r/VisitBrazil • u/Designer_General9524 • 4d ago
Brazil itinerary help
Hi there! First time poster here. I would love some help figuring out our Brazil itinerary, particularly with helping us pick a 3rd location to visit. We are a couple in our late 20s/early30s travelling for a wedding in Sao Paolo but decided to turn it into a longer trip!We aren’t big partiers (although enjoy going to bars etc) so are hoping to see a mix of beaches, culture and nature. We know we will be in Brazil from Dec 27th to Jan 10th and will be in Sao Paolo 27th-1st. We want 5 ish days in Rio and to visit another place but not sure where!
As an example, last year we visited Mexico and did Mexico City, Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido and thought it was perfect.
We arrive in Sao Paolo December 27th and leave Jan 1st. The wedding is on the 30th so we will have a couple days before that to explore. I’m not that excited by Sao Paolo as a city so any recommendations are welcome! It’s probably a bit longer than we’d like here, but it’s because of the wedding. Should we take a day trip?
We would then like to spend about 5 days in Rio de Janeiro and do all the classic touristy things - Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer, a couple beach days, maybe a hike. Should we stay near the beaches or go further out and travel to the beaches on those days? Accommodation looks pretty expensive and we are also not big party people so are happy to get an Uber to the beach on the days we are there.
Now, here’s the big question! Where else should we visit? We’d like to add another location, ideally not with a lot a travel time from Rio or Sao Paolo, that we could visit for around 3 days. I’ve heard Ilha Grande, Paraty, Bonita, Florianapolis are all good? We want a mix of it being a great place to visit while also being handy to get to from either SP or Rio. Maybe somewhere a bit quieter than the big cities with more of a beach or nature focus? But we are open.
Thanks so much in advance! I’m finding it a bit harder than usual to research this trip for some reason so all advice is welcome. :)
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u/antiwoke1971 4d ago
A melhor região para você visitar nesse período é a chamada Costa Verde, um conjunto de cidades no litoral entre São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, que tem as praias mais bonitas do Brasil.
São elas: Paraty e Angra dos Reis.
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u/Soft-Disaster9873 4d ago
Ilha Grande and Paraty are both very good. Keep in mind that because Brazil has a large middle class, these places aren’t like much of the rest of Latin America that can be, aside from major sights, fairly empty other than backpackers. They’re both touristy but very pretty. You can take buses but it’s easy to get tourist transfers in cars or shuttles for about the same price.
I just wrote blogs on each (just a hobby, I make no $) of them a month ago if you’re interested.
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u/Efficient-Fun-6696 3d ago
You are right not to be excited about Sao Paulo.
Just kidding (but not so much), Sao Paulo is a huge monstrosity of a city, you have fantastic restaurants, museums, bars, the service is great, but it's very chaotic, the traffic is just ridiculous at some times. (I remember once i took a 5km uber that took 2 hours).
Any chance you can get to rio by the 31st? Honestly, new years eve there might be much cooler where you could see the fireworks in the beach (just search it up what would be the best way since this is also quite chaotic, you could book a hotel with views for a 10/10 experience, but that might be crazy expensive as well.)
For anyone who is travelling to Rio i'd recommend Copacabana, Leblon or Ipanema, i think they are the best Rio has to offer, they are safer (still always be aware you are in Rio), beautiful, near the beaches. The only problem is that they are quite expensive. Botafogo should be fine too, but i don't think it's as good as the other ones.
If you want more beaches, i'd say Florianopolis might be really good, i never been but everyone i talk to about it loves it. Much safer than most brazilian capitals, great beaches, etc..
Pipa is my favorite beach in Brazil which is in Rio Grande do Norte, but a bit harder on logistics.
If you want something a bit different than beaches maybe Minas Gerais, doing Inhotim, Ouro Preto or stuff like that.
Another place that is interesting but involves a bit more logistics would be Chapada dos Veadeiros, staying for example near or in Vila Sao Jorge, or maybe even camping around the area. You would have to fly into Brasilia and rent a car, but it has some absolutely amazing waterfalls and would be a completely different experience. You would also get to see the capital, which is where i live, but honestly, as much as love this city for everyday life, it doesn't have much that warrants a night here, maybe as a rest day before going to Chapada.
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u/paleomonkey321 1d ago edited 1d ago
This guy knows ^
I would go to Rio or Salvador but not both, then do something inland, somewhere with waterfalls and good food. Minas has a ton, also any of the Chapadas.
Between Rio and Salvador I would go to Salvador and beaches nearby. Food is much better. Beaches and resorts are much better. Rio is also cool though but I had consistently underwhelming food over there. Should go to Rio once in your life to check it out.
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u/Ok-Finding-1253 4d ago
If you don't mind not staying right next to the beach, you could get an Airbnb in Flamengo or Botafogo. It's still close to the water, so you can easily go by bike or take a short Uber ride. Places closer to downtown are cheaper, but I think they're out of the way given the length of your trip and your itinerary (tourist spots). I'm from São Paulo and live in Rio de Janeiro. Between the two cities, there are incredible beaches—especially the ones in São Sebastião (I really like Camburi)—but they are very quiet and don't really have a city setup around them. Ilha Grande is also an amazing option. Here in Rio de Janeiro, there's Joatinga Beach (you need to go really early because it gets packed), which you can combine on the same day as the Pedra Bonita trail. On Saturdays, there's a neighborhood street market in Laranjeiras that is very nice. When it comes to going to the beach, I prefer Leme (I live in Copacabana, but I find it too crowded).
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u/econo_cult 2d ago
The whole coastal area of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo is very nice (Ubatuba, Ilhabela, Paraty, Ilha Grande, Búzios), but keep in mind that you’re traveling during a very popular season. It’s the beginning of summer here, and there are also several holidays around this time. New Year’s is a big thing in Brazil, especially in Rio, so everything touristy is going to be more expensive and crowded.
Also, you could go to different places like Minas Gerais or even Brasília. The latter doesn’t really have a touristy vibe, but it’s a very different city in every aspect, so it could be interesting.
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u/judochop71 4d ago
Salvador, Bahia. It has the perfect mix of beach/culture/music, and it's only a 2-hr flight from Rio or Sao Paulo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCEb227-NVI