What to do in Brazil & How to plan your trip!
After graduation from high school, I went with my dad on a 2 week long Brazil trip, which was amazing, and since that was in 2017, I decided 2024 would be the year to come back! And what better time do it than during Rio Carnival?? Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big fan of Cologne carnival in Germany. So I was sure that Rio would be another once in a lifetime event that I just couldn’t miss out on. So here come all tips and tricks for an amazing 2-week travel guide Brazil & Rio Carnival!
Arrival & Flights
From Europe, flights are often cheaper if you fly to São Paulo first, as the airport is much bigger. São Paulo is also a very vibrant city and insanely huuuuge. I think the number of inhabitants lies somewhere around 20 million people.
Travel to Brazil for many countries is visa free, at least with my German passport I could just enter freely for 90 days! But always check before.
In many places you can pay by card, so if you’re not withdrawing cash right away in São Paulo, don’t worry, you will mainly need it for the carnival.
Timeline
We spend approximately 2 weeks in Brazil and my itinerary can be followed either including or excluding the Iguazu waterfalls – just depends on how much time you have I guess!
- Day 1 – São Paulo
- Day 2 – Paraty
- Day 3-5 Ilha Grande
- Day 6-9 Rio de Janeiro
- Day 10-11 São Paulo
- Day 12-14 Iguazu Waterfalls
Day 1 – São Paulo
Take one day (or two) to explore sao Paolo a bit! The city from the first view is not as impressive as Rio de Janeiro is, but it is still super worth to visit. I will just list a couple of things and ideas that might be worth to see, we just always shared an Uber to go around, as it is pretty cheap, but the Metro as well is super good!
(Little safety recommendation: Ask in your hotel/accommodation where it’s okay to walk and where you should rather not wander around, also don’t openly show your phone etc. too much).
- Pinacoteca Sao Paulo: nice for some cool Brazilian art. The neighborhood changed to the worse a lot in recent years so make sure you get dropped off in front of the entrance to avoid any unnecessary wandering around.
- Jardim das Bandeiras/Beco do Batman: a cool graffiti area, a bit more touristy but great for 30-40 min exploration.
- Park Ibirapuera: super nice park, very green and nice to walk/jog around
- Barrio Jardins: nice area, a bit richer and safer with a lot of cafes and restaurants
- Art Museum of Sao Paulo: very nice art museum on Avenida Paulista, go through it and the market to see the view on the streets behind: my favorite view in whole São Paulo!
- Avenida Paulista in general, great big street with a lot of people and gatherings around
- Teatro Renault & metropolitan cathedral in the historic center: watch a bit more out here, when we were there there was a lot of police though so it was ok
Food & Restaurants:
- Good Churrasco: Barbacoa or Fogo de Chao
- A Figueira Rubaiyat: more on the expensive side but very good restaurant
- There are so many great restaurants in Sao Paolo, also the Frutaria is nice, so just go and explore around!
Day 2 – Paraty
On the second day we took the bus to Paraty, a cute little colonial city on the coast between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. It’s super worth to visit and there are some waterfalls and beaches around as well. We just visited for an afternoon and that was totally worth it already too!
We took a bus from one of Sao Paulo’s bus stations to Paraty – easy to find the schedules and tickets on busbud.com (just check which of the many bus stations you will be leaving from)! The bus left at 8:30 am in the morning, taking us 7 hours to arrive. After, we dropped our stuff at the accommodation and immediately went exploring.
The accomodation we chose was Pousada do Tesouro – an okay place with a great location, but if you find a better offer on booking.com don’t hesitate to also stay somewhere else! Generally I recommend Pousadas, as they are the “local” and often more affordable options.
Take your time to walk around the historic center, the Harbour and then go for a Gabriela with lemon and ice at Praia do Pontal!
Restaurants/Places to eat:
- Manue for the best acai bowl!
