Brazil welcomes over 5 million visitors per year, which is a modest number when you consider how vast and spectacular the country in South America happens to be. In the dual realms of culture and nature, no other destination on the planet can rival Brazil. Rio de Janeiro however, while brilliant, dominates leisure tourism, with São Paulo the number one city for international business.
With such a rich, multi-ethnic heritage and gorgeous national parks, Brazil has a lot more to offer. The country has no less than sixteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with many more candidates under consideration in the near future. Perhaps the only asset the country lacks, aside from better security, is good public relations for these superb attractions. Here then, are ten of the most impressive World Heritage Sites in Brazil.
With over 2.5 million people, the capital of Brazil is a dynamic city with many notable attributes that rank it as a World Heritage destination. Brasilia was built less than a century ago to serve as the capital of the nation and as a result, was the result of a careful urban plan. The city’s subsequent layout was both innovative and progressive, a harmonious union that endures today.
A beautiful 17th century island city, São Luís is the capital of the state of Maranhão. The notable hub of capoeira has made considerable investments in the restoration of colonial era architecture before and since UNESCO inscription in 1997.
Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia
Salvador de Bahia has 3 million people and a culture unlike any other in Brazil. A hotbed of music, dance, literature, art and cuisine, the city’s Carnaval ranks first not only in the country, but on the planet. Salvador’s historic centre contains several terrific landmarks, such as the Cathedral of Salvador and the Convent and Church of São Francisco.
Check out the best hotel deals in Salvador.
Oura Preto is one of Brazil’s many diminutive treasures, with a small population of 67,000 people and a heritage as a gold rush town. With a history that dates back to the late 17th century, the city has a gorgeous colonial era skyline.
Serra da Capivara National Park
Incredible prehistoric cave art draws scores of visitors to Serra da Capivara National Park every year. Home to many archaeological sites that seek to excavate prehistoric farms, the park in north east Brazil contains the beautiful Capivara mountain range.
Another historic town of peerless splendor in Brazil, Olinda’s 16th century roots have inextricable links with the sugarcane industry. The town of 377,000 people has no less than twenty Baroque churches, with numerous chapels and gardens.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas
About a two hour drive south of Bela Horizonte, the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas is a phenomenal cathedral built by Baroque 18th century master Antônio Francisco Lisboa, otherwise known in Brazil as Aleijadinho.
Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park
Within one of the most ancient tropical ecosystems in the world, Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is on a plateau that dates back almost 2 billion years. Visitors come from near and far to gaze at awesome crystal rock formations, waterfalls and a wide variety of fauna that includes the giant armadillo, capybara, tapir and king vulture.
A small city of 45,000 people in the state of Minas Gerais, Diamantina’s historic centre is another pristine jewel of Brazilian Baroque architecture. Set within a rugged, rocky landscape, the former settlement of diamond and other prospectors of precious metals is a superb find for intrepid tourists.
Iguaçu National Park is a favorite destination for visitors to Brazil and draws more than fifteen percent of them every year on average. In addition to rare fauna like the giant anteater and five classifications of forests, the park’s waterfalls are among the most dramatic on the planet.
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