Best Things to do in Brazil

All pictures are my own unless otherwise noted/sourced; do not use without permission.

Brazil is one of the largest countries in South America with about 60% of the Amazon Rainforest there. One would think Spanish is the primary language, but it is actually Portugese, for they were colonized by Portugal. Spanish is secondary. Surprising right? Yep, I was surprised too!

Brazil is famous for the majestic Amazon Rainforest, lively cities, and astonishing beaches. As you fly through Brazil, you will see out of your airplane window that everything is GREEN! That is because Brazil has a lot of the Amazon Rainforest.

Brazil is home to one of the wonders of the world, one of the most famous beaches in the world, and one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Strangely, it is also one of those dangerous countries they warn you not to step foot on. To go, or not to go. That depends entirely on you and how comfortable you are. I would say, just go and be careful and you’ll be fine.

We figured we have to go sooner or later, so might as well do it now. We researched and prepped, and hopped on that plane. After exploring a few parts of Brazil, here we share some of the best things to do.

I hope this helps you plan your trip to Brazil, or gives you some ideas on some new things to do!

Read below to find out some of the best things to do in Brazil!

Where to Stay

We stayed in Copacabana, so obviously I’m biased. Although when I was doing research, plenty said Ipanema is a good area to stay too. I would stick to the touristy areas for safety reasons.

We stayed at two different hotels in Copacabana, one in the middle of the Copacabana strip, and the other at the end of the strip. I would say stick to the middle of the Copacabana strip, unless you like a rowdier crowd then stay on the end of the strip closer to the Fort.

Christ the Redeemer

Huge flocks of people from all over the world fly to this place to visit one of the wonders of the world: Christ the Redeemer. It is one of the busiest and most crowded places in all of Brazil.

Christ the Redeemer sits on Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We’ve seen it all, whether it be on television or social media, it’s this huge statue of Jesus Christ with his arms open wide overlooking the beautiful majestic bay, and protecting the city. Who wouldn’t want to visit? Actually, Christ the Redeemer is only 98 feet tall with arms spanning 92 feet wide. There is a small chapel behind the Redeemer.

Honestly, I thought it was smaller than what it is portrayed to look. Regardless, it is worth a visit, especially if you want to go to Brazil anyway or if you want to hit all the wonders of the world.

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls is the largest waterfall system in the world; it splits between the Argentina and Brazil borders, each offering unique perspectives and experiences. Since this blog is about Brazil, I’ll only cover the Brazil side briefly.

Before visiting, I wasn’t that excited. I was jaded, having seen much of the world; I wanted to see rainbows and butterflies. After visiting, I will say that you have to visit this at least ONCE in your life. When I saw this, it blew my mind away. It was exactly what I had been yearning for.

When on the Brazil side, you get this panoramic view of the falls. You can walk on this path that leads you to the heart of the falls but some parts of it will feel like it’s raining and or pouring. Definitely bring a rain jacket because you’ll need it. For me, this area felt like I was in a waterfall fairytale; you’re surrounded by waterfalls in like 360 degrees. It was unreal.

If you only have enough time to visit one side only, hands down go to the Brazil side.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf Mountain is one of Brazil’s iconic landmarks; it is a must visit when in Brazil!

To visit, buy tickets (online in advance, or on site), then take a cable car to the top. Once there, enjoy a drink or meal, and watch the amazing sunset over the bay and Rio de Janeiro. It was incredibly beautiful and magical. If the sky is clear, you can see Christ the Redeemer!

Note: it can get crowded during sunset as that’s a popular time to visit.

Escadaria Selaron

Located in Santa Teresa, Escadaria Selaron is one of Brazil’s popular spots. The Escadaria Selaron is a set of vibrant and colorful stairs with mosaic artwork representing numerous places in the world. It gets really crowded in the afternoon, so try to visit in the early morning if possible.

Copacabana Beach

Copacabana Beach is one of the world’s most popular beaches. It is lined with shops, restaurants, and hotels. It is somewhat similar to Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. Many people come here from all over the world to experience its charm. It is a nice beach to relax, unwind, and people watch and or enjoy the amazing views.

Ipanema Beach

Ipanema Beach is gorgeous, and is inspired by the popular song “The Girl from Ipanema”. If you haven’t heard it before, definitely go listen! However, the beach and views from there are stunning.