- Qunital Verde – good food but it took us 1& and a half hours till our food arrived – so you definitely need some patience here
- A Tasca looked super cute but sadly was closed
The city is pretty small, so you will see everything in a couple of hours. So, as we did it, perfect for an afternoon or one-day stay on the way to Rio De Janeiro State.
Day 3-5 – Ilha Grande
The next morning we made our way quite early to Ilha Grande. From the bus station at Paraty it is super easy to go to Angra Dos Reis first and take the ferry to Ilha Grande from there. Check the bus schedule at the station in advance. We took one at 9am but the buses usually also go at 7am, 10.20 am and some other times, depending on the weekday.
From Angra Dos Reis (the ferry service is also offered at two other cities around there) you can take the ferry to Albãao, the main “village” around Ilha Grande. It is cheaper if you buy a two-way-ticket (Feb 2024 for approx 150 Reals).
I recommend to stay at least 2-3 days on the island, this way you can explore the highlights and relax a bit.
Things to do:
Lopes Mendes Beach: A beautiful wild beach on the island of Ilha Grande. You can either reach it by foot or boat. We decided to walk to the beach (from Albaao takes about 2/2:30hrs and is a nice walk through the jungle) and go back by boat (also 2 options: the slow boat for about 30-40 Reals or the quick boat for 50 Reals). Here, we opted for the cheaper option. The slow big boat returns at either 3.30pm or 5pm. We took 3.30pm to be back in the “city” earlier and take the return boat back to Angra dos Reis to go to Rio the same day.
Day trip with the boat: there are several boat tours you can do around the island. Either you go around Ilha Grande (half or full tour) or the so called “Paradise” Islands. This is what we did, as the islands looked the nicest. And I can fully recommend this tour, it’s the perfect mix between swimming and walking around beautiful beaches. Either bring your own lunch, eat at the restaurants or just buy an Açaí on the beach (always the beeeeest). It is quite affordable after some haggling, we ended up paying around 28 Euros for the full day.
Praia Preta: a very beautiful beach, great to just spend the afternoon or even a full day.
Hike up to the Pico do Papagaio: we didn’t do that hike but in case you’re up for it, it takes about 8 hours to get to the top and back and will certainly provide you with some good views.
Restaurants:
- Acai: Our hotel included breakfast, but generally I recommend to always eat Açaí wherever you can!!! For example: Sorveteria Frente Fria or Sorveteria Ally.
- A good Caipirinha try at Atelie Cafetaria (also try a Gabriela, a very typical drink & take it with ice and lemon).
- Gurisa looked cute too
On the evening of Day 5 we went back to Angra dos Reis and took the 6.40pm bus to Rio de Janeiro. (Also always check the buses on busbud)
Day 6-9 RIO DE JANEIRO CARNIVAL
And now let’s come to the important part!!! RIO DE JANEIRO AND CARNIVAL
In case you have never been to Rio de Janeiro before, of course there are some touristy things you should consider in planning your days – maybe arrive 1-2 days before carnival to visit the Cristo etc. During Carnival the traffic and stuff is no joke so I guess that would make most sense if your timing is flexible enough.
I will just share all tips and tricks I can think of, starting with where to stay:
Where to stay:
Area:
I think it’s always best to stay within Leblon, Ipanema or Copacabana. Ipanema is, like Copacabana, Next to a beach and a bit of a wealthier neighborhood, same as Leblon.
We chose to stay in Copacabana as we found the “cheapest” options there. But also consider that during Rio Carnival everything tends to be more expensive anyways!
Also, as traffic gets crazy during carnival, proximity to the metro becomes more important, so if there is a way to stay a bit closer to metro L1/4 that’s great. This line goes from Ipanema and Copacaba all the way to the center and I found it to be super useful (and during the day also super safe!). If you then also find something close to the beach – that is the best deal then!
What I liked about Copacabana is that we were in the middle between everything – the sights such as Cristo Redentor and the sugar loaf, as well as the different blocos, ipanema and the center of rio, in which a lot of the street parties (=blocos) happen.
