Sights in Brazil
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Cristo Redentor
Atop Corcovado (which means ‘hunchback’), Cristo Redentor gazes out over Rio, a placid expression on his well-crafted face. The mountain rises straight up from the city to 710m, and at night, the brightly lit, 38m-high statue is visible from nearly every part of the city – all 1145 tons of the open-armed redeemer.
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Ipanema & Leblon Beaches
Although the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon are one long beach, the postos (posts) along them subdivide the beach into areas as diverse as the city itself. Posto 9, right off Rua Vinícius de Moraes, is Garota de Ipanema, which is where Rio’s most lithe and tanned bodies tend to migrate. The area is also known as the Cemetério dos Elefantes because of the handful of old leftists, hippies and artists who sometimes hang out there. In front of Rua Farme de Amoedo the beach is known as Bolsa de Valores or Crystal Palace (this is the gay section), while Posto 8 further up is mostly the domain of favela kids. Arpoador, between Ipanema and Copacabana, is Rio’s most popular surf…
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Copacabana & Leme Beach
A magnificent confluence of land and sea, the long, scalloped beach of Copacabana and Leme runs for 4km, with a flurry of activity always stretching along its length: over-amped soccer players singing their team’s anthem, Cariocas and tourists lining up for caipirinhas at kiosks, favela kids showing off their soccer skills, beach vendors shouting out their wares among the beached and tanned bodies.
As in Ipanema, each group stakes out their stretch of sand. Leme is a mix of older residents and favela kids, while the area between the Copacabana Palace Hotel and Rua Fernando Mendes is the gay and transvestite section, known as the Stock or Stock Market – easily recognized…
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Ponta Negra
Ponta Negra, at the far south end of the city, is the nicest beach in Natal - nearly 3km long and full of hotels, pousadas, restaurants, beach bars, surfers and sailing boats. On weekends it gets pretty packed: the northern part of the beach, with its pedestrian-only walkway, is less crowded. The surf here is consistent if small: you can rent boards from a few places along the beach for around R$25 a day. At the south end of the beach is Morro da Careca, a spectacularly high sand dune with a steep face that drops straight into the sea. Access to the dune has been closed off to prevent further erosion and damage to the primary Atlantic rain forest that covers it.
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Memorial JK
The tomb of JK (President Juscelino Kubitschek) lies underneath eerily beautiful stained glass by French artist Marianne Peretti inside the Memorial JK. The museum houses JK’s 3000-book-strong personal library as well as a pictorial history of Brasília. Don’t miss his 1973 Ford Galaxie just outside the back door.
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Arcos da Lapa
The landmark aqueduct dates from the mid-1700s when it was built to carry water from the Carioca River to downtown Rio. In a style reminiscent of ancient Rome, the 42 arches stand 64m high. Today, it carries the famous bonde on its way to and from Santa Teresa atop the hill.
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Banespa Skyscraper
For one of Sampa's best panoramas, head to the top of the Banespa 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.
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Waterfalls
There are 80 identified waterfalls, caves and pools in the area, of which ten to fifteen are open and accessible to the public during most of the year. The tourist office encourages visitors to use guides for all the sites, though several of the most popular ones are perfectly easy to visit on your own.
Cachoeria de Roncadeira is the tallest in the area (70m), and Cachoiera Escorrega Macaco, just a hundred meters away, is nearly as tall (60m). Both tumble picturesquely down sheer rust-brown cliffs, fringed by green vegetation and moss-covered stones. Both have small pools for wading and swimming, while Roncadeira is sometimes used for rappelling.
The falls are located…
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Beaches
Across the channel from town is Praia do Farol, a broad attractive beach that's good (and convenient) for swimming and sunbathing. Continuing clockwise along the shore, a rocky outcrop called Ponta do Boiador marks the beginning of Praia da Princesa. This is the island's best beach, stretching 8km, with rough surf and backed by dunes, palms and the occasional structure or rocky outcrop.