I think it would’ve been better to go during the week. We went during a weekend, and it was SO crowded. Beach umbrellas were lined up from the sidewalk all the way to the beach. It’s not my kind of vibe, so we didn’t stay long. We were also trying to be aware of pickpockets etc., so left quickly before anything bad happened. It’s unfortunate, because I would have loved to spend some time relaxing here.

Jardim Botanico (botanical garden)

Jardim Botanico is a huge botanical garden in Rio de Janeiro. It is gated, so perfectly safe inside. The botanical garden houses thousands of plants and trees. It is popular for its two massive lines of palm trees. However, it can get very hot, so stay hydrated!

There are different options to tour this garden. You can do a self-guided tour, but it can get very exhausting since the garden is enormous. The second option is to opt for the shuttle, where you can hop on or off at any shuttle stop (at major spots, and shuttles come every 15-20 minutes). The last option is to do a tour. We did the shuttle option and loved it; it was perfect since it was so hot too.

Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura

Located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, the Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura is an impressive Portugese library that holds hundreds of thousands of books. The architecture is beautiful and remarkable. Take some time to stand in there and take it all in. Not only is it gorgeous, it’s a great photo opportunity!

Copacabana Fort

The Copacabana Fort is a military base located at the end strip of Copacabana beach. This fort existed to defend Guanabara Bay.

There is a museum inside that you can explore and see guns/bullets works and historic living conditions.

There are also great views of Copacabana Beach from here. Benches are available to rest and or enjoy the views, but on a crowded day or time, it’ll be a challenge finding a seat.

Parque Lage

Parque Lage is a public park located at the foot of the Corcovado mountains, and it is FREE!!! Within Parque Lage’s grounds are a mansion, café, and lush greenery surroundings. On a clear day, inside the café by the pool, you can see Christ the Redeemer statue. However, to get a picture with the pool and view of Christ the Redeemer statue, there is usually a long line. We didn’t wait in line, but just took some pictures from the side.

There is outdoor seating at the café, but it was too hot and humid, we decided not to dine there. It was quite busy when we were there in the early morning.

There are multiple walking trails too within Parque Lage. If you’re lucky, you’ll see monkeys! By the way, you won’t miss all the incredible jackfruit trees!

Brazilian Steakhouse

Obviously, you cannot go to Brazil without trying a Brazilian Steakhouse! We wanted to see if it’s any better than the ones at home.

We tried Churrascaria Palace in Copacabana, and loved it. The food was excellent, the service was top notch, and we loved the guy who kept on bringing us meat. Although there was a language barrier, we asked for a specific cut and he would look extremely excited, then go into the kitchen and brought it out. It was also a fun experience. Highly recommend this place!

Street Markets

There are so many street markets, so I would recommend checking a few of those out if you have time.

In front of Copacabana, a night street market opens (usually on the weekends only – Friday thru Sunday). There is also one that seems to be open daily on the northern end of the Copacabana strip.

Farmers Markets

There are a few farmers markets you can check out while in Rio de Janeiro. Some of them have fresh fruits, vegetables, souvenirs, arts and crafts, food and drinks, etc. We went to one, I can’t recall the name, but it wasn’t too big but a good place to walk around and explore.

Confitería Colombo in downtown Rio (if you dare, or if you have extra time to burn)

Confitería Colombo has a few locations. One is on the grounds of the Copacabana Fort, and another is in downtown Rio.

This Confitería Colombo is a historic café located in the heart of downtown Rio de Janeiro. The architecture is incredible and there are two floors; you can choose to sit upstairs or downstairs. The food was not memorable for us unfortunately; pastries were on the dry side.

The area is kind of sketchy. We were afraid we were going to get robbed or something once we were dropped off in the street and had to navigate to find the café (the driver didn’t know where it was). Once we found it, there was a cop near the café, and we felt more relieved.

So go at your own risk!

Tips

· Do not go out after sunset.

· Be careful and cautious of your surroundings at all times.

· Do not use your phone constantly in public.

· Take uber everywhere.

There you have it, some of the best things to do in Brazil! I hope this blog provides you with some ideas on what to do while in Brazil!

I hope you go and have a blast in Brazil!