We booked an apartment on booking.com, otherwise airbnb is pretty good too.
Sightseeing:
In terms of sightseeing there is a lot to see, so I’ll break it down into the most relevant things:
- Cristo Redentor: The statue of Christ, a must if it’s your first time in Rio. You can go up by cable car or hike up. I recommend the cable car as the hike takes a while. If you’re visiting during carnival consider booking online to avoid long queues. The Cristo for sure offers one of the most breathtaking views over Rio!
- The Sugar Loaf: What I like about the sugar loaf as a viewpoint is that you will see the Cristo! Here, I recommend hiking up the first part actually, it is just 30 min and look for the Pista Claudio Coutinho so start your ascent. The little walk will bring you up to the first hill, enabling you to skip the first cable car, however, in order to go all the way up you still need to buy the second cable car tickets: but no worries, that you can easily do when you are up the first hill. Students receive a discount.
- Copacabana and Ipanema Beach: a bit busier during carnival but very nice beaches to chill out! Just be cautious of thieves and always bring as little valuables as possible
- Selaron Stairs in the center
- Botanic Garden of Rio de Janeiro
Many people also book a “Favela Tour”. I am personally not a big fan of these, it gives me too much of a “watching animals in a zoo” vibe. I guess everyone has the right to have their own perspective about this, but I think there are so many other ways to learn about the economic conditions and way of life of people around Brazil that I would not join a tour like this.
How to get around Rio de Janeiro:
There are different ways to get around this hugeeee city:
The easiest and safest is Uber. As during carnival it sometimes may take a while, also consider normal taxis (if they are clearly marked as official taxis!!! And make sure they put on the taxometer). If you take some rides alone, use the Uber Motorbike taxi function: amazing and quick (and much cheaper).
Also consider the metro, especially during the day, as it will be safe and busy for sure.
Carnival: tickets and preparation
Soooo coming to the important things: the Carnival!!!
First of all, always be cautious of your belongings. Nothing happened to me or my friends, but you never know, so follow the basic rules. Never bring more money than needed, carry your cash in different pockets and ideally don’t bring your best new iPhone if it’s not insured. In the end it’s normal safety rules when going into big parties, but it’s definitely still worth it to mention. Most people buy these small bags that fit under the pants & I recommend to do the same.
Then for preparation of parties & co:
You don’t need a lot of tickets in advance. Most of the street blocos are for free anyways and you can just go. But the following things I recommend buying in advance:
- Tickets for the Sambadrome: they get released somewhat between October/November and I suggest to buy them as early as possible, so you get the cheaper ones. Get tickets somewhere in the middle, so between sector 7-10 if possible. The Sambadrome also is open for about 2 weeks with events almost every night. It usually starts around 9pm and lasts all night, so bring some energy with you (and buy some alcohol there!). An additional comment maybe: There are three different phases of the parades: the access group, special group and the winners parade. The winners parade must be the most impressive, followed by the special groups. We saw an access group parade, as they have the most affordable tickets and this is pretty great too, so even if you just get the tickets for that, you will certainly not be disappointed.
- Some international party tickets: Check for the Museo de Amanha events as the museum is one of the coolest locations in Rio. While we were there there was the circo loco party, one of the biggest worldwide. Definitely buy in advance! We also went to one party in the Museo de Arte Moderna, but there we could buy the tickets just a couple of days in advance. Check for tickets in the app: Ingresse
How to find the best blocos & co:
Download the App: Blocos de Rua! It has all blocos summarized for you, including the location and expected number of participants. A lot of bigger ones happen on the first Saturday & Sunday of carnival in the morning (starting at 7am) so if you’re up for drinking early definitely don’t hesitate to participate!!!
I personally loved the ones around the center, flamengo and Saude. During the day here the vibe was the best, it was not too touristy and a lot of Brazilians around. Ipanema for my taste was too busy, too many people, too many tourists and too little space.
