Travel Budget for Cities inBrazil

Rio de Janeiro is perhaps the most popular travel destination in Brazil. The peak time to visit is during its famous Carnival festival, but the appeal is there year around. There's a wonderful natural harbour that is surrounding by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe inspiring setting.

There are four main districts in Rio de Janeiro. Centro has the business and financial districts as well as some interesting museums and sights. The South Zone has many upscale neighborhoods and many of the tourist areas including Copacabana, and Sugar Loaf and Corcovado Mountains. The North Zone has the stadium, zoo, and a handful of other interesting sights. The West Zone is most popular for its beaches. This is also the area that will house most of the 2016 Olympics.

While there is a metro and bus system, generally the easiest way to travel through Rio de Janeiro is with a taxi. To recognize and official taxi, it must be yellow with a blue stripe down its side. Cars that travel special routes, such as to the airport, may be of a different style. Generally the prices for taxis in the city are reasonable, but distances may be far. It's also possible to hire a taxi for a days tour. This will typical cost around US$20.

In addition to the many popular beaches in Rio de Janeiro has some great sights that you should make a point of visiting. The Streetcar of Santa Teresa passes through a very scenic neighborhood. Parque Lage is a small park with a mansion that has been converted to a school for fine arts. Jardim Botanico is the botanical gardens that have existed since the 1800s and the National Museum of History is downtown and covers a range of information about Brazil history.

Carnival is easily the most famous event in Rio, and the most crowded but interesting time to visit. The event lasts two weeks and includes many parades and events that go well into the night. The streets are filled with music, dancing, and festivities and it truly is a once in a lifetime experience.

Florianopolis is the capital city of Santa Catarina and it has many nearby beautiful beaches. The city is both on mainland Brazil as well as Santa Catarina Island. Florianopolis has grown in popularity with tourists recently because of its wonderful scenery, beaches and fascinating culture. Many Brazilians have also moved here, leaving behind the big cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The busiest season here is the summer months in the resorts of Jurere, Daniela, Brava, and Canasvieriras are quite crowded. If you're interested in surfing it's better to head to the eastern beaches. On the south sid of Santa Catarina Island you will find some beautiful isolated beaches that can only be accessed by walking trails. A major attraction of the island is also Lagoa da Conceicao, which is shallow with high winds, making it ideal for windsurfing.

The city itself has plenty of shopping, restaurants, and bars and nightclubs, keeping the young crowd entertained and busy. Facilities continue to grow and become more glamorous as the popularity of the area grows.

The best way to access the beaches from the city's center is by bus, which are generally comfortable and reasonably priced. Sights within the city you should consider visiting include Catedral Metropolitana, which is arguably the most beautiful building in the city, the municipal market, and Teatro Alvaro de Carvalho, built in 1870's architecture.

There are many high end restaurants around town that offer some great seafood. Alternatively you can find many budget restaurants as well, which are generally decent quality and reasonably priced. There are some decent international restaurants as well.

If you're looking for a good party, the beaches are the place to go during the summer months when tourists gather at the nearby bars. In the winter months you'll more likely to find a crowd at Lagoa da Conceicao, which actually has a higher concentration of bars and clubs. Whatever the season though, you can generally expect a good time when you head out on the town here.

Despite being the largest city in Brazil, Sao Paulo is often overlooked by tourists and travelers who head straight to Rio de Janeiro. The city, in fact, has plenty to see, and culture abounds. It's also one of the wealthiest cities in the southern hemisphere, although you don't have to look for to see the income disparities and inequalities that exist.

The biggest appeal in visiting Sao Paulo is the great diversity of restaurants, interesting cultural events, and the handful of museums and galleries that offer you a glimpse into Brazilian culture. One of the best areas to explore is Paulista Avenue which has many restaurants, theaters, and shops. Also make sure you take time to head to the top of Banespa Tower for an outstanding view of the city. Also spend some time relaxing in Ibirapuera Park.

