, Brazil. It stands among the tallest buildings in the city and offers a commercial observation deck on its upper floors.
The Sambódromo da Marquês de Sapucaí is a purpose-built parade avenue in Rio de Janeiro designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer.
The Municipal Theatre of São Paulo is the historic centre's principal opera house and a defining Belle Époque landmark. Built during the city's rapid early twentieth-century growth, it represents Brazil's aspiration toward European cultural sophistication.
The Monastery of Saint Benedict is a historic Benedictine complex in Sao Paulo's old city center. It anchors one corner of the old-city triangle, a zone of significant historical concentration.
Luz Station is a monumental railway station in São Paulo, Brazil, known locally as Estação da Luz. It serves as an architectural anchor for the Luz museum district in the city's historic centre.
The Arcos da Lapa is a colonial-era aqueduct in Rio de Janeiro's Lapa neighbourhood. This monumental structure comprises two tiers of arches that originally served as a water supply system for the city.
Monument to the Bandeiras is a monumental granite sculpture by Victor Brecheret located in São Paulo, Brazil. The local name is Monumento às Bandeiras. It commemorates the bandeirantes, 17th-century Portuguese Brazilian explorers and fortune hunters who expanded Brazil's territory.
Ilha Fiscal is a small island in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, notable for its distinctive neo-Gothic palace that formerly served as a customs house.
Pátio do Colégio marks the foundational site of São Paulo, established by Jesuit priests Manuel da Nóbrega and José de Anchieta in 1554. The name references the original Jesuit college courtyard where the city began.
The Municipal Market of São Paulo, locally called Mercadão, is a historic public market in the city centre. Built in the early twentieth century, it occupies a prominent building with distinctive architecture.
The Martinelli Building, known locally as Edifício Martinelli, stands as São Paulo's pioneering skyscraper and a central-city architectural landmark. Constructed in the early twentieth century, it represented a dramatic shift in Brazilian urban architecture, introducing skyscraper technology to the city.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Penha is a prominent Catholic pilgrimage church perched atop a granite outcrop in the Penha neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro.
Viaduto do Chá is a historic viaduct in central São Paulo, Brazil. Built in the late nineteenth century, it spans the Vale do Anhangabaú and connects the old city centre with the newer downtown area.
Sugarloaf Cable Car is the aerial route through Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar, connecting the ground station at Praia Vermelha with Morro da Urca and Sugarloaf Mountain.
Colônia Crater, known locally as Cratera de Colônia, is a large meteorite-impact structure situated in the Parelheiros district of São Paulo, Brazil. It ranks as a protected geosite of significant geological interest.
Casa do Grito is a historic rammed-earth house located within the Ipiranga independence landscape in São Paulo. The building forms part of the broader historical and cultural territory associated with Brazilian independence.
Sala São Paulo is a major concert hall housed within the historic Júlio Prestes Station, a former railway terminal in central São Paulo. It serves as the permanent home of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (OSESP).
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Brazil’s scale makes 10–16 days appropriate for one region rather than a national circuit. Build around a single gateway such as Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, then add one coherent coastal, nature or cultural extension.
Visa information is maintained by Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its consular portal. Eligibility depends on nationality and visit purpose; use the ministry’s current table instead of relying on a past visa waiver.
São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro handle major international and domestic connections. Flights bridge the country’s long distances, coaches cover many regional corridors, and national passenger rail is not a general substitute for either.
Brazil has no single best month because Amazon, northeast-coast, Pantanal and southern conditions differ. April–June and August–October are broad shoulder periods, but the chosen region’s rainfall and access cycle should decide the dates.
The Brazilian real (BRL) is the unit used for prices. This guide does not record current bank fees or acceptance patterns; check the displayed total and conversion currency before authorising a card or cash transaction.
Brazil separates emergency services: 190 police, 192 ambulance and 193 fire. Type N sockets operate at either 127 or 220 V depending on location, and national tap-water suitability is Not recorded.
