Brazil will be hosting this years World Cup in 12 stadiums and arenas situated in various cities. Many football fans will be flocking to Brazil to watch the matches, but it it definitely worth taking in the culture whilst you are there too. Our handy travel guide provides a list of the best historical, and cultural landmarks that the country has to offer.
Rio de Janeiro: The Maracana (Final Match)
Christ the Redeemer
Hosting the final match of the World Cup, Rio de Janeiro is the home of the Christo Redenter (Christ the Redeemer), a large statue of Jesus Christ that sits atop the Corcovado. Constructed between 1922 and 1931 from reinforced concrete and sandstone, this statue is a popular tourist attraction that can be seen for miles.
Weighing in at a whopping 635 tonnes, 30 metres tall and arms that stretch to 28 metres wide, Christ the Redeemer was considered the latest statue in the world, before being knocked from its position by the Christ the King statue in Poland in 2010.
Salvador: Estadio Fonte Nova (Six Matches)
Sao Francisco Church and Convent
Home to six World Cup matches this year, Salvador is steeped in history. For instance, the Sao Francisco Church and Convent of Salvador is located in the historical centre of Salvador, in the State of Bahia, Brazil.
As well as looking spectacular, the church and convent are regarded as important colonial monuments in the whole of Brazil. Originally founded in 1587, the church and convent was unfortunately destroyed during the Dutch invasions of Bahia in the early 17th century. The current convent design that we can still see today was started in 1685, decorated by several artists during the 18th century and finally finished in 1755.
All surfaces inside the church are covered by golden sculptured gilt woodwork and paintings, creating a staggeringly impressive design. Knowing this, there is no wonder that the Sao Francisco Church and Convent is a popular tourist attraction.
Pernambuco: Itaipava Arena Pernambuco (Four group stage games and 16th game)
Boa Viagem Beach
In between the four matches hosted here, visitors should head down to Boa Viagem. A neighbourhood in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Boa Viagem hosts one of the most visited beaches in Brazil, the Boa Viagem Beach.
Thousands regularly flock to this luxurious and sandy beach, which hosts the longest stretch of urbanized seafront in Brazil, and a large coastal reed that keeps the waves calm and the water at a gorgeous temperature.
Pernambuco also has a brilliant social life. It hosts one of the biggest shopping centres in all of Brazil and South America, the Shopping Centre Recife, along with a lively nightlife scene, plenty of cafes and restaurants.
Fortaleza: Arena Castelao (Six Matches)
The largest city in Brazil (a population of close to 2.55 million), the Fortaleza is home to various landmarks, making it an ideal tourist destination.
Theatro Jose de Alencar
Opened in 1910, the Theatro Jose de Alencar is an art nouveau styled theatre, with an 120-seat auditorium, where plenty of productions, workshops and more take place.
Fortaleza’s Cathedral
Fortaleza’s Cathedral presents beautiful architecture in a Gothic-Roman style. Taking 40 years to build (construction started in 1939), the cathedral is the third largest in Brazil.
Estatua de Iracema and Forte Nan de Praire Statue
As well as detailed architecture, Fortaleze hosts various statues, most notably the Estatua de Iracema (a statue suspended above water of a woman holding a bowl of water) and the Forte Nan de Prairie Statue.
Sao Paulo: Arena de Itaquera (Opening Ceremony, First Match)
The largest city in Brazil, Sao Paulo is known for its cuisine, with the city holding a wide range of restaurants and bistros ranging from Chinese to French food and local delicacies.
There are several landmarks worth visiting if you are in Sao Paulo for the opening ceremony and first match of the World Cup.
Altino Arantes Building
Known as the Banespa Building, this skyscraper is modelled on America’s Empire State Building. In the highest point of the building, there is an observation deck with views up to 40km. Other landmarks can be seen from here, including the Municipal Market, the Se Cathedral and Edificio Italia.
