Travel to Brazil

Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil

2010-07-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil

Airports in Aracaju (Sergipe)
Aracaju Airport
Av. Senador Júlio C. Leite s/nº
Aracaju - SE
CEP: 49034-070
PABX: (79) 212-8500
FAX: (79) 212-8535
Distance from Downtown: 12 km

Airports in Belem (Para)
Belém International Airport
Av. Júlio César s/n°
Val de Cans
Belém - PA
CEP: 66115-970
PABX: (91) 210-6000
FAX: (91) 257-1577
Distance from Downtown: 12 km

Currently Belém International Airport serves demand of 2.7 million passengers a year, in a constructed area of 33,255.17 square meters.

Airports in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais)
Tancredo Neves - Confins International Airport
Lagoa Santa - MG
CEP: 33500-900
PABX: (31) 3689-2700/2019/2130
FAX: (31) 3689-2090
Distance from Downtown: 38 km from Belo Horizonte

Tancredo Neves - Confins International Airport is located in the municipalities of Lagoa Santa and Confins, 38 km from Belo Horizonte, and was opened in January 1984.

Belo Horizonte Airport
Praça Bagatelle 204
Aeroporto
Belo Horizonte - MG
CEP: 31270-700
PABX: (31) 3490-2001
FAX: (31) 3490-2155
Distance from Downtown: 9 km

The 4.5-thousand-foot passenger terminal has a restaurant, snack bars, shops selling souvenirs and typical regional items, a newsstand, car rental agencies, bank services, a radio-taxi counter, stores selling imported products and a travel agency.

Airports in Boa Vista (Roraima)
Boa Vista International Airport
Praça Santos Dumont s/nº
Centro
Boa Vista - RR
CEP: 69304-000
PABX: (95) 623-9394
FAX: (95) 623-9369 R. 28
Distance from Downtown: 4 km

The airport has capacity to receive 675 thousand passengers a year in total comfort and security.

Airports in Brasilia (Distrito Federal)
Brasília International Airport
Aeroporto Internacional de Brasília s/nº
Brasília - DF
CEP: 71608-900
PABX: (61) 364-9000
FAX: (61) 364-9251
Distance from Downtown: 11 km

Brasília International Airport is the third largest in Brazil in terms of passenger movement. Because of its strategic location it is considered a civil aviation hub for the rest of the country.

Airports in Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul)
Campo Grande International Airport
Av. Duque de Caxias s/nº
Campo Grande - MS
CEP: 79101-901
PABX: (67) 368-6000
FAX: (67) 368-6116
Distance from Downtown: 7 km

As commercial aviation demand grew, it became necessary to widen the civil aircraft apron, which was completed 12 years after its construction. The airport has been administered by Inferaero since 1975.

Airports in Cuiaba (Mato Grosso)
Marechal Rondon International Airport
Rua Gov. Ponce de Arruda s/nº
Jardim Aeroporto
Cuiabá - MT
CEP: 78110-971
PABX: (65) 614-2500
FAX: (65) 682-3977
Distance from Downtown: 10 km

The runway at Marechal Rondon Airport was opened to traffic in 1956. In February 1975, Infraero took over the airport's administration and began various upgrades to meet the needs of the airport complex.

Airports in Curitiba (Parana)
Afonso Pena International Airport
Av. Rocha Pombo s/n°
São José dos Pinhais
Curitiba - PR
CEP: 83010-900
PABX: (41) 3381-1515
FAX: (41) 3381-1127
Distance from Downtown: 18 km

With a constructed area of 45 thousand square meters, Afonso Pena - Curitiba International Airport serves some 3.5 million passengers a year.

Airports in Florianopolis (Santa Catarina)
Florianópolis International Airport
Av. Diomício Freitas 3393
Cariano
Florianópolis - SC
CEP: 88047-900
PABX: (48) 331-4000
FAX: (48) 331-4111
Distance from Downtown: 12 km

The current passenger terminal has become modest for a city growing as quickly as Florianópolis. For this reason, the city will shortly receive a new airport able to serve 2.7 million passengers a year.

Airports in Fortaleza (Ceara)
Pinto Martins International Airport
Av. Senador Carlos Jereissati 3.000
Bairro Serrinha
Fortaleza - CE
CEP: 60741-900
PABX: (85) 3477-1200
FAX: (85) 3477-1127/3477-1132
Distance from Downtown: 6 km

The passenger terminal at Fortaleza International Airport is totally air conditioned and has four levels. The basement level has parking for 1,000 cars along with automatic teller machines and a stop for regular city buses serving the airport.

Airports in Goiania (Goias)
Goiânia Airport
Praça Capitão Frazão s/nº
Setor Santa Genoveva
Goiânia - GO
CEP: 74672-900
PABX: (62) 265-1500
FAX: (62) 265-1592
Distance from Downtown: 8 km

Modernization work will soon get under way at Goiânia Airport. With nominal yearly capacity of 600 thousand passengers, in 2004 it received 950 thousand. With its new terminal, it will be able to handle up to 2 million users a year.

Airports in Joao Pessoa (Paraiba)
Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport
Aeroporto Int. Pres. Castro Pinto s/nº
Bayeux
João Pessoa - PB
CEP: 58308-000
PABX: (83) 232-1200
FAX: (83) 232 3255
Distance from Downtown: 12 km

Located in the municipality of Bayeux, Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport is currently undergoing expansion and remodeling work, which will raise the terminal's annual capacity to 860 thousand passengers.

Airports in Macapa (Amapa)
Macapá International Airport
Rua Hildemar Maia s/n°
Santa Rita
Macapá - AP
CEP: 68906-490
PABX: (96) 223-4087
FAX: (96) 223-2323
Distance from Downtown: 3 Km

The state of Amapá will soon gain a new airport. Infraero will start work on the new Macapá International Airport, which will have 17 thousand square meters of space to serve 700 thousand passengers a year.

Airports in Maceio (Alagoas)
Maceió International Airport
Rodovia BR 104 km 91
Tabuleiro
Maceió - AL
CEP: 57110-100
PABX: (82) 214-4000
FAX: (82) 214-4055
Distance from Downtown: 25 km

Maceió - Zumbi dos Palmares Airport is changing for the better. A new passenger terminal is being built and the runway, taxiway and apron areas are being expanded.

Airports in Manaus (Amazonas)
Manaus International Airport
Av. Santos Dumont 1350
Tarumã
Manaus - AM
CEP: 69041-000
PABX: (92) 652-1210
FAX: (92) 652-1366/1169
Distance from Downtown: 14 km

The airport has two passenger terminals, one for scheduled flights and the other for regional aviation. It also has three cargo terminals: Terminal I was opened in 1976, Terminal II in 1980 and Terminal III in 2004.

Airports in Natal (Rio Grande do Norte)
Augusto Severo International Airport
Aeroporto Int. Augusto Severo s/nº
Parnamirim - RN
CEP: 59150-000
PABX: (84) 644-1000
FAX: (84) 644-1280
Distance from Downtown: 18 km

The airport has a total area of 11.3 thousand square meters and capacity for 1.2 million passengers a year.

Airports in Palmas (Tocantins)
Palmas Airport
Arso 41
Palmas - TO
CEP: 70176-070
PABX: (63) 219-3700
FAX: (63) 219-3704
Distance from Downtown: 4 km

Designed with a modern concept of visual communication, the new Palmas Airport Complex contains an Aeroshopping area, a program developed by Infraero aiming to turn Brazil's main airports into true commercial centers with their own brand and identity.

Airports in Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul)
Salgado Filho International Airport
Av. Severo Dulius 90010
Bairro São João
Porto Alegre - RS
CEP: 90200-310
PABX: (51) 3358-2000
FAX: (51) 3358-2549
Distance from Downtown: 10 km

With 37.6 thousand square meters of constructed area and four levels, the passenger terminal at Porto Alegre International Airport can receive 28 large airplanes simultaneously.

Airports in Porto Velho (Rondonia)
Porto Velho International Airport
Av. Jorge Teixeira s/nº
Porto Velho - RO
CEP: 78900-000
PABX: (69) 3025-7400
FAX: (69) 3035-7427
Distance from Downtown: 7 km

The airport is served by 98 scheduled flights weekly, most going to other large Brazilian cities. Scheduled regional routes go to the municipalities of Costa Marques (RO), Lábrea (AM), Manicoré (AM), Cacoal (RO), Jí-Paraná (RO), Vilhena (RO) and Novo Aripuanã (RO).

Airports in Recife (Pernambuco)
Recife International Airport
Av. Mascarenhas de Moraes s/nº
Imbiribeira
Recife - PE
CEP: 51210-010
PABX: (81) 3464-4000
FAX: (81) 3464-4766
Distance from Downtown: 11 km

The largest airport in the North and Northeast regions, Guararapes had its capacity expanded from 1.5 million to 5 million passengers a year. Now there are 64 check-in counters.

Airports in Rio Branco (Acre)
Rio Branco International Airport
Estrada BR- 364 km 18
Sena Madureira
Rio Branco - AC
CEP: 69914-220
PABX: (68) 211-1003/1110/5479
FAX: (68) 211-1003
Distance from Downtown: 7 km

Rio Branco Airport serves domestic and international flights (by scheduled carriers and air taxi firms) along with general and military aviation. The terminal can receive 270 thousand passengers a year and serves an average of 14 daily operations.

Airports in Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro)
Rio de Janeiro - Galeão International Airport
Av. 20 de Janeiro s/nº
Ilha do Governador
Rio de Janeiro - RJ
CEP: 21942-900
PABX: (21) 3398-5050
FAX: (21) 3393-2288
Distance from Downtown: 20 km

Since August 2004, with the transfer of many flights from Santos-Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro International Airport has returned to being the main doorway to Brazil. According to data from the official Brazilian travel bureau, Embratur, nearly 40% of foreign tourists who visit Brazil choose Rio as their gateway, meaning Galeão Airport.

Santos-Dumont Airport
Praça Senador Salgado Filho s/n°
Centro
Rio de Janeiro - RJ
CEP: 20021-340
PABX: (21) 3814-7070
FAX: (21) 2533-2218
Distance from Downtown: 1 Km

Located on Guanabara Bay just a few blocks from the heart of downtown Rio, during the 1990s Santos-Dumont began to outgrow its capacity, besides diverging from its specialization on short-hop flights, offering routes to many destinations in Brazil.

Airports in Salvador (Bahia)
Salvador International Airport
Praça Gago Coutinho s/n°
Salvador - BA
CEP: 41520-970
PABX: (71) 204-1010
FAX: (71) 204-1030
Distance from Downtown: 28 km

The airport's use has been growing at an average of 14% a year and now is responsible for more than 30% of passenger movement in Brazil's Northeast.

Airports in Sao Luis (Maranhao)
Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport
Av. dos Libaneses s/nº
São Cristóvão
São Luís - MA
CEP: 65055-710
PABX: (98) 3217-6100
FAX: (98) 245-4457
Distance from Downtown: 15 km

In October 2004 it began receiving international flights, in response to a longstanding request from tour operators in the region.

Airports in Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo)
São Paulo - Guarulhos International Airport
Rod. Hélio Smidt s/nº
Ed. Interlagação
São Paulo - SP
CEP: 07143-970
PABX: (11) 6445-2945
FAX: (11) 6488-8476
Distance from Downtown: 25 km

São Paulo - Guarulhos International Airport is truly a small city in itself. Every day nearly 100 thousand people pass through the airport, which connects Brazil to 28 countries. There are 370 companies established there generating 53 thousand jobs.

Congonhas-São Paulo Airport
Av. Washigton Luís s/nº
São Paulo - SP
CEP: 04695-900
PABX: (11) 5090-9000
FAX: (11) 5531-7718
Distance from Downtown: 8 km

Since August 15, 2004, Congonhas Airport has had a new face. This is when the first step was completed of the upgrade work Infraero has been undertaking at South America's busiest airport.

Airports in Teresina (Piaui)
Teresina Airport
Aeroporto de Teresina s/nº
Bairro Aeroporto
Teresina - PI
CEP: 64006-970
PABX: (86) 225-2947/2600
FAX: (86) 225-2992 R/ 239
Distance from Downtown: 5 km

Opened on September 30, 1967, Teresina Airport has been administered by Infraero since February 3, 1975.

Airports in Vitoria (Espirito Santo)
Vitória Airport
Av. Fernando Ferrari s/nº
Vitória - ES
CEP: 29075-052
PABX: (27) 3083-6350/ 6351
FAX: (27) 3327-8879
Distance from Downtown: 10 km

Since construction of its first step, finished in 1946, Vitória Airport has undergone several expansions and modernizations, but current demand has surpassed its capacity of 560 thousand passengers a year.

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup
2014 World Cup Host Cities
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Brazilian Carnival
Flag of Brazil
Brazilian Portuguese Language
Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team
Why travel to Brazil?

Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines

2010-07-20T12:15:00.001-07:00

Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines (International Flights)

TAM Airlines

TAM is Brazil's largest airline. It is headquartered in the city of São Paulo, and operates scheduled services to destinations within Brazil, as well as international flights to Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy and Germany.

As of 2010, the airline is owned by the Amaro family (46.25%), Amaro Aviation Part (3.52%), treasury stocks (0.27%) and minority shareholders (49.96%). It employs 24,000 staff.

On May 13, 2010 TAM became the 27th member of Star Alliance.

GOL Airlines

GOL is a Brazilian airline based in São Paulo City, Brazil.

According to the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC), between January and December 2009, Gol had 41.37% of the domestic and 13.40% of the international market shares in terms of passengers/km and in relation to the same period in 2008, it increased its share in the domestic market in 14.86% and in the international market it decreased in 44.17%. In June 2010, its shares were of 40.69% for the domestic and 15.21% for the international markets.

Gol operates a growing domestic and international scheduled network. Its main hubs are São Paulo's Congonhas Airport, Rio de Janeiro's Galeão International Airport and Brasília International Airport - Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek. Gol also has focus operations at Belo Horizonte International Airport, Rio de Janeiro's Santos Dumont Airport, São Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport and Porto Alegre's Salgado Filho International Airport.

AZUL Airlines (domestic flights)

AZUL BRAZILIAN AIRLINES is a Brazilian domestic low-cost airline, established on 5/5/2008 by Brazilian-born David Neeleman, founder and former-CEO of JetBlue Airways.

Azul began service on 12/15/2008 and has ordered a fleet of 76 Embraer 195 jets. Its 2009 performance allowed Azul to become the first airline in the world to board more than two million customers during its first year of operation.

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Sao Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
Flag of Brazil
Brazilian Portuguese Language
Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team

Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide

2010-07-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide

ID Card Presentation

The ID Card (Identification Card) is the most important document in domestic flights. This document is now requested also when the passenger has access to the departure lounge. After presenting your identification at the airline counter, keep the identification card always at hand.

To avoid problems, Infraero has increased its permanent safety staff. More professional are available for checking IDs, so as to avoid the lines from accumulating at departure time. When the passenger keeps his ID Card accessible, waiting time decreases and at the same time this ensures compliance with safety rules.

It is also important to pay attention to the laws that govern the trips of children and teenagers. Children up to 12 incomplete years of age not accompanied must present a judicial authorization to land. If they are accompanied by a person other than the parents (event relatives), they must present their original birth certificate. Unaccompanied teenagers from 12 to 18 need to present their original birth certificate.

Flight Delay

If the flight is cancelled or delayed, the airline must put the passenger in another flight of the same company or another within four hours maximum. If this deadline is not complied with, the user may choose to travel in another flight, ask for an endorsement or refund of the ticket. For those who decide to travel in another flight on the same day or the following day, the company has to offer accommodation, food, transport from and to the airport, in addition to refunding expenses with telephone calls due to the delay.

Hand Baggage

Except for children of up to 2 years of age paying 10% of the tariff, any passenger can take as hand baggage the following:

- A handbag, case or equipment that can be put below the passenger seat, with maximum weight of 5 kg and total dimension not to exceed 115 cm (45 inches).
- A overcoat, shawl or blanket.
- An umbrella or walking stick.
- A small photographic camera and/or binoculars.
- A reasonable amount of reading material for the trip.

Children up to 2 paying 10% of the tariff:

- Baby food for consumption during the trip.
- A basket or equivalent (may also be carried in the aircraft's basement).

Disabled passengers who depend on the following articles:

- Crutches or any other orthopedic equipment.
- Totally collapsible wheelchair. (This item is part of the hand baggage allowance, but it goes in the basement).

These rules are only valid for flights in aircraft with more than 50 seats. The airline has specific rules on the dimensions and weights permitted for hand baggage for aircraft with fewer seats capacity.

Flight Cancellation

If the flight is cancelled by the airline, the passenger is entitled to choose between traveling in another flight, asking for a refund or endorsement of the ticket. If the passenger decides he is no longer going to travel, he must inform the cancellation of his booking at least four hours before the time indicated in the passage. It is important to consult the travel agent or airline, because of the different existing tariffs and the various procedures to be observed in each case.

Loss of Baggage

In domestic flights:

The baggage will be considered as lost if it is not delivered at its destination. When this happens, one must seek the airline counter and fill out the Registration Form of Baggage Irregularity (RIB). The Civil Aviation Inspector of the DAC (Civil Aviation Department), located in the Civil Aviation Sector (SAC) in the main Brazilian airports must be called if problems occur.

Once the loss has been confirmed, the airline has a maximum of 30 days to locate the delivery of the baggage. After this period, the passenger must be indemnified by the airline. As a preventive measure, the passenger may declare the values attributed to the baggage, by paying a supplementary fee stipulated by the airline. In this case, the company is entitled to check the baggage's contents and the indemnification value is the one declared and accepted by the airline.

Valuables such as jewels, negotiable securities or cash must be carried in the hand baggage, the company is not responsible for their loss or damage. In the event of damage to the baggage, the same rules apply. For indemnification purposes, only the objects destroyed or damaged which have been claimed will be considered.

In international flights:

The Warsaw Convention limits the airline's responsibility to US$20 per kilo of lost baggage. The passenger may also choose to dispatch his belongings, protecting himself through a Special Interest Declaration. This document discriminates in detail the case's contents. Only with this declaration is it possible to be fully indemnified, the airline's responsibility on the goods contained therein prevailing.

Bad Service

If the passenger evaluates that he was poorly assisted by the airline or airport staff, he must seek the DAC's Civil Aviation Inspector, in the Civil Aviation Sector (SAC), located in the main Brazilian airports. If he wishes to complain to the DAC, he must fill out the Suggestions or Complaints' Form (ISR). He may also complain by sending a document to the Civil Aviation Regional Services or to the DAC (Rua Santa Luzia, 651 - Castelo Rio de Janeiro - RJ - CEP: 20030-040), or by email to assecom@dac.gov.br. The complaint will be forwarded to the chairman of the airline involved or to the competent Infraero department.

Overbooking

Overbooking occurs when the passenger cannot board the flight on which he had a booking due to an excessive number of passengers. In this case, the airline has to accommodate the user in another flight within a maximum of four hours. If this period is not complied with, the passenger may choose to travel in another flight of the same airline, endorse his ticket or ask for a refund of the ticket. If he chooses to board another flight, the airline has to offer the passenger accommodation, food, communication and transport to the hotel and back to the airport.

The user may choose to be a voluntary passenger, accepting to travel in another flight other than the originally booked one. In this case, the airlines must offer compensation, which may be an upgrade or a credit - which may be used in the payment of excess baggage, purchase of another airline ticket or converted into cash within 30 days maximum. Moreover, the passenger will still preserve the right to use his original ticket. And the airline will be responsible for eventual expenses with food, transport from and to the airport, accommodation and phone calls, resulting from overbooking.

All of these rights will only be valid if the passenger has confirmed the booking of the seat and has attended the airline's check-in at least 30 minutes before domestic flights and one hour before international ones.

Assistance Plan

In the event of an accident with any of its aircraft, all the airlines that operate in Brazil are obliged to present to the families of the passengers boarded. The companies must offer a toll free service for information regarding the accident, personally notify the families of the victims before disclosure by the press of the list of passengers and offer to the family transport to the location where the accident occurred, as well as accommodation, food, health and psychological insurance.

Refund and Endorsement of Ticket

The airline ticket, including the electronic one (purchased on the Internet) is the guarantee of the credit held by the passenger. Therefore, if it is valid, the user will be refunded for the amount effectively paid and updated, based on the tariff practiced on the date the refund was requested. If it is an international ticket, the amount will be calculated based on the foreign currency, at the exchange rate of that day. The refund conditions may vary according to the tariff and form of payment agreed with the airline. The maximum period for payment of the refund is 30 days, counted from the request date.

Endorsement is the right the passenger has to exchange the ticket for a ticket of another airline. The endorsement depends on covenants signed between the airlines.

Transport of Passengers

The airlines shall guarantee priority of service to passengers who are 65 years old or more, sick passengers, the physically and mentally handicapped, pregnant women and passengers accompanied by children who are less than 12 years old (Ordinance 676/GC-5, of 11/13/00 - Article 18).

The passenger's identification at the airline counter before departure is compulsory. The identification shall be made upon presentation of a legally recognized document.

The airline or travel agency undertakes to inform the passenger about this requirement upon acquisition of the airline ticket.

Transport of Animals

Live animals may be transported in non-cargo aircraft in a compartment intended for cargo and baggage. The transport of domestic animals (dogs and cats) in the passenger cabin may be admitted provided that the animals are transported with safety, in appropriate packaging and without causing discomfort to the other passengers. It is also permitted to transport a trained dog to lead a person with a sight or hearing problem in the passenger cabin. The passenger must present the animal's health certificate, supplied by the State Department of Agriculture, by the Post of the Animal Defense Department and a Veterinary doctor.

Travel of Minors

Such trips must comply with the Child and Teenager Statute:

Section III - Authorization to travel

Article 83 - No child may travel outside the judicial district where it resides, not accompanied by her parents or guardian, without express judicial authorization.

§ 1 - The authorization will not be required when:

a) the judicial district is contiguous with that of the child's residence if in the same Federative unit, or included in the same metropolitan region;

b) the child is not accompanied:

1) by a relative or greater collateral, to the third degree, the family relation being evidenced by a document;

2) by a person who is of age, expressly authorized by the father, mother or guardian.

§ 2 - The judiciary authority may, by request of the parents or guardian, grant an authorization valid for two years.

Article 84 - When it is a trip to a foreign country, the authorization can be waived, if the child or teenager:

I - is accompanied by both parents or guardian;

II - travel in the company of one of the parents, authorized expressly by the other by means of an authenticated document.

Article 85 - Without previous and express authorization, no child or teenager born in the national territory may leave the Country in the company of a foreigner or person domiciled abroad.

