Southeast Brazil

Brazil's core tourism region, made up of the metropolises of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the colonial towns of Minas Gerais and the Green Coast.

Following the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) five-region division, Southeast Brazil includes the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, the most populous, economically developed and tourism-rich part of Brazil. Rio de Janeiro has Corcovado, where Christ the Redeemer stands, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Copacabana and Ipanema beaches; its "cityscape between the mountains and the sea" is a World Heritage Site, and its Carnival in February or March is world-famous. São Paulo, the largest metropolis in South America, excels in museums, street art, diverse immigrant cuisines and nightlife. Minas Gerais preserves Baroque towns from the 18th-century gold-rush era; Ouro Preto and Diamantina are World Heritage Sites, a little steam train runs between Tiradentes and São João del-Rei, and Inhotim, a contemporary art park near Belo Horizonte, is worth a special trip. The "Green Coast" between Rio and São Paulo strings together bays and rainforest, including Paraty, Ilha Grande and Ubatuba. A classic route is 4 days in Rio, 3 days in Paraty and Ilha Grande, 2 days in São Paulo, plus 4–5 days on a loop of the Minas colonial towns, about two weeks in total. Both metropolises have many international flights, flights and long-distance coaches between cities are very convenient, and the Minas hill country suits a road trip. In big cities, take care of your personal safety and belongings, avoid going alone to isolated areas at night, and choose clear days for mountain viewpoints.

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Itineraries