🇧🇷 Country guide

Brazil Travel Guide

A continent-sized journey from Atlantic cities to the Amazon, from Afro-Brazilian culture to vast national parks.

Gateway

São Paulo · GRU

Capital

Brasília

Best time

Varies by region · May–October in general

Budget

Moderate

Don't miss

A sunset in Rio that comes down between mountain and sea to the sound of samba

How to plan a route through Brazil

On a first city route, give Rio and São Paulo four to five nights each and add Foz do Iguaçu by domestic flight. Salvador and Recife–Olinda form the north-east culture axis and are linked to each other by air.

Don't treat the Amazon and Lençóis as extensions of a short city trip. They need at least five days and a separate budget for the season, licensed guides, health, the last-mile boat/4x4 and communication blackouts.

What to know before travelling to Brazil

Check Brazil's visa rules for your passport

Whether you need a visa for Brazil depends on your passport; re-check the permitted stay, passport, return ticket and health requirements with official Brazilian sources. An exemption is not an automatic guarantee of entry at the border.

Domestic flights are essential on most routes

Don't think of the country's distances on a European scale. For flights, check baggage, second airports and transfers; for buses, ANTT-authorised operators, official terminals and night safety.

Cards are strong; keep a little cash in reserve

Card and contactless payments are common in cities; markets, beaches and remote nature need cash. Use ATMs inside banks and choose reais. A 10 per cent service charge is usually added to restaurant bills.

Check ethics and health on nature tours

Turn down tours that offer holding or feeding wild animals. For the Amazon, the Pantanal and the north-east, consult a travel clinic in good time about vaccines, mosquitoes, heat, water and activity insurance; respect park closures.

10–13 days

A first trip to Brazil

Rio five nights, São Paulo four, Foz three; fly between the cities.

Rio de Janeiro →São Paulo →Foz do Iguaçu →

8–11 days

The Afro-Brazilian north-east

Music, faith, cuisine and coast in Bahia and Pernambuco; at least three to four nights in each city.

Salvador →Recife and Olinda →

5–7 days

The Atlantic outdoors

Base yourself on one coast of the island; plan beaches, hikes and the Azorean villages around traffic times.

Florianópolis →

10–14 days

A great nature journey

Link the two remote regions only with a domestic flight and an overnight stop in between; confirm the season windows separately.

Manaus and the Amazon →Lençóis Maranhenses →

Practical information for Brazil

Entry requirements

Whether you need a visa for Brazil depends on your nationality; check the current list of Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before booking. Verify the permitted length of stay, passport validity, return ticket and any health requirements with an official consular source; a visa or an exemption is not an automatic guarantee of entry at the border.

Money and payments

The Brazilian real is used. Card and contactless payments are very common in cities; carry a little cash for markets, beach vendors, small boats and remote nature routes. Use ATMs inside banks or shopping centres; with dynamic currency conversion, choose reais. A 10 per cent service charge is often added to restaurant bills.

Languages

Portuguese is the key to everyday communication; Spanish is not the same language. In Rio and São Paulo, English works for some tourist services; in the Amazon and inland regions, keep addresses, health needs and tour details written down in Portuguese.

Phones, internet and apps

Because of the country's size, domestic flights are often needed; for intercity buses, verify the ANTT-authorised operator and the official terminal. Phone signal can drop on Amazon, Pantanal and Lençóis routes; have a licensed guide, a satellite/emergency plan and offline documents.

Budget

Domestic flights, nature guides and last-mile boat/4x4 costs push the total up; confirm in writing whether a price is per person or per vehicle.

On a budget plan, think pousadas/hostels, por-kilo restaurants, municipal transport and free beaches; mid-range brings well-located hotels, one domestic flight and a small-group nature tour; a comfortable plan features private transfers, lodges and guides. Lock in flight and room prices early for Carnival, New Year and school holidays.

Cities and nature regions to visit in Brazil

The places to visit in Brazil are spread across a continent. Rio opens up geography and samba, São Paulo art and immigrant cuisines, and Salvador and Recife–Olinda Afro-Brazilian history. The island coast of Florianópolis, the giant falls of Foz do Iguaçu, the Amazon river at Manaus and the seasonal lagoons of Lençóis Maranhenses each need separate flights and guide planning.

Original guides are live for all 8 cities