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Sao Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
Flag of Brazil
Brazilian Portuguese Language
Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team

2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro

2010-07-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

The city of Rio de Janeiro has been elected as the Host City of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016.

The Rio 2016 Olympics will be the second edition held in Latin America (after Mexico City 1968), the first edition held in South America, the third edition held in the southern hemisphere (the first of those three outside of Australia), and the first games in a lusophone country.

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be, first and foremost, a celebration of athletes, who will perform in world-class venues all located in the host city itself. The Rio 2016 Olympics will also celebrate and showcase sport, thanks to the city’s stunning setting and a desire to lift event presentation to new heights. At the same time, Rio 2016 will be an opportunity to deliver the broader aspirations for the long-term future of the city, region and country – an opportunity to hasten the transformation of Rio de Janeiro into an even greater global city.

Rio 2016 Olympics will provide memories of a lifetime for every athlete and all other members of the Games Family. And the Games will leave a powerful legacy by meeting the long-term needs of the city and its residents. Every aspect of the Rio Olympic Games concept has been designed to align with the strategy for the future of the city and country.

Brazil's economy is now the tenth largest in the world - and predicted to be fifth by 2016. Brazil is the world's second biggest food exporter, one of the world's largest oil and ore producers and the fifth largest advertising market. The Brazilian economy is the engine of South America and one of the world's top 10 consumer markets. Brazil have the highest levels of Internet use in the world. The enduring strength of the economy - even in the current global climate - has enabled the Brazilian Government to guarantee the investments needed for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio 2016 Olympics will provide the best possible environment for peak performances. Athletes will enjoy world-class facilities, including a superb village, all located in one of the world’s most beautiful cities, in a compact layout for maximum convenience. The competition venues will be clustered in four zones – Barra, Copacabana, Deodoro and Maracanã – and connected by a high-performance transport ring. Nearly half of the athletes will be able to reach their venues in less than 10 minutes, and almost 75 per cent will do so in less than 25 minutes. Of the 34 competition venues, of which 18 are already operational, eight will undergo some permanent works, seven will be totally temporary and nine are constructed as permanent legacy venues.

The Rio 2016 Olympics program is scheduled to feature 28 sports and a total of 38 disciplines. There were two open spots for sports and initially seven sports began the bidding for inclusion in the 2016 program. Baseball and softball, which were dropped from the program in 2005, karate, squash, golf, roller sports (inline speed skating) and rugby union all applied to be included.

The Maracanã Stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies. Besides the Maracanã Stadium, the football matches will also take place in Salvador (Fonte Nova Stadium), São Paulo (Undefined), Belo Horizonte (Mineirão Stadium) and Brasília (National Brasília Stadium). All these stadiums will also be used in the FIFA 2014 World Cup.

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Why travel to Brazil?
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Salvador - Bahia
Sao Paulo
Tom Jobim - Brazilian Music
World Heritage Cities

2014 World Cup

2010-07-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

The 2014 World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international soccer tournament that is expected to take place between June and July 2014 in Brazil.

After 36 years, the competition will return to South America. While, it has been 64 years since it last visited what is known internationally as 'the soccer nation'.

It is the first time the World Cup is being held in South America since Argentina hosted, and won, the 1978 tournament.

Brazil will become the fifth country to have hosted the FIFA World Cup twice, after Mexico, Italy, France and Germany.

Brazil have won the tournament a record five times and hosted the World Cup once before, in 1950, when they lost 2-1 in the final to Uruguay.

The twelve host cities chosen for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil are: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, Belo Horizonte, Natal, Fortaleza, Curitiba, Salvador, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Recife and Porto Alegre. FIFA agreed to increase the number of host cities from 10 to 12 because of the size of Brazil.

All the stadiums are required to hold at least 40,000 spectators, with the final of the 2014 World Cup to be staged in the famous Maracana Stadium which was refurbished in 2006 and reopened in January 2007 with an all-seated capacity of 88,992.

Rio's legendary Maracana Stadium is to get a $500 million dollar facelift for the FIFA 2014 World Cup. The end of work on the stadium, the largest in the world when it was inaugurated in 1950 for the FIFA World Cup, is planned for December 2012.

The Maracana is classified as a historic monument so the facade will be maintained but a roof will be added to the five-storey oval stadium.

On July 8th, 2010, the 2014 World Cup Organizing Committee began the countdown to the 20th World Cup in history.

The 2014 World Cup will be played from June 13 to July 13, 2014 in 12 venues across Brazil. The country will also stage the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2015 Copa America as well as the 2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro.

The Official FIFA 2014 World Cup Logo

The World Cup logo is called "Inspiration", and was created by Brazilian agency "Africa". The design stems from an iconic photograph of three victorious hands together raising the world's most famous trophy. As well as depicting the humanitarian notion of hands interlinking, the portrayal of the hands is also symbolic of the yellow and green of Brazil warmly welcoming the world to their country. The 2014 World Cup logo was unveiled at a ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 8, 2010.

The Brazilian football legend Pele was not in Johannesburg to support the launch. The official explanation given by FIFA for his absence was that he had a prior commitment.

Brazil Information

The largest country in South America, Brazil stretches over almost half of the continent. With the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern coastline, Brazil shares frontiers with Venezuela, Guyana, French Guyana and Surinam to the north. Its neighbours to the west are Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru, while Colombia is to the north-west and Uruguay directly south. Of all the countries in South America, only Chile and Ecuador do not border Brazil.

With a surface area of 8,547,404 km², Brazil is the fifth largest country on the planet behind Russia, China, Canada and the United States. It covers 4,345 km from north to south between its furthest points and 4,330 km from east to west. The highest population concentrations are along the Atlantic coastlines, most notably in the two largest cities, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city of the southern hemisphere and the richest city of the latin america, the world's 7th largest metropolitan area, and the most populous city proper in the Western World.

The capital Brasilia has a population of 2,094,000, according to 2003 estimates, and it is situated over 1,000 km inland.

Brazil has roughly 190 million inhabitants, making it the fifth most populated country on Earth. Almost 75 per cent of them are Catholics, whilst another 26 million are Protestants. Brazil's Jewish community is very small by comparison.

The country is divided into five regions (Centre-West, North, Northeast, South and Southeast), which are themselves divided into 26 states plus the Federal District that houses Brazilian capital Brasilia.

Known for its enormous hydroelectric potential, the Southeast region is the most heavily-populated in Brazil with almost 80 million inhabitants, roughly 40 per cent of the total. It is also the most densely-populated (84.21 inhabitants per km²) and has the highest urbanisation rate at 90 per cent.

The official language in Brazil is Portuguese.

"Football is a religion in Brazil, everybody is into it, it's the country of football. In Brazil everybody is a footballer. You have written the history of football because you are five times the world champions." - Sepp Blatter (FIFA president)

"One hundred and ninety million people will turn the World Cup into the greatest party in the world, a party of much joy and good organisation. The world should prepare itself to become more Brazilian as of 2014. "Brazilianize" will be the new verb conjugated by the planet. I can assure you the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil will be a perfect and unforgettable celebration. All of the world is already invited." - Ricardo Teixeira (CBF president)

For further information about football and Brazil, check these posts: Brazilian Soccer and Brazilian Soccer Team.

More on Brazil:
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup Host Cities
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Flag of Brazil
Aparecida do Norte - Sao Paulo
Petropolis - Rio de Janeiro
Balneario Camboriu - Santa Catarina
Sao Francisco do Sul - Santa Catarina
Angra dos Reis - Rio de Janeiro

Flag of Brazil

2010-07-02T00:48:00.000-07:00

Acording to the Brazilian Constitution, the four official symbols of the Federative Republic of Brazil are the Flag of Brazil, the National Anthem, the Coat of Arms of the Republic and the National Seal.

After the proclamation of the Republic in 1889, a new Brazilian flag was created to represent the conquests and the historical moment for the country. Designed by Raimundo Teixeira Mendes and Miguel Lemos, with pictures by Décio Vilares, it was inspired in the Empire Flag, drawn by the French painter Jean Baptiste Debret. In the blue sky globe, the words "Order and Progress" was taken from the maximum formula of Positivism: "Love as a principle, order as a basis, and progress as aim", a tendency of thinking created by the French philosopher Auguste Comte.

In the circle, the sky as seen from Rio de Janeiro is represented, with the Southern Cross, at 8:30 AM, November 15, 1889, the Republic Proclamation Day. The stars are those that were bright in the Brazilian sky in that historic morning. Each star represents a Brazilian state and, according to the Law no. 8421, as of May 11th 1992, it must be updated in case of creation or extinction of any state. The only star above the words "Order and Progress" is called Spica and represents the state of Pará.

The federal Law no. 5700 defines the flag protocol in Brazil. The flag must be permanently flown at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília (the capital of Brazil). The flag must be raised and lowered daily at the Presidential Palaces (Palácio do Planalto and Palácio da Alvorada); Ministries; the National Congress; the Supreme Federal Tribunal; the Supreme Court of Justice; seats of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches; diplomatic missions; Federal, state and local institutions; and merchant navy units. At private and public schools, a special flag ceremony must be held, at least once a week, during the academic year. The flag of Brazil must have proper illumination when displayed at night.

In the Empire period, the colors of the flag of Brazil, green and yellow, symbolized the olive trees surrounding the Royal House of Bragança and the Imperial House of Habsburgs. Some time later, those meanings were adapted and the green color started symbolizing our forests and the golden yellow our wealth. The blue color represents the sky and the white color peace.

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Curitiba - Parana
Foz do Iguacu Waterfalls - Parana
Belem - Para
Garopaba - Santa Catarina

Brazilian Portuguese Language

2010-02-25T19:17:00.000-08:00

Portuguese is the eighth most spoken language worldwide and the third among the Western countries, after English and Spanish. About 200 million people communicate through this language, officially adopted in eight countries: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor. It is also one of the official languages of the European Union, since Portugal joined the group.

The official language of Brazil is Portuguese which is spoken by almost all of the population and is virtually the only language used in newspapers, radio, television, and for business and administrative purposes. The exception to this is in the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira where Nheengatu, an indigenous language of South America, has been granted co-official status with Portuguese. Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas, making the language an important part of Brazilian national identity and giving it a national culture distinct from those of its Spanish-speaking neighbors.

Brazilian Portuguese has had its own development, influenced by the Amerindian and African languages. As a result, the language is somewhat different, mostly in phonology, from the language of Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries. These differences are comparable to those between American and British English.

The language was introduced in Brazil around the XVI century with the early Portuguese colonization process. However, the indigenous people also taught the Europeans how to speak Tupi-Guarani, specially the Tupinambá, one of the Tupi dialects. The General Language or Tupinambá became the most spoken language in Brazil in the late XVII century, even with a literary characteristic, as it was used by missionaries in the translation of sacred texts, prayers and anthems.

Concerned about ensuring the political presence in Brazil, Portugal proclaimed the Directory of the Indians, in 1757, which considered the prevailing language as “a truly abominable and satanic invention”. Children of the Portuguese and indigenous were prohibited from learning and speaking another language other than Portuguese.

At first, the rule was valid only for the areas that today correspond to the States of Pará and Maranhão. But in 1759, a permit extended the law making the use of the Portuguese language mandatory throughout the national territory, assuring its teaching hegemony.

In 2008, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), which included representatives from all countries with Portuguese as the official language, reached an agreement on the reform of Portuguese into one international language, as opposed to two diverged dialects of the same language. All CPLP countries were given from 2009 until 2014 to adjust to the necessary changes.

Minority languages are spoken throughout the nation. One hundred and eighty Amerindian languages are spoken in remote areas and a number of other languages are spoken by immigrants and their descendants. There are significant communities of German (mostly the Hunsrückisch, a High German language dialect) and Italian (mostly the Talian dialect, of Venetian origin) speakers in the south of the country, both of which, are influenced by the Portuguese language.

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Marau - Bahia
Parintins - Amazonas
Maragogi - Alagoas
Itapema - Santa Catarina
Bombinhas - Santa Catarina
Buzios - Rio de Janeiro
Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais

Canavieiras - Bahia

2010-02-25T18:05:00.000-08:00

Canavieiras - Bahia

Canavieiras è uno spazio ecologico situato sulla Costa del Cacao, regione sud del litorale baiano, composto da sette isole maritime. Pubblicazioni specializzate distinguono Canavieiras come la più grande peschiera naturale del robalo (spigola) - pesce dalle carni pregiate - del Brasile. Il luogo attrae gli sportivi che amano la pesca.

Bagnata dal fiume Pardo, la città presenta strade larghe e un sito storico che rimonta all’inizio del secolo, con un’architettura piacevole e colorata.

L’isola di Atalaia, situata davanti alla città, ha 14 km di spiaggia continua, palme da cocco e aree di manguezal che ospitano aironi, papagalli, parrocchetti e rondini, mantenendo il ciclo della catena alimentare delle diverse specie marine e fluviali.

La natura presente ovunque propizia le atività turistiche ed ecologiche, favorendo le lunghe passeggiate in bicicleta per sentieri selvaggi, spiagge vergini e molti bagni di fiumi e di mare.

Pesca
La stagione dei billfish, o pesci a becco, va da ottobre all’inizio di marzo. Fino alla metà di febbraio si avvistano in genere da 3 a 5 marlin blu al giorno; nel mese seguente la quantità diminuisce ma le dimensioni del pesce aumentano. 80% dei marlin blu pesano tra i 150 e i 300 kg, ma non sono rari quelli che superano i 350 kg. Le lotte con il marlin blu e con i sailfish (pesci con più di 45kg) sono molto frequenti.

Royal Charlotte Bank
Ritenuta una delle migliore peschiere al mondo, il Royal Charlotte Bank è una piattaforma sommersa che si estende per 50 miglia dalla costa e provoca un esteso riflusso della corrente maritima nel suo versante nord. Questo fenomeno attrae delle concentrazioni enormi di esche e quindi le grandi specie di pesci.

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Spiaggia della Costa
Con 6 km di estensione, è la prima spiaggia che si trova quando si arriva sull’isola di Atalaia. Vi sono case di villeggiatura, palme da cocco e diversi punti d’appoggio sulla spiaggia dove vengono serviti deliziosi stuzzichini regionali. È la spiaggia più frequentata.

Spiaggia della Barra Velha
L’accesso si trova al km 18 della BA-001 e quindi vi sono altri 6km di strada in terra battuta. Da lì si prende un tragetto per attraversare il fiume e si percorrono altri 4 km di terra. Si arriva quindi a questa spiaggia dritta dalle onde dolci, palme da cocco e sabbia bianca e soffice. É l’ideale per la pesca.

Spiaggia di Atalaia
Situata davanti al villaggio di Atalaia, possiede alcune case di villeggiatura e di pescatori. Ottima per camminare fino all’imboccatura del fiume Pardo.

Spiaggia del Patipe
Dritta, con onde dolci, ottima per i kayak e lo windsurf. Vi sono le palme da cocco, cascine e case di villeggiatura. È propizia anche per la pesca.

Spiaggia del Sud
Deserta, con acesso per le barche a partire dal fiume fiume Pardo. È dritta, con onde forti e sabbia battuta. Possiede palme da cocco e mangues.

Spiaggia del Nord
Deserta, a fianco delle fattorie. È dritta, estesa (11 km) con onde forti ondas, palme da cocco e Mata Atlântica. È conosciuta anche come spiaggia dell’ "oiticica" (tipo di albero).

More on Brazil:
Humaita - Amazonas
Brasilia - The Capital of Brazil
Jericoacoara - Ceara
Ilha de Comandatuba - Bahia
Porto Alegre - Rio Grande do Sul
Genipabu - Rio Grande do Norte
Sao Miguel das Missoes - Rio Grande do Sul

Camocim - Ceara

2010-02-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

Camocim - Ceará

This is the last city on the western coastline of the State of Ceará. Camocim is a centenary city, with an intense cultural life. Its main attraction is Tatajuba, a beach that offers virtually untouched natural beauties and all that “primitive” aspect of a fishermen village. During Carnival, Camocim welcomes thousands of visitors. It is one of the main party points in the State of Ceará. Industry is the village’s main economic activity, followed by fishing and trade. The city’s architecture offers a landscape of old mansion houses and public buildings from the 19th century.

Attractions:

Tatajuba Beach
Located on the western end of the city, between Camocim and Jericoacara, Tatajuba is one of the most beautiful tropical paradises in Brazilian Northeastern region. It is surrounded by white dunes, coconut trees and wide marches. It offers one of the highest dunes in the coastline of Ceará, called Morro Branco (White Cliff). The beach is part of a great environmental protection area (APA). Access is available by buggies or by 4-wheel drive cars.

Coreaú River Estuary
It offers beautiful marsh areas and plenty islands, in an area of around 20 Km, a perfect scenario for boat rides and the practice of water sports. During boat rides visitors can see, between marsh trees, crabs and sea birds, including the beauty of local salt marshes.

Testa Branca Island
Also known as “The Love Island” (Ilha do Amor), it is located right across the city and offers marsh areas, dunes and beautiful beaches. It is much appreciated by swimmers, it is accessible by boat across Coreaú River, and is good for practicing ski on the dunes, for long walks and sea bathing. From the island, visitors have a beautiful view of the city.

Camocim Beach
It is a very beautiful beach, comprising the Coreaú River, plenty of dunes, marshes and small islands along the river.

Barreiras Beach
It offers a panoramic view, from its high sea cliffs, of a wide area on the eastern end of the city. It is located on the mouth of Coreaú River, 2 km away from downtown.

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Farol do Trapiá Beach
At a distance of 2 km from Barreiras beach, it offers a beach stand with full infrastructure, including restaurant serving typical food, especially seafood.

Maceió Beach
It is 15 km away from downtown Camocim, towards Seco Lake. This beach is the seat of a town called Vila de Pescadores (Fishermen Village), with beautiful coconut tree plantations, summerhouses and a wide beach with sea-beaten sand. Recently, bars, restaurants and booths have been opened, and tourists flock to Maceió beach in growing numbers.

Caraúbas Beach
Completely “virgin”, located between Farol do Trapiá and Maceió beaches, it offers a special landscape for lovers of Eco-tourism.

Barrinha Beach
It is 21 km away from Camocim. It offers white and reddish sands, which render to it a special look. Only 23 fishermen live there, in houses surrounded by a huge coconut trees plantation. Access is available by buggy or 4-wheel drive cars, departing from Maceió beach.

Imburanas Beach
It is considered a very good area for the development of ecological tourism, being completely “virgin”. It is located between Camocim and Tatajuba. Access is available by boat or ferry.

The Old Railway Station Building
A historical building which today hosts the local headquarters of Sebrae (a government development agency) and an advanced Campus of the State University of Vale do Acaraú – UVA. It was built in 1881.

Camocim Matrix Church
It was built at last century’s start, by the same engineer who designed the local railway, Engineer Privat.

José Severiano Morel Square
The City Administration building is located on this square.

Boa Vista Resort and Conference Center
It the newest and most modern Resort in Brazilian Northeastern coast, designed to comply with current trends and requirements of international tourism. Located on Barreiras Beach, 2 km away from the historical downtown area of Camocim, it is surrounded by wild and desert beaches.

More on Brazil:
Fortaleza - Ceara
Ubatuba - Sao Paulo
Vitoria - Espirito Santo
Santos - Sao Paulo
Joao Pessoa - Paraiba
Guarapari - Espirito Santo
Ilha do Mel - Parana

Prawn with Moqueca blinis

2010-02-19T21:54:00.000-08:00

Prawn with Moqueca blinis

Ingredients for the tomato salsa:

1kg tomatoes
50ml (2tbsp) olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped

Ingredients for the sauce:

500g Brazil nuts
500ml milk
30ml (2tbsp) palm or vegetable oil
1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
1 sweet red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 sweet yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 onions, chopped
300ml coconut milk
30ml (2tbsp) tomato purée
10ml (2tsp) shrimp paste
350g fresh white bread crumbs
200g plain flour
45ml (3tbsp) freshly chopped coriander
8 medium eggs, separated
5ml (1tsp) baking powder
75ml (3tbsp) olive oil
24 raw Tiger prawns, shelled

Heat the palm or vegetable oil in a large frying pan and sauté the garlic, sweet peppers and onion for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally until softened. Add the shrimp paste and tomato purée to the sautéed vegetables and cook on a low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Stir the breadcrumbs into the vegetables. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the flour, coriander, egg yolks and baking powder. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are firm and form stiff peaks. Stir some of the egg whites into the mixture to loosen it slightly, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Let this rest for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, gas mark 4.

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 20-23cm round, loose- bottomed spring release cake tin and cook for 35-40 minutes until risen and golden. Remove from the tin and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile make the tomato salsa: cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into small cubes. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic, sauté for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Blend the Brazil nuts with the milk in a food processor. Sieve the mixture to separate the liquid from the pulp. Heat the liquid and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add the pulp and stir until it loosens. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the prawns until they have turned pink. To serve slice the blini and arrange 3 pieces on each plate.

Place a little tomato beside each one and place 3 prawns on top. Add the Brazil nut cream and serve.

More on Brazil:
Urubici - Santa Catarina
History of the Brazilian Golf
Araxa - Minas Gerais
Gramado - Rio Grande do Sul
Matinhos - Parana
Did you know that in Rio de Janeiro...
Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team

Five Star Hotels in Salvador Bahia

2009-01-30T05:52:00.000-08:00

Five Star Hotels in Salvador Bahia

Sofitel
Rua Passárgada (Farol de Itapuã), 28 km
Salvador - BA
Fone: +55 (71) 2106-8500
Reservas: 0800-703-7000
www.accorhotels.com.br

Pestana Bahia
Rua Fonte do Boi, 216 (Rio Vermelho)
Salvador - BA
Fone: +55 (71) 2103-8000
Reservas: 0800-26-6332
www.pestana.com

Pestana Convento do Carmo
Rua do Carmo, 1 (Sto. Antônio Além do Carmo)
Salvador - BA
Fone: +55 (71) 3327-8400
Reservas: 0800-26-6332
www.pestanabahia.com.br

Fiesta Bahia
Avenida Antônio Carlos Magalhães, 711 (Itaigara)
Salvador - BA
Fone: +55 (71) 3352-0000
www.fiestahotel.com.br

Vila Galé Salvador
Rua Morro do Escravo Miguel, 320 (Praia de Ondina)
Salvador - BA
Fone: +55 (71) 3263-8888
Reservas: 0800-284-8818
www.vilagale.com.br

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
List of hotels in Sao Paulo
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Brazilian Soccer
Natal - Rio Grande do Norte
Balneario Camboriu - Brasilien
Jalapao Brazil is Pure Adventure and Nature
Brazilian Tourism - Social and Environmental Impacts
Ceara - Investment Opportunities
Brazilian Flavors - Bahia

Natal - Rio Grande do Norte

2008-12-29T04:34:00.000-08:00

Natal - Rio Grande do Norte

Cliffs, rivers discharging in the sea and mangroves full of natural life complement the spectacle that converts the capital city of the State of Rio Grande do Norte into one of the most attractive tourism options in Brazil. In Natal, visitors can enjoy more than 300 sunny days a year. White dunes surrounded by coconut groves, clear and warm waters – everything there conspires to make your stay in the city the most pleasant as possible.

