When you think about Brazil, what places come to your mind at first? I guess it’s Rio de Janeiro side by side with samba, half-naked women, short bikinis… Whether it’s due to the incompetence of the Brazilian tourism board or due to being a country closed to the world, a wide number of attractions remain off the radar of travelers exploring South America.
Brazil has attractions and activities for almost all tastes from beaches to rural tourism, from nightlife to farms in remote towns, diverse wildlife, and from soccer to railway trips. Important to remember its incredible food culture combining Portuguese gastronomy with indigenous, African, and all the cuisines brought by immigrants from all around the world.
Having a continental territory, we must bear in mind that Brazil changes a lot from one region to another – the landscapes, the people, their mentality, the local cuisine, the weather, and so on. As in any other country in Latin America, you’ll see lots of contrasts living side by side in the same city, as well as from one region to another.
In order to expand your horizons about Brazil, I list 13 cities to consider rather than limiting your trip to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Generally speaking, Brazilian urban aesthetics are terrible, so it’s better to focus on exploring natural landscapes, local cuisine, culture, and outdoor activities.
Gramado
Gramado is a renowned winter resort among Brazilians in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, receiving tourists who seek to experience winter from June to August and its European atmosphere brought up by Italian, German, and Portuguese immigrants. But Gramado keeps busy all year round with events that attract tourists such as the Christmas parades and a national cinema festival. Among the interesting activities, you can do in the Gramado region there are wine-tasting tours, barbecue dinners, train rides, Christmas Lights Show, German culture, and beer tours.
Florianópolis
Florianópolis is the capital of the state of Santa Catarina, in the south. Frequented by Argentinians, Paraguyans, Uruguayans and Chileans, this city is located on an island known for its splendid beaches, astonishing areas such as Lagoa da Conceição and Ilha do Campeche. An ideal destination for surfers, sand boarders, kitesurfers, and travelers looking for coastal cities. As the climate in southern Brazil is not exactly tropical, I detail in another article about when it is best to travel to Florianópolis.
Balneário Camboriú
Also located in the state of Santa Catarina, Balneário Camboriú is another coastal city that receives tourists looking for beaches, nightlife, outdoor activities, and seafood. Largely frequented by Brazilians, Argentineans, Paraguayans, Uruguyans, and Chileans, this city is ideal for travelers looking for a small town where you don’t need a car to move around and much safer than Rio de Janeiro. It’s a city where you can walk at night safely.
Oktoberfest in Blumenau
Blumenau, also in the state of Santa Catarina, hosts the second-biggest Oktoberfest in the world, only behind the event in Munich. This city is located about 2 hours drive from Florianópolis, so if you’re in the region during October, it’s worth visiting. Nearby Blumenau, an interesting city to visit is Pomerode, unique for its German architecture and where you can see locals speaking the Pomeranian dialect.
Serra do Rio do Rastro
Serra do Rio do Rastro is one of the most impressive road trips in the world, located in the state of Santa Catarina, about 2 hours from Florianópolis. The cities surrounding the road have a high season during the winter from June to August when tourists go expecting to see some winter, which sometimes shows up.
Curitiba
Calmer than other Brazilian metropolitan cities, Curitiba is the capital of the state of Paraná, featuring itself for its European alike atmosphere in some of its main neighborhoods. The city also has a strong gastronomic scene and cultural activities such as museums such as the Museum of Indigenous Art. Many travelers pass by Curitiba while going to the Iguazu Falls or coming from there, and it’s worth including Morretes in your itinerary.
Morretes
Morretes is a small town founded by Portuguese immigrants, still preserving some of its colonial architecture. Most of the travelers arrive there taking the train from Curitiba. Once you arrive in Morretes, you must try the dish barreado at local restaurants, which attracts many visitors who go to eat it.
Curitiba-Morretes Railway Trip
Passing by Curitiba, take the train that departs to Morretes on a 4-hour trip. It’s one of the most impressive railway journeys in the world, surrounded by the Mata Atlântica rainforest, crossing 30 bridges ad 13 tunnels across 100 km. It’s worth spending a day trip to walk around Morretes once you arrive there by train.
Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls is the most visited attraction in Brazil, known for its astonishing waterfalls. Its location at a mutual border shared by Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay makes it possible to visit 3 countries through day trips. Around the Falls, you can do kayaking, helicopter ride, visit the Birds Park, and the Itaipu dam, and join guided tours departing from Foz do Iguaçu on the Brazilian side.
Guartelá Canyon
Guartelá Canyon is the 4th largest canyon in the world, located in the town of Tibagi, the state of Paraná, near the town of Ponta Grossa. An ideal destination for travelers looking for hiking, rafting and rappelling, camping, and there you find prehistoric vestiges, too. Even Brazilians don’t know this canyon exists, I heard about it for the first time when I was at an event in Ponta Grossa.
Barretos Rodeo
Brazil has a strong rodeo culture in the countryside, linked to the popular culture rooted in rural areas, where most Brazilians used to live until the 1960s, such as the sertanejo music that makes a parallel with country music. I rarely have seen foreigners visiting such events. For travelers who are into rodeos, bulls, and horses, Barretos in the state of São Paulo hosts the biggest rodeo in Latin America, Festa do Peão de Barretos, usually in August.
Bonito
Located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the Midwest, Bonito attracts tourists seeking to experience its crystal-clear waters, waterfalls, and caves. An ideal place for travelers looking for nature, outdoor activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving in a calm countryside atmosphere.
Pantanal
Still in the Midwest, Pantanal is a place to go in Brazil for travelers looking for safari alike activities, wildlife, fishing, and birdwatching like the National Geographic expeditions. There you have the chance to get to know unique flora and fauna, including species such as jaguars (onça as we say in Brazil). Local lodges offer all-inclusive packages for 3-4 days to explore Pantanal wildlife wetlands accompanied by exciting activities.
Chapada Diamantina
Located in the state of Bahia, in the Northeast, Chapada Diamantina is a national park that attracts travelers who want to hike, trek, and explore its mountains, waterfalls, and caves. Most of the travelers visiting this region stay in the town of Lençóis, about 400 km departing from Salvador, from where you can take a bus. To explore Chapada Diamantina on half-day and multiple-day trips, it’s recommended to hire a local guide since the park is huge and you can easily get lost traveling alone.
Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto is an important historic treasure located in the state of Minas Gerais, in the Southeast. There and in the neighboring city of Mariana you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the gold mining that brought prosperity in the 18th century to that region and funded an intense cultural activity such as the Baroque art observed at local churches and historic buildings. Another attraction in Ouro Preto is the local cuisine featured by dishes such as feijão tropeiro, torresmo, and the sugarcane spirit cachaça.
I hope this little article has helped to broaden your perceptions about where to go in Brazil and what to do there rather than limiting to Rio, carnival, and beaches. There’s no point to summarize a huge country as a city that’s too messed up to be a postcard, I mean, Rio de Janeiro. Despite its serious problem with criminality, there are functional regions in Brazil where you experience regional cultures, history, and nature and find a reasonable infrastructure under fair prices.
Originally posted 2023-07-23 22:00:08.
