Brazil is an exciting country with everything from jungle jaunts to beautiful beaches, and everything in between.
After just writing about how to travel safely in Brazil, I knew I just had to write about some of the most exciting things there are to see in the world's fifth largest nation.
Of course you'll have to see the major cities like Rio, Sao Paulo, and Manaus, but then there's also places like Sao Roque and San Luis that most people never hear about or get to see. So if you're up for anything and everything, you'll find it in these awesome places to visit in Brazil.
Rio
Known for its exceptional beaches, Rio is also a city that knows how to party. If you're not lucky enough to come for its annual Carnival, try for New Year's Eve when everyone heads to its Copacabana Beach for a festive way to say goodbye to the year.
Quiter pursuits include a visit to Rio's Botanical Garden, or to its massive (and world-famous) Christ the Redeemer statue. Then there's always a chance to take a cable car to Sugar Loaf Mountain, visit the Natural History or Fine Arts Museums, and find a bike path (there are 99km of bike trails).
Iguazu Falls
Voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Iguazu Falls is quite an impressive display of water power on the Brazilian/Argentinian border. You might have seen it before since this massive waterfall has been featured in a number of movies, like Miami Vice and Indiana Jones.
The area of Iguazu Falls is a UNESCO area with walkways that offer incredible views of the falls themselves, as well as butterflies and toucans.
Manaus
This is the town you'll want to visit if you're headed out into the Amazon Jungle. Located in northwest Brazil, Manuas has a tropical monsoon climate with August as its driest month. Monsoons or not, Manaus is more then just jungle adventures--it is home to the Natural Sciences of the Amazon Museums, a number of parks, a zoo, and lots of nightlife on its beaches.
Forget that--what caught my attention was the Meeting of the Waters; two rivers that meet up and you can actually see the differences by their different colors. It's all science about how and why they don't just blend easily together, but all I know is it isn't anything I've ever seen before.
Sao Paulo
Since Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, it's fitting that the country has a Museum of the Portuguese Language Museum right here. It is also where you find exceptional luxury item shopping (Rolex, Valentino, my favorite Louis Vuitton, and Fendi to name a few).
Sao Paulo is a festival loving city too, with its own Fashion Week, Carnival, a Film Festival, and a summer Pancake cook-off. This is in addition to its annual Brazil Grand Prix, its music and theater events, and historical sites like its Cathedral and other museums.
Sao Roque
Located not too far from Sao Paulo, the area of Sao Roque is known as the Land of Wine. Not to mention its Ski Mountain Park with skiing, tobogganing, horse riding, rock climbing, and paintball. If you can tear yourself from all that, head to explore Sao Roque's caves.
Champada Diamantina National Park
Yes, it is true that diamonds are a girl's best friend--and they've been found here in this National Park. The park is also known for its stunning cliffs and valleys, as well as all its rivers and streams. No wonder the Champada Diamantina National Park is an eco-tourist's dream vacation--and where you can follow a trail all the way to its highest peak, Pico do Barbado, at 6,670 feet.
Sao Luis
This is one of Brazil's only places that shows a French influence--mainly because it was colonized by France in 1612. Its city center is a UNESCO site for all its colonial buildings, but it is also a beach lovers area with surfing on its San Marco Beach or sunbathing at its Ponta d' Areia.
Museum lovers will no doubt love its Museum of Sacred Art and its Artistic & History Museum. And architecture afficionados will appreciate its Cathedral of Our Lady (b. 1629) and Palacio dos Leones that was built in French King Louis XIII's honor.
If good ol' King Louis didn't make it to Sao Luis to see his palace, he didn't know what he was missing.
Come to think of it, if you don't come to Brazil--you sure don't know what you're missing. And with these top places to visit in Brazil, I just make your intinerary a whole lot easier, yes?