Attractions
Alberto Maranhão Theater
It was built in 1904 in neoclassical style. It is open from Monday to Friday, from 8h to 18h.

Três Reis Magos Fort
Constructed in 1598, it was occupied by the Dutch from 1633 to 1654. The shape of the Fort resembles a 5-point star. There are guided tours in the Fort. It is open everyday, from 8h to 16h30.

Santo Antônio (do Galo) Church
Work dated 1799 in baroque style. There is a museum of religious arts. It is open for visitation from Tuesday to Sunday, always from 9h to 17h.

Câmara Cascudo Museum
Its collection houses fossils, skeletons and Indigenous utensils. It is located at Hermes da Fonseca Avenue, 1398 – Tirol. It is open from Tuesday to Friday, from 8h to 10h30 and from 14h to 16h30. On Saturdays and Sundays, from 13h to 17h.

Pirangi Cashew Tree
That is the biggest cashew tree in the world, with a crown of 8,400 square meters. It is located at Dep. Márcio Marinho Avenue.

Tourism Center
A former prison built in the 19th Century. There visitors find handicraft and gift shops. Every Thursday it stages the “Forró com o Turista”, at 22h. The Center is located at Aderbal de Figueiredo Street, 980 – Petrópolis. It is open everyday, from 9h to 19h.

Barreira do Inferno
Brazilian rocket launch base. There are guided tours. It is located at Rota do Sol, in the municipality of Parnamirim, 19km far from Natal.

Shopping
Hand-woven Lace
There is a cooperative in Natal that gathers about 20 lace-makers. They weave tablecloths, stair carpets, etc.

Beaches
do Forte
There is where the Três Reis Magos Fort is located. Visitors can enjoy wonderful natural bathing pools.

do Meio
The beach is closer to the city’s downtown, but there are many reefs.

Barreira D’água
The beach is very long, but some sites are not proper for bathing because of the large number of reefs.

Ponta Negra
One of the most famous beaches in Natal. There is a boardwalk and nice sites for sea-bathing. It houses the Morro do Careca – a dune of 120m in height that lends its beauty to the landscape. That is one of the postcards of the city.

do Cotovelo
The waves are mild and there are wonderful cliffs on the south end.

Pirangi do Norte
Most of the vacation houses are found there. The beach has countless natural bathing pools, where one can practice the free diving.

Pirangi do Sul
Mild waves, some reefs and many natural bathing pools.

Búzios
There are strong waves and dunes.

Barra de Tabatinga
Full of cliffs and reefs, the beach is a site for watching dolphins during the high tide.

Camurupim
With mild waves, it houses the Arituba Pond.

More on Brazil:
Flights to Brazil - Airports in Brazil
Flights to Brazil - Brazilian Airlines
Flights to Brazil - Passenger Guide
List of hotels in Rio de Janeiro
Five star hotels in Salvador Bahia
2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
2014 World Cup
United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil
Sergipe - A Great Place Also To Invest
Pernambuco - Investment Opportunities
Rio Grande do Norte - Opportunities in Tourism
Albania Consulate in Brazil
Brazilian Beach Volleyball
Sabara - Minas Gerais

Balneario Camboriu - Brasilien

2008-12-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

Balneário Camboriú - Brasilien

Balneário Camboriú liegt 84 km von der Landeshauptstadt entfernt und ist einer der wichtigsten touristischen Anlaufpunkte von Santa Catarina. Der Grund dafür ist einfach und wer die Stadt besucht, erfährt ihn schnell. Die Landschaft in der Umgebung ist zauberhaft, das Klima sehr angenehm und die Stadt bietet den Besuchern allerorts zahlreiche Attraktionen.

Die Strände von Camboriú gelten als die Stars der Stadt. Das saubere und transparente Wasser eignet sich ideal zum Baden. Im Sommer wird der Badeort zum Treffpunkt der Surfer, die an diesem Ort perfekte Wellen zur Ausübung dieser Sportart finden. Auch den FKK-Freunden wird am Strand Praia do Pinho ein gesonderter Raum mit einer kompletten Infrastruktur und reichlich Privatsphäre geboten. Der Angelsport bildet eine weitere stark vor Ort praktizierte Aktivität. Vor allem die Strände Praia de Taquara und Praia do Estaleiro eignen sich gut zum Angeln.

Wer die Stadt besucht, wird außerdem von der traditionellen Seilbahnfahrt begeistert sein, durch die die beiden Strände Praia Central und Praia de Laranjeiras verbunden werden. Während des etwa 15-minütigen Abstiegs erhält der Besucher zahlreiche Aussichten über die Landschaft und kann im Bereich des atlantischen Regenwaldes am Berg Morro da Aguada einen Stopp zur Praktizierung von Baumsport einlegen. Vor Ort befinden sich Wanderwege und Aussichtspunkte, die einen Ausblick aufs Meer ermöglichen. Zum Hotelnetz von Camboriú gehören mehr als 100 Hotels und Pensionen um so jedem Geschmack und allen Preisklassen gerecht zu werden. Wenn gewünscht, kann sich der Besucher direkt am Strand unterbringen lassen und die schmackhaften Fischgerichte ausprobieren.

Das Nachtleben ist vor allem am Strand Praia Central sehr lebhaft. Dort befindet sich ein großer Teil der Tanzlokale, Restaurants und Bars. Die Strandmeile ist beleuchtet und verleiht dem Ort bei einem nächtlichen Spaziergang umso mehr Charme.

Sehenswürdigkeiten

-- Cristo Luz
Die im Jahre 1997 errichtete Christusstatue Cristo Luz ist 33 Meter hoch und wurde mit einer besonderen Beleuchtung ausgestattet. In der linken Hand der Christusstatue erleuchtet ein Strahler mit 86 verschiedenen Lichttönen das Monument in der Nacht. Von dieser Stelle aus erhält der Besucher einen wunderschönen Ausblick auf den Strand Praia Central. Cristo Luz bildet einen touristischen Anlaufpunkt mit Geschäften und Imbisstuben zur Verpflegung der Besucher.

-- Insel Ilha das Cabras
Schoner, Tretboote und Kajaks sind die Transportmittel um die Schönheit der Insel Ilha da Cabra kennen zu lernen. Die Insel ist zugleich eines der bekanntesten Postkartenmotive von Balneário Camboriú. Die Insel befindet sich 600 Meter vom Strand Praia Central entfernt.

-- Wasserfall Cascata das Sereias
Der Wasserfall Cascata das Sereias befindet sich neben Rótula das Figueiras. Licht und Wasser umgeben die Meerjungfrauen des Monumentes. Am oberen Teil befindet sich eine Sonnenskulptur, das Markenzeichen der Stadt.

-- Park Parque Unipraias
Mit seinen 85.000 Quadratmetern Größe bildet der Parque Unipraias eine der meistbesuchten Sehenswürdigkeiten von Balneário Camboriú. In den kleinen Parkgondeln kann der Besucher einen faszinierenden Ausflug unternehmen. Die Seilbahn verbindet die beiden Strände Praia Laranjeiras und Praia Central. An der Seilbahnstation Barra Sul befinden sich gastronomische Einrichtungen, ein Shopping-Center und ein Kinderspielplatz. Auf der Höhe vom Berg Morro da Aguada bietet der Naturpark inmitten des atlantischen Regenwaldes eine insgesamt 500 Meter lange Strecke an Wanderpfaden, drei Aussichtspunkte, Bars, einen Panoramasaal und eine Freilichtbühne sowie ökologische Idyllen. Die letzte Seilbahnstation bringt den Besucher zu dem traumhaften Strand Praia Laranjeiras.

-- Beto Carrero World
Eine weitere große Attraktion in der Stadt ist der thematische Freizeitpark Beto Carrero. Dort kann der Besucher verschiedene Ausflüge in Freizeitparks, Inseln und Zoologischen Gärten unternehmen. Shows, in denen Tänze und Kämpfe präsentiert werden, begeistern sowohl Erwachsene als auch Kinder. Die Schönheit und Großartigkeit der Spielgeräte bezaubern die Kinder auf mehr als 50 verschiedenen Flächen.

-- Strand Praia Central
Der Strand Praia Central ist zugleich der am stärksten belebte Strand von Balneário Camboriú. An dem 6,8 km langen Strand finden die Badeurlauber ruhiges und sauberes Wasser. Während des stürmischen Meeresganges wird der Strand Praia Central zum Treffpunkt der Surfer. Der Strandbereich verfügt über eine komplette Infrastruktur mit Bars, Restaurants, Tanzlokalen und den meisten Hotels der Stadt. Nachtsüber wird der Strandweg beleuchtet und betont damit die Schönheit dieses Ortes.

-- Strand Praia de Laranjeiras
Das ruhige und transparente Wasser am Strand Praia de Laranjeiras wird vor allem von den Freunden des Wassersports gern aufgesucht. Der insgesamt 750 lange Strand verfügt über eine gute Infrastruktur mit Bars und Restaurants. Eine weitere große Attraktion am Strand sind die archäologischen Fundstellen, an denen dreitausend Jahre alte Fossilien ausgegraben wurden. Der Zugang erfolgt über die Via Interpraias bzw. die Seilbahn.

-- Strand Praia do Buraco
Das lebhafte Meer am Strand Praia do Buraco zieht vor allem Sportfreunde an. Von dieser Stelle aus erhält der Besucher einen wunderschönen Ausblick auf den 3 km entfernt gelegenen Strand Praia Central. Der Zugang erfolgt über ökologische Wanderwege. Der Strand grenzt an die Nachbarstadt Itajaí.

-- Strand Praia do Estaleirinho
Eine wunderschöne Vegetation, starker Wellengang und sauberes Wasser bilden das Szenarium dieses 700 Meter langen Strandes. Verschiedene Hotels und Pensionen haben sich vor Ort eingerichtet.

-- Strand Praia do Estaleiro
Das saubere Wasser und der grobe Sand dieses Strandes bilden ein ideales Umfeld zum Wurfangeln. Der Strand ist 1.450 Meter lang.

-- Strand Praia do Pinho
Der Strand Praia do Pinho besitzt ruhiges und sauberes Wasser und ist 500 Meter lang. Er zählt zugleich zu einem der meistbesuchten FKK-Strände an der brasilianischen Küste. Den FKK-Freunden stehen dort Campingflächen, Restaurants und Bars zur Verfügung. Der Strandbereich ist von einer wunderschönen, mit Vegetation bedeckten Küste umgeben, die rigoros bewacht wird.

-- Strand Praia Taquaras
Dieser Ort eignet sich vor allem gut zum Wurfangeln. Der Strand Taquaras besteht aus grobem Sand mit ruhigem und tiefem Wasser. Vor Ort befindet sich eine kleine Fischersiedlung. Der Strand liegt 8 km südlich vom Stadtzentrum entfernt.

-- Strand Praia de Taquarinhas
An dem 7 km südlich von der Stadt entfernt gelegenen Strand Praia de Taquarinhas findet der Besucher sauberes Wasser und groben Sand. Der Strand wird vor allen zum Wurfangeln aufgesucht.

-- Einkäufe
Am Strand Praia do Estaleiro werden den Besuchern in einem Kunsthandwerkskomplex kunsthandwerkliche Gegenstände aus verschiedenen Teilen Brasiliens zum Verkauf geboten. So zum Beispiel aus Stoffresten hergestellte Kissen aus Santa Catarina und die Puppen aus Vale do Jequitinhonha im Bundesland Minas Gerais.

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Jalapao Brazil is Pure Adventure and Nature

2008-12-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

Jalapão Brazil is Pure Adventure and Nature

Jalapão: a main route for people who practice eco-tourism and adventure tourism. It is impossible to find equal scenario anywhere in the world.

Jalapão has cinematographic scenery. It has abundant waterfalls, rivers and lakes. And all of this is punctuated by fine, reddish sand dunes in the midst of sparse backwoods vegetation. It is no doubt the perfect background for tourism and radical sports such as rafting, canyoning and vertical modalities.

It is a place that is attractive and rustic, ready to be conquered. It derived its name from a common habit in the region. Jalapa-do-Brasil is a native plant used to cure stomach ailments. Because of its bitter flavor, local inhabitants normally eat it with a piece of bread. That is where the juxtaposition comes from: jalapa-pão (pão is bread in Portuguese).

No matter what, Jalapão impresses with its pure size: it occupies approximately 20% of the State of Tocantins. Sandstone plateaus that reach one thousand meters in height dominate the landscape. They say that here is where the sea became the hinterland. It would be a desert, if Jalapão were not also a paradise of waters and a place where the presence of flowers and exotic animals jumps to the eye. A call for contemplation and adventure. Despite being considered a desert, the fauna abound: the maned wolf, the pampas deer, the rhea, the great anteater, the jaguar and other regional species hide in the typical hinterland vegetation to escape the punishing sun that accentuates the dry climate with its constant 30ºC temperature. The biggest surprise for all those who venture here is to find an abundance of perennial rivers with transparent and still pure water.

Attractions
Brejo da Cama Waterfalls
This is in the middle of the plateau, in a hole. The road to Chiquinho Farm, 50 km.

Cachoeira da Velha Falls
Fed by the Rio Novo River, the Cachoeira da Velha waterfall is the largest of Jalapão and one of its main attractions. There, the waters run in great quantity, falling into two separate falls in the shape of a horseshoe, each of more than 20 meters wide. The falls are an imposing spectacle in which nature shows its exuberance and all its strength.

Right next to the waterfall there is a small beach, of calm freshwater and surrounded by gallery forest. The trail to reach the small beach is an attraction in itself, easy to walk through, with stops on the way for sightseeing and resting.

Cachoeira da Formiga Waterfall
The Cachoeira do Formiga is a small water fall surrounded by lush vegetation, with tall trees, and native palm trees. But the true spectacle is the pool that forms at the foot of the waterfall, where enchanting emerald-green waters invite for a dive. It is a jewel where you can bathe and see all the way to the ground, with calcareous sand.

Fauna
The most observed animals are the wildcats, deer, capybaras, foxes, monkeys and small mammals. Besides the common types of fauna found in the hinterland, several endangered species can be found in the Jalapão region, such as the maned wolf, puma, pampas deer and tapir. The regional bird fauna has species such as the macaw, parrot, toucan, rhea, crested seriema, and lapwing. Among the reptiles, one finds the anaconda, boa, rattlesnake, chameleon, tegu lizard and many more.

Fervedouro
It seems like an oasis. Amidst closed vegetation, swamps and streams, there is a place of rare beauty surrounded by banana trees. In its center is a large pool of transparent blue water - in reality, the spring of an underground river. The water that springs from clear sand creates the phenomenon of upwelling, which makes it impossible for the most persistent swimmer to submerge. In Fervedouro, you'll have fun and get to know the real feeling of lightness.

Lajeado Waterfalls
There are a series of steps over which the water runs until forming a 10m high waterfall and natural pool. It is necessary to climb down a stairway of stones, some of which are very slippery. The road to Chiquinho Farm, 45 km.

Mumbuca Village
In your tour through the Jalapão valley it is worth reserving time to visit a traditional village, Mumbuca, 35 km away from the city of Mateiros. It was in this place, formed in majority by slave descendants, that the much popular handcraft in golden grass emerged.

Follow the skillful hands of women of working Mumbuca the golden grass, producing craft pieces that will be distributed throughout Brazil and in several countries.

Mumbuca has less than 200 residents. There, men and women have very definite roles. Men plant for family consumption, while women reap the production and prepare meals, in addition of course to working as artisans.

Prainha of the Cachoeira da Velha Falls
After enjoying the exuberance of the Cachoeira da Velha falls, it is time to take the trail of approximately one hour that leads to the small beach, a very pleasant place, with shade, calm freshwater, and lush gallery forest.

Some of Jalapão’ tourists find at “prainha” an ideal place for camping, spending more time in contact with nature. Others are content swimming in its waters, enjoying the beauty of the scenery.

Pedra Furada Hill
An opening in the rock, carved by erosion and the wind. The road to Pindorama do Tocantins, 31 km.

Rafting
Every adventurer who goes to Jalapão has a certain destination: rafting on the Rio Novo rapids. But you need not be experienced or even able to swim to face the sometimes turbulent, sometimes calm waters. You should only be equipped with safety accessories supplied by the tourist agencies.

There are two options. The first is the long distances that take up to four days, where you get to experience high level difficulty waterfalls and make stops in small beaches of white sand that build up on the banks of the river. The second option, which is much faster and chosen by most tourists, is a descent that lasts three hours (six kilometers).

The best season to practice rafting is from May to September, the period of drought in Tocantins State. It is at this time also that the roads with access to Jalapão offer better traffic conditions.

Rio Novo River
One of the last rivers of drinking water in the world, Rio Novo has fully crystalline appearance, making vivid the wilderness that surrounds it and the beautiful beaches that are formed along its banks.

Rafting is common in the waters of Rio Novo River. But there is room for other sports such as canoeing, rappelling, cross-buoy (downhill by river’s rapids in individual buoys) and acquaride (where the player is prone on top of the buoy).

Sand Dunes
A scenario both unexpected as unforgettable, formed by huge dunes of golden sand (of quartz sand), up to 30 meters in height. Imagine the feeling of walking on the sand contemplating the sunset in the center of a landscape like this!

The dunes of Jalapão are in constant motion, driven by winds. Around it is the Espírito Santo Mountain with sandy formation, which the wind gust causes erosion, thus, creating the dunes.

Serra do Espírito Santo Mountain
Postcard of the region, Espírito Santo Mountain is an imposing rise, which through the process of erosion (rain and winds), creates the dunes that are formed at its feet.

There is also a gazebo in the mountain, where after an hour of walking toward the summit, you can get a privileged view of the entire region. The top of the mountain is a large flat area, which resembles an immense elevated table. It's the perfect place to enjoy the landscapes and horizons of Jalapão.

Suçuapara Canyon
This canyon is 60m long and 15m high. It was opened by the water running over the sandstone, thus forming the small canyon and the waterfall. Moss and hundreds of ferns grow along the steep slopes. The road to Mateiros, 15 km.

Basic information:
State: Tocantins
Region: North

The region’s climate is called sub-humid (AW), with maximum annual temperatures between 30°C and 32°C from August to November, partly due to the end of the dry season when smoke from the burning brush in the hinterland contributes to higher temperatures, and lows of between 18º and 19ºC, in June and July.

There are two well-defined seasons during the year: the rainy season, between October and April and the dry season, between May and September.

There is no support structure in the park. The cities of Mateiros and Ponte Alta serve as support stations for visitors. Both have hotels, restaurants, tourism agencies and guides that take visitors on excursions.

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Brazilian Tourism - Social and Environmental Impacts

2008-11-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

Brazilian Tourism - Social and Environmental Impacts

Brazil’s potential for leisure and tourism based, among other factors, on its magnificent landscapes, pleasant climates, and rich biodiversity, has only recently begun to develop destinations for international travelers and domestic holidaymakers.

Though tourism has ample scope for expansion in Brazil, to a great extent the prospects of this sector are dependent upon water resources, and many of its activities could be severely jeopardized by damage to the quality and quantity of these resources.

As the Brazilian people become increasingly aware of environmental issues, eco-tourism particularly has gained ground, as well as fishing trips, and travel reflecting rising interest in scientific and technological themes. In this specialized travel and tourism segment, Brazil is host to increasing numbers of foreign visitors, attracted mainly to unique areas such as the Pantanal wetlands and Amazonia.

However, this type of tourism requires special attention, in view of its potential impacts on the environment and local communities. This requires policies that foster activities aimed at promoting sustainable social and environmental practices.

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Ceara - Investment Opportunities

2008-11-18T19:32:00.000-08:00

Ceará - Investment Opportunities

The CRAJUBAR region of Cariri (Crato, Juazeiro and Barbalha) has significant economic development potential. In the Cariri region, tourism and manufacturing industries, such as footwear, have been major drivers of private investment.

Tourism in the region encompasses a variety of activities ranging from religious to scientific, cultural, ecological and commercial. Most tourists come for religious reasons, to celebrate the legacy of Father Cicero, an influential Catholic priest who resided in Juazeiro do Norte during the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Major events in honor of Father Cicero take place throughout the year in Juazeiro and the city hosts nearly 1,800,000 pilgrims each year, mainly from the Northeastern region. Most of the jobs in Juazeiro are tourism-related (restaurants, commerce, handcrafts, lodging) and a large portion of them informal. Other municipalities in the Cariri region also have significant potential for tourism, as the region holds an extensive fossil basin which, under UNESCO’s auspices, is lending to the creation of the first geopark in the Americas. Given its peculiar nature, rich culture, emerging commerce and geographic location, Cariri region has become one of the preferred sites for tourism business events.

Finally, the shoe industry in Cariri ranks as third largest in Brazil, is responsible for nearly 8,000 jobs and approximately 40% of shoe firms located in Ceará. Small and medium firms prevail, however, with a corresponding lack of skilled labor, innovation capacity, technical knowledge and market information. With heightened global competitive pressure in this sector, it is critical that the sector be upgraded in terms of design, technology, skills, marketing and other innovations.

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Brazilian Flavors - Bahia

2008-11-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Brazilian Flavors - Bahia
by Ericivaldo Veiga

The city of Salvador was founded to meet the expanding needs of the Portuguese mercantile system and to serve as the capital of Brazil for over two centuries. The city became the most important trading post in the colony. Single-culture agriculture, especially with sugarcane in the Brazilian Northeast or mineral extraction, formed significant cycles in the exploitation of the resources of the lands that had been discovered. This type of appropriation was based on slave labor brought by the thousands from several African regions. There was a time when the city’s black population was larger than that of white people formed by the economic elites, the clergy, administrators and poor white people. Although trading activities with Portugal were centered in Salvador and the Recôncavo, he colonialist venture also penetrated the hot and humid regions of the south as well as the vast region known as the Hinterland, which is characterized by the presence of caatingas, meadows, mountains, and valleys.

With a heterogeneous geographic and cultural development, the hinterland is less populated and still stigmatized by constant droughts. The anthropologist and essay writer Antônio Risério, who is also an observer of contemporary life in Salvador, believes that the transfer of the colonial capital to Rio de Janeiro, which was motivated by political and economic factors, led the city to isolation and to the development of an ethnically diversified population.

