Central Rio de Janeiro is most famous for the likes of Ipanema and Copacabana. But in many ways its most exciting and dynamic scene – along with a plethora of cultural and historic landmarks – is to be found north of them, in the venerable district
A fairly short hop away from the samba and bustle of Rio de Janeiro, you can escape to a variety of tropical paradises, both inland and on the coast. One of the most superb examples of the latter is 150 kilometres (93 miles) away: the city of Angra
Read more…
In the heart of Brazilian Amazonia is Manaus, the gateway to Amazonia, a huge swath of over 4,000 square kilometers, covering nine Brazilian states and home to most of the nearly 210 indigenous tribes in the country.
Manaus is a perfect destination fo
Unlike as is increasingly the case with Christmas, in Ibero-America Semana Santa (Holy Week, aka Easter week and the last week of Lent), going on right now, is still an almost exclusively religious observance, largely sans the Anglo-Saxon-style East
Gastronomy is a fashionable trend, a hobby for thousands, and according to a recent U.N. World Tourism Organization report, is now one of the main motivations for many to travel.
The report ranks gastronomy as the third reason tourists decide to visi
When even most wine connoisseurs think of Latin America and the fruit of the vine, Argentina and Chile of course immediately spring to mind. But to their east, in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, lies a slightly smaller and lesser kn
When you think about Brazil, chances are it’s all about Rio de Janeiro, perhaps with some Amazon and Bahia thrown in (or just maybe even the futuristic architecture of capital Brasilia). But all the way down south in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, t
From a country that exports the most star soccer players and sets the bar for lavish Carnival celebrations the world over, it's easy to overlook Brazil as a major wine producer.
Encompassing nearly 2,500 miles along Brazil’s eastern border, six mai
Read more…
In my time living in Brazil, perhaps the greatest lesson I have taken from Brazilian culture is to be quiet on the inside despite the chaos happening on the outside. Rio de Janeiro residents, Cariocas, spend a lot of time at the beach. This greatly c
With São Paulo hosting the world's largest gay pride, it's no surprise that there is a large and very proud gay community in Brazil. However, the dialogue surrounding the acceptance of this integral facet of society has been slow to change.
On the 48th anniversary of the Stonewall Riot in New York City, its spirit has spread to Latin America, where after Europe and the USA, significant chunks this region have seen, despite the traditionally conservative nature of Latin society, the gre
Read more…
Just the word "Brazil" conjures up an image of exotic beauty and tropical glamour. And "Rio de Janeiro" evokes sunshine, sensuality, and the fabulous. But in a city with a greater metropolitan area of nearly 13 million, it is difficult to know where
Hidden deep inside another one of French designer Phillipe Stark’s hotels is the Renata de Abreu Spa at the Fasano. This hotel, built with core materials such as wood, glass and marble overlooks life-guard stand Posto 8 on Ipanema Beach. With its sp
In the heart of Brazilian Amazonia is Manaus, the gateway to Amazonia, a huge swath of over 4,000 square kilometers, covering nine Brazilian states and home to most of the nearly 210 indigenous tribes in the country.
Manaus is a perfect destination f
Rio famously boasts one of the most spectacular natural settings of any major world city, a charismatic interplay of ocean with dramatic plunging hills (the most dramatic and reknowned, of course, being Sugarloaf and Corcovado). And though a good de
When visitors to Rio de Janeiro ask me what I recommend, the reply is always the same: go to the beach! Ipanema might not have the calmest waters nor the most turquoise, but it is by far the most incredible beach I have ever been to. It is tantalizin
In Brazil, there is always music playing. It is the fuel for our daily fire! Music is a normal part of the city hum you hear all day long in every corner of this country. In Brazilian culture, there is a natural encouragement to sing out loud and dan
The Lençóis Maranhenses are surely one of the most wondrous places in a country packed with wondrous places. This is a national park in the small northern state of Maranhão spreads over 300 square kilometers of white dunes and lagoons, spreading from
When it comes to shopping on holiday, the 20 countries of Ibero-America are a stupendous trove that reflect the diversity of both their modern culture and their Hispanic and pre-Columbian heritages. Some of the most striking items that decorate my ho
Brazil’s exciting, vibrant commercial capital isn’t just Latin America’s most populous metro area (not to mention the world’s sixth largest): São Paulo also boasts the curious distinction of being home to the world’s largest Japanese community outsid
