Brazil
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Why Brazil ?
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Upcoming departures, new experiences, interviews, exploration or scouting stories... All brochures can be ordered or downloaded in digital format.
Discover the destination
See all cruises in South America
Upcoming departures, new experiences, interviews, exploration or scouting stories... All brochures can be ordered or downloaded in digital format.
Discover the destination
Vast and diverse, festive and full of contrasts – Brazil proudly embraces a vibrant national identity that transcends social divides. Here’s a guide to Brazilian culture to inspire and prepare you for your cruise.
Best practices
To do To greet, thank, agree or show enthusiasm, adopt the Brazilian way: the thumbs-up! This gesture is used everywhere and by everyone in Brazil. To avoid Haggling is frowned upon, whether at markets or in craft shops. Instead, note that many street services – from car minders to drinks vendors – are usually rewarded with a few reais.
Fast facts
Two hundred million mounds spread over an area the size of Great Britain, each mound measuring 2.5 metres high by 9 metres wide form a colossal structure of a termite mound! Discovered in the Fortaleza region in north-east Brazil, the termite mounds are thought to be linked by a network of tunnels, and scientists date the oldest of them back more than 3,800 years. It is the largest insect-built structure in the world
Essential vocabulary
Brazilian Portuguese has been shaped by indigenous and African languages, but remains close to European Portuguese. Hello / Good evening : Bom dia / Boa noite Goodbye: Adeus or Tchau (informal) Welcome: Bem-vindo (for a man) / Bem-vinda (for a woman) Excuse me / Please: Desculpe / Por favor Thank you: Obrigado (for a man) / Obrigada (for a woman) Yes / no: Sim / Não How are you? Como vai você? Very well, thank you, and you? Muito bem, obrigado(a) e você? My name is...: Meu nome é...
Gastronomy
No visit to Brazil is complete without trying the national dish – feijoada. The beans, red or brown, are slow-cooked with pork belly and smoked sausages, sautéed in palm oil with garlic and onions. The stew is served with white rice sprinkled with the cooking juices, cabbage and farofa (toasted cassava flour). Near the coast, try moqueca de camarão, prawns cooked in coconut milk with coriander. For dessert, a delicious papaya!
Myths and legends
Meet Curupira, one of the most mysterious figures in Amazonian mythology. This small, flame-haired creature lives in the jungle. It has the particularity of having backward pointing feet, which enables it to mislead hunters and loggers or gold miners who would like to harm the forest. Curupira is a symbol of nature conservation throughout Brazil.
In the spotlight
The Rio Carnival is one of the biggest celebrations on Earth. Although it officially lasts five days, from the Friday before to Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday in English), preparations start months earlier. From November onwards, you can attend the rehearsals of the samba schools in Rio, the ‘ensaios shows’. Musicians, dancers and percussionists hone their skills, looking to be among the 12 best schools of the year. A foretaste of carnival madness!
Culture
Book Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, Paulo Coelho has captivated millions worldwide since ‘The Alchemist’ (1994, Anne Carrière). A philosophical tale of self-fulfilment and the realisation of one’s personal destiny, the book has become a classic, to be read or reread. Film In 2010, the Brazilian channel TV Globo celebrated 40 years of creating ‘telenovelas’, with almost 300 series. The genre is exported all over the world, and despite competition from other sources of content, telenovelas are still a ratings success and part of Brazil’s collective identity. Music In Brazil, music is everywhere. From the infectious rhythms of samba at carnival time, to the smooth bossa nova, the energy of forró from the north‑east, or Bahia’s swaying axé, the soundtrack never stops. There's no escaping it!
Key figures – 1,000
Just 1,000 days: that’s how long it took to build Brasília from scratch, the new capital inaugurated in 1960. Intended to rebalance wealth and population from the coast to the interior of the country, it brought together administrative power. Seen from the air, its shape is reminiscent of an aeroplane, and the futuristic lines of the modernist architecture designed by Oscar Niemeyer are as striking as ever.
Discover the destination
From Recife to Rio de Janeiro, Paraty to Salvador de Bahia, from sunny beaches to lush forests, to the rhythm of the samba, Brazil casts a spell on its visitors. Here are some of the unmissable experiences to enjoy during your cruise to South America.
Rising 700 metres from the heart of dense tropical forest, the Corcovado hill is crowned by the monumental 30‑metre statue of Christ the Redeemer, arms outstretched in blessing over the city. The view over the bay of Rio, the beaches, the lagoon and even the Maracaña stadium is breathtaking. A life-size iconic Brazilian postcard.
A continuous roar in the tropical jungle, clouds of water droplets glistening in the sun... And suddenly the mesmerising spectacle of waterfalls and rapids, stretching almost three kilometres in width. Straddling the border with Argentina, Iguazu Falls are best appreciated in their entirety from the Brazilian side. Pure magic!
Picture 18th‑century colonial houses with whitewashed walls and brightly painted woodwork in blue, yellow or vivid green, Baroque churches, and beaches reached only by sea, framed by Costa Verde’s tropical jungle, and, as the sun sets, a glass of lime-sharp caipirinha in hand. You’re in Paraty, as close as you can get to paradise.
Ilhabela, meaning the ‘beautiful island’, boasts 365 waterfalls – one for every day of the year! The island is classified as a national park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. With 40 km of beaches, hiking trails through tropical forest, and the chance to spot toucans and monkeys, it’s hardly surprising that this little haven of tranquillity is so popular with the inhabitants of São Paulo, just a three-hour drive away.
Copacabana, Ipanema, Ilha Grande, Búzios... While the beaches in and around Rio de Janeiro are famous, there are other quieter gems too. Porto Belo, once a fishing village and now a charming seaside resort, and Florianópolis, with its 42 beaches loved by surfers and sunseekers alike, are perfect for more relaxed getaways.
Meet Brazil’s gauchos (cowboys) in Rio Grande do Sul, in the far south of the country. The gauchos rear huge herds of cattle on vast estancias (estates), covering thousands of hectares of pampas. Equestrianism is very much in evidence here. They work on nimble criollo horses – the South American cowboys’ faithful companions.