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Rio de Janeiro

Travel guide · Rio and the Northeast

Travelling to Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, the Iguaçu Falls, the Amazon, Salvador da Bahia and endless beaches. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • All year round
  • Where to eat: the boteco (neighbourhood bar)
Photo: Unsplash

Brazil in 30 seconds

  • Any time of year is good to travel to Brazil: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.
  • Apps: Uber.
  • To eat like a local: the boteco (neighbourhood bar). Don’t leave without trying: Feijoada, Moqueca, Pão de queijo.

Brazil in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Brazil. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

November is one of the months when people search most for travelling to Brazil: book early. More destinations for November

When to travel to Brazil

Any time of year is good to travel to Brazil: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

Festivals and special moments

  • February, March

    Rio Carnival

    Parades and street blocos. If you’re travelling on those dates, prioritise logistics and rest.

What to see in Brazil

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Rio de Janeiro
    Rio

    Rio de Janeiro

    Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Copacabana and Ipanema between mountains and sea.

    • Christ the Redeemer
    • Sugarloaf Mountain
    • Copacabana
    • Ipanema
    Rio de Janeiro guide
  • Salvador
    Northeast · Salvador

    Salvador

    The colonial Pelourinho, Afro-Brazilian culture, capoeira and the beaches of Bahia.

    • Pelourinho
    • Elevador Lacerda
    • Salvador Cathedral Basilica
    • Igreja do Senhor do Bonfim
    Salvador guide
  • São Paulo

    São Paulo

    South America’s great metropolis: museums, food and nightlife.

    • MASP
    • Avenida Paulista
    • Municipal Market
    • Ibirapuera Park
    São Paulo guide
  • Foz do Iguaçu

    Foz do Iguaçu

    The Brazilian side of the falls, with the best panoramic view.

    • The falls from the Brazilian side
    • Parque das Aves
    • Itaipu
    • Macuco Safari
    Foz do Iguaçu guide
  • Florianópolis

    Florianópolis

    An island of more than forty beaches, surfing and lagoons in the south.

    • Lagoa da Conceição
    • Praia Mole
    • Joaquina
    • Santo Antônio de Lisboa
    Florianópolis guide
  • Fortaleza

    Fortaleza

    Sunshine all year round, northeastern beaches and dunes nearby.

    • Praia do Futuro
    • Beira Mar
    • Canoa Quebrada
    • Jericoacoara
    Fortaleza guide
  • Recife

    Recife

    The “Brazilian Venice”, with colonial Olinda next door and Porto de Galinhas nearby.

    • Olinda
    • Recife Antigo
    • Porto de Galinhas
    • Boa Viagem Beach
    Recife guide
  • Manaus

    Manaus

    The gateway to the Amazon, with a theatre from the rubber boom.

    • Teatro Amazonas
    • Meeting of the Waters
    • Jungle lodges
    • Pink river dolphins
    Manaus guide
  • Paraty

    Paraty

    A colonial town of cobbled streets between jungle and bay.

    • Historic centre
    • Islands by boat
    • Waterfalls
    • Trindade
    Paraty guide
  • Bonito

    Bonito

    Crystal-clear rivers for floating among fish, in Mato Grosso do Sul.

    • River floating
    • Gruta do Lago Azul
    • Abismo Anhumas
    • Waterfalls
    Bonito guide
  • Lençóis Maranhenses

    Lençóis Maranhenses

    A desert of white dunes with freshwater lagoons between them, which fill up with the rains.

    • Lagoa Azul
    • Lagoa Bonita
    • Barreirinhas
    • Atins
    Lençóis Maranhenses guide
  • Fernando de Noronha

    Fernando de Noronha

    A protected archipelago with some of the best beaches in Brazil, dolphins and turtles.

    • Baía do Sancho
    • Baía dos Porcos
    • Dolphins
    • Morro Dois Irmãos
    Fernando de Noronha guide
  • Jericoacoara

    Jericoacoara

    A village of sandy streets among dunes and lagoons, a kitesurfing paradise in Ceará.

    • Sunset Dune
    • Pedra Furada
    • Lagoa do Paraíso
    • Kitesurfing
    Jericoacoara guide
  • Ouro Preto

    Ouro Preto

    A colonial town from the gold rush, with Baroque churches by Aleijadinho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    • Church of São Francisco de Assis
    • Praça Tiradentes
    • Mina du Chico Rei
    • Church of Pilar
    Ouro Preto guide
  • Búzios

    Búzios

    A peninsula of beaches and coves discovered by Brigitte Bardot, two hours from Rio.

    • Rua das Pedras
    • Orla Bardot
    • Geribá Beach
    • João Fernandes
    Búzios guide
  • Ilha Grande

    Ilha Grande

    A car-free island covered in Atlantic Forest, with beaches like Lopes Mendes.

    • Lopes Mendes
    • Lagoa Azul
    • Abraão
    • Pico do Papagaio
    Ilha Grande guide
  • Chapada Diamantina

    Chapada Diamantina

    Plateaus, waterfalls and blue-water caves in inland Bahia, with the town of Lençóis.