Sao Paulo See Cathedral
Constructed in a Neo-Gothic style in 1913, the Sao Paulo ‘See’ Cathedral is the largest church in Sao Paulo. Inside is decorated with sculpted Brazilian produce such as pineapples, with impressive marble sculptures also present.
Municipal Market
This is the historical market place in Sao Paulo, home to plenty of local produce, and items-a perfect place to pick up a unique gift!
Cuiaba: Arena Pentanal (Four Group Matches)
Founded in 1719 after the discovery of gold in the area, Cuiaba, the capital city of Mato Grosso, is both an agricultural and urban area with a large focus on cattle trading.
The city mixes European, African and Native American cultures and influences, which the large amount of museums in the area reflect. To gain a little insight into Cuiaba and the surrounding area, checking out one or two of the extensive museum list is a must.
Museums include the Memoral of Mato Grosso, Museum of Image and Sound of Cuiaba, Museum Hill of the Box of Water, Memorial of the Waters, Museum of Sacred Art of Cuiaba and Museum of the History of Mato Grosso, among plenty more.
Belo Horizonte: Estadio Mineirae (Six Matches)
Belo Horizonte is a city built on hills and surrounded by mountains, creating many picturesque views.
The Jambeiro Woods
The Jambeiro Woods is a nature reserve spanning 2,250 acres. More than one hundred species of birds inhabit the reserve, as well as ten different species of mammals.
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
The UFMG is one of Brazil’s five largest universities. It is worth going to look at the campus for the building designs, which are regarded as important contributions to the cities architecture.
Zooalogical Park and Botanical Gardens
A centre for conservation and preservation of animals and plants, it is split up into a zoo and Botanical Garden area. The zoo is located at the Foundations headquarters and is regarded as one of the most complete zoos in Latin America. It holds close to 900 animals under 200 species from Brazil and other parts of the world, as well as the first public butterfly sanctuary in South America.
The Botanical Gardens, Pampulha Ecological Park, is kept by the Zoo-Botanical Foundation of Belo Horizonte and has run since 2004. The 30 acres of greenery offers a permanent programming of environmental and cultural education.
Rua do Amendoim
A curiosity for dozens of tourists every day, the Rua do Amendoim is a peculiar road in Belo Horizonte. When cars drive up the sloping street in the neutral gear, the car goes up the street, rather than, as normally expected, down. This is due to it being a slight downhill slope that appears to be an uphill slope due to the layout of the surrounding land, thus creating an optical illusion of rolling uphill.
Brasilia: Estadio Nacional (Six Matches)
Monumental Axis
The end of the Monumental Axis lies the Esplanada dos Ministerios, an open area in downtown Brasilia. This is a rectangular lawn that is surrounded by two eight-lane avenues where people can visit many government buildings, monuments and memorials.
National Congress
Brazil’s National Congress building consists of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies of Brazil. Designed by architecture Oscar Niemeyer, this modern building is worth visiting when perusing the Monumental Axis.
Palácio da Alvorada & Palácio do Planalto
For those with an interest in politics, the Palacio de Alvorad is the official residence of the President of Brazil. The Alvorada lies on the peninsula at the margins of Lake Paranoa and is designed to create a simplistic yet modern building.
The Palacio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil, which is located nearby.
Cathedral of Brasilia
The Cathedral of Brasilia was constructed by Oscar Niemeyer, whose designs pop up frequently throughout Brazil. This concrete-framed cathedral has a glass roof reaching up to the sky, giving the impression that it is open to the heavens. The 16 identical assembled concrete columns represent two hands moving upwards into the heaven. The Cathedral has been open since May 1970.
Paranoa Lake
Paranoa Lake is a large artificial lake built to increase the amount of available water to the region. Hosting the second largest marina in Brazil, the lake is a favourite for wakeboarders and windsurfers.
Curitiba/Parana: Arena de Baixada (Four Matches)
Curitiba is an important cultural, political and economic centre in Latin America, and will be holding four of the World Cup matches in its Arena de Baixada.
