1. Ouro
Preto
One of
Brazil’s best-preserved colonial towns, Ouro Preto, meaning “black gold”, was
founded at the end of the 17th century. It quickly became the epicenter of a
new gold rush in the state of Minas Gerais. The city contains well preserved
Portuguese colonial architecture, while modern buildings must adhere to
historical standards maintained by the city. 18th- and 19th-century churches
decorated with gold and the sculptured works of Aleijadinho make Ouro Preto one
of the most popular tourist attractions in Brazil.
2. Teatro
Amazonas
Teatro Amazonas or Amazon Theatre is an opera house located in Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest. It was
built during the heyday of rubber trade using materials from all over the
world, with furniture from Paris, marble from Italy, and steel from England. On
the outside of the building, the dome was covered with 36,000 decorated ceramic
tiles painted in the colors of the Brazilian national flag.
The first performance was given on January 7, 1897, with the
Italian opera La Gioconda. The opera house was closed down soon after however
as the rubber trade declined and Manaus lost its main source of income. There
wasn’t a single performance in Teatro Amazonas for 90 years until 1990 when it
reopened its doors.
3. Fernando
de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha is
a beautiful archipelago with pristine beaches, landscapes and wildlife,
situated 354 km (220 miles) off the northeastern coast in Brazil. The
archipelago was discovered by Amerigo Vespucci in 1503 and temporarily occupied
by the Dutch and French before Portugal established dominion in 1737. Today
only the largest of the 21 islands is inhabited with a population of about
3,500. The islands are a Mecca for divers and snorkelers with warm waters
year-round and very good visibility even at depths of 50 meters.
4. Historic Center of Olinda
Another well preserved colonial city, Olinda is
located on the Brazil’s northeastern coast, just north of Recife. Olinda
features a number of major touristic attractions, such as a historic downtown
area, churches, and the famous Carnival of Olinda. Many bars, restaurants,
artist and craftspeople studios add charm to the old-town setting.
5. Salvador
Beaches
Salvador is
the capital of the state of Bahia, with an attractive colonial town, a vibrant
musical scene and loads of exceptional beaches all around. The beaches range
from calm inlets, ideal for swimming, diving and sailing, as well as open sea inlets
with strong waves, popular with surfers. There are also beaches surrounded by
reefs, forming natural pools of stone, ideal for children.
6. Pantanal
The
Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland, lying mostly in Western Brazil but
extending into Bolivia and Paraguay as well. Famous for its wildlife, it is one
of Brazil’s major tourist attractions. Unlike the Amazon rainforest, in the
Pantanal you are virtually guaranteed to actually see the wildlife. Capybara
and the Yacare Caiman are present in the millions. The Pantanal is also home to
one of the largest Jaguar populations in the Americas.
7. Rio
Carnival
There are
carnival celebrations in virtually every corner of Brazil, the best-known ones
taking place in Recife together with the neighboring Olinda and Salvador. But
the biggest and most famous carnival is undoubtedly the Carnival in Rio de
Janeiro. The Rio Carnival attracts two million people per day on the streets
and almost half a million foreigners during its 4 day celebration. The Carnival
is all over the place, in the streets and squares, bars, clubs and all other
venues in Rio, concluding in the spectacular Rio Samba Parade at the
Sambadrome.
8. Amazon
River
At
approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) the Amazon River is the second longest
river in the world, just slightly shorter than the Nile, and the largest river
by volume. The Amazon has over 3,000 recognized species of fish and new species
are still being discovered. The Amazon Basin is covered by half of the planet’s
remaining rainforests. Although a tenth of the world’s estimated 10 million
living species live in the Amazon rainforest, jungle tours are more about the
boating upriver into the damp, buzzing, oppressive ambience than actually
spotting animals.
9. Iguaçu
Falls
One of the
great natural wonders of the world, Iguaçu Falls is situated on the border
between Brazil and Argentina. The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along
the Iguazu River. The most impressive of them all is the Devil’s Throat a
U-shaped with a height of 82 meter (269 ft). The falls can be reached from the
cities Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and Puerto Iguazú in Argentina, as well as from
Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. On the Brazilian side there is a long walkway
along the canyon with an extension to the lower base of the Devil’s Throat.
10. Christ
the Redeemer
hrist the
Redeemer is the famous statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro. Located at the
peak of the 700 meters (2,300 ft) Corcovado mountain, it provides a sweeping
panorama from the interior of Guanabara bay to the north, to Lagoa Rodrigo de
Freitas to the south. The Christ the Redeemer statue stands 39.6 meters (130
ft) tall, including its 9.5 meters (31 ft) pedestal and has become an icon of
Rio and Brazil.