    • Morro do Pai Inácio
    • Cachoeira da Fumaça
    • Poço Azul
    • Lençóis
    Chapada Diamantina guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Rio de Janeiro

From Salvador

From São Paulo

From Foz do Iguaçu

From Florianópolis

From Fortaleza

From Recife

From Manaus

From Paraty

From Bonito

From the Lençóis Maranhenses

From Fernando de Noronha

From Jericoacoara

From Ouro Preto

From Búzios

From Ilha Grande

From the Chapada Diamantina

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What to eat in Brazil

To eat like a local: the boteco (neighbourhood bar), and order feijoada if it’s Saturday or pão de queijo. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Feijoada

    A black bean stew with pork, the national dish.

  • Moqueca

    A fish stew with coconut milk and dendê oil, from Bahia.

  • Pão de queijo

    Little cheese bread balls.

  • Churrasco

    Meat grilled on skewers, at the churrascaria.

  • Acarajé

    A black-eyed pea fritter filled with prawns, from Salvador.

  • Caipirinha

    Cachaça, lime and sugar.

The typical dish of Brazil, at home

Pão de queijo
Photo: Murilo manzini · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pão de queijo

Cheese bread balls from Minas Gerais, crisp on the outside and chewy inside, made with cassava starch. They’re eaten all over Brazil with morning coffee.

  • Serves 6
  • 40 min

Ingredients

  • 250 g cassava starch (sour or sweet polvilho, or tapioca flour)
  • 125 ml milk
  • 60 ml oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 120 g grated hard cheese (such as Parmesan or Manchego)

How to make it at home

  1. Boil the milk with the oil and salt and pour it over the starch. Mix with a spoon: it will be lumpy.
  2. Leave to cool slightly and add the egg, kneading until the dough is smooth and sticky.
  3. Work in the cheese.
  4. With oiled hands, roll into walnut-sized balls.
  5. Bake at 200 °C for about 20 minutes, until puffed and golden.

The trick: They can be frozen raw and baked straight from the freezer.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Brazil

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It’s the largest country in South America and the only one that speaks Portuguese.
  • Christ the Redeemer is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
  • The Brazilian Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest on the planet.
  • São Paulo has the largest population of Japanese descent outside Japan.
  • Rio’s Carnival is one of the biggest in the world.
  • The seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere’s.

Traditions of Brazil

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • February or March Carnival

    Samba schools in Rio and street parades in Salvador.

  • June Festas Juninas

    St John’s festivals with bonfires and traditional food, especially in the Northeast.

  • 31 December New Year’s Eve on Copacabana

    Millions of people dressed in white on the beach.

  • Capoeira

    A martial art with music, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

What not to do in Brazil

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t wear jewellery or flash your phone in the street.
  • Don’t walk on empty beaches at night.
  • Don’t drink tap water.
  • Don’t hail taxis in the street: use an app instead.
  • Don’t go into favelas without a local guide.
  • Don’t forget mosquito protection (dengue).

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

  • Entering the country

    Visas, electronic authorisations and health requirements for Brazil depend on your nationality. Check your government’s official travel advice and the embassy before you book.

    UK: foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) US: travel advisories (travel.state.gov)
  • Traveller tips

    Apps: Uber.

    Beach: don’t leave your belongings unattended.

    Favela tours only with reputable operators.

Frequently asked questions about Brazil

What people search for most before travelling to Brazil.

What’s the best time to travel to Brazil?

Any time of year is good to travel to Brazil: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

What to see in Brazil in a week?

The essentials of Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Paulo, Foz do Iguaçu and Florianópolis. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Brazil?

Feijoada, Moqueca, Pão de queijo, Churrasco, Acarajé, Caipirinha. To eat like a local: the boteco (neighbourhood bar).

What is the typical dish of Brazil?

Pão de queijo. Cheese bread balls from Minas Gerais, crisp on the outside and chewy inside, made with cassava starch. They’re eaten all over Brazil with morning coffee.

What should you not do in Brazil?

Don’t wear jewellery or flash your phone in the street. Don’t walk on empty beaches at night. Don’t drink tap water.

Is it worth travelling to Brazil in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Brazil. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Unsplash. Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Rabello de Barros (CC BY-SA 3.0). Salvador, Paul R. Burley (CC BY-SA 4.0). São Paulo, Agent010 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Foz do Iguaçu, Geographer (CC BY-SA 4.0). Florianópolis, oscar fava (CC BY 3.0). Fortaleza, ME/Portal da Copa (CC BY-SA 3.0). Recife, Portal da Copa/ME (CC BY 3.0 br). Manaus, Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de). Paraty, Lampiao3 (Public domain). Bonito, Caio Vilela (CC BY-SA 3.0). Lençóis Maranhenses, Rocsilva (CC BY-SA 4.0). Fernando de Noronha, Tatiane Kátia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Jericoacoara, Mariordo (CC BY-SA 3.0). Ouro Preto, Alvesgaspar (CC BY-SA 3.0). Búzios, Danilomhadek (CC BY-SA 4.0). Ilha Grande, Viviane Marques dos Reis (CC BY-SA 3.0). Chapada Diamantina, Joedison Rocha (CC BY-SA 4.0).