This city includes plenty of attractions, with a botanical focus evident in many of them. Here are just a few examples.
Japan Square
The Japan Square was created to pay homage to Japanese immigrants who settled there to work in agriculture. 30 cherry trees sent from Japan have been planted around the square, and artificial lakes were also created. Also available is a Japanese Portal, Culture House and Tea House.
Tingui Park
Part of the biggest environmental park in the country, Tingui Park was opened to remind everyone of the original inhabitants, including a statue of Tindiquera Chieftain. The Ukrainian Memorial can also be viewed here, along with a replica of an Orthodox Church that was originally build on the Parana State, and an icon exhibition.
Oscar Niemeyer Museum
Dedicated to regular designer for Brazil, Oscar Niemeyer, the museum also hosts artists from Parana and Brazil’s work, with three rooms dedicated exclusively to photography.
Panoramic Tower
Ideal for visitors and tourists wanting to get some overhead shots of the city, the Panoramic Tower is a 360 foot tall lookout tower that provides a 360 degree view of Curitiba. This tower also has a telephone museum located on its ground floor for something a little different.
Rio Grande do Sul: Estadio Beira-Rio (Five Matches)
Renowned as one of the most culturally rich states of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul is influenced mainly by native Rio Grande do Sul residents themselves, along with German and Italian influences.
Statue of Lassoer
Presenting five World Cup matches in its Estadio Beira-Rio stadium, Rio Grande do Sul is home to the Statue of Lassoer, which is a symbol for predominant gaucho (Rio Grande de Sol natives) culture in the state. The statue can be found next to the Salgado Filho International Airport along Avebdia dos Estados in Porto Alegre.
Manaus/Amazonas: Arena de Amazonia (Four Matches)
Home to the Amazon rainforest, Manaus is the capital city of the Amazonas in northern Brazil and is often seen as the ‘Heart of the Amazon’.
Amazonas Opera House
With a 700 hundred-seated capacity, the Amazonas Opera House holds regular performances from all sorts of musicians. The theatre is home to the Amazonas Philharmonic Orchestra, who regularly perform there, along with choirs, jazz bands and dance performances.
The Amazon
Right next to the Amazon, Manaus is a popular tourist attraction for those wanting to check out the rainforest and spot some wildlife. Boats out of Manaus allow visitors to fully embrace the jungle and its rivers, including the Meeting of the Waters, two rivers that run side by side. This natural phenomenon is caused by of the Negro River’s dark water and the Solimoes River’s brown water that come together to form the Amazonas River.
Natal/Rio Grande de Norte: Arena da Dunas (Four Matches)
A north-eastern state in Brazil, Natal will be holding four World Cup matches in its Arena da Dunas.
The Largest Cashew Tree in the World
Called the Maior Cajuerio de Mundo, Natal has the largest cashew tree in the world, with an 8,400 square metre coverage, gaining it a position in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Dunas State Ecological Park
The Dunas Park is considered to be the second largest urban park in Brazil. The park, accessible via a guided trail, allows observation of several animal and vegetable species that are typical of the Atlantic Forest. It also serves as a scenic place for a run!
Museums
Like many of the desintations included in this list, Natal is also rich in museums. Serving as a quick cultural fix, museums in Natal include Museu de Arte Sacra, Museu de Cultura Popular, Espaço Cultural Palácio Potengi, Instituto Histórico e Geográfico do Rio Grande do Norte, Pinacoteca do Rio Grande do Norte, Museum Camara Cascudo, Memorial Camara Cascudo.
Forte dos Reis Magos
The Forte dos Reis Magos is a medieval fortress that was the first milestone of the city, founded on the 25th December 1599, constructed on the side of the river Ponte Newton Navarro.
Good luck to each participating country in this year’s World Cup, and we hope you all enjoy your trips to Brazil if you are planning on going!