Many travelers fly into Sao Paulo so it's worth taking about three days to explore the sights. This should allow you plenty of time to see the important sights and soak up some of the city's interesting neighborhoods. While initially Sao Paulo may feel like little more than a concrete city, as you take time to explore and immerse yourself in all it has to offer you will begin to catch glimpses of the true beauty there city has to offer. The striking diversity in its neighborhoods is one of the more interesting aspects of Sao Paulo. You will find extremely beautiful, luxurious and glamorous neighborhoods that house the rich of Brazil, and then you will see the slums that hide the extreme poverty. The juxtaposition of these to extremes illustrates the inequality and lack of a middle class that still exists in many parts of Brazil.

The restaurant scene in Sao Paulo is a major reason to visit the city. There is a wide variety of restaurants ranging in price from extremely budget to high end expensive. Food tents and carts offer some interesting cheap eats and are great places to grab a snack or quick lunch. Alternatively you could eat at some of the most expensive and famous restaurants in the world, such as D.O.M.

Curitiba is on the way to Iguazu Falls, and is worth a day or two stop over. It's also the capital of Parana, Brazil. Curitiba is one of the more wealthy cities in the southern regions of Brazil. It has a diverse population with many immigrants, and some interesting cultural events. The most interesting part of Curitiba is the old city portion, referred to as cidade velha. It is well maintained and has been impressively restored. A particularly interesting time to visit is on a Sunday when there is a large arts and crafts fair that highlights a lot of the local handicrafts.

There are some interesting attractions throughout the city, but do note that most are closed on Mondays and the tourist bus ceases to run. Sights you might want to check out include several fountains such as the Jerusalem Fountain, Memory Fountain, and Maria Lata D'Agua Fountain. Pedreiras Park is worth a visit as is Curitiba Memorial, which uses art and traditional folk work to memorialize the city's culture.

The best way to travel around Curitiba is by public transportation. There's actually a really great network of buses that navigate the city. There are at least three different types of buses that each fill different functions. Prices are cheap and the system is relatively efficient and easy to figure out.

Curitiba has a range of good restaurants and bars as well. You can typically find something to fit your budget, whether it's a shoestring budget or you're looking for more of a splurge. Options include traditional Brazilian, Japanese, pizzerias, and even Swiss or Slavic. Because much of the population is European in descent, there are a surprisingly large number of European restaurants and bars.

Hotels are also quite diverse, with a number of hostels available. You'll also find plenty of mid range or luxury hotels if you're looking for more of a splurge. Typically the quality is quite high.

Foz do Iguacu is a larger city in Brazil that is most famous for the Iguacu Falls. The city serves as an entry point for Paraguay and Argentina as well. The obvious reason to visit the city is to see the beautiful falls. It can be reached by bus from the local bus terminal. The falls itself is quite impressive and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Brazil. Over three times as much water flows over Iguacu Falls as does over Niagara Falls. You can enjoy the range off hiking trails and viewpoints that are available by the falls. There is a designated national park on the Brazilian side of the river and a shuttle bus is available to connect the Visitor's Center to the falls. There are also a handful of tour operators who are eager to show you the area. One interesting option is to take a boat ride offered by Macuco Safari.

In addition to Iguacu Falls, there are a handful of other sites in Foz do Iguacu. Parque das Aves is an interesting bird park that is near the waterfalls. You can wander around on your own, or hire a guide to show you the park.

Also nearby is Itaipu Dam, which is the world's largest electric power generator, and is interesting to see. There's also a photo opportunity at Three Borders Landmark, where you can see Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil all at once.

There are a handful of decent restaurants around town that offer pizza, or traditional fare. You can also grab a drink at a couple of different places about town. You'll also find hotels and hostels of varying quality and price. Whether you're on a tight budget or looking for some comfort and a splurge, there are a variety of options to choose from in Foz do Iguacu.