The island has several tidal channels (known as furos, or 'punctures', in Portuguese) which connect inland lagoons to the ocean, and vary in size and strength according to the tide. The channel separating Algodoal from Praia do Farol can be waded at low tide, while canoes ferry people…
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Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso
The Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso is a 25-minute boat ride from Ponta Negra, which is itself a 20-minute bus ride from the center. Fortunately, the trip there is part of the fun, and can be combined with a stop at Praia da Lua, Manaus's best beach. Guided tours include an opulent rubber baron's townhouse and a replica rubber tapper shack, and walking a short trail to see how rubber trees are tapped, and the latex processed in a thatch smoke house.
A bit gimmicky but still interesting, and the only place in Manaus to learn about this all-important history. Boats to the museum (25 minutes) leave frequently from Marina Davi, just past Ponta Negra. Take Bus 011, 012, or 120…
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Centro de Recepcão de Visitantes
The Itaipú Dam is highly impressive; at some 8km long and 200m high, it is a memorable sight, especially when the river is high and a vast torrent of overflow water cascades down the spillway. The Centro de Recepcão de Visitantes is 10km north of Foz. From here, regular tours ( visita panorâmica; R$19) run daily at 8am, 9am, 10am, 2pm, 3pm and 3:30pm; more detailed ones ( circuito especial; R$36), which take you into the power plant itself, leave daily at 8:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 11am, 2pm, 2:30pm, 4pm and 4:30pm. There are extra visits at weekends (when there are also floodlit night viewings available), as well as a variety of other attractions within the complex,…
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Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
Sampa's pride, the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) museum possesses Latin America's most comprehensive collection of Western art. Hovering above a concrete plaza that turns into an antiques fair on Sundays, the museum, designed by architect Lina Bo Bardi and completed in 1968, is considered a classic of modernism by many and an abomination by a vocal few. The collection, though, is unimpeachable, and ranges from Goya to El Greco to Manet.
The Impressionist collection is particularly impressive. There are also a few great Brazilian paintings, including three fine works by Cândido Portinari. The museum hosts temporary exhibits, and there is a bright, pleasant cafeteria…
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Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável
A remote floodplain forest, halfway between Manaus and the Peruvian frontier, is protected by the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve. This 1.24 million hectare (3 million acre) reserve is part of the second-largest (57,000 sq km/22,008 sq mi) continuous block of protected tropical rainforest in the world.
Mamirauá combines nature conservation and scientific research with improved opportunities for the communities within the reserve.
Their excellent ecotourism program affords access to a pristine piece of towering primary rainforest, rivers and lakes absolutely teeming with life. The silence there will be the loudest you've ever heard, and wildlife-viewing is among…
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Museu Histórico Nacional
Housed in the colonial arsenal, which dates from 1764, the impressive Museu Histórico Nacional contains over 250,000 historic relics relating to the history of Brazil from its founding to its early days as a republic. The museum is located near Praça Marechal Âncora and features many well-designed displays, from gilded imperial coaches and the throne of Dom Pedro II to massive oil paintings depicting the horrific combat in the war with Paraguay. There’s some attention paid to Brazil’s indigenous population and to curious relics such as the writing quill that Princess Isabel used to sign the document abolishing slavery in Brazil and a full-sized model of a colonial…
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Beaches
The waters of Morro's four conveniently named main beaches are mostly calm, shallow and warm, and their sands are narrow and swallowed by the high tides.
Tiny Primeira Praia is lined with pousadas and has a decent surf break. Deep Segunda Praia (500m) is the 'action' beach with pousadas, restaurants, nightclubs and a sea of tables and chairs. Pousadas and anchored boats dominate one end of Terceira Praia (1km). Once you pass a pair of restaurants, Quarta Praia (2km) is a long, lovely stretch of sand graced by tall, swaying palms. For even more isolated peace, continue on at low tide to Praia do Encanto (5km) or further down the island to Garapuá, which has one pousada.
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Parque do Ibirapuera
The biggest green space in central São Paulo, Parque do Ibirapuera makes a fine escape from the city's seemingly infinite stretches of concrete. In addition, the leafy 2-sq-km park serves as a thriving center of the city's cultural life, with a series of museums, performance spaces and the grounds for São Paulo's renowned Bienal.