It is no longer a secret the fact that the cuisine of Bahia is diversified and that researchers complain about the prevailing interest for the cuisine of the capital and the Recôncavo, which is predominantly marked by dishes of African origin or dishes containing palm oil. During the 20th Cultural Meeting of Laranjeiras, held in the state of Sergipe, in the mid-1990s, the Bahia-born folklore researcher Hildegardes Vianna, in her “Breve Notícia da Alimentação na Bahia” complains about the lack of research “on the State’s hinterland and southern cuisine”. She tries to fill in the gap by presenting a short list of seafood dishes found in the cuisine of the southern region of Bahia bathed by the Atlantic Ocean: crab and fish dishes, and westwards, in the border with the State of Minas Gerais, meat and seafood dishes from the East Coast. The typical cuisine of the hinterland of Bahia, in turn, is presented by Vianna as being sober and a reflex of the poverty environment. In the basin of the São Francisco river, the daily cuisine is marked by the presence of manioc root flour and goat meat, fresh beans and manioc mush, in which the flour is scalded in milk, meat or fish broth.

The engineer and professor at the Engineering School of the Federal University of Bahia, Guilherme Radel has recently written the recipe book entitled “A Cozinha sertaneja da Bahia”. The book reveals secrets of the hinterland cuisine and shows its evolution. In the introduction, Radel’s hinterland cuisine is refined both in the technique and in the ingredients, although they can all be found in the region. The author helps to reveal the secret of the new flavors and confirms the lack of dissemination of other Bahia dishes as well as the dictatorship of the palm oil. According to the author “The hinterland cuisine spreads throughout Bahia and its presence is weaker exactly where the presence of the Afro-Bahia and Indigenous cuisines is stronger: in Salvador, in the Recôncavo, and on the shore. In the interior of Bahia, people eat basically the dishes that are typical of hinterland cookery: beans; different types of sun-dried meat dishes; sautéed, stewed, and roasted goat, lamb and pork; meninico; goat or mutton haggis; pork giblets; sautéed and stewed chicken; milk mush; mush made of corn meal; pumpkin purée; cassava; pumpkin; maxixe (a type of gherkin); fresh beans cooked in butter; golden-fried manioc meal; and a dish made of goat and golden-fried manioc meal. Such is the structure of hinterland cookery, which is undoubtedly the main contribution to the cuisine of Bahia.

However, this very important aspect is not fairly disseminated, thereby allowing the Afro-Bahia cuisine to make up the so-called cuisine of Bahia, as if the African people had been the only ones to contribute to its development.

In the set of recipes recorded by the author there are 362 different dishes made of goat, lamb, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fish, and game.

The secrets of religion are one of the elements responsible for the frequent use of the much-criticized palm oil in hinterland cookery. The religious syncretism of African origin extends, so to speak, to hinterland cookery during the Passion Week. Radel records 14 dishes containing palm oil in hinterland cookery, which are included in the category of food for occasions of “fasting and rules”.

The fixation of researchers with the Bahia cuisine of African origin might be explained by historical reasons. Something similar occurs with the candomblé brought to Bahia by the Yoruba people to the detriment of the candomblé of Bantu origin, among other groups of African matrices.

Particularly in Bahia, where the presence of certain African groups could not be matched by any other Brazilian region, cookery has been strongly influenced by this interaction process that made up the Brazilian society. The strong presence, especially of spices such as the palm oil, has contributed to the development of the cooking system of the Bahia cuisine. In his text entitled “Dietas Africanas”, the anthropologist Vivaldo da Costa Lima expressed the methodological lines to understand the Afro-Bahia cuisine, which has been mistakenly disseminated as a homogeneous cooking system. According to Costa Lima, the cuisine of Bahia is “The cuisine of a whole geographic sub-region of Bahia known as “Recôncavo”. The cuisine that developed in the region – the Bahia cuisine – is also popularly known as oil food, in an allusion to the palm oil, which is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the Elaesis Guineensis palm tree.

Different types of pepper are “another constant ingredient in Bahia cookery”, especially the Capsicum pepper, of the solanaceous family.

In his book entitled “A Bahia do Século XVIII”, Luís dos Santos Vilhena, a Greek professor who lived in Bahia late in the 18th century, offers us a menu of African dishes sold in the streets of Salvador which, in Vilhena’s view as a foreigner are “despicable and insignificant”:

“It is impossible not to notice eight, ten, and even more black men and women coming out of the wealthier houses in this city, where major negotiations and deals are made, to sell in the streets the most insignificant and despicable things, such as different sorts of delicacies like calf’s foot, carurus, vatapás, mingaus (porridge), pamonha, canjica, i.e., corn mush, acaçá (corn meal and rice flour mush), acarajé, ubobó, coconut rice, coconut beans, angu (mush made of corn meal), and the most shocking thing: dirty water mixed with honey and other ingredients known as aloá, which black people drink as lemonade.”

The menu presented by Vilhena reveals trends of a hybrid – although already Brazilian – Bahia cuisine. These trends will be expressed mainly among folklore researchers of regional-oriented mind and sociologists.

In “Arte Culinária na Bahia” published late in the 1920s, Manoel Querino expresses interest in the “customs and habits of each region”; he introduces Bahia cookery as a hybrid cuisine in “the ethnical development of Brazil”.

In the end of the 1930s, Sodré Vianna retired to a voodoo center to copy 50 recipes of Bahia cookery, which he later on published in his Xangô Journal. The same author, in the text entitled “Sauces of Bahia”, published in the Anthology of Food in Brazil and organized by Luís da Câmara Cascudo, emphasizes the preference of the people of Bahia for sauces especially prepared with red pepper. In the same anthology, writer J. M. Cardoso de Oliveira describes a dinner served in Bahia in 1889. A history of passion filled with moquecas (broiled fish), efó (vegetable paste with dried shrimp, palm oil, red pepper and other spices), acarajé, abará (dish made with beans, pepper and palm oil, and rolled in banana leaves), acaçá (corn meal and rice four mush)... Food is as much an element of the house as its windows and residents. As Cardoso de Oliveira wrote in his aforementioned book:

“On the window sills there was a line of bowls of sweets. On the table, bowls of beaten eggs and dough, and nutmeg and sugar clove packets lined up. In the corner, Inacinha, although nauseated, prepared the sponge cake, the coconut pudding, the manuês (variety of corn cake made with honey); in the kitchen the girls prepared the caruru made of okra and leaves, sifted the flour for the vatapá, cleaned the shrimps for the efó. In the grocery stores on the same street, African women would provide the abará, the acarajés and the aberéns (baked cakes made of corn, sugar and water, and rolled in banana leaves). D. Eugênia was in charge of making the cassava cupcakes, the small milk acaçás, and her two specialties: coconut and cheese cupcakes and smoked bacon. But she interfered everywhere, tasting something here, adding butter there”.

It is in the book entitled “História da Alimentação no Brasil” that Câmara Cascudo gives us one of the most complete descriptions of Brazilian cookery. He describes in detail the menu of cooking techniques and the sociological aspects of the Brazilian cuisine. Although he ate vatapá and caruru in Salvador, at some of his colleagues’ from the medicine course, in 1918, he restricts these dishes, in sociological terms, to the popular scope.

Sociologist Gilberto Freyre visited Bahia in the 1930s and was impressed with the politeness and the cuisine of the people of Bahia, as he wrote in the foreword of his “Casa Grande e Senzala”. Freyre, who was Franz Boas’ student at Columbia University, praised the sweets and cakes prepared in the Brazilian northeast, as recorded in the book entitled “Açúcar”. It is a sociology of sweets, whose first edition dates back to 1939.

The books by folklore writers Hildegardes Vianna and Darwin Brandão, which have the same name - “A cozinha baiana” – describe the Afro-Bahia cuisine of Salvador and the Recôncavo.

Roger Bastide, a French sociologist, was particularly interested in palm oil dishes within the context of the candomblé.

Costa Lima describes this cuisine in its religious context and in the observation of its dynamics in the secular context, as seen in the text entitled “Etnocenologia – e etnoculinária – do acarajé”. The author of this article studied the Bahia cuisine of African origin through a methodological approach that adopts the perspective of the Training Restaurant of Bahia cookery of the National Service of Commercial Apprenticeship (SENAC).

The institution developed a six-month cooking course on Bahia dishes aimed at the hotel-tourism market. The course reflects the vicissitudes of its organization and of the professional market in times of globalization.

The dissemination of popular culture, particularly of the Bahia cuisine of African origin, which has been transformed into icons through delicacies such as the acarajé, the abará, the vatapá, the caruru and the shrimp bobó has contributed to the development of important supramaterial conditions in the rationalization of tourism: an image that defines Bahia as a special and unique place for its cuisine and the happiness of its people reinforce these conditions. Writers and artists from Bahia are the most important disseminators of this image that was built in the historical and cultural process of the daily lives of the people of Bahia. The mid-19th century is the time limit when the image of Bahia as the land that nourishes traditions was established. Salvador, the state capital, is still proud of its status as the “queen of the Atlantic”, which has been consolidated by its commercial position in relation to the Southern Atlantic Ocean: “Europe, France and Bahia” is an expression of the Brazilian folklore, which was probably coined in the 19th century and reveals the status of Bahia. An analogy translated as something like Paris in relation to Europe, and Bahia (Salvador or the city of Bahia) in relation to the New World (America).

The secrets of the flavors of Bahia also imply observing the movement of tradition and modernity. As a result, we witness the emergence of new cooks and the gastronomic and occupational reinvention of the cuisine of Bahia. Many cooks like D. Flor, a character in Jorge Amado’s novel “D. Flor e seus dois maridos” (D. Flor and her two husbands), a book in which palm oil dishes color the pages of the book golden yellow. Cooks like Dadá, Alaíde, Dinha and Cira – all of whom are heirs of the guardians of the practical know-how of the cuisine of Bahia, old cooks of centuries-old families or of the candomblé centers of Bahia. But they also preserve tradition by including the new and welcoming reinvention.

On the other hand, the Bahia cuisine of African origin is being used by NGOs and community institutions such as African groups during carnival as a pedagogic element to bring education, self-esteem, and citizenship especially to youths of African origin; black organizations with strong mobilization power set up cooking festivals to entertain and preserve the memory and identity of the cuisine of Bahia.

The African cuisine of Bahia therefore fulfills its political role and wants more than just reproducing the biological existence of its fans. The food, although aimed at consumption, preserves and renews the memory kept in taste, in the sound of boiling palm oil, in the piquancy of the red pepper, in the crispness of the acarajé. These secrets and flavors are revealed to help strengthen and renew humanity.

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Sergipe - A Great Place Also To Invest

2008-11-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

Sergipe - A Great Place Also To Invest

With a privileged geographic localization, in the central axle of the main markets of the Northeast region, Sergipe is the smallest Brazilian state territorially speaking, but it is the best well structured among its neighbor states of the Northeast region.

Sergipe has the major GIP per capta of its region and it is a regional center in ascension, with its beautiful beaches, modern services, security and free of the stress of big metropolises.

The state is rich in mineral resources. It has a modern and diversified industrial park. It is a mark in the agro business, in the tourism, in the culture of shrimps and similar ones, in the energetic sector, in the civil and naval construction, in the area of technology, in the health sector. Aracaju has the second major income per capita among the northeast capitals and in the interior, the main cities are growing and becoming developed. Besides that, Sergipe is the land of a hard working people who is ready to build a great state, with opportunities for all.

Set on a privileged location, in the middle of the Brazilian coast, Sergipe concentrates in it’s little less than 22 thousand square km a landscape and cultural diversity that impress visitors, converting itself into an opportunity, an ideal place for travel business.

There are more than 163km beaches, without natural obstacles, warm water surrounded by dunes and cut by six river mouths, which generates an excellent option for leisure travel.

Aracaju, a port of entry to get to know Sergipe, has shown a vocation for events tourism, relying on a center of conventions and auditoriums. Its beautiful beaches and modern Atalaia coast, one of he city’s main postcards, is 6km long and is at 9km from the city center, being one of the most beautiful and equipped coasts of Brazil, fully prepared for tourism, leisure and entertainment. It has special lighting for night baths, multisports blocks and a complex of bars and restaurants. It is one of the main concentration points of the night of Sergipe.

New hotels and resorts are being built, competing to strengthen the potential in this segment. A planned city, endowed with an airport with capacity to receive international charter flights is also a center of services and leisure.

The northern coast stands out for its ecotourism. It contains one of the first bases of the Tamar Project (preservation of marine tortoises) and the Biological Reserve of Santa Isabel, but the northeast region of Pantanal also deserves emphasis and, culminating all the beauties is the mouth of the São Francisco River.

One of the greatest attractions of Sergipe is the region of Xingó, which has the 5th largest navigable canyon in the world, archaeological sites and places where outlaws walked, fought and dies, including Lampiao and Maria Bonita (two important figures of Brazilian history). The Caatinga (stunted spare forest region in Brazil’s northeast), the canyon, the Grotto of Angico, scenario of Lampiao’s last combat, are an invitation to adventure, history and entertainment.

The first tourist-real estate complexes begin to be built in Sergipe, especially directed to the second residence of foreigners.

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Pernambuco - Investment Opportunities

2008-10-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

Pernambuco - Investment Opportunities

Project: Road Access and Bridge to Paiva Beach
Institution in Charge: Secretariat of Planning of the State of Pernambuco
Value of Investment: 1 billion dollars
Location: South Coast (Santo Agostinho Cape) - Pernambuco

The structuring of Paiva Beach as an international destination for tourism and leisure is a initiative of Odebrecht Building Company and of Cornelio Brennand and Ricardo Brennand Groups in partnership with the Government of Pernambuco. The planned urban infrastructure has the objective of attracting high level international tourism, as well as of expanding the supply of housing units and of leisure and service facilities to the population of the Metropolitan Area of Recife.

The Government of Pernambuco considers the Paiva Beach Project as very relevant for the State, due to its capacity to stimulate complementary investments, to create employment, income and tax revenues, generated by economic activities to be developed in the area. Also due to the expressive social impact that education, professional and technical training of the population will be able to induce, and which will consequently result in the increase of the IDH in the surrounding area.

The Project, as a whole, will require a private investment of around 1 billion dollars, and will be implemented in two stages, the first of which will demand an investment of US$ 250 million.

The Paiva Beach Project will constitute an important pole of metropolitan economic development which is expected to create very important and significant impacts such as:

a) the generation of an average of 4,440 jobs per year, considering both direct and indirect jobs, along the 20 years of the project implementation, mainly concentrated on building activities. With regard to tourism, leisure, commerce and services activities, the Paiva Beach Project has the capacity of generating approximately 38 thousand jobs, both direct and indirect, until its completion;

b) the attraction of high income level tourists flows (leisure, business and residential tourism) to Pernambuco, by offering an international pattern of infrastructure, not yet available in Northeast Brazil;

c) greater attention to preservation and sustainable use of the environment, deriving from the urbanistic conception of the Project, which takes advantage of the diversity of existing landscapes (mangroves, beaches and woods) in a responsible way. The rates of use and occupation of land indicated in the project promote the preservation of more vulnerable areas, avoiding their degradation.

Among the several government actions to support the Paiva Beach Project, two were elected as priority actions to be accomplished by means of Public Private Partnerships, through Sponsored Concession: (1) Construction, Operation and Maintenance of the bridge giving access to Paiva Beach and (2) Implementation and Maintenance of the Paiva Beach Road System.

Project: Pontal Project
Institution in Charge: Secretariat of Economic Development of the State of
Pernambuco
Value of Investment: US$ 63.5 million
Location: Petrolina / Pernambuco

The irrigation project of Pontal is located in the municipality of Petrolina, in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco, where the biggest irrigation pole of the country is. The Brazilian Government has invested approximately 70 million dollars to build part of the irrigation infrastructure, which stretches from the São Francisco River to the Pontal area, and has the intention of transferring this area to the private sector.

The Project is divided in two areas: South Pontal and North Pontal, with only one point of water capture in the São Francisco River. The engineering works already completed in Pontal (around US$ 146.00 million in nominal values) include the water capture infrastructure and the water conduction system to both North and South areas. Calculated at market prices, the private sector will need US$ 63.56 million to complete the common infrastructure to all the Pontal Project.

The State Government will be responsible for the exploitation of the irrigation public service, by means of the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure for common use, in order to guarantee the occupation and development of the irrigable areas of the Project, according to the rational use of soil resources.

The objective of Private Sector participation in the Pontal Project is to attract a company, or a companys consortium, with enough financial capacity to achieve the Projects goals, and capable of attracting, to the region, other enterprises with expertise in agricultural activities.

Company for the Development of the São Francisco Valley (CODEVASF), through several studies, has concluded that 7,716 hectares of the Pontal area are considered irrigable, due to their soil characteristics. This area is adequate for several cultures including tropical fruits, citric fruits and sugar cane, among others. The State Government is ready to give the Private Sector total freedom in the choice of products to be cultivated. The remaining 19,239 hectares of Pontal were considered as dry land, which can be used by the local population to develop traditional activities such as goat raising, or even the structuring of agricultural products processing units.

To guarantee the compatibility of financial interests of the private sector with Government objectives, regarding land occupation, the companies will receive the counterpart from the Government, only after proving the use of irrigable lands for agricultural activities. Also, the land will only be considered occupied when the commitment of the enterprise with the development of agricultural production can be proved.

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United States Embassy and Consulates in Brazil

2008-10-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

USA - United States of America Embassy and Consulates in Brazil

U.S. Embassy
SES - Av. das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03
70403-900 - Brasília - DF
Phone: (55-61) 3312-7000
Fax: (55-61) 3225-9136
Hours: 08:00 am to 05:00 pm
Website: www.embaixada-americana.org.br

U.S. Consulate General Rio de Janeiro
Av. Presidente Wilson, 147 - Castelo
20030-020 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ
Phone: (55-21) 3823-2000
Fax: (55-21) 3823-2003
Hours: 08:00 am to 04:45 pm
Website: www.consuladodoseua-rio.org.br/

U.S. Consulate General São Paulo
Rua Henri Dunant, 500,
Chácara Santo Antônio,
04709-110 - São Paulo - SP
Phone: (55-11) 5186-7000
After hours: (11) 5181-8730
Fax: (55-11) 5186-7199
Hours: 08:00 am to 05:00 pm
Website: http://saopaulo.usconsulate.gov/

U.S. Consulate Recife
Rua Gonçalves Maia, 163 - Boa Vista
50070-060 - Recife - PE
Phone: (55-81) 3416-3050
Fax: (55-81) 3231-1906
Hours: 08:00 am to 04:30 pm

US Trade Office - São Paulo
Rua Estados Unidos, 1812
01427-002 - São Paulo - SP
Phone: (55-11) 3085-2811
Fax: (55-11) 3085-2744
Hours: 08:00 am to 05:00 pm

Foreign Commercial Service - Belo Horizonte
Rua Timbiras, 1200, 7º andar
30140-060 - Belo Horizonte - MG
Phone: (55-31) 3213-1571
Fax: (55-31) 3213-1575
Hours: 08:00 am to 05:00 pm
E-mail: Belo.Horizonte.office.box@mail.doc.gov

Consular Agency - Belém
Edifício Síntese, 21
Avenida Conselheiro Furtado, 2865
66060-600 - Belém - PA
Phones: (55-91) 3259-4566
Fax: (55-91) 3259-2626
Hours: 03:00 pm to 06:00 pm

Consular Agency - Fortaleza
Torre Santos Dumont
Avenida Santos Dumont, 2828, Suite 708 - Aldeota
60150-161 - Fortaleza - CE
Phone: (55-85) 3486-1306 or 3486-1307
Fax: (55-85) 3486-1308
Hours: 08:00 am to 12:00
E-mail: fmcis46w@terra.com.br

Consular Agency - Manaus
Edificio Atrium Sala 306
Rua Franco de Sá, 310
69079-210 - Manaus - AM
Phone/Fax 55-92-3611-3333
Hours: 08:00 am to 12:00

Consular Agency - Porto Alegre
Agência Consular Americana
a/c Instituto Cultural Brasileiro Norte Americano
Rua Riachuelo, 1257, Centro
90010-010 - Porto Alegre - RS
Phones: (55-51) 3225-2255/3226-3344
Fax: (55-51) 3226-3344
Hours: 08:00 am to 12:00

Consular Agency - Salvador
Av. Tancredo Neves, 1632
Sala 1401 - Salvador Trade Center - Torre Sul
Caminho das Árvores
41820-020 - Salvador - BA
Phone: (55-71) 3113-2090/2091/2092
Hours: 08:30 am to 11:30am
E-mail: amcon99@terra.com.br

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Rio Grande do Norte - Opportunities in Tourism

2008-10-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Rio Grande do Norte - Opportunities in Tourism

Rio Grande do Norte is one of the main tourism destinations in Brazil. The State receives more than one million visitors a year, most of them are Brazilians and Europeans tourists who come to Natal on 14 charter flights, attracted by the beautiful beaches with dunes and clear waters, warmed by the almost all year long and by the heavenly scenery and biodiversity.

Along the 410 km coast, there are more 140 beaches, some of them internationally famous, e.g. Ponta Negra, Pipa and Genipabu. Along the entire coast in the State, there are places proper to the development of big projects such as hotel, real estate for second home, resorts, golf courses, etc. These projects are being planned and some are being implemented by foreigners, mostly Europeans.

Handcraft, regional cuisine and other cultural manifestations also amaze visitors, who are unanimous to declare, as they leave the State that they intend to return here and that they will recommended it to their relatives and friends.

The increase in the number of visitors and the expansion of tourism demand more services, attractions and accommodations. Aiming that market, Rio Grande do Norte is investing in ecologic and religious tourism as well as adventure tourism in the country side of the State – which stages several landscapes like semi-arid, sertão (backland), agreste (typical northeastern forest), hills, architectural monuments and baroque style sacred images – as well as business, educational and event tourism. A great opportunity for those who seek to combine work with quality of life, investing in one of the most beautiful and promising tourism poles in Brazil.

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Albania Consulate in Brazil

2008-09-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Albania Consulate in Brazil

Country: Albania

Address of the Consulate:
Avenida Rui Barbosa - 1654
CEP 50052-000
Recife - PE
Brazil
Telephone/Fax: +55 (81) 3441-5606 / +55 (81) 3268-6185

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Brazilian Beach Volleyball

2008-08-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

Brazilian Beach Volleyball

Playing volleyball on the beach is something that has been around since the 40’s and 50’s, in countries of vast coastal regions such as Brazil. Beach volleyball gained strength in Brazil as of 1985, when it began to host regional and national championships. Today, national doubles in both the male and female categories, are among the world’s finest.

