The Ultimate Travel Guide to Brazil: History & Attractions

The land of carnival, samba and breathtaking nature — Christ the Redeemer, the Amazon basin, Iguazu Falls and Copacabana Beach are just the beginning.

A Glimpse into History

Brazil's 8.5 million square kilometres contain more than a third of the world's remaining tropical rainforest and one of humanity's most complex racial and cultural stories. Before Portuguese colonisation, between 2 and 5 million indigenous people from hundreds of tribes inhabited the territory. Pedro Álvares Cabral's 1500 landing established Portugal's claim to Brazil, which was developed as a sugar colony using enslaved African labour — Brazil imported more enslaved Africans (4.9 million) than any other country in history, and slavery was not abolished until 1888. This legacy created the extraordinary Afro-Brazilian culture — samba, candomblé religion, capoeira, and feijoada — that is now inseparable from national identity. Independence from Portugal came peacefully in 1822 when Prince Dom Pedro declared himself Emperor Pedro I of Brazil — making it South America's only Portuguese-speaking nation and its only constitutional monarchy. The Republic was proclaimed in 1889. The 20th century brought waves of Italian, German, Japanese, and Middle Eastern immigration, creating the world's most diverse national population. The Amazon was opened to colonisation with catastrophic ecological consequences from the 1960s onwards, while the military dictatorship (1964–85) suppressed political freedom. Brazil's re-democratisation, the economic boom of the 2000s, and hosting the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics brought global visibility. Today Brazil is the world's largest Portuguese-speaking nation and Latin America's largest economy.

Top Attractions in Brazil

Christ the Redeemer & Rio de Janeiro

The 38-metre Art Deco statue of Christ with outstretched arms atop Corcovado mountain is one of the world's most recognisable icons, blessing the city of Rio — Guanabara Bay, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the hillside favelas — laid out below. Sunrise from the statue as sea mist clears over the bay is among the world's great views.

Amazon Rainforest — Manaus Gateway

The Meeting of the Waters near Manaus — where the black Rio Negro and sandy Amazon run side by side without mixing for 6 km due to different temperatures and densities — is one of nature's strangest spectacles. Jungle lodges accessible by boat into the flooded forest offer piranha fishing, caiman spotting by torchlight, pink river dolphin encounters, and village visits to ribeirinho communities.

Iguazu Falls (Brazilian Side)

The Brazilian side of the world's largest waterfall system offers the panoramic overview — a 1.2 km walkway along the canyon rim lets you see all 275 falls at once, culminating in the Garganta do Diabo (Devil's Throat) viewpoint. The optional boat ride directly into the falls' spray is one of the world's most exhilarating tourist experiences.

Salvador — Afro-Brazilian Capital

Brazil's first capital and the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture — Salvador's Pelourinho historic centre (UNESCO) is a riot of coloured colonial buildings on cobblestone hills, capoeira circles, candomblé ceremonies, and samba-reggae rhythms. The Salvador Carnival (February) is the world's largest street party, with 2 million people dancing on the beach for the Axé sound of the Bahian drum.