If you’re lucky enough to be going to Brazil for the World Cup, you might be in a state of feverish excitement by now – and rightly so, whether you’ve got tickets for any of the games or not. Brazil 2014 promises to be the biggest party of all time, and in this article we look at some of the highlights any trip to this amazing country should include.
Keeping Up To Date
The atmosphere in the host cities promises to be extraordinary, and even watching games in the local bars should be an experience to remember. Whether you’re seeing games on TV or you have stadium tickets already, remember you can still have a flutter on the results using a UK betting site. Keep up to date with Germany vs Brazil world cup news, for example, at Coral while you’re away; odds on all matches will be regularly updated.
Brasilia and Manaus
Twelve cities will host matches – assuming construction goes to plan – but Rio de Janeiro will be the hot destination for many foreign visitors. If you get a chance to visit Brasilia, you should; it’s an extraordinary mid-20th century modernist vision created by architect Oscar Niemeyer, who was still working from his Rio beach-front office after his 100th birthday!
Travellers to Manaus (where England are playing) will be amazed by this city carved out of the rainforest, on the back of the profits of the rubber trade. The fantastic Teatro Amazonas, an opera house that opened in 1897, has been restored to its former glory since 1990.
Rio
Rio is a dream destination for anyone who enjoys travel, and the beaches alone are reason enough to go there. Ipanema is the preferred spot for Cariocas – Rio residents – but don’t miss the coconut stalls along Copacabana beach. The views from Sugar Loaf Mountain and the statue of “Christ The Redeemer” are hard to beat; if you have a head for heights, take the cable car to the former. There’s a cog-driven train that makes a steep ascent to the statue.
Eating
Brazilian cuisine is fantastic, especially for meat lovers. Try feijoada, a beef, pork and black bean stew; tradition dictates that it’s only served on Saturday, but the Casa de Feijoada in Ipanema will serve up this delicious, filling dish any time you like.
Finally, for serious carnivores, a visit to a churrascaria is a must. Seemingly endless helpings of top-quality barbecued meats are brought to your plate, from huge steaks to chicken hearts. One of the best is Barbacoa in Sao Paulo. The waiters here will not stop bringing you fabulous meat until you tell them to, and all for a fixed price!
Language
And how do you say hello? Bom Dia!
(Images courtesy of futbolita.com, wikipedia, globorati.com, cucabrazuca.com)
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