Inaugurated in 1954 to commemorate the city's 400th anniversary, the park was designed by renowned landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. A series of landmark buildings in the park are the work of modernist master Oscar Niemeyer; most of them are linked by a long and distinctively serpentine covered walkway.
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Beaches
Within the district of Ubatuba, there are some 74 beaches and 15 islands. Regular buses run along the coastal road. Some of the best beaches south of Ubatuba include Praia Vermelha (3km), Enseada (8km), Flamengo (12km, on the Ponta do Flamengo), do Lázaro (16km) and Domingos Dias (18km). The big, loud party scene is 6km south of Ubatuba at Praia Grande.
North of town, the beaches are hidden away down steep hillsides. They're harder to find, but good for boogie boarding and surfing and well worth the effort. Among the best are Vermelha do Norte (9km); Itamambuca (15km), Promirim (23km) and Ubatumirim (33km).
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Museu Nacional de Belas Artes
Rio's fine arts museum houses more than 18,000 original paintings and sculptures, some of which date back to works brought over from Portugal by Dom João VI in 1808. One of its most important galleries is the Galeria de Arte Brasileira, with 20th-century classics such as Cândido Portinari's Café. Other galleries display Brazilian folk art, African art and furniture, as well as contemporary exhibits. Guided tours are available in English (call ahead).
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Paço Imperial
The former imperial palace was originally built in 1743 as a governor's residence. Later it became the home of Dom João and his family when the Portuguese throne transferred the royal seat of power to the colony. In 1888 Princesa Isabel proclaimed the Freedom from Slavery Act from the palace's steps. The building was neglected for many years but has been restored and is used for exhibitions and concerts; its cinema frequently screens foreign and art-house films.
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Praia do Futuro
Fortaleza's best beach, Praia do Futuro is a clean length of sand that stretches 5km (3.1mi) south along Av Dioguinho to the Clube Caça e Pesca (Hunting and Fishing Club). It is easily the city's best beach, though it's a fair way from most hotels. Barracas (kiosks) serving crab and beer line the beach, which gets packed on weekends. It doesn't start getting really nice until you're at least 1km (0.6mi) away from the industrial port.
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Museu Oscar Niemeyer
North of the center, the Museu Oscar Niemeyer was designed by and named for the architect responsible for much of Brasília. The exotic, eye-shaped building is painted with whimsical dancing figures in bold colors. Rotating exhibits highlight Brazilian and international artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum is a brisk 30-minute walk from the city center, or you can take the Linha Turismo.
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Pinacoteca do Estado
This elegant neoclassical Pinacoteca do Estado museum houses an excellent collection of Brazilian - and especially Paulista - art from the 19th century to present, including works by big names such as Portinari and Di Cavalcanti. Extensive renovations have made it a pleasant place to while away a rainy afternoon, and there is an attractive café that spills out into the adjacent Parque da Luz.
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Museu Théo Brandão
The Museu Théo Brandão is housed in a handsomely renovated colonial building on the seafront. Excellent exhibits cover the state’s history and popular culture; the most impressive displays are festival headpieces modeled after churches, which are loaded with mirrors, beads and multicolored ribbons and weigh up to 35kg. Traditional dance performances are staged some evenings.
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Museu da Língua Portuguesa
Half of Estação da Luz has been given over to this recently inaugurated Museu da Língua Portuguesa museum, with fascinating permanent exhibits documenting the rise of the Brazilian language as distinct from European Portuguese, as well as creative temporary installations celebrating Brazilian literature. Note, though, that all accompanying signs are in Portuguese only.
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Travessa do Comércio
Beautiful two-story colonial townhouses line this narrow cobblestone street leading off Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro. The archway, called Arco de Teles, leading into the area was once part of an old viaduct running between two buildings. Today, Travessa do Comércio contains half a dozen restaurants and drinking spots that open onto the streets. It's a favorite spot for Cariocas after work.
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