Overall I spent 4 full days in Rio Carnival: the whole carnival lasts for about 2 weeks, even though the first week is the one with the most blocos. I LOVED everything about the carnival but I also gotta say: I’m from Cologne, where we celebrate it too – and Rio carnival in the end is not as different, just that it is warmer, there is the beach, people wear less and you always have the insane surroundings of Rio in the background.
But it is certainly an experience I can recommend to everyone. Start early in the mornings to go to the first blocos, take a break on the beach in the afternoon (better Copacabana as it will be less busy than Ipanema) with an Acai and then go back to explore some more Blocos. The BEST THING EVER.
It is also the easiest period to meet new people, to hook up with some or just vibe with some Brazilians. Everyone is super open, smiley and just happy to enjoy the incredible vibes of samba and this unique time of the year.
Day 10-11: Back to São Paulo
we took a bus back to Sao Paolo on the 10th day to then take the overnight bus to Iguazu Waterfalls – of course you can also fly there but in case you look for more budget friendly options, consider the bus (as always via busbud). The bus to Iguazu takes about 16 hours and to me, honestly, was pretty chill.
Day 12-14 Iguazu Waterfalls
There are 2 sides of the Iguazu falls: the Argentinian and the Brazilian. It makes most sense to stay on the brazilian side, in the city „Foz do Iguazu“, which is also where the bus will drop you off. If you take an overnight bus coming from São Paulo, you can either stay one night and ride the bus back the next night or stay 2 nights and proceed your trip after. I stayed 2 nights as I was going to Paraguay by bus right after.
Accomodation:
- Simple and affordable but super friendly hotel: Hotel Rouver
- Hostel: Concept Design Hostel & Suites
Brazilian side:
I only visited the Brazilian side due to me getting sick, but it was great to see (and personally enough for me). The Brazilian side is the one where you will have a better picture of the waterfalls as a “whole” so it is somewhat more impressive. The entrance is about 97 Reals (almost 20 Euro). The entrance of the park can be reached either by public bus (number 120 I think) or by Uber, which will cost you about 8 euros total.
We spent about 2 hours within the park, it’s a nice little walk along the falls and at the end of the trail you will even be able to step on top of them (and get very wet). What probably impressed me the most was the size and power the waterfalls have.
If you go and start your visit early enough, next to the entrance of the Brazilian side, there is also a bird park for about 3-4€ entrance. It is called Parque das Aves and is supposed to be super nice.
Argentinian side:
Don’t worry too much about bringing Argentinian pesos, make sure you have a bit of Brasilian Reals as they will accept it too.
The Argentinian side makes you understand better where the water comes from. You will be „on top“ of the falls, seeing the river before it „falls“. My friend did go and she really enjoyed that side too. The trip here is a bit longer, as you have to go by bus to the entrance of the park (Uber is probably not worth it the price) (and ask in your hotel where the bus leaves, my suggested accommodations work very well for it). You’ll probably be on your day trip for about 6-7 hours total, the first bus leaving in the morning at 7:30 am, costing around 2 euros.
The entrance of the park you can pay by credit card and is similarly priced to the Brazilian side.
So: if you have time, of course do both sides of the waterfalls, I can personally say, I’m happy to have seen at least the Brazilian side ✨
I was leaving Brazil from Foz do Iguazu going into Asuncion (with a great direct bus), otherwise you will find easy connections back to Sao Paulo, to Rio de Janeiro even or also to Buenos Aires and Uruguay.
Find my blog post about Paraguay here.
Final word
Honestly, Brazil will forever remain one of my favorite countries in South America. The mix of cultures, food and happy people is just incredible and there is soooo much to explore. I will happily be coming back in the future and explore much more. The country is huge and there is so much to see: Just think about the Amazonas, North Brazil, the beaches and other national parks.
Thanks Brazil for the Açaí, the Caipirinha, good Churrasco, Lanchas, Pasteles, Jugos & so much moreee ❤️ (btw, you gotta try all of this and eat it always)
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