Beach Volley is quite strong in the State of Rio de Janeiro and the Northeast. The main tournament of the modality is the Brazilian Beach Volley Circuit of Banco do Brasil. It is comprised of 16 stages, taking place in the coastal cities, and even the inland center of Brazil, in improvised arenas, but with real sand.

Many beaches have courts erected for the practice of the sport. In them, it is possible to find professionals training, instructors giving lessons and hints on the game to students of many ages.

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Sabara - Minas Gerais

2008-07-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Sabará - Minas Gerais

Sabará is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais. The city belongs to the microregion of Belo Horizonte.

Located in a majestic valley where the Velhas and the Sabará Rivers meet, this beautiful city in Minas Gerais emerged from the 18th Century gold rush. Few cities were able to keep their architecture virtually intact like Sabará, so much so that the entire history of an era can be told just by walking down its streets.

Sabará is a faithful portrait of one of the most fascinating periods in Brazilian history, told through its churches baroque architecture, through the mines hidden in the mountains, through the wooden troughs and other crude instruments used in gold extraction. Many of these, by the way, can be found at the bottom of the rivers

To walk the streets and city neighborhoods is to know part of the glorious saga of those explorers who searched for gold, and how the emerging Minas society was formed. It is also to be in an open-air museum.

That’s why the city catches the interest of tourists and scholars alike who can admire the best representative engravings of the baroque movement in the urban center.

Sabará is located in the Gold Circuit in the central tourist area of Minas Gerais. The main attractions are the townhouses, churches and big houses spread about the city’s narrow and centuries-old streets.

Events
Holy Week
Holy Week is a tradition in the city and it is celebrated with the re-enactment of Christ’s Passion and Death in a very beautiful presentation. Presentations of solemn liturgies, the Via Sacra of Penitence and several processions are also part of the celebrations.

Sabará Festival
During the entire month of July, activities and cultural workshops are held to celebrate the elevation of Sabará to the Royal Villa.

Our Lady of Assumption Festivity
This is a traditional celebration in the Ravena district (former Arraial da Lapa), one of the first settlements in the region. A novena, little stands, Mass, music shows, auctions and a procession are highlights at the traditional event.

Cachaça (Sugar Cane Rum) Festival
This festival is held on the Esportes Square with cachaça tasting and selling of the best sugar cane rums in Minas Gerais. Little stands, music shows, the Best Cachaça Contest and the Best Snack Food.

Festival of the Divine
This is one of the city’s traditional parties, with the participation of the Butler and the Emperor, who organize the entire event together with the Society for the Divine Holy Spirit. The highlights include the raising of the flagpole and flag, processions, the distribution of bread and medals.

Attractions
Our Lady of the Rosary Church
Work began in 1768 and it portrays the faith and strength of the African Negro. The slaves decided to build their own church, but the decline in gold mine activity did not permit it to be completed.

Our Lady of Carmo Church
This is one of the most spectacular stages for the art and geniality of Antônio Francisco Lisboa, the Aleijadinho. The images of San Juan de La Cruz, Saint Simon Stock and the Atlantes are attributed to the artist.

Saint Francis of Assisi Church
Before its construction, the site was home to a simple, rustic chapel dedicated to Our Lady Queen of the Angels, to whom Saint Francis was devoted. Work began in 1781, and truly accelerated between 1798 and 1805.

Municipal Theater
This is the second oldest theater in Brazil, and still in full operation. It has excellent acoustics and its architectonic lines are influenced by the English Theaters during the reign of Elizabeth I. That”s why it is also called the Elizabethan Theater.

Museum of Gold
This is an authentic example of crude Brazilian colonial architecture of the 18th Century (1713). This old Foundry and Magistrate House (the only construction with these characteristics still standing in Brazil) served for some time as a school. It has a permanent exhibit of sacred art and furniture pieces on the upper floor, which was the Magistrate”s residence. The ground floor is paved with round stones and it exhibits pieces related to the extraction, foundry process, coining and control of gold.

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Urubici - Santa Catarina

2008-07-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Urubici - Santa Catarina

The charming town of Urubici was founded in 1915, as the village of São Joaquim. Today, its natural beauties attract tourists and backpackers from all corners of Brazil looking for the landscapes of the mountain ridge of the state of Santa Catarina. Located in the valley of the Canoas river, the town has in its hills, valleys, trails and waterfalls perfect places for those who want to rest or go for ecotourism and adventure tourism.

Urubici is part of the important São Joaquim National park, which is very rich in flora and fauna. The park has an area of 493 km2 (190.34 square miles) and is divided between the fields on top of the ridge, where we have the lowest temperatures in Brazil, and the area at the foot of the ridge, with temperature around the 20°C (68°F). A visit to it reveals incredible landscapes, such as the Laranjeiras Canyon (Canyon of the Orange Trees) and the famous Pedra Furada (Holed Rock), which can be seen from the Morro da Igreja (Church Hill), known as the highest point in the South of Brazil, with 1,827 meters (5,994.09 ft.) of altitude. In the surroundings of the town there are other places that deserve a visit, such as the Avencal Waterfall, with 100 meters (328.08 ft.) of free fall, and indigenous caves that are found in the area. There it is possible to see rupestral engravings which date back to more than four thousand years ago. In the severe winter, between the months of June and August, there can be some snow, which gives a European appearance to its streets. In 1996, the town registered the lowest temperature ever recorded in thermometers in Brazil, -17.8 °C (0.04°F). It is the ideal weather for those who like chatting in front of a fireplace, sipping some good wine, or just relax.

Throughout its history, Urubici suffered the influence of Portuguese, Italian, German, African and Latvian settlers, who have left their characteristics in its culture, arts, architecture, and cuisine. The city is also known as the land of the vegetables because of the variety and quality of the local production.

Attractions
Morro da Igreja (Church Hill)
Located in the center of the São Joaquim Park, the Morro da Igreja is one of the most beautiful mountains of the area. With 1,822 meters (5,977.69 ft.) of altitude, it is the highest peak of the state, greatly sought by those who like mountain climbing and mountaineering. In clear days, it becomes a great belvedere to see the scarps of the General Mountain Ridge (Serra Geral) and the coast, at more than 60 kilometers (37.28 mi.) away from there. It was in the Morro da Igreja that the lowest temperature in Brazil of -17.8°C (0.04°F) was recorded.

Pedra Furada (Holed Rock)
A rocky formation with a window-shaped hole, with approximately 30 meters (98.43 ft.) of circumference, sculpted by the action of nature, in the middle of the Atlantic forest. It can be seen from the Morro da Igreja.

Springs of the Pelotas River
The springs of the Pelotas river are in an area of flooded fields, where there are many trails. From there it is also possible to see the Morro da Igreja (Church Hill).

Corvo Branco Mountain Ridge (White Crow Mountain Ridge)
One of the town’s most visited places, there is a road connecting Urubici to Grão-Pará, crossing its highest point, at 1,470 meters (4,822.83 ft.) of altitude. On the way there, it is possible to see canyons and deep valleys from many belvederes. In the winter it may snow in the area.

Avencal Waterfall
One of the most beautiful waterfalls of the area, the Avencal Waterfall has a fall of 88 meters (288.71 ft.). To get there, we have to walk for an 800-meter (874.89-yard) long trail.

Campestre Hill
Located at 8 km (4.97 mi.) from the center of Urubici, in that hill there is belvedere which offers partial view of the valley of the Canoas river. The best time of the day for visitation is right before the sunset.

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History of the Brazilian Golf

2008-07-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

History of the Brazilian Golf

Golfe is the Portuguese word that names this sport in Brazil, deriving from the English word golf, which, on its turn, comes from the German word kolb, which means club. There are many versions for the origin of that sport, a synonym of elegance, but the mostly likely one is that it was created in Scotland, around the year of 1400.

Its rules as they are known today were defined in the eighteenth century, in the year of 1744, in the Scottish city of Edinburgh. And the games consists in going from a certain place, in an open field, and put the ball into holes that are strategically placed at varying distances, with the fewest strokes possible. Games are normally played in courses of 18 holes, and the one who has the fewest number of strokes at the end of the 18 holes is the greatest winner.

The arrival of the sport to Brazil happened in a fairly curious way. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, English and Scottish engineers who were building the Santos–Jundiaí Railway convinced the Benedictine monks to cede them part of the area of the Saint Benedict Monastery (Mosteiro de São Bento, in Portuguese), so that they could make the first golf course in the country, in the area that is currently located between the Luz Station and the Tietê River.

The expansion of the city towards the river forced the transference of that course, in 1901, to a place near the confluence of the Paulista and Brigadeiro Luiz Antônio Avenues. Until today the place is called "Morro dos Ingleses" (Hill of the English), due to such “Englishmen” who used to play golf there.

In 1957, representative of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews – considered the creator of the modern golf – and of the United States Golf Association met in Washington, D.C., to organize the first world team championship. Brazil was invited to participate in it through Seymour G. Marvin, at the time the only Brazilian member of Saint Andrews.

Brazil was present in the World Amateur Team Championship in Saint Andrews, Scotland, with a team led by Seymour and also formed by Humberto de Almeida, Raul Borges, Sylvio Pinto Freire Jr., and João Barbosa Correa. Until today, Brazil and the United States are the only two countries to have participated in all world championships.

Today there are nearly 25,000 golfers in Brazil, and the sport is booming, thanks to the development of new projects and to the marketing initiatives aimed at fostering the practice of golf throughout the whole country.

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Araxa - Minas Gerais

2008-06-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

Araxá - Minas Gerais

Located in the West of the state of Minas Gerais, Araxá is a town that has some of the most relaxing tourist attractions in Brazil. It is there that we find the famous thermal and sulfurous springs, whose waters fill the many pools where we can take baths in therapeutic waters. The so-called Termas de Araxá are located in the town’s outskirts, and they may be reached from the Tropical Grande Hotel through a suspended gallery, approximately 100 meters (109.36 yards) long. The view from there is simply unforgettable.

The hotel was built in 1944, and it was one of the greatest symbols of the town’s economic development. Details from that time can be seen in the finely worked mirrors, in the Carrara marble floors, and in the majestic chandeliers that embellish the ballrooms. The gorgeous gardens were planned by the famous landscaper Burle Marx.

The town is also famous for having been where lived Dona Beja, a daring courtesan, greatly respected in the town. The stories of that exuberant and luxurious inhabitant are still alive in Araxá. Dona Beja’s old big house was transformed into a museum by the journalist and communications tycoon Assis Chateaubriand, and nowadays displays some articles that belonged to Beja, who used to bathe in one of the towns fountains. Besides the natural beauties, the town of Araxá is a destination that offers many museums and old churches, mostly built in the nineteenth century.

The Chapel of São Sebastião (Saint Sebastian's Chapel), built in colonial style, is an example. The place also houses a sacred art museum. Those who visit the town also get to see the most beautiful women craft pieces made in looms, and the delicacies of the cuisine of the state of Minas Gerais, such as compote candy and cookies. As a natural frame for the cozy streets of Araxá we see the beauty of the Bocaina Mountain Ridge, whose peaks reach 300 meters (984.25 ft) of height. The weather and the relief are perfect for the practice of adventure sports, such as hang-gliding.

Attractions

Barreiro Complex
Located at six kilometers (3.73 mi.) from the center of Araxá, the Complex of the Barreiro district is one of the most visited places of the town. It is there that we find the famous radioactive and sulfurous mineral water springs. The architectural group of the place, which includes the Grande Hotel e Termas de Araxá, has been listed as a landmark by the government of the state of Minas Gerais and has great historical, cultural, and artistic value for Brazil. In the Complex visitors can also stroll around woods, lakes, squares, and it is possibly to walk around the gardens that were especially projected by the landscaper Burle Marx.

Ruin of the Hotel Rádio and Cascatinha Woods (Little Cascade Woods)
The place where the oldest hotel of the Barreio district was built in 1919 is today a beautiful park for leisure and fun. It has walking trails and cycling lanes, promenades and orchards, with much varied fauna and flora. From there, it is possible to get to the Cascatinha Woos, an ecological sanctuary in the area. The hotel became famous because Alberto Santos Dumont, the father of the aviation, stayed there many times.

Argenita Waterfall
A gorgeous waterfall, with a fall of 40 meters (131.23 ft.), formed with the water of the São João River. To get there we have to take the Sacramento road, in the town of Ibiá, and we need to be escorted by a local guide.

Andrade Júnior Spring
The fame of the healing powers of the waters that come from that spring has been known since the nineteenth century. Those waters are indicated for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, gastric, rheumatologic, urologic, and hepatic problems, among many others.

Dona Beja Spring
That place became famous because Dona Beja used to bathe naked there. The spring is in a rock, and its waters have radioactive properties.

Dona Beja Museum
The big house, built in the beginning of the nineteenth century, was one of Dona Beja's residences and has house, since 1965, a museum and a cafeteria. It is a cozy place for a coffee break and a chat with friends.

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Brazil, a Lifestyle
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2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro
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Gramado - Rio Grande do Sul

2008-06-17T20:43:00.000-07:00

Gramado - Rio Grande do Sul

Gramado, located 126km from Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul State, is the stage for major events – such as the Film Festival and the Winter Festival – and boasts a schedule full of attractions to please all tastes.

The charm of the streets and gardens embellished with countless hydrangeas in bloom, the details of the colonial architecture, the cozyness of the vast hotel network, the sophistication of the gastronomy, the quality of products and services, the hospitality within the people, the scent of nature, actually, everything in Gramado seems to conspire so that unique pleasant moments can be experienced.

Joining the natural beauty with the Italian and German traditions – brought with the settlement – makes Gramado a destination that is more than charming and picturesque to visit and enjoy. There one can find all the reasons to feel good and want to return often.

Events

Gramado Film Festival
Main Brazilian event in the field and one of the most important in Latin America, the Gramado Film Festival happens annually since 1973, for six days in the month of August.

Actors, directors, technicians and visitors give prestige to the competition, which shows dozens of films and offers prizes in two categories: Brazilian productions and Latin-American, Portuguese and Spanish films. The program also incudes short films, independent films, workshops and talks. The screenings are at the Festivals Palace – with capacity for 1,200 people – and at the Municipal Culture Center. All the screenings are open to the public, who can even participate on the judgment of the films.

Winter Festival
This Festival brings together music, literature, crafts and cinema in Gramado. It happens between July 1st and September 20th, when the city becomes the capital of winter and culture. The schedule includes established events such as the Film Festival and the Book Fair, and also new events such as the Gramado Canta e Encanta project. Altogether there are over 50 musical shows.

Colônia’s Party
Event with food stalls and many other typical products, crafts, music and dance from the Italian and German communities. The Party happens every year, between the months of March and April.

Attractions

Paragliding
The sport is one of the hang gliding modalities and arrived in Brazil in 1989; a year later it could be seen in the skies of Rio Grande do Sul. Since then the techniques and gear have been evolving, allowing ever better performances. Age or physical type don’t matter for those wishing to learn to “fly” on a paraglider.

The greatest excitement of the flight is in the combination of the right techniques with the Nature factors. It is possible to fly without engine, for long distances, and at great heights – two or three thousand meters, for example. What determines the duration of a flight is the climate conditions, and it should be possible to remain flying for up to ten hours.

Mini World
Miniature city with replicas of castles and homes in typical European style, mills, squares, railways and cascades. The miniature city is featured permanently at Horácio Cardoso Street with Pedro Candiago Street, and is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 1pm to 5pm.

CTG Rodeio Velho Museum or Museum of the Gaúcho Serrano
The only museum in the State dedicated exclusively to show the habits of the gaúcho serrano. It was organized by Lúcio and Cilda Petersen for 50 years, and brings rare pieces from the time of the Farroupilha Revolution and the so called Leather Era.

There one can find exclusive crafts, such as the surrão, a leather storage for keeping cereals, the genuine boleadeira, the tirador, the badana, the soveu and many pieces made of Bolivian silver; all collected from the region of São Francisco de Paula, Bom Jesus, Lajeado Grande, Vacaria, Cambará, Canela and Gramado. In total there are over 1,500 objects registered. There are also viola players playing typical music from the highland gaúchos. The museum is located at Rua Augusto Zatti, 55. It is open to visitors twice a month – every first and second Thursday – from 8pm to 10pm.

Perfume Museum
The first of this kind in the Country. There the visitor can know the world perfumery classics. The place has around 450 bottles of the main international perfumes, with data on the composition, manufacturer, history and curiosities. Besides the Museum, there is also a shop and a perfume factory. It also sells sachets, soaps, shampoos and conditioners. The Perfume Museum is located at Hortênsias Avenue, 3662 and opens daily, including weekends and public holidays, from 9am to 6pm.

Santa Claus Village
Created by Oscar Knorr in 1940, there’s a Santa’s House, a wood and the Vale dos Quilombos observatory. It is on Bela Vista Street and is open for public visiting from Monday to Friday, from 2pm to 9pm and on weekends from 10am to 9pm.

Shopping

Colonial Furniture
Shops in the city center and on the road to Canela.

Crystals
There are crystal pieces of all types, formats and sizes. Shop opens from 9am to 7pm. At the back there is a demonstration of crystal making, from 9am to 7pm. Access through the RS-115, towards Taquara, km 37.

Chocolates
At the city center, many factories and shops such as Caracol, Lugano, Planalto and Prawer sell the famous “Gramado chocolate” in bars, branches, bombons, truffles, liqueurs and different shapes for children.

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Excellent hotel options are always available
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Rio de Janeiro

Matinhos - Parana

2008-06-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Matinhos - Paraná

The town of Matinhos is located on the coast of the state of Paraná, at 110 km (68.35 mi.) from the state’s capital, Curitiba. Along its coast there are 36 resorts, the first one being at the Jardim Monções Beach Resort, where we have the border between the towns of Matinhos and Pontal do Paraná, and the go up to the famous Caiobá Beach Resort. In total, there are approximately 17 km (10.56 mi.) of beaches.

Within the limits of the town there are also nine different rivers: the Draga, Matinhos, Onça, Canal da Lagoa Amarela (Yellow Pond Canal), Indaial, Novo, Cambará, Meio, and Cachoeirinha rivers. In the town there are also the Cabaraquara, Escalvado, Canela, Bico Torto, Taguá, Pedra Branca, Batatal, and Boi (Ox) hills. All of the mare excellent places for those who enjoy spending time in direct contact with nature.

The Caiobá Beach Resort is among the most sought attractions in Matinhos. There, among its mane beaches, the Mansa, Bela, Brava, and dos Amores beaches are the most favored by tourists, having beautiful landscapes and allowing delicious sea baths. The Tartaruga or Farol Island (Turtle or Lighthouse Island) are also greatly appreciated by the visitors. To complete the tour, a great option is paying a visit to the João José Bigarella Ecological Museum, located in the town’s center and having in its collection many samples and collections of corals, minerals, crustaceans and shells, besides other rarer items. In case there is any energy left, the tip is paying a visit to the Rio da Onça State Park, where tourists will find a Visitor’s Center and trails of easy access, amidst formations of sandbanks, coppices, and caxetais (patches of growths of bigonisceous trees).

Weather
The climate of the area is the temperate super-humid. The annual average temperature is around 18°C (64.40°F), with average highs around 26°C (78.80°F), and average lows around 15°C (59°F).

Attractions
Águas-Claras Water Park
Located on the Alexandra-Matinhos highway – at about kilometer 20 (12.43 mi.) – the Águas-Claras Water Park has an excellent leisure structure. There, visitors find beautiful fishing lakes, waterslides, rapids swimming pool with buoys, infantile water park, sports courts, barbecue grills, snack bars, restaurant, souvenir stores, and ice-cream parlor. The place offers adequate structure for walking, trekking, and hiking.

Igrejinha de São Pedro (Small Church of Saint Peter)
A construction built between the years of 1938 and 1944, it housed the Mother Church of São Pedro (Saint Peter) for many years. It is the only historical site that pays homage to the town's past. In 1987 it became listed as a landmark by the Institute for the Historical and Artistic Patrimony of the State of Paraná.

São Pedro Mother Church (Mother Church of Saint Peter)
Church of simple architectural lines, located in the town’s center. It was built to accommodate the growing number of followers that used to attend masses and go to the Igrejinha de São Pedro, the old Mother Church.

João José Bigarella Ecological Museum
It is located in the town’s center. In its collection it has many samples and collections of corals, minerals, crustaceans and shells, besides other rarer items.

Rio da Onça State Park
It is located near the Riviera and Praia Grande Beach Resorts. With an area of 118.5 hectares (292.82 acres), it shelters rich samples of fauna and flora, playing an important role in the preservation of the coastal ecosystem. The Park has a Visitor’s Center and trails of easy access, amidst formations of sandbanks, coppices, and caxetais (patches of growths of bigonisceous trees).

Boi Hill (Ox Hill)
It has approximately 160 meters (524.93 feet) of height and trails that take to the sea; it is an excellent place for fishing, technical climbing, parasailing, and hiking.

Escalvado Hill
With 260 meters (853.02 feet) of height, it is also known as the Cruz Hill (Hill of the Cross) It has accesses by trails and, in cloudless sunny days, from there it is possible to have a beautiful view of almost all beaches and towns of the area. The trails take visitor from the Bela Beach to the other side of the Costão (Wild Coast), where the open sea provides good places for the practice of the fishing. The place is also adequate for the practice of action sports such as rappel, technical climbing, and parasailing.

Tartarugas or Farol Islands (Turtles or Lighthouse Islands)
It is connected to the Amores Beach by an isthmus of natural rocks. It is small, and covered with rich flora. It gained that name because of the lighthouse that exists in the place, which guides the fishing boats that enter the Guaratuba Bay. It is an excellent place for fishing, hiking, and diving.

Mirante das Pedras (Belvedere of the Rocks)
It is one of the main tourist attractions of the town of Matinhos and it is located between the Brava and Mansa beaches. It is a hill amongst rocks and stones, washed by the sea. It is one of the best places for surfing on the coast of the state of Paraná.

Brava Beach
It is located in a bay of shallow and somewhat rough waters, surrounded by a yard and some vegetation. In one of its ends we find the Boi Hill, and in the other, the Matinhos Rock. It is there that the surf championships are organized. In total, this beach stretches over a span of 3,500 meters (11,482.94 feet).

Mansa Beach
It is also located in a bay, at the entrance of the Guaratuba Bay, having very calm and somewhat deep waters, besides a beautiful yard surrounding it. It is approximately 1,500 meters (4,921.26 feet) long. From there, it is possible to reach the Bela Beach or the Prainha do Farol (Small Beach of the Lighthouse) and the Tartarugas Island.

