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Currency – Brazilian real (R$)
Language – Portuguese
Vaccine – A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for those travelers over 9 months of age coming from affected regions. Vaccinations against yellow fever (compulsory if you visit the Pantanal and the Amazon), typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B are recommended. Malaria risk in the Amazon. Be careful with dengue and the Zika virus, especially in Rio and Salvador.
Electricity – 220V. 60 Hz. Power plugs and sockets are of type C & N.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONES
National Police: 194
Medical emergency: 192
With more than 200 million inhabitants, Brazil is a continent within a continent, an overflowing cultural frontier where materialism and mysticism, the splendor of carnival and the misery of the favelas, the profusion of Colonial Baroque and Brasilia Futurism, African and Christian beliefs.
Where to start? It will be the first question you ask yourself when planning your trip to Brazil. A difficult question to answer since this vast country is a continent in the interior of the American continent. Another common question: beach or mountain? Although in this case we would formulate it like this: beach or jungle?
A country of colorful carnivals and festivals, Brazil attracts guests not only for its fantastic celebrations, but also for its many sights. The capital of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, remains the most visited city in the country.
Little is known of the early history of Brazil. As archaeological investigations have shown, the first settlements on its territory were formed in the 17th century BC. The discoverer of Brazil is the famous Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral. His team boarded the coast in 1500. Only 33 years later, the Portuguese colonization began. It had lasted for more than 500 years. The colonial country became a great slave trade center. The new settlers used it to grow sugar cane and coffee plantations. The country gained independence from Portugal in 1822. Afterwards, the country had been living through a period of political conflict and upheaval for more than 150 years.
Brazil is famous for its impressive carnival that takes place annually in Rio de Janeiro. The main event of the carnival is a festive costume parade, for which the people of Rio prepare for a year. Each of the contestants intends to impress everyone with the costume. The best dance and creative groups in the country participate in the carnival. In recent years, the carnival in Rio is organized for tourists. They can take part in interesting entertainments, as well as gastronomic and cultural programs.
Brazil is a popular beach recreation center. The most popular beaches in the country are also in Rio de Janeiro. They are quite large, so even in the middle of the tourist season, you will have no trouble finding a comfortable place for your leisure. The Copacabana beach found here is one of the longest in the world. It is covered in beautiful golden sand. The length of the single beach is over 6,000 m. There are several hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, and other entertainment venues.
TOURIST SITES OF BRAZIL
Statue of Christ the Redeemer – The statue is part of the National Park that occupies an area of more than 3,000 hectares.
The Corcovado and the Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro – Two extraordinary viewpoints over the city and its bay, unique in the world.
Ilha Grande – 193 km of protected space, without cars and with a tourist activity that is concentrated around Vila do Abraão. A paradise very close to Rio.
Iguazu Falls, impressive natural spectacle – More than 200 waterfalls shared with Argentina and Paraguay. In the midst of a cloud of steam and a thunderous roar, there is a magnificent spectacle!
Paraty – A small colonial gem, 280 km from Rio, for which it seems that time has not passed since its founding in the 18th century.
Brasilia – Incredible futuristic and utopian city created by Niemeyer and Costa in the middle of nowhere. Urbanites, hunters of unusual images, architecture lovers will be delighted…
The Pantanal, immense natural reserve – Close to the Bolivian border, this vast plain crossed by the Paraguay River and its tributaries is the most beautiful natural reserve for animals in Brazil.
Ouro Preto and Olinda: World Heritage Site – Close to the Bolivian border, this vast plain crossed by the Paraguay River and its tributaries is the most beautiful natural reserve for animals in Brazil.
Salvador of Bahia – The most African city in Brazil. It seduces for its coast, its majestic bay and its colonial center, but also for its typical cuisine and one of the richest musical environments in the country.
Chapada Diamantina and Lençóis Maranhenses, the «Sahara» of the Northeast – Waterfalls, ponds, white dunes, freshwater lakes, deserted beaches where turtles and birds take refuge … Two national parks for unforgettable walks.
General Information about Brazil
DAILY LIFE
The reputation of kindness and joy that Brazilians have for the rest of the world has been earned by far.
Brazil is one of the most expensive countries in South America but there are many inexpensive options in terms of accommodation and eating, if you eat at street stalls or in places where local people usually eat, it is not expensive. Always avoid places where there are only tourists!
Most stores are open from approximately 09:00 to 19:00, although many remain open until later.
IN BARS AND RESTAURANTS
Although some only open during noon, the most common hours are from 12.00 to 15.00. and from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Some do not close in the afternoon and others close in the wee hours of the morning.
