If you only have two weeks to explore Brazil, you have to accept the fact that you’ll have to make some decisions. It is a huge country, with a lot of fantastic things to see and two weeks are nowhere near enough to see it all!
This is how we chose to spend two weeks in this fantastic country, and it was a very good balance of relaxation on the beach and adventurous sightseeing.
4 days in Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte:
Natal is perched on Brazil’s Atlantic coast, at the mouth of the Potengi River, and is the gateway to the stunning beaches of Rio Grande do Norte. The people are very friendly, and you must spend one of the days doing a beach buggy adventure.
We stayed at the Best Western Premier Majestic – nothing special but it has everything you need and it’s well located in the centre of the small town as well as being very near the beach and easy to get to from the Airport.
3 days to see the Iguazu falls
Simply one of the best things you’ll ever see in your life and absolutely worth the internal flight. The sound of the waterfalls remains with you, and you’ll never forget that feeling of witnessing the power of nature. Strongly recommend going with a guide that can help you plan the journey – and allow minimum two days o see the Brazil side and the Argentina side which is bigger. Also if you are not on a budget you should do it all: helicopter and boat adventure. Magical experience!
We stayed at the Marica B&B which has the Trip Advisor certificate of excellence but apparently this is mainly due to Marica being a character and a very nice host. Unfortunately she was not there during our time in Iguazu. The place was ok, but just about. Very quiet and far from shops or restaurants. All the options are far from the waterfall, and the city near Iguazu is not particularly interesting or attractive. Remember to take a photo at the boarder between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
One week to see Rio is the absolute minimum. We decided to divide our stay in two different areas of the city to get a better feel for it and it worked out perfectly.
You must go and stay with Sue and Bill at Um meia Tres in the Santa Teresa quarter. Their hospitality is remarkable, and they welcome you with a beer or drink as well as providing you with a ton of useful advice. The view over the city is breathtaking, rooms are beautiful and spacious, nice rooftop terrace with pool and it’s guarantee that you will meet nice people along the way. We met with a group of Norwegians and spent the night with them partying in Lapa! Expect little cheeky monkeys joining you for breakfast – they are SO cute.
The second part of our stay we opted for the closest affordable place near Ipanema beach: Promenade Visconti. It is in the perfect location to make the most everything that rio has to offer. Amazing nightlife, shops, beach and football. Don’t miss the classics: Corcovado, Christ of Redema, Sugar Loaf, Escalaria de Selaron, Copacabana,Santa Teresa and the Jardim Botanico bike ride around the lagoa.
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