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Did you know that in Rio de Janeiro...

2008-06-02T13:21:00.000-07:00

Did you know that in Rio de Janeiro...

The first Samba Schools parade in Rio de Janeiro was held in 1935. Since then, the show has become greater year after year.

Today, there is a “samba-drome” built especially for the annual vent. Some Schools spend up to R$2 million to prepare for their parades.

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Brazilian EcoTourism - Amazon (Amazonia)
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Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team

2008-05-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team

When the Englishman, Charles Miller, landed in Brazil at the end of the nineteenth century carrying a football and hoping to start the new game of soccer that was becoming popular in England, it could never have been imagined that a South American country would become the world's great footballing nation. The sport spread like wildfire and was soon played on the grass of the elegant clubs and on pitches. The English and their descendants started the first teams and formed the first leagues - soccer was on its way to becoming Brazil's national passion.

During the 1920's, Brazil was already established as a force in South America soccer. In the 1930's, European fans were already being enthralled by the football of Domingos da Guia, a full-back with a talent for attacking and dribbling the ball out of his own area; with Leônidas da Silva, who achieved international fame by inventing the incredible bicycle kick; and with Friedreich, a formidable striker who was said to have scored more than one thousand goals.

The first world title was some time in coming Brazil's way. Whilst the nation had great talent in relation to soccer, sport was in administrative disarray. Early in the 1930's the establishing of professionalism divided the clubs. Teams competed abroad without even the slightest evidence of structure. The chance to win a major title came in 1950 when Brazil hosted the World Cup and built the largest stadium in the world, the Maracanã.

Defeat by Uruguay in the final showed just how great the national passion really was. The Maracanã Stadium fell silent before erupting into sobs. There were heart attacks, brawls and even attempted suicides. Stars from the 1950 team, such as the goalkeeper Barbosa, the fullbacks Pinheiro and Juvenal and the attackers Zizinho, Ademir and Jair - all first line players - were greatly affected by the tragedy. However, Brazil recovered eight years later. With João Havelange - the present chairman of FIFA - at the head of the Brazilian Sporting Confederation (CBD), Brazilian soccer's governing body, the Brazilian team set off to compete in the Swedish Cup with a level of organization never seen before, led by the "Victory Field Marshal", Paulo Machado de Carvalho.

The golden age of Brazilian soccer had arrived. The nation became world champion in 1958 with a dream team: Gilmar, Djalma Santos, Bellini, Nilton Santos, Didi, Garrincha, Vavá, Zagallo and of course, Pelé, twice world champion of clubs with Santos, the team comprising of Pelé, Coutinho, Mengálvio, Gilmar and Pepe. Arguments raged in Brazil as to whether Santos was the best team or whether it was Botafogo, with Garrincha, Nilton Santos, Didi and also Amarildo's team, Quarentinha. A combination of the two helped Brazil to become world champion two years running in Chile in 1962.

The third winning of the championship in Mexico in 1970 brought the golden age to a close with a team considered by journalists to be the best of all time: led by Pelé with Carlos Alberto, Clodoaldo, Gerson, Jairzinho, Rivelino and Tostão. Brazil continued to be a source of great players - Paulo César, Reinaldo, Falcão, Sócrates and Cerezzo - but the national team failed to win titles. The clubs were also founts of Brazilian talent: Flamengo with players such as Zico, Júnior, Leandro, Andrade, Adílio and Tita, was world champion in 1981 and two years later it was the turn of Grêmio, the team that included the veteran, Paulo César, Mário Sérgio and Renato.

Twice the team got as far as the Olympic final only to lose. However, from the winners of the silver medal in Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988, emerged the basis of the first Brazilian team to become champion four times in the 1994 World Cup held in the USA. The goalkeeper, Taffarel, the captain Dunga and the striker Romário - perhaps the most important players in that campaign - formed part of Olympic teams. At the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Brazil's team, headed by the four-time world champions Aldair and Bebeto, and by the biggest revelation of our football at present, Ronaldinho, won the bronze medal. In France, in 1998, Brazil was the World Cup's vice champion.

Fuelled by the scintillating play of the "Three R's" (Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho), Brazil won its fifth championship at the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in South Korea and Japan. When the groups were drawn, Brazil seemed to have been lucky; Brazil's adversaries would be Turkey, China and Costa Rica. At the end, it turned out that Turkey finished the tournament in third place, showing that indeed Brazil's group was stronger than most had expected. Brazil went on beating all three opponents, scoring 11 goals and conceding only three, and topping the group.

Next they defeated Belgium 2-0, which had been the most difficult match for Brazil in the tournament. Against England in the quarter finals, Brazil won 2-1. Ronaldinho scored a remarkable goal and assisted teammate Rivaldo for the victory goal, but was then sent off. The semifinal was against Turkey, which Brazil had faced in their group. Again, this match was difficult, as Brazil won 1–0 with a goal by Ronaldo. Rivaldo had scored one goal each in all five game up to this one but did not manage to hit the target in the sixth. He had seemed all set to repeat Jairzinho´s great achievement in 1970 when he scored in every game of the World Cup.

The final was between two of the most successful teams in the competition's history: Germany and Brazil. Either Germany (or West Germany) or Brazil had played in all World Cup finals since 1950 - except 1978 (If the last game of 1950 is considered to be a proper final). German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn had been the tournament's best keeper, but could not maintain that level of play, as Ronaldo vanquished his France '98 demons, scoring both goals in the Brazilian 2-0 triumph.

These teams had never played each other in the World Cup before. There was however a match between Brazil and East Germany in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Brazil won 1–0.

FIFA World Cup victories
Winner (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Runners-Up (1950, 1998)
Third (1938, 1978)
Fourth (1974)

FIFA World Cup appearances
(1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)

Continental titles
Winner
Copa America (1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007)

Runners-Up
Copa America (1921, 1925, 1936, 1945, 1946, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1983, 1991, 1995), CONCACAF Gold Cup (1996 USA, 2003 USA/Mexico)

Best Results
Winner
FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1983, 1985, 1993, 2003), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (1989, 1992, 1996), FIFA Confederations Cup (1997, 2005), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1997, 1999, 2003), FIFA Club World Cup (2000, 2005, 2006), FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Final (2006, 2007)

Runners-Up
Olympic Football Tournament Final (1984, 1988), FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1991, 1995), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1995, 2005), FIFA Confederations Cup (1999), FIFA Club World Cup (2000), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (2000), Olympic Football Tournament Women Final (2004), FIFA Women's World Cup Final (2007)

Third
FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1977, 1989, 2005), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1985), Olympic Football Tournament Final (1996), FIFA Women's World Cup Final (1999), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (2004), FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Final (2005), FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Final (2006)

Fourth
Olympic Football Tournament Final (1976), Olympic Football Tournament Women Final (1996, 2000), FIFA Confederations Cup (2001), FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Final (2002, 2004)

General Information
FIFA Trigramme: BRA
Country: Brazil
Country (official name): Republica Federativa do Brasil
Continent: South America
Capital: Brasilia
Major cities: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Fortaleza, Nova Iguacu, Recife, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Belem, Goiania, Campinas, Guarulhos
Currency: Real
Official languages: Portuguese
Motto: Order and progress (Ordem e Progresso)

Geographic Information
Surface area: 8,511,965 km²
Highest point: Pico de Neblina 3,014m.
Neighbouring countries: Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Surinam
Neighbouring seas and oceans: Atlantic Ocean

Population
Population (in millions): 182
Density (inhabitants per km2): 21.39
Average age (in years): 27
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 71.13

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Marau - Bahia

2008-05-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Maraú - Bahia

The Peninsula of Maraú has been just discovered by natives of Bahia and tourists, but the oldest inhabitants tell that the small city has been visited even by the French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of "The Little Prince", who would have remained in the village enough time to settle himself there.

However it may be, the importance of the city over the past centuries is revealed today in the old-architecture buildings. From the belvedere in the uptown, it’s possible to appreciate a wonderful view of the Maraú estuary and the lower city, and even the wide open-fair area and the vessels at the harbor.

The fishing is an important source of income for the city. In Agriculture, it’s grown rubber trees, dendê [African oil palm and its fruit] (introduced in the late century XIX), clove, pupunha palm, cocoa, guarana and black pepper. An open fair enlivens the city on Saturdays. Still in the Peninsula of Maraú is located Barra Grande, a village which has one of the country’s most beautiful beaches, full of attractions and natural swimming-pools suitable for baths and diving. Most of the inns and restaurants of the city are located in Barra Grande.

Attractions
Cachoeira do Tremembé (Tremembé Waterfall)
Surrounded by forest, this wonderful waterfall being 30m wide and 5m tall makes a vast lake. The bath in the place is very enjoyable, but jumping from the boat near the waterfall is dangerous due to the water strength.

Povoado de Taipus de Dentro (Taipus de Dentro Village)
Located inside the Baía de Camamu (Camamu Bay), in the Taipu Mirim island, this small fishing village has a good urban infrastructure, inn and restaurant.

Povoado de Campinho (Campinho Village)
The small village has a harbor and a private Yacht Club, where navigators usually stay. There are other inns in the place and a restaurant. Considering the modest size of the village, the night life can be rated as very lively.

Ilha de Sapinho (Sapinho Island)
Small fishing village. The local restaurant serves seafood dishes. The owners preserve and raise in captivity live lobsters, crabs and goiamuns (ten-feet edible sea crustacean), and the customer chooses which one to eat. A stroll through the island takes to a footbridge that provides a complete view of the swamp area and the crab catchers. The island has countless fruitful trees.

Ilha do Goió (Goió Island)
An islet composed of the swamp area with a narrow white-and-thin sand strip. Suitable for bath. The access is through the Sapinho Island, from where you can cross about 200 m by boat.

Povoado de Barra Grande (Barra Grande Village)
It is the largest village in the peninsula. Due to its location at the edge of the Peninsula of Maraú (where the Ponta do Mutá is located), the access is both through the Camamu Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as through road, through the BR-030 highway.

Mirante do Morro do Taipu (Morro do Taipu Belvedere)
It is located in the peninsula’s North coast, in Praia de Taipus de Fora (Taipus de Fora Beach). Also known as Morro do Farol (Lighthouse Hill), it is the peak point of the peninsula (51 m tall), from where you can have a view of the whole extension of north and south beaches, until the city of Itacaré. The best access way is on foot, through the Taipus de For a Beach.

Lagoa do Cassange e Mirante Bela Vista (Cassange Lagoon and Bela Vista Belvedere)
Wonderful dark lagoon, surrounded by white sand. The lagoon is very long, extending for almost 5 km. It is worth bathing in its water full of lanolin, a substance used in the manufacture of shampoos, which are excellent for hair. The still waters of the lagoon also allow enjoyable canoe rides.

Trilha Barra Grande – Pontal (Barra Grande Track – Pontal)
The track of almost 40 km long starts in Barra Grande and provides a pleasant walking through all the peninsula beaches, and the observation of the wonderful visual composed of coconut trees, sandbanks and brooks that disembogue in the sea. In the way to the Cassange and Saquaíra beaches, there are inns, coastal bars and restaurants. Thence, and until the Pontal Beach, the region is more deserted. It is recommended to seek orientation with the PROMAR Institute (Institute for the Sustainable Development of the Peninsula of Maraú).

Beaches
Praia de Mangueiras (Mangueiras Beach)
Calm, with warm and clear waters. It is suitable for walkings and provides assured entertainment at the bars.

Praia Ponta do Mutá (Ponta do Mutá Beach)
Beach with wonderful rocks that arise on the water surface and very diverse vegetation. It is suitable for bath. A short walking takes to Barra Grande, bathed by the waters of the Camamu Bay.

Praia dos Três Coqueiros (Três Coqueiros Beach)
It has an open sea, strong waves, thick sand, coconut trees and holiday houses.

Praia Cassange (Cassange Beach)
Subtle waves, soft sand, coconut trees. The Cassange Lagoon is located there, suitable for the practice of sailing sports.

Praia Arandi (Arandi Beach)
Subtle waves, natural swimming pools and coconut trees.

Praia de Algodões (Algodões Beach)
Subtle waves, a wide coconut-tree field and thin sand. It is possible to rent rafts for rides.

Praia de Piracanga (Piracanga Beach)
Strong waves, coconut trees, circled by the Piracanga River.

Praia de Aibim (Aibim Beach)
Subtle waves, coconut trees and thin sand. Suitable for baths and walkings.

Praia de Pontal (Pontal Beach)
The sand strip is very wide, with coconut trees and strong-wave sea.

Praia de Taipus de Fora (Taipus de Fora Beach)
The great attraction of the place are the 7 km of natural swimming pools surrounded by coral reefs and waters full of fishes, excellent for diving and the sea fauna observation. In the reefs, people can observe the octopus fishermen. There are also gamboas (fish traps made of interwoven bamboo) in the pounding of waves.

Praia de Saquaíra (Saquaíra Beach)
Beach with a straight sand strip, subtle-wave sea, coconut trees and a small village.

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Parintins - Amazonas

2008-05-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Parintins - Amazonas

Guaranteed or Capricious? Heart or star? Red or blue? That’s how it is in Parintins: you have to choose which side to take. The historical rivalry between the two bulls called Guaranteed and Capricious dominates the city, permeates people’s imagination and culminates in one of the most popular parties in Brazil: the Parintins Folklore Festival held every night on June 28, 29 and 30.

In the bumbódromo arena, the Bulls put on a grandiose spectacle of dance, music, drama and special effects – a true rural opera that drives its 40 thousand daily spectators into a frenzy. Located on the Island of Tupinambarana, along the right bank of the Amazon River, 420 km from Manaus and almost on the border with the State of Pará, Parintins, with its 80 thousand inhabitants is a pleasant and agreeable city in the interior of the the States of Amazon.

At the end of the 19th Century, the region received migrants from the northeast in search of the riches generated in the Amazon from rubber extraction. They brought with them one of their strongest cultural traditions, the northeast’s bumba-meu-boi. There it found another bull, a truly Amazon bull, and it became the boi-bumbá of Parintins. Until the 1960s, the Bulls were always staged in the houses and backyards of Parintins; every once in a while, they would meet in the streets, and the sometimes violent confrontation was inevitable.

The fun was organized, grew, evolved and became a true spectacle. The Bulls incorporated characters, rituals and legends that go back to the inhabitants of the Amazon forest, the Indians, the rural settlers, and the ecological and social issues that afflict them. Ever since 1988, they have been holding the spectacle at the bumbódromo, a stadium built just to receive the festival. The Bulls, with approximately 2.5 thousand participants, occupy the arena with 2:30 spectacles each. Guaranteed is the white bull with a red heart on its forehead. Capricious is black, and it bears a blue star on its forehead. Tribes of dancers accompany them and form a carpet of color in movement. The gigantic floats that move about and articulate, creating a scenario for the presentation of the most important figures: the elegant cunhã-poranga, the folklore queen, the standard-bearer, the young miss of the farm, and the powerful witch doctor. Everything is explained in detail by the narrators and moves to the contagious sound of the songs sung by the tune “leaders” and the beat of more than 250 drums. On separate sides of the stadium, the two tireless, super-motivated cheering groups, the galeras, also participate in the spectacle. When their Bull is performing in the arena, one half of the bumbódromo actually shakes, while the “enemy” fans remain in the most respectful silence.

Parintins is home to an unusual number of artists, artisans, musicians and poets to produce the festival. In no other city of the Amazon will you find such a concentration of talent. The warehouses and galleries, where the most complex and gigantic floats to the most delicate headdresses are made, hold the secrets of wizards who prepare their spells with ink, glue, Styrofoam, iron, artificial feathers, seeds, straw, sparkles and plastic.

Events
Parintins Folklore Festival
From June 24-30, with the peak of the festival taking place on June 28, 29 and 30 with the presentations of the two bulls, Guaranteed and Capricious.

Attractions
Uaiacurapá River
Beautiful fluvial beaches with white sands and dark water surge between the months of August and February, during the low water season. The do Pacoval, das Onças and das Guaribas islands are near the river.

Parintins Mountains
This 152 m high area is surrounded by thick vegetation and forms the border with the state of Pará. It is also called Valéria Mountain and it has a special attraction: the branch of the river that forms the beautiful Valéria Lake.

Macuricanä Lake
This beautiful lake can only be appreciated during the Amazon summer. It is part of a lacustrine complex that includes approximately 40 lakes.

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Maragogi - Alagoas

2008-05-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

Maragogi - Alagoas

Main destination in the State of Alagoas after its capital city, Maragogi attracts visitors from Maceió and Recife. It offers calm-wave beaches, coral reefs and a huge natural pool known as Galés. From Japaratinga beach, on the southern tip, a ferryboat crosses Manguaba River into Porto das Pedras, where visitors find virtually deserted beaches.

Maragogi was initially a small village called Gamela. In 1887, it was granted the status of a Town and adopted the name of Isabel, to honor the Brazilian Princess who signed a law ending slavery in Brazil. Later on, in 1892, it was named as Maragogi after the river that baths the city. “Maragogi”, according to some historians, comes from “Marahub-gy”, or river of the Marauba tribes.

Weather
The city has a tropical, hot and humid weather, with annual average temperatures of 27ºC.

City facts
State: Alagoas
Region: Northeastern
Population: 21,832 inhabitants

Distances
Maceió: 144 km
Recife: 134 km

Attractions
The Salinas Maragogi Resort
Planned to ensure comfort and functionality, Salinas was designed to integrate with local landscape, offering the sensation of a close and intimate contact with nature.

Santo Antônio Bar
Besides visiting its beaches, tourists can also go on tours and swim in natural pools, and go to Croa Island, separated from the continent by Santo Antônio Grande River. Being 5 km long, the island offers a landscape of coconut trees, white sand, coral reefs and reef banks. Access is available by ferry crossing Santo Antonio Grande River.

Maragogi Beach
Beaches in Maragogi have calm waters, without strong waves, with coral reefs and fine sands. During low tide, sand banks emerge forming natural pools, known as Croas (5 km away from the coast) and Galés (6 km away). “Jangadas” (sailing boats typical of Northern Brazil) and boats can take tourists to these pools. On the beach’s southern tip, between Vila de Japaratinga and Pontal, visitors find the less urbanized beaches with 20-m high sea cliffs. Visitors can also go on a boat ride to coral reefs 6 km away from the coast. Maragogi beach is near Maragogi River, with calm waves, fine and flat sands and coral reefs.

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Itapema - Santa Catarina

2008-05-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Itapema - Santa Catarina

Itapema is located in a bay surrounded by the ramifications of the Serra do Mar (Sea Mountain Ridge) and offers the visitors ecological adventures, such as trails through the native vegetation, fountains of river, and waterfalls. Hills and wild coasts without any inlets also provide beautiful views of the seafront.

The third most sought tourist destination by vacationers in the State, Itapema offers a mix of nature and urban infrastructure that marvels those who come to this town. There are almost 15km (9.32 mi.) of seafront, with beaches of clear green gentle waters, perfect for children.

Among the waterfalls, a special mention has to be made to the Sertão fall, located in the Feijó hill, and the São Paulinho fall, in the district of Várzea. In the Serra dos Macacos (Monkeys mountain ridge), in the district of Alto Areal, there are also beautiful waterfalls, from which the Manarick fall is the most famous one. Nature is also present in the ecological trails that cut the Serra do Mar (Sea Mountain Ridge), where ecotourism lovers have the option of taking hikes or going for motorcycle or jeep tours.

If the visitor prefers enjoying a panoramic view of the town, the perfect places are the Morro do Cabeço (Cabeço Hill) and the Costão (Wild coast). The latter is one of the most beautiful places in Itapema. There we can walk on the rocks, while admiring the border and listening to the sound of the rough waves breaking on the rocks.

Sporting and cultural events make Itapema a very lively destination, attracting different types of participants and public throughout the year. Every year, more than 100 pilots and thousands of fans accompany the Santa Catarina State stage of the National motocross championship in that town. The town also receives Jetski championships, as well as folkloric festivals, with dances and music that are typical of the state of Santa Catarina.

Attractions
Ilhota (Islet Beach)
Next to the BR-101 highway, that beach has crystal clear waters and many rocks and boulders. It is the ideal place for getting a Sun tan or cooling off in the waters.

Plaza
That is the beach that is used by the Plaza Resort Itapema, one of the most expressive hotels in the state. There, on the days when the sea is rougher, we find great waves, ideal for surfing. On the days when the sea is calm, the best thing to do is to enjoy the hikes.

Cabeço/Grossa
In a privileged location, the area marvels those coming from the Canto da Praia (Costão). The union of the Atlantic forest with the sea and the boulders of the Costão provides quite a unique sight. It is a good area for fishing, hiking, or simply to enjoy nature.

Canto da Praia (Beach’s Corner)
Also known as the Costão, that is one of the most beautiful, and most visited, places in Itapema. The place has the calm atmosphere of a fishermen’s village, attracting tourists because of its beautiful landscapes, surrounded by the Atlantic forest. In the summer, visitors can take boat tours in the Itapema bay, taste the seafood dishes in the bars and restaurants located near the shore, dive among the fish, or simply go fishing.

Itapema
That beach has both good tourist infrastructure – with hotels, lodges, restaurants, and bars – and a host of water sport activities, such as jet skiing and banana-boat rides. The beach also offers an area for sports activities and events, and a coastal avenue.

Meia Praia (Half Beach)
It is the busiest beach in Itapema. It is a meeting pointing and flirting for tourists from many places, with seashore bars, sports activities on the beach or in the water, and a beautiful view of the Santa Catarina Sea.

Waterfalls
Besides beautiful beaches, in Itapema there is a host of breathtaking waterfalls. There we can take hikes, buy typical products of the area, go rock climbing, and take part in many other activities, always with a focus on the preservation of the environment. Among the most visited waterfalls, a special mention has to be made to the Sertão fall, located in the Feijó hill, and the São Paulinho fall, in the São Paulo hill, in the district of Várzea. In the Serra dos Macacos (Monkeys mountain ridge), in the district of Alto Areal, the most famous waterfall is the Manarick fall.

Morro da Guarita (Gate House Hill)
With a height of 200 meters (656.17 ft.) and many trails for ecotourism hikes, the hill offers the visitor a unique view of the area, as well as of the neighboring towns. In the ascent, we can see many species of the local fauna and flora, which are typical from the area of the State of Santa Catarina.

Ecological Trails
Pleasant places for the lovers of ecotourism, trails that cut the Serra do Mar (Sea Mountain Ridge) can be used for hikes, or motorcycle or jeep rides.

Pedra que Bole (Rolling Boulder)
Located at 3km from the town's center, it is a boulder that moves at the impact of the waters of the sea.