TIPS
Tipping is usually not expected in Brazil. Usually, if there was any unusual, nonstandard service, Brazilians would consider giving an extra.
RELIGION
Around 70% of the population profess the Roman Catholic religion.
HOLIDAYS
1 of January – New Year.
February / March: Carnival, four days of celebrations. The most important are held in Rio, Salvador and Recife.
March / April: Easter.
April 21: Tiradentes Day.
May 1: Labor Day.
May / June: Corpus Christi.
September 7: Independence Day.
October 12: Our Lady Aparecida. Patroness of Brazil.
November 2: All Saints’ Day.
November 15: Proclamation of the Republic.
25th December, Christmas.
CLIMATE
In the Amazon basin the climate is humid and equatorial. On the Atlantic coast the climate is humid and tropical, with two seasons marked summer and winter. The northwest coast near the Equator has little difference between summer and winter with abundant rains between April and June. In the interior of the country, the climate is tropical semi-humid, the summers are warm and the rains fall between December and March.
Gastronomy of Brazil
Some of the more traditional Brazilian dishes are adaptations of Portuguese or African cuisine. The staple food consists of rice, beans, and cassava. Brazilian food is very tasty. Varies by area.
TYPICAL DISHES
Feijoada – stewed black beans with different types of dried, salted and smoked meat.
Peixe a brasileiro – brazilian style fish stew.
Salgadinhos – small pasta filled with meat, chicken, seafood, fish, cheese, etc. served as an aperitif.
Churrasco – roast meat.
Vatapá – creamy pasta made from shrimp, fish, peanuts, coconut milk, and spices.
Moqueca – fish, prawns, crab, with a sauce based on dendé (palm oil) and coconut milk.
BEVERAGES
You will find numerous freshly prepared “suco defruit” fruit juices, fruit smoothies, coconut water, sugarcane juice “caldo de cana. Beer is one of the most popular beverages, most of them drink “chope” (draft beer). One of the typical liquors of Brazil is the sugar cane brandy called “cachaça”. With this liquor, most of the cocktails and drinks are usually prepared. The tea, mate and coffee are of very good quality.
LOCAL FRUITS
Coconuts, persimmons, guava, mangoes, pineapples, avocados, passion fruit, tamarinds.
Transportation in Brazil
AIR TRANSPORT
The main airlines are Varig, Transbrasil and Vasp, which cover routes through the interior of the country. Varig and Transbrasil offer “air passes.” One offers the possibility of flying to four cities and is valid for 14 days and there is another with a validity of 21 days that will allow you to make all the flights you want. Nightly rates have a 20% discount.
Departures are every 30 minutes between Rio and Sao Paulo, every hour between Rio and Brasilia. Most Brazilian cities are connected by plane. Brazil has one of the most extensive internal air networks in the world.
BOAT TRANSPORT
There are trips along the Amazon River, Sao Francisco River and through the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.
Cruises are organized that leave from Rio along the Brazilian coast that reach Buenos Aires in the south, and to the Caribbean in the north.
BUS TRANSPORT
Most of the interurban transport is carried out by bus (approximately 97% of internal journeys). The buses that cover the main routes are every day more modern and comfortable. If you are going to travel on different routes, you may have to make long stops, some at night, to make connections. Remember that the distances are long and that the bus trip can take days.
RAILWAY TRANSPORT
The railway network is very limited. There is the possibility of traveling some train journeys, but they are mostly tourist attractions.
ROAD NETWORK
Brazil has 1,940,000 km. of roads. Driving is on the right. Highways and main roads are generally in good condition, but truck traffic is extremely heavy.
DRIVING
Traffic in Brazil is absolutely chaotic. Drivers constantly change lanes while driving, speeding through the middle of the city. Always be on the defensive. In big cities parking can be almost impossible.
RENTAL CARS (We recommend reserving us in advance):
In large cities there are several car rental agencies.
The procedures for signing the contract can be carried out at the airport, at the hotel or at the rental agencies, although the procedure for renting is too bureaucratic and the prices are high. In Brazilian cities there is usually excess traffic, so it is recommended to avoid rush hours and not try to park in the center of urban areas.
RENT A CAR at São Paulo international airport >>>
TAXIS
Taxis are probably the best way to get around the city, but it is easy for them to charge you more or take you around. These taxis are yellow. Radio taxis are somewhat more expensive, but safer and more comfortable. Due to inflation and constant price increases, not all taximeters show the correct rate. Drivers should have a list displayed so that passengers can calculate the new rate based on what the meter reads.
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