Best of Brazil

The best of Brazil is the best of a beautiful, bounteous, buxom country, about as best as best can be—which we immediately sense as we alight in the Atlantic coast city of Salvador de Bahia, a natural and human sensation. Often called the most African city in the Western Hemisphere, Salvador is a vibrant mélange of cultures, endlessly wafting street music, wildly toothsome Bahian cuisine (which we sample at funky little cafés), and dance performances, both scheduled and impromptu. Now south to Rio de Janeiro, full eye-grabbing scenery and one of the planet’s most energized cities, sexy beyond measure. We give Rio a good sightsee, heading up Corcovado Mountain for its fantastic vistas, wandering the cafés, bistros, and galleries of the bohemian neighborhood of Santa Teresa, biking and strolling along Rio’s iconic and stimulating beaches, cruising the city’s offshore islands, and much more.

We end our trip a little ways south of Rio in the far-less-visited Costa Verde, a scenic wonderland that slows us down, gently, beneficently. From the picturesque fishing village of Picinguaba, we soak up a magnificent turquoise bay, possibly chartering a boat for the day to cruise among the than 400 islands, snorkeling and beach-lolling along the way. We venture inland to the nearby Sierra de Bocaina National Park, a riot of greenery, wildlife, and fluttering waterfalls near the motorcarless, cobblestone-streeted, colonial architecture–graced city of Paraty before we make our way homeward.

Of course, it’s also a fine idea to delay your trip home in favor of discovering more of this splendid country. We’ll be glad to tie in jaunts to such places as the sensational Iguassu Falls, the gorgeous Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, the dramatic mesas of Chapada Diamantina, the sand dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, the biologically hopping wetlands of Pantanal, and the Amazon. Give us a call at 888-570-7108 and we'll happily elaborate.