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Bombinhas - Santa Catarina

2008-05-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

Bombinhas - Santa Catarina

Bombinhas is a small town in the northern part of Santa Catarina State, which recently became a self-governed municipality, and has turned into a tour icon of this state’s coast.

It has over 18 beaches, some of which are still desert, only accessed through the sea, and which provide relaxing bathing and boat rides, as well as the opportunity to practice several water sports. At a privileged location and with a notable infrastructure for both ecological tourism and submarine tourism, Bombinhas has consolidated itself as one of the most sought-after diving place in the south region of Brazil.

Its innumerous local agencies promote daily trips that take visitors to practice diving in the main places of the regions, such as Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve, Galés Island and Desert Island, always with comfort and safety.

The city also has a large variety of food options and exciting night life.

Attractions
Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve
This national ecological patrimony is composed of Desert Island and Arvoredo, Galé, Calhau de São Pedro and Pedra Nocetti Islands, which all together correspond to 17,800 hectares of indescribable beauty. As an archeological, historical and ecological place, the Reserve is an important center of scientific studies on marine fauna and flora, as well as a natural habitat for several migratory bird species. It’s also considered one of the best areas to practice ecological diving in Brazil, due to its varied sea life biodiversity.

Morro do Macaco Municipal Park
It is in Canto Grande District, at about 153 meters in altitude, accessed through a well-preserved panoramic track, which is a little steep. From the top of the hill, it is possible to see the Arvoredo archipelago and the beautiful Mariscal and Zimbros bays. The Park includes Macuco Island, with its calm waters, frequently visited by amateur fishermen and divers.

The hill is the home of one of the most famous and beautiful Brazilian orchids, Laelia purpurata, which was elected the symbol of Santa Catarina State. Due to its favorable thermal currents, it is a perfect place to practice gliding and paragliding, combining adventure and fantastic view, which is even more beautiful at sunrise and sunset.

Eco 360º Overlook
Located at the access to Tainha Beach, it provides a wonderful panoramic view of the city. The visitor can drive to this place through Canto Grande and Conceição Beaches, which requires exclusive attention on rainy days.

Galheta Municipal Park
This is an important area remaining from the Atlantic Woods, with rich biodiversity and fantastic view. It’s a reference point for Bombas District.

Diving at Arvoredo Island
It’s considered one of the best places to practice diving in the south region of the country. The access is controlled by IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), as it is part of Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve. It is not allowed to get to the Island or collect any object.

The trip to the diving area takes about 2 hours, and it is subject to canceling or postponing, depending on the wind and sea conditions. It offers activities to registered divers and for beginners too, who make their “submarine baptism” diving, one’s first sea scuba diving, with the help of instructors.

Beaches
Quatro Ilhas (Four Islands)
This beach, whose formation is in constant change, is visited by those who like to swim and chat at the bars in front of the sea. It has restaurants and bars of several types. On the left side there is a camping area that is open only in summer, which happens with almost all of them in the region. From this beach, the visitor can see the four islands that named this beach: Galés, Deserta, Macuco and Arvoredo, and that are part of the Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve.

Bombinhas
It’s the most exciting beach of the city, with calm and transparent water, ideal for bathing. Along its extension of almost one thousand meters, it is still possible to find very fine white quartz sand residues, which produce the noise of “firecrackers” when in contact with the feet. People who live there say the name of the city (Firecrackers, in English) came from this fact. There are also several types of bars, restaurants and guest houses in front of this beach, for all kinds of taste and price range. The visitor can’t miss the Engenho Village, a living museum of Azores culture, where the visitor can see a sugar cane mill operating and producing molasses and another mill producing the best cassava flour of Brazil.

Ponta do Zarling, at the hillside of this beach that is a small bay with transparent water, offers a very beautiful overlook to visitors coming either through the road, sea or air. It is possible to take boat rides and practice diving at this place.

Bombas
This is the beach mostly visited by families. It has good hotels and restaurants. Its 2km extension of clean sand and unpolluted water offers the necessary structure to enjoy perfect vacations. There are several restaurants in front of the sea, an attraction to tourists. It’s mainly occupied by resorts nearby. It’s the first beach the visitors see when they arrive at the city via Porto Belo, and they can start admiring the city’s fantastic landscapes there.

Ribeiro
It’s between Bombas and Bombinhas Beaches and a little longer than 200 meters. It’s perfect for those looking for a calm sea or sun bathing. This beach can be accessed from Bombas and Bombinhas hillside, or through an unpaved road from the main avenue.

Trapiche
It’s the nautical center of Bombinhas, from where several tour boats and diving instructors leave.

Lagoinha
A calm beach, perfect for those who want to start learning how to dive. It has also a fast meal restaurant, which makes the leisure day complete.

Ingleses
It is 100 meters long, and has a camping area with tents and a restaurant. The access for cars and pedestrians are through the hillside, straight from Bombinhas Beach. It’s a good place to practice scuba diving and sport fishing.

Atalaia
This beach with the extension of well-preserved 150 meters, is between Quatro Ilhas Hill and Mariscal Beach. It is usually the destination of people strolling along Mariscal. It has one guest house and a camping area.

Mariscal
Its 4km extension is ideal for bathing and strolling, mostly visited by surfers and baitcasting fishermen. There are good hotels and guest houses at Mariscal.

Conceição
It is separated from Mar de Fora Beach by a small island at its side, and offers a proper place for private boats of people that go fishing or want to practice leisure activities. This is a leisure area of the community, with natural pool and hillsides to practice diving.

Canto Grande
The small Canto Grande Village, on an isthmus in Bombinhas, is doubtless one of the places on the Brazilian coast for those who are looking for calm and peace. This small village, with about 800 inhabitants, is occupied by mainly fishermen, shellfishermen and their descendants, who are proud of being called as “native”. Many of them still keep the traditions from their ancestors, such as Boi-de-Mamão, Terno-de-Reis, Farra-do-Boi and the skilled manual fishing, providing the visitors and tourists the pleasure of eating fresh shrimps or anchovies.

The central part of the Village is at the base of Macaco Hill. The view from the top of this hill is splendid: Mariscal and Quatro Ilhas Beaches to the North, the islands of the Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve (Galé, Arvoredo and Deserta) to the East; Zimbros Bay to the West and Santa Catarina Island to the South. A hike through Tainha track, at Zimbros Bay edge, is another excellent leisure option for those who can’t get enough with its idyllic beaches only: Mar de Dentro, Mar de Fora and Conceição.

Mar de Dentro and Mar de Fora
Mar de Fora Beach, at the eastern part of Canto Village, is perfect for people who like rough waters, with appropriate waves to practice surf and swimming with the waves. It’s considered the purest and cleanest beach of the region, due to its clear water; being mostly visited by baitcasting fishermen. In July and August, it is the refuge of whales migrating from the Antarctic, which provide a picturesque show. Its clean sand mixes with that of Mariscal Beach, creating the ideal scenery for healthy strolls.

Shopping
Handicrafted Ceramic Products
Masks, incense stick holders, wall panels and other pieces. Schedule your visit. Estrada Geral do Alto Perequê, in Santa Luzia District.

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Buzios - Rio de Janeiro

2008-04-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Búzios - Rio de Janeiro

Located in the North coast of Rio Janeiro State, Búzios (Armação dos Búzios) was originally a small fishermen village. In the past, Tamoios native tribe used to live there, and later French pirates. It had the visit of French artist Brigitte Bardot in the 60s, and got famous all over the world. Today, it is one of the most sophisticated places of the country, offering very high quality services to meet the most demanding preferences of both national and international visitors. It has about 20 beaches of incomparable beauty and offers historical, cultural tours, as well as ecotours. It’s an excellent place to practice diving, and perfect for those searching for peace along the day and an exciting night life.

Events
Búzios Jazz e Blues
Annual festival held in July, bringing news and tendencies in jazz and blues.

Attractions
João Fernandinho Beach
Small beach of calm and transparent water. Access through João Fernandes Beach, where the visitor can eat lobsters and fishes from the region at its various bars.

Brava Beach
As the name implies, the beach has strong waves most part of the year, always attracting surfers. At the right side, a track takes to Olho de Boi Beach, a naturist beach.

Tartaruga Beach
It can be accessed through an unpaved road that starts at the main road of Búzios, a little before Ferradura Traffic Circle. The beach has calm water and usually the warmest water of the region, because it doesn’t receive the cold currents from Antarctic. It has several kiosks and good places to practice snorkeling.

Geribá Beach
Geribá is a place of beautiful and tanned people, who love exciting nightlife. This is the right place to know about the parties that will happen at night. The beach has waves in almost all of its extension, except at the left side, where the visitor will find a track to easily access Ferradurinha Beach.

Canto Beach
It’s a beach with warm water, that frequently receives winds from the East. Its right side is the scenery of several restaurants on Rua das Pedras and its left side, walking on the stones, the visitor can access two other small beaches: Amores and Virgens.

Armação Beach
Situated along Rua das Pedras and Bardot Border. Most of it has no sand. Highlights are Caboclo Island and the pier, where tourists from several transatlantic ships come to the city during summer. Two sculptures, both made of bronze, are the attractions – one honors Brigitte Bardot and one honors the fishermen.

Ossos Beach
According to local stories, it got this name (Bones) due to bones of whales that were found on the sand. It’s full of small fishing boats and has trees along its border, a post card landscape. Don’t miss Santana Church and Búzios Yacht Club, located on the left side of the beach. On the opposite side, there’s a track that leads to Azeda Beach. It’s a fantastic place to take pictures and rides.

Rasa Beach
One of the largest beaches of Búzios. It has warm water, lacking physical depth, and the wind blows constantly almost all the year, attracting boaters. With several summer houses and guest houses, the beach, besides its beauty, is perfect for children, to walk and feel like in direct contact with the nature.

Azeda Beach
Azeda and Azedinha Beaches are two of the most beautiful beaches of Brazil. The area recently became an Environmental Protection Area (APA), and all kiosks and bars were taken away from there. It has calm and transparent water. It can be accessed via “aqua-taxi” or walking through a small track, both from Ossos Beach.

Manguinhos Beach
In fact, Manguinhos is a continuation of Rasa Beach. It has sail clubs, such as Búzios Sail Club and Yucas. It’s excellent to practice nautical sports and go for a walk. At sunset, the visitor can enjoy a fantastic view.

Ferradurinha Beach
Surrounded by beautiful hills, the beach is an attractive bay of calm water and fine and white sand. The access is through the left side of Geribá Beach.

Ferradura Beach
This is a bay with always warm and transparent water. From the left side of the beach, several bars offer complete structure, serving the most delicious seafood. It has a windsurf, banana boat and water ski school and rental shop. Its water is usually very cold.

Diving
Its privileged marine fauna in transparent water makes Búzios a real aquarium. The city has several diving agencies that take the visitors who are interested in diving to be in contact with the submarine world.

Búzios Golf Club
Búzios Golf Club is a field with first-level 18 holes. The field was designed by renowned architects Pete and Perry Dye, and attracts players from all over the world. Considered as one of the best fields in Latin America, the field was designed in such way to incorporate the value the geographical accidents of the terrain, the surrounding nature and topography, in order to offer the highest possible level of comfort to the players.

Sailing in Búzios
Búzios is a paradise to boaters. International competitions are frequently held in the city, where strong and constant winds blow. Famous Brazilian champions, such as Lars Grael usually practice sailing in the waters of Armação dos Búzios.

Rua das Pedras
This street is a little longer than 400 meters, but it’s charming from the beginning to its end. If it wasn’t for it, Búzios for sure wouldn’t be the same. Full of restaurants, bars, shops and art galleries, the street is the city’s center of happenings. It’s empty during the day, just getting prepared for its excited nightlife.

Casa do Sino (Bell House)
This is an example of a typical local construction from centuries ago, which can still be seen and admired.

Sant’Ana Church
Protected as a historical patrimony, Sant’Ana Church is one of the city’s attractions. Its architecture from the 16th Century is the city’s first Christian reference. From the top of its tower, the visitor can see Ossos Beach, a wonderful view.

Ecotour
Surrounded by hills and mounts with exuberant vegetation, Búzios is a place where the visitors can still enjoy the nature safely. At Emerências Reserve, the visitor will find the purest vegetation of the Atlantic Woods, with exotic plants, bromelias and even the last golden monkeys of the region.

At Tauá Reserve there are over 300 species of butterfly and 60 types of birds. In addition, Búzios has now in its territory two Environmental Protection Areas (APA), a program that preserves the natural richness of the region. One of them, APA Pau-Brasil, includes an ample area from Tucuns Beach, in Búzios, to the city of Cabo Frio. It’s the largest and most important reserve of pau-brasil in Rio de Janeiro State.

Naturism
Olho de Boi Beach, 50 meters of absolutely virgin beach, attracts the naturists, which turned it into their meeting point in Búzios.

Shopping
Papier-mache sculptures
Colorful pieces by Ivone R. exposed at the studio and on the sidewalk in front of her house. Schedule visit in advance. Location: Travessa de Santana, 32 – Armação Beach.

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Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais

2008-04-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais

Belo Horizonte, the capital from Minas Gerais, is proud to be one of the best cities in the Country to live. It has wide avenues, squares and forested areas, delighting everyone who visits.

Fondly nicknamed Belô or Beagá, the city offers interesting leisure areas, theaters boasting an intense artistic-cultural production, good and varied cuisine, exquisite handcrafts available on the markets and specialized stores, and maintains a traditional characteristic: the mineira hospitality.

The city is currently a dynamic metropolis, with 2,5 million residents. Considering the municipalities forming the Metropolitan Region, this population goes up to four million residents, according to the 2000 Census. In today’s bold and modern city, the economic development has been going through the professionalization of many different tourism segments, above all the events and business segments. For this reason the advantages this city could offer do not stop there.

BH has a quality tourism infrastructure, with good airports, hotels and restaurants, a vast array of services, sophisticated shopping, active nightlife and good spaces for medium sized events, contributing for the consolidation of its vocation for the business and services sector.

Events
Comida di Buteco
In January and February, a specialist jury selects 31 bars which, in the months of April and May, compete to see which one makes the best appetizers.

International Theater Festival/FIT-BH Palco & Rua
With the merger of two projects that would happen separately in 1994 – one stage based, organized by the Francisco Nunes Theater, and the other street based, idealized by Grupo Galpão – came FIT-BH Palco & Rua. Produced every two years, under responsibility from the Belo Horizonte City Hall, through the Municipal Culture Office and the Association Movimento Teatro de Grupo of Minas Gerais, in the program there are street and stage shows, and also seminars, workshops, courses, talks, etc.

FID - Circulando BH
FID – Circulando BH is the new performance program from FID aiming the wide dissemination of contemporary dance in the city of Belo Horizonte. It’s the program that makes feasible presentations of groups from Belo Horizonte in their hometown.
For this project the priority invitations went to the shows created by groups and choreographers living in the city of Belo Horizonte – Raquel Pires, Meia Ponta Dance Company, Camaleão Dance Group, Idéia de Dança, Cia SeraQue?, Gabriela Christófaro, Mário Nascimento Dance Company, Dudude Herrmann and Palácio das Artes Dance Company.
The purpose is to take shows and other activities such as workshops, talks and video screenings to the less privileged regions of the city regarding access to cultural assets.

Attractions
Liberdade Square Architectural Complex
One of the best trips for those visiting Belo Horizonte is the landscape and architectural complex at Liberdade Square. Built at the time of the capital’s foundation, it boasts a mixture of various styles, which are the live portrait of the city’s evolution. Neoclassic (end of the XIX century), Art-Déco (1940’s decade), Modern (1950 and 1960’s decades) and Postmodern (1980). It’s also the center of the mineiro Executive power; actually, it has been designed for this purpose. It centralizes great part of the State Offices, and also the Liberdade Palace, where the Governor is based.

Squares
For quite some time Belo Horizonte held the title of “Garden City”. Even today, the amount of green preservation is impressive. There are over two million trees, including streets, parks and squares.

The belo-horizontino has double the green area recommended by the World Health Organization. There are 500 squares, contributing for a better quality of life in the city – places for sports practice, cultural demonstrations and recreation.

Pampulha Architectural Complex
The artificial lagoon was built in the 1940 decade, when Juscelino Kubitscheck was the Mayor. To compose its margins the architect Oscar Niemeyer has designed an architectural complex that became a reference and has influenced all the modern Brazilian architecture. Part of the complex are the São Francisco de Assis church, the Art Museum, Baile House and the Iate Tênis Club. Burle Marx’s gardens, Portinari’s painting and scupltures from Ceschiatti, Zamoiski and José Pedrosa complete and add value to the project conceived for the lagoon.

The Pampulha margins gather many leisure options, such as the Mineirinho stadium, the Zoo, the Lagoon’s Equestrian Preparation Center, and bike and walking tracks. Also located there is the Governador Magalhães Pinto Stadium, better known as "Mineirão".

Parks
The mineira capital has almost 30 parks and a further 200 green areas. It is an environmental heritage that contributes to make the city more pleasant for residents and visitors.

Museums
Belo Horizonte has a number of museums, among them: Mineiro Museum, Abílio Barreto Historic Museum, Arts and Workmanship Museum, Natural History Museum and the UFMG Botanic Gardens, Telephone Museum, Pampulha Art Museum, Mineralogy Museum Prof. Djalma Guimarães, UFMG Conservatory, Giramundo Museum.

Other Attractions
The city boasts other attractions, such as: observatories, movie theaters, nightclubs, live music, etc.

Shopping
Cachaça (sugar cane spirit)
Cachaças from all over the State, pure and aged, can be found at Banca do Ronaldo, located at Avenida Augusto de Lima, 744, stores 34 and 141, Center – Central Market. Phone numbers: +55 (31) 3274-9611 / 3274-9674; open Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 6pm, and on Sundays, 8am to 1pm.

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Fortaleza - Ceara

2008-04-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

Fortaleza - Ceará

To know Fortaleza is also to go on a trip on its history. The city got modernized, but still keeps signs from the past in museums, churches, fortresses, squares, stations, theaters and historic buildings.

The city center is filled with those memories, such as the Fortress of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, built on the same place where the city originated, and the Luz Palace, a beautiful construction in classic style from the end of the 18th century, which used to be the State Government headquarters. However, going to the beaches is, without doubt, one of the best activities for those coming to Fortaleza.

Iracema, Meireles and Futuro beaches are among the most popular options within the city. To walk on the Beira Mar Avenue promenade from the start, at Mucuripe, up to the Ingleses Bridge, at Iracema Beach, is a must-do walk, and quite reinvigorating. Boat trips by the beach margins are offered at tourist spots and are ideal for those wishing to enjoy a panoramic view of the capital. The city has a physical structure able to cater for any type of event, local and international. Ease of access to the airport, flights available to many Brazilian regions and other countries, and the privileged location make the State a natural choice for organizers of fairs, conferences and events. Add the many tourism attractions, offering first class entertainment for the tourists.

Events
Fortal
The biggest off-season Carnival in Brazil happens over a weekend in the month of July.

Ceará Music
Rock festival with local and national bands, every year in the month of November.

Attractions
Futuro Beach
Is the preferred urban beach among the Fortaleza swimmers and has an excellent infrastructure. The beach is quite crowded on weekends. Choose one within many kiosks and enjoy the sun.

Porto das Dunas Beach
This beach has a great infrastructure for tourism. Here is based the biggest aquatic park in Brazil.

Meireles Beach
Most of the city’s hotels are located along Meireles beach. This beach, although very pretty, is not recommended for bathing due to its proximity to the port.

Morro Branco Beach
It is a breathtaking beach. Here it is possible to walk through an impressive labyrinth of rocks.

Fontes Beach
A beach adjacent to Morro Branco, it is a paradise for bathers. Lots of sunshine, fresh breeze and the warm water are an invitation for leisure. Don’t miss the Mãe D’Água grotto.

Uruaú
A fascinating place with beach, dunes and lagoons, a few kilometers away from Fontes.

Canoa Quebrada Beach
Canoa Quebrada is the memory of a generation of young adventurers who, in the 1970’s, sought and alternative lifestyle, mingling with the purest Nature. These days the beach is one of the most popular in the cearense coast, without losing the humble and cozy feel of the past.

Icaraí Beach
This pretty beach is located a few kilometers from Fortaleza, on the North coast. An unmissable activity is a buggy ride in the majestic Icaraí Dunes.

Banana Lagoon
This lagoon, located near the stunning Cumbuco beach, is among the main leisure areas in Fortaleza.

Old Customs House
Between 1941 and 1945, the building went through refurbishment. Today it is a branch of Caixa Econômica Federal. Location: 287 Pessoa Anta Avenue.

Old Public Jail
The cells became stalls where a variety of cearense crafts can be found. At the upper floor of the building is the Popular Art Museum, with religious and folkloric themes, and the Mineralogy Museum, with precious and semiprecious stones from Ceará and the Northeast. Location: 350 Senador Pompeu Street. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturdays, 8am to noon.

Barra do Ceará
The touristic pole of Barra do Ceará stands out for its high historical and environmental value. This is the place where Pero Coelho de Sousa built the São Tiago Fortress, at the Ceará River fringe, west of the where the city of Fortaleza would later be located. The Ceará River marsh is rich in flora and fauna.

Regarding birds, there are 67 species, entertaining ornithologists and casual watchers. The Barra do Ceará salt marshes are famous since the foundation of Fortaleza. Location: Barra do Ceará district, by the margins of the Ceará River.

José de Alencar House
Small house where the cearense writer José de Alencar was born. Erected in 1826, it maintains the original structure until today. There are ruins from the first steam powered sugarcane plantation in Ceará, a collection of paintings, the Arthur Ramos museum, a library and a restaurant serving typical foods. Location: Av. Washington Soares, s/n, Sítio Alagadiço Novo, Messejana (15 km from the Fortaleza city center).

Fortaleza Metropolitan Cathedral
Its building started in 1938, at the site of the old Sé church. There were four decades of hardness, until its inauguration in 1978. With capacity for 5,000 people, the style is gothic-roman. Location: Sobral Street, s/n – Center.

Dragão do Mar Cultural Center
Inaugurated on August 7h, 1998, the Cultural Center has 30 thousand square meters of area to enliven the cearense culture and art. Attractions are the Cearense Culture Memorial, the Art Museum, the Cine-Theater, the anphitheater, the Arts Workshop and the Planetarium.
Location: 81 Dragão do Mar Street – Iracema Beach.

Teacher’s Reference Center - CRP
The Central Market used to be based at the Teacher’s Reference Center (CRP) site. Currently it is a great cultural and pedagogic center, popularizing access to culture, to communication and information technologies, allowing the use of computers connected to the Internet, where the citizen can use them for free for an hour and a half. Location: 434 Conde D'Eu Street – Center.

