-
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis
This exquisite church is Brazils most important piece of colonial art, after Aleijadinho’s masterpiece The Prophets in Congonhas. Its entire exterior was carved by Aleijadinho himself, from the soapstone medallion to the cannon waterspouts to the Franciscan two-bar cross. The inter
-
Cervejaria Bohemia
Petrópolis newest attraction is the 90-minute tour (half self-guided, half guided) at Brazils oldest brewery, where interactive exhibits trace beer-making history and nifty touch-screens let you explore brews from dozens of countries. Tours conclude with free samples of specialty b
-
Santuário Dom Bosco
Santuário Dom Bosco is made of 80 concrete columns that support 7400 pieces of illuminated Murano glass, symbolizing a starry sky, which cast a blue submarine glow over the pews. The central chandelier weighs 2.5 tonnes and adds an amazing 435 light bulbs’ worth of energy to the mo
-
Teatro Amazonas
This gorgeous theater was built at the height of the rubber boom, using European designers, decorators and even raw materials. The original driveway was Brazilian, though, made of Amazonian rubber to soften the clatter of late-arriving carriages. The theaters performance schedule i
-
Palácio do Planalto
The Palácio do Planalto is another Niemeyer design thats worth seeing, inside and out. From the curved lines of the exterior to the lustrous columns and sweeping curved ramp inside, its one of the best examples of architectural Modernism in the world. The tour even lets you peek in
-
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
Inaugurated in late 2013, this magnificent palace on Praça da LIberdade is one of Belo Horizontes cultural gems. The vast third-floor gallery hosts special exhibitions that rotate every couple of months, while the downstairs is dedicated to free or low-cost arts events including fi
-
Museu Oscar Niemeyer
Designed by and named for the architect responsible for much of Brasília, this exotic, eye-shaped museum is painted with whimsical dancing figures in bold colors. Rotating exhibits highlight Brazilian and international artists of the 20th and 21st centuries; and theres an excellent
-
Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
One of the city’s most picturesque spots, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is encircled by a 7.2km walking and cycling path. Bikes are available for hire from stands along the east side of the lake, as are paddle boats. For those who prefer caipirinhas (cocktail made from limes, sugar, ice
-
Muhpan
On the waterfront, this partially interactive museum tells the story of the formation of the Pantanal and 10,000 years of human habitation in the region. Exhibits range from presentations on the flora and fauna in different parts of the great wetlands to the history of European exp
-
Parque Estadual de Itaúnas
The 36.7-sq-km Parque Estadual de Itaúnas extends for 25km along the coast and has impressive 20m- to 30m-high sand dunes that afford magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding mangrove forest and wetlands. The wilderness here is home to monkeys, sloths, jaguatiric
-
Praia Lopes Mendes
Facing the open Atlantic, this seemingly endless beach with good surfing waves (shortboard/longboard rentals available on-site) is considered by some the most beautiful in Brazil. Its accessible by Ilha Grandes most popular walking trail, a three-hour, 6.1km trek that starts at the
-
Banespa
For one of Sampa’s best panoramas, head to the top of this 161m-high skyscraper, Brazil’s version of the Empire State Building, completed in 1939. Ride free to the observation deck on the top floor for views of the city. Note: you will need some form of ID to sign in. Youll need t
-
Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses
The name of this 1550-sq-km national park refers to its immense expanse of dunes, which look like lençóis (bed sheets) strewn across the landscape and stretch 70km along the coast and up to 50km inland. Situated halfway between São Luís and the Piauí border, the park also includes
-
Parque Estadual da Pedra Azul
If youve made it to Espírito Santo, dont miss this gorgeous state park. Rangers lead guided walks affording magnificent views of Pedra Azul and the surrounding forest and farmland, with stops at the rock’s nine natural pools. Bring a swimsuit and sturdy shoes – the climb is moderat
-
Centro Cultural São Francisco
This is one of Brazils most beautiful monasteries. São Franciscos construction was interrupted by battles with the Dutch and French, resulting in a beautiful but architecturally confused complex built over two centuries (1589–1779). The facade, the church towers and the adjoining S
-
Elevador Lacerda
The beautifully restored, art deco Elevador Lacerda connects the Cidade Alta with Comércio via four elevators traveling 72m in about 30 seconds. The Jesuits installed the first manual rope-and-pulley elevator around 1610 to transport goods and passengers from the port to the settle
-
Mosteiro São Bento
Among the city’s oldest and most important churches, São Bento dates to 1598, though its neo-Gothic facade dates only to the early 20th century. Step inside the church to view its impressive stained glass. Masses (7am weekdays, 6am on Saturday and 10am Sunday) include Gregorian cha
-
Jardim Botânico Adolpho Ducke
Spanning over 100 sq km, this garden is actually the world’s largest urban forest. Theres a network of five short trails (guides and closed shoes required, two to three hours, free with admission) and an open-air museum (MUSA; Museu da Amazônia) which includes rotating exhibits on
-
Museu Histórico Nacional
Housed in the colonial arsenal, which dates from 1764, the impressive Museu Histórico Nacional contains historic relics relating to the history of Brazil from its founding to its early days as a republic. Highlights include gilded imperial coaches, the throne of Dom Pedro II, massi
-
Congresso Nacional
Featuring the photogenic ‘dishes’ and twin towers, the Congresso Nacional is one of the more interesting buildings on the inside as well. In addition to the color-coded chambers of the Senate (blue) and House of Representatives (green), there is an architecturally interesting ‘Tunn
Total
1166 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
46/59 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
