Plan your vacation to Brazil

Brazil is an exotic and attractive country which always captivates its visitors. With booming mining, agricultural and manufacturing sectors, Brazil has the highest GDP in Latin America and is expected to be one of the world's dominant economies by the middle of this century. Brazil offers a variety of cultures and topographies. Tourists descending on the country's fabulous cities, such as Rio de Janeiro, can enjoy the five-star hotels, shopping malls, beautiful beaches, sunny skies and inspirational restaurants without really having to confront the hundreds of shantytowns. The spoken language in Brazil is Portuguese; however Spanish and English are also used. The Brazilian monetary unit is the real (BRL), plural reais. There are 100 centavos to the real. The US dollar is also welcome in most tourist establishments, of course.

Top Attractions in and around Brazil:

Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro is not only the best attraction of Brazil but also one of the best places in the world. Major attraction of Rio de Janeiro is Christ the Redeemer Statue, Maracana Stadium and Sugar Loaf.

1.      Christ the Redeemer Statue is a symbol of Rio and its visiting card which reflects Brazilians' hospitality and reminds everyone who see it that Christ loves everyone. It is one of the seven New Wonders of the Modern World. It rests on top of Rio de Janeiro's Corcovado Mountain, 2,330ft (710m) above the beaches below, and is accessed via a miniature train that runs from the Cosme Vehlo District through the Atlantic rainforest to the foot of the statue.

2.      Sugar Loaf is a green supernatural peak which rises over the city. Sugar Loaf is another symbolic attraction in Rio which is first of all the best place where you can view the beauty of the city and enjoy unforgettable equatorial sunset. It is 1,299ft high (396m) belvedere known for its resemblance to the loaves of sugar used by the Portuguese colonists. The Sugar Loaf cable car is a major icon of Rio's tourism, but if you are afraid of heights then you should give this one a miss. But, what you see on the rail you will not see anywhere else. It is a two step rail, so you can always get off before it goes to the end!

3.      Maracana Stadium is the third famous attraction in Rio, which you should visit no matter whether you are a football fun or not. Built over 50 years ago for use in the Soccer World Cup, this stadium is the largest on the continent, seating a crowd of over 95,000. The stadium is currently used to host the local soccer league games.

4.      Iguacu Falls: The Rio Iguacu arises in the coastal mountains of Parana and Santa Catarina and snakes west for 370 miles (600km) before it widens majestically and sweeps around a magnificent jungle stage, plunging and crashing in tiered falls at the border with Argentina and Paraguay. The deep flowing waters of the river tumble down 275 falls (almost twice the height of Niagara Falls) the most famous of which is Devils Throat on the Argentinean border. The falls are surrounded by the Iguacu National Park.

5.      Botanical Gardens: Rio's Botanical Gardens were created in 1808 by the Prince Regent of Portugal as a temporary site for acclimatizing imported plants. Color is added to the botanical treasures by a wealth of wildlife, such as Toucans, Tanagers, Marmoset monkeys and brilliantly colored butterflies.

6.      Buzios Peninsula: Once the preserve of pirates and slave traders, the peninsula of Buzios, 105 miles (169km) north east of Rio, is today the haunt of the rich and famous who flock to the city (once a fishing village) to enjoy the 20 or so beaches in the vicinity. The peninsula is a sophisticated beach resort with a very active nightlife and fine restaurants. The west coast beaches offer calm, clear waters while the east coast ones, facing the open sea, are a little wilder and draw the surfers and water sports enthusiasts. Most popular beaches are Azeda Beach, Joao Fernandinho Beach with several bars and known for its seafood, Ferradura Beach, and Geriba beach, popular for surfing.

There are lots of museums and art-galleries apart from beaches, cafés, bars and shopping and leisure centers in Rio de Janeiro.

Sao Paulo: It's one of the most beautiful and attractive cities in the country. Notice rainy season in San Paulo falls at such months as January, February and March and floods are unavoidable during this period. So the best time to visit San Paulo during the period from April to December. Sao Paulo is famous for historical objects as ancient buildings, churches and museums of various epochs and styles and great number of glass skyscrapers.

1.      Museums: Sao Paulo is also famous for its museums in which you can find best samples of Latin American architecture and art are exhibited. These museums are considered to be the best in South America, among them Ipiranga Imperial Museum, Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, Sacred Art Museum and Brazilian Art Museum.

2.      Mercado Municipal: This imposing neo-Gothic style hall, dating from 1933, is the venue for a huge market, which sells local fruit, vegetables, cheese and other produce. The hall is noted for its gigantic stained-glass windows that depict scenes from the coffee plantations and other agricultural pursuits.

Brasilia: The city of Brasilia is not only the capital of the country but also the very place which will tell you a lot about architecture of Brazil and art in Brazil. The period from May to August is the best period for visiting Brasilia as far as it's 100% dry season. This is an ideal place for those who aim at cultural pastime and aesthetic delight because there are many admirable churches, historical buildings and monuments, parks and theatres.

Cathedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida which was designed by chief architects Oscar Niemeyer who projected almost all administrative and public buildings in the city of Brasilia. Walls and floors inside the Cathedral are made of white marble with glass ceilings and altar is decorated with Christ's image. In front of the cathedral statues of four apostles are places.

Amazon River: Travelling around Amazon River and Amazon region, you'll have an invaluable chance to see natural sightseeing and attractions in Brazil. Amazon Rain Forest is a place you should certainly visit when you travel Brazil. It stretches for 6280 kilometer and has thousands of world's rarest species of flora and fauna. Over there you can see million of rare and even unique plants, animals and insect species.

Things you can do: Brazil is an ideal country for various adventures and outdoors activities.

Transport in Brazil:

(Sources: iexplore.com, mytravelguide.com, travelbraziltips.com, destination360.com)