São Luiz Movie Theater
São Luiz Movie Theater took eighteen years of diligent work to be built and is the biggest and most luxurious cinema in Brazil. It has refinements worth of imperial palaces: Carrara marble on the floors and entrance hall walls, crystal chandeliers, details of the staircase in solid brass and a decoration on the walls of the projection room with striking artistic detail. Besides, there are 1,500 comfortable seats and a gallery for authorities. For a long time punters were required to dress in suits, such was the sumptuousness of the place. Location: 500 Floriano Peixoto Street – Center.

João Felipe Train Station
Built in 1880, the station was a bridge for arrivals and departures of trains for cargo and passenger transport from the inland to the capital. At present the station still has regular routes through the Metropolitan zone of Fortaleza. Location: Castro Carreira Square, Center.

Osvaldo Cruz Pharmacy
One of the most traditional commercial establishments in Fortaleza. It was founded around 1934 and was the first druggist in the city. The architecture has been maintained and the furniture is mostly old, with some original pieces. Location: 576 Major Facundo Street – Center.

Mucuripe Lighthouse
The old lighthouse was a homage to Princess Isabel. Built in baroque style, between 1840 and 1846, by the slaves, it ceased to operate in 1957 and was reactivated in 1982, with the Rafters Museum. Currently, the Lighthouse Museum is based there and it has become National Heritage. Location: Vicente de Castro Av., s/n – Mucuripe.

Beira-Mar Market
Typical cearense culture crafts fair open every day from 5pm. There tourists can find a large variety of crafts: pictures, colored bottles, hammocks, lace, etc. Location: Beira Mar Av. (in front of Náutico Club).

Nossa Senhora da Assunção Fortress
It was built in 1649, by the dutchman Matias Beck, at the margins of the Pajeú brook, when it was called Schoonemborch Fortress. In 1654, after the Dutch ousting, the Portuguese took over the fortress, and rebaptized it as Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assunção. After 1819 the fortress took the format it has today. It is the headquarters of the Command of the 10th Military Region. Location: Alberto Nepomuceno Av., s/n. – Center.

Rosário Church
The oldest temple in the city, dating from the 18th century. Around 1970, the Fraternity of Nossa Senhora do Rosário has carried out repairs to the Church, when it was threatened with an imminent collapse. In the following year, it was erected with stone and lime. There are rumors that on the temple’s walls were buried the bodies of dead slaves. The original wooden altar, portals, images and lamps have been kept in the church. It is protected by State Law. Location: 2 Rosário Street. Leões Square – Center.

Sagrado Coração de Jesus Church
The site where this church was erected used to be a dune called Anto da Pimenta or Alto da Boa Vista, when, on September 22nd, 1848, the church’s foundation stone was launched; it would have been inaugurated on March 25th, 1886. In 1957, part of the church collapsed, and it was rebuilt with new forms by the Capuchin priests. Vicar Friar João Alberto de Araújo. Location: 135 Duque de Caxias Avenue – Center.

Central Market
It is located next to the Cathedral. It was built in 1818 to replace two other metallic structure buildings, no longer suited to go along with the city’s development. With the growth of Fortaleza, the market could no longer handle the increased activity. In 1998 it was closed for the building of the new Central Market. Location: Alberto Nepomuceno Street, 199 – Center.

Pinhões Market
The current Pinhões Market is actually just half of the old Iron Market, inaugurated on April 18th, 1897, which came from France and was dismantled in 1938. Built to be the meat market, it is today one of the newest cultural spaces of Fortaleza. Now called Arts Market, it reveals within it important initiatives for historic rescue: the restoration and conservation of an architectural patrimony, of sentimental value to the city, and the implementation of an arts center which seeks, above all, to act as an effervescent workshop for ideas and cultural products. Location: Visconde de Pelotas Square.

Castelo Branco Monument
Based at Abolição Palace, the old state government headquarters, it the place of rest of the mortal remains of the Brazilian ex-president from the dictatorship period, the cearense Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco, and his wife, Argentina Castelo Branco. It consists of a concrete block with a bold fluctuation of 30 meters and 23 plaques with excerpts from speeches and letters from the ex-president. Location: Av. Barão de Studart, 410 – Aldeota.

Arthur Ramos Museum (José de Alencar House)
It features a collection of 3,000 to 5,000 pieces, among them a Ceará indigenous culture exhibition and African pieces, a collection which belonged to the anthropologist Arthur Ramos. There are also paintings and documents from the writer José de Alencar. Location: Av. Washington Soares, s/n, Sítio Alagadiço Novo, Messejana (15 km from the Fortaleza city center).

Museum of Image and Sound
Inaugurated officially in 1980, at the building of the Menezes Pimentel Public State Library, it is part of the Audiovisual Department of the Culture Office. The collection includes over 60,000 pieces, with negatives, photographs, slides, wax records and cassettes, and also a small library with 1,600 cordel books. Location: Av. Barão de Studart, 410 – Meireles.

Ceará Museum (Provincial Assembly)
Built in 1871, the old Provincial Assembly was based there. Currently it is the headquarters of Ceará Museum, created in 1933, and known initially as Historic Museum of Ceará. The current name dates from 1950. In 1953 it became National Heritage. The collection is organized in modules, with approximately 1,141 historical and anthropological pieces arranged in various rooms. Location: 51 São Paulo Street – Center. Opens from Tuesday to Friday, from 8:30am to 5pm, and on Saturdays, from 8:30am to 12:30. On Tuesdays the entrance is free.

Maracatu Museum
Founded in 1984, it tells the story of the Maracatu in Ceará. There are 230 pieces arranged in five sections of clothing, slave house objects, musical instruments and Maracatu characters. Location: 362 Rufino de Alencar Street. Opens on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 8am to 5pm. Free entrance.

New Statue of Iracema
The work, from cearense sculptor Zenon Barreto, is six meters high, two of them the pedestal, all sculpted in iron and covered with fiberglass. The statue is presented kneeling down and arched, communicating all the pain that devastated Iracema’s heart with the loss of her beloved one, at José de Alencar’s work. Location: Tabajaras Street, s/n. Promenade – Iracema Beach.

Ceará Stately House
Inaugurated in 1914, it is the symbol of great transformations in the city’s semblance. For a long time it used to be the meeting point of the cearense society, and between 1920 and 1940 the famous Clube Iracema was based there. In 1955 the building was put for sale and acquired by Caixa Econômica Federal, which was occupying it since 1946. Location: 48 Guilherme Rocha Street. Ferreira Square – Center.

Luz Palace
Built in the end of the 18th century to be the residence of the major-captain Antônio da Costa Viana, it was the headquarters of the state government until around 1970. With neoclassic architecture, it has wide halls, built with the traditional technique of brick and timber. The Cearense Academy of Literature is based there. It is protected by State Law. Location: 1 Rosário Street – Center.

Metallic Bridge
Inaugurated in 1906 for loading and unloading passengers and cargo. It was built with metallic profiles and timber floor. Location: Iracema Beach.

Ingleses Bridge
Building started in 1923 by the English company Nestor Grifts. It has never functioned as a port. The sunset view is regarded as the most beautiful in the city. Location: Rua dos Cariris, s/n – Iracema Beach.

Mucuripe Port
The ideal place found to build the port, which would be approved in 1835, was Ponta do Mucuripe. In 1860 the port was abandoned and replaced by the Metallic Bridge, which would inevitably become Fortaleza’s port. Location: Vicente de Castro Av., s/n. – Mucuripe.

Coração de Jesus Square
It was initially called Boa Vista Square, as it was located in Alto da Boa Vista. Founded in 1880k after the inauguration of a church with the same name, the square is tree lined, with many benches, where an urban bus terminal is also based. Location: Between the Streets Solon Pinheiro, Pedro I, Jaime Benévolo and Av. Duque de Caxias.

Cristo Redentor Square
It got this name in 1922, because of the monument with a column with Christ on top, 35 meters high. It is regarded one of the most arborized squares in Fortaleza. Many cultural events happen there, as it is located between São José Theater and the Prainha Seminar. Location: Between Rufino Alencar, 25 de Março, Franco Rabelo Streets and Dom Manuel Avenue, in front of the public library and Dragão do Mar Cultural Center.

Ferreira Square
It is the vital city center, where many buildings of historic importance share the space with various commercial establishments based there. The square was inaugurated in 1929, with the name of Feira Nova. In 1842 it started to be called Largo das Trincheiras.

In 1871 it was named Ferreira Square paying homage to pharmacist Antônio Rodrigues Ferreira. Along its history, it went through many refurbishments. The last one occurred in 1991, when a new column was installed and the gardens rearranged, thus recovering the original architecture. The square was chosen by the population as the city’s icon. Location: Between Floriano Peixoto, Guilherme Rocha, General Bezerril e Pedro Borges Streets – Center.

José de Alencar Square
José de Alencar Square pays homage to the cearense writer, lawyer, government representative and minister José Martiniano de Alencar, one of the exponents of Romantism. Initially is used to be called Patrocínio Square, then Marquês de Herbal Square, and today José de Alencar Square. Location: city centre, between 24 de Maio, São Paulo, General Sampaio and Guilherme Rocha Streets.

Mártires Square
Place which staged the scenes of shootings of some heroes of the Equator Confederation. Built in 1980 in neoclassic style, it is regarded as one of the main squares in Fortaleza. In 1940 it was refurbished to look like the Public Promenade in Rio de Janeiro. Mártires Square, its current name, became National Historic Heritage. Location: Between Barão do Rio Branco, Dr. João Moreira and Floriano Peixoto Streets, next to the 10th Military Region.

São José Theater
Inaugurated in 1915. It features its own theater group, which aims to receive theater groups from the city. The Maracatu Museum is based there. It is protected by Municipal Law. Location: 326 Rufino de Alencar Street – Center.

José de Alencar Theater
Considered one of the most beautiful in the Country, it is one of the most significant artistic monuments in the city. It became national historic heritage. Location: José de Alencar Square s/n – Center.

Shopping
Crafts can be found at the local markets. Clothes, shoes, bags and bikinis made by the skillful cearense hands are sold at Monsenhor Tabosa Street, a huge open air shopping center.

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Ubatuba - Sao Paulo

2008-04-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Ubatuba - São Paulo

Ubatuba is one of the best places in Brazil to practice surf, nautical sports, and diving. There are beach options for all kinds of audiences – from the high waves of Itamambuca to the calms waters of Lázaro. Uninhabited beaches such as Brava, Almada, Cedro draw one’s attention, and the access to them is made through tracks. For those looking for movement, the best option is “Grande” Beach or the schooner rides to Anchieta Island. The services are focused on Itaquá and Centro beaches, with a developed infrastructure to welcome visitors all year long.

Another wonder Ubatuba exhibits are the preserved stretches of “Mata Atlântica” (Atlantic Forest), at Serra do Mar Park, on the region’s far north.

The city north limits is the historical city of Parati, in the state of Rio de Janeiro; southward, Caraguatatuba, in the state of São Paulo; westward you can reach Vale do Paraíba, in the same state.

Attractions
Ubatuba “Horto Florestal” (Forest Garden)
It is an Experimental Station of the Agriculture Agency and is part of Campinas Agronomic Institute. Its major purpose is analyzing and studying the main plants and their adaptation to the region climate and soil. It is a beautiful and interesting walk – the “Horto” has avenues filled with leafy trees and imperial palm trees, making up a very pleasant landscape.

“Casa da Farinha” (Flour House)
A historical site amid the preserved “Mata Atlântica”, “Casa de Farinha” is the beginning of an important track through the "Jatobá", "Poço da Rasa" beach reaching the Corisco Hill. However, these tracks must only be taken when monitored by specialized guides, who will also be able to provide thorough information about the site history and Mata Atlântica, making the ride an unforgettable experience.

TAMAR Project
The Sea Turtles (TAMAR) Project was created in 1980 in order to protect from extinction five species of turtles which use the Brazilian coastline to feed and reproduce. A program to protect these species has been developed with activities designed to environmental education, scientific research, and social and community actions, involving local residents.

Santa Cruz Farm
A private property with most of its area inside the Serra do Mar State Park – Picinguaba Center, a state conservation unit. The Park aims at ensuring the protection of forests, wild animals, rivers, and wellsprings, toward the region environmental and tourist preservation, as well as the quality of life of residents and visitors.

Lagoinha Ruins – Lagoinha Beach
By means of Rio-Santos highway toward Caraguatatuba-Ubatuba, it is possible to see a traffic sign when the beach ends, showing the Lagoinha Ruins. On the left is a road, 500 meter after which, you can reach one of Ubatuba’s many attractions. It is a place where the Brazilian colonial history can be breathed in and, with a small work of imagination, you can travel back to the past and visualize foremen and slaves in their daily works.

Ubatuba “Mercado de Pescados” (Fish Market)
It lies beside Barra dos Pescadores and is a great shopping option for those who enjoy cooking fresh fish and seafood.

Ubatuba Aquarium
It provides its visitors with the chance of closely meeting some of the complex sea world, having among its attraction 12 salt water tanks – among which is one of Brazil’s largest sea tanks, with 80 thousand liters – with specimens from the local fauna and other oceans.

Serra do Mar State Park
Created in 1977, the Serra do Mar State Park (PESM) is the largest park in São Paulo, with 315,390 hectares devoted to preservation, environmental education, valuation of the local culture, and scientific research. Its surroundings have virtually every ecosystem representing the Mata Atlântica. Ubatuba shelters the only stretch of the PESM which reaches sea level, thus protecting the coastal ecosystems, as well as five beaches and two villages – Cambury and Picinguaba – whose residents also preserve aspects of their traditional culture. It is an environmentally strategic point as it links the PESM to Serra de Bocaina National Park by overlapping both units, integrating them to a group comprised by the Cairuçu Environmental Protection Area and the Joatinga Ecologic Reserve. already in the city of Parati, state of Rio de Janeiro.

Anchieta Island
It is the largest island of Ubatuba. It shelters a portion of Serra do Mar State Park. There are schooner rides which take visitors to some of its beaches – Engenho, Palmas, and Presídio. Departures from Saco da Ribeira.

Diving
Ubatuba has some of the best diving points of the northern coastline of São Paulo state. And it has special features – calm, clear waters with pleasant temperatures – which make up the perfect scenario for practicing free diving or snorkeling. One of the most required sites is "Praia do Leste” (Eastern Beach). Local tourist agencies offer courses and rent equipment.

Beaches
Figueira Beach
Located in front of “Ilha do Tamanduá” (Tamanduá Island), it is great for diving and practicing nautical sports.

Ponta Aguda Beach
Despite of being difficult to reach, it is very much visited for fishing and nautical sports. It comprises one of the most beautiful landscapes in the region.

Brava do Frade Beach
It has a narrow sandy stretch and its access is only through tracks.

Cassandoquinha Beach
It is the starting point for one of the most beautiful ecological tracks offered there.

Cassandoca Beach
A former colonial farm which lived on livestock, nowadays it is one of the city’s most visited sites.

Maranduba Beach
A complete beach, with many natural beauties and an infrastructure of commerce and services in order to please all demands.

Lagoinha Beach
Ruins of the first glass factory in Brazil.

Bonete Beach and Grande do Bonete
One of the most gorgeous routes of São Paulo coastline, with clear sands and waters. Toward Bonete, the access is made on foot and lasts about 40 minutes, near Lagoinha.

Fortaleza Beach
It is full of huge rocks comprising appealing caverns and passages across the coast.

Brava da Fortaleza Beach
A real paradise surrounded by the Mata Atlântica.

Dura Beach
A large beach with a very calm sea – good for you and your children.

Domingas Dias Beach
A small roadstead of still and clear waters. The access is made by means of Lázaro Beach.

Lázaro Beach
A place with many summer resort houses, it is one of the most beautiful and peaceful beaches for bathing in the entire region.

Sununga Beach
Famous because it shelters the “Gruta que Chora” (Crying Cavern), a place involved in many legends and mysteries.

Saco da Ribeira Beach
A nautical environment with rides leading to Anchieta Island.

Presídio Beach
A point where schooner riders to Anchieta Island stop.

Sul Beach
One of the most fascinating beaches of Anchieta Island.

Leste Beach
Still waters, suitable to diving.

Lamberto Beach
It shelters the Oceanographic Institute of São Paulo University - USP.

Perequê Mirim Beach
Still water beaches, excellent for families.

Santa Rita Beach
Tiptop for children, as it has still and crystal-clear waters.

Enseada Beach
It has calm waters and a full hotel infrastructure.

Toninhas Beach
It concentrates several bars and kiosks that add to this bustling place.

“Grande” Beach
This is Ubatuba’s most visited beach. Excellent to practice surf.

Tenório Beach
It has white and soft sands across the breakwater, but the waves are extremely strong.

Vermelha do Centro Beach
It is covered by velvety sand with beautiful shells.

Itaguá Beach
It is the city’s most amusing point near downtown. It has countless bars.

Cruzeiro Beach (Iperoig)
The place where José de Anchieta (also known as Joseph Anchieta) wrote his poem to the Virgin.

Prainha do Matarazzo Beach
A small stretch of sand where the outfall of Rio Grande (river) is.

Perequê-Açu Beach
Four kilometer long, it is one of Ubatuba’s most traditional beaches.

Vermelha do Norte Beach
It has an aquatic park with a water slide. It is beside Rio-Santos road.

Itamambuca Beach
Known worldwide, it hosts surf championships. It is very large and has quite clear sands.

Ubatumirim Beach
One of the most charming views of Rio-Santos road, it is large and has a very calm sea.

Almada Beach
A delightful retreat for "caiçaras" (natives of Santos city)

Brava da Almada Beach
A paradisiacal scenario with a luxuriant nature, despite of being difficult to reach.

Fazenda Beach
It shelters the administrative headquarters of Serra do Mar State Park – Picinguaba Center.

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Vitoria - Espirito Santo

2008-04-03T00:04:00.000-07:00

Vitória - Espírito Santo

Founded in 1551, on Vitória island, on the margins of the equally named bay, the capital of the State of Espírito Santo extends over an area of 81 km2 and hosts two among the most important ports in the Country – Tubarão and Vitória-, through which flow a great part of the minerals Brazil exports coming from the States of Minas Gerais and Pará.

The city’s first inhabitants were from the Goitacaz tribe, who called it the Guanaaní Island, that is, the Honey Island, due to the beauty of its surroundings and its waters rich in fish and shellfish. Both inside and outside Brazil, the coast along the State of Espírito Santo is famous for the variety and quantity of its fish. On the beaches of Camburi, and on the Islands of Frade and Boi, and all around the bay’s shore, fishing by flinging nets or with the “puçá” (a traditional indigenous trap for fish), is for tourists a sure guarantee of great stories or, who knows, of a trophy in the many tournaments held on the island. Ocean fishing, no doubt, is the city’s welcome card. Every year, from the Espírito Santo Yacht Club, on the beach of Canto, boats leave with contenders for the Oceanic Fishing International Championship, which gathers the greatest fishers of the so-called “beak fish” (marlins) in the world. Vitória was the stage for two fishing world records: the largest Blue Marlin “ever” caught, weighing 636 kg, caught in 1992; and the largest White Marlin, weighing 82.5 kg, caught in 1979.

The best season for fishing Blue Marlin is from October to March, and for White Marlin, in November. Anyway, any time of the year, fishing in Vitória is plentiful and easy. Visitors will also find in Vitória beautiful beaches and many other attractions, such as the city’s downtown area, a witness to history with colonial buildings, palaces and churches. Vitória’s tradition also extends to the local cuisine, which uses clay pots made by local craftswomen for cooking typical dishes like “moqueca” (a fish and seafood stew) and the “capixaba pie”. Bars, restaurants and nightclubs complete the range of attractions available in the city. With an exciting nightlife, Vitória offers all the infrastructure to welcome tourists traveling on business or leisure.

Attractions
Fishing
Vitória’s coastline is considered as one of the best locations for marlin fishing, especially between October and March. And that because around 29 miles away from the coast there is the continental platform, which marks the change in sea depth from 100 to 1000 meters, the natural habitat of oceanic fish.

Beaches
Camburi
Most important beach in Vitória, it is 6 km long. It concentrates the city’s cultural and sports activities, organized by the city administration. It offers a varied assortment of hotels and snack and drinking bars that, as usual, serve as main dish the “moqueca” (fish and seafood stew) and the “capixaba pie”.

Canto Beach
It is located near the Espírito Santo Yacht Club, where an yearly edition of the oceanic fishing international championship is held. The beach is bordered by a wide sidewalk that is much used for long walks and jogging.

Suá Cove
It offers a large sidewalk bordering the beach and a bicycle track, ideal for walks, jogging and riding the bicycle.

The Jurema Bend
It is formed by an embankment that connect Boi and Vitória islands. Visitors can appreciate the many snack bars spread along the coastline.

Frade Island
Connected to Vitória by a bridge, it is an area of expensive mansion houses and narrow stretches of sand with very clear waters, turned into “mini-beaches”. The most appreciated beach there is Castanheiras.

Boi Island
Connected to Vitória by an embankment. The island is surrounded by small beaches with crystalline waters. Boi Island has three neighboring islands, Galheta de Dentro, Galheta de Fora and Rasa.

In town
Fonte Grande Hill
This hill concentrates all TV and radio towers in the city, being 308 meters high. It offers a good view of the Vitória metropolitan area.

São Gonçalo Church
In colonial style, the chapel was built in 1707. It is located in Cidade Alta, in the downtown area.

Santa Luzia Church
The oldest building on the island, built in 1551, and considered a national monument. It currently hosts an art gallery and a research center for the University of Espírito Santo. Other churches and monasteries of high historical importance may also be seen in Vitória, such as the Rosário Church, whose construction leads us back to 1765; the ruins of São Francisco Cloister, the first Franciscan building erected out of the Brazilian Northeastern region, dating from 1591; The City Cathedral, built in 1918; and the old Jesuit School, which today hosts the State Government House, together with São Tiago Church, both buildings erected during the 17th century. Visitors can appreciate also the Domingos Martins Palace, currently used by the State Legislative Chamber, built in 1910, on the location that used to be occupied by Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia Church.

The Third Bridge
An interesting way of knowing an important part of Vitória’s coastline is by driving along the Darcy Castelo de Mendonça Bridge, also known as the “Third Bridge”. Being 3,300 meters long and reaching a height of 70 meters at its highest point, it allows visitors to see many beaches, islands and ports, including also the neighboring city of Vila Velha.

Shopping
Clay pots
Indispensable for preparing the “moqueca capixaba” (a traditional fish and seafood stew), clay pots can be purchased directly from local makers at the Goiabeiras Pot Makers Association (on Rua das Paneleiras, 55).

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