Brazil · best-of list
11 Top Things to Do in Brazil
All 11 things to do our route editors picked in Brazil, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
11 things to do in Brazil, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Paraty 4 picks
Caminho do Ouro
Paraty · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Guided hike on a stretch of the colonial stone road used to carry gold to the coast.
Photo: Kadu Gaiozo · Google
Igreja de Santa Rita
Paraty · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Whitewashed 1722 church on the waterfront, the town's best-known landmark.
Photo: Cristina Sorato Neves · Google
Paraty Bay Schooner Tour
Paraty · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Day cruise on a wooden schooner stopping at islands and coves for swimming.
Tip: Choose a smaller boat to skip the loud party schooners.
Photo: De la Mota · Google
Paraty Historic Center
Paraty · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Car-free grid of 18th-century houses and cobbled streets, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Tip: Walk at dusk when the streets glow and day-trippers leave.
Photo: José Henrique · Google
Rio de Janeiro 4 picks
Christ the Redeemer
Rio de Janeiro · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Art Deco statue atop Corcovado, reached by a cog train through Tijuca forest.
Tip: Book the first train of the day for clear views and smaller crowds.
Photo: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Museu do Amanhã
Rio de Janeiro · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Science museum by Santiago Calatrava on the revived Praça Mauá waterfront.
Tip: Closed Mondays.
Photo: Lenara Hanisch · Google
Selarón Steps
Rio de Janeiro · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Staircase covered in tiles from around the world by artist Jorge Selarón.
Tip: Go early before tour groups crowd the steps.
Photo: Imanol Gallego · Google
Sugarloaf Mountain
Rio de Janeiro · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Two-stage cable car up Pão de Açúcar for views across Guanabara Bay.
Tip: Ride up an hour before sunset and stay for the city lights.
Photo: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Ilha Grande 3 picks
Lazareto Ruins & Aqueduct
Ilha Grande · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
Ruins of a 19th-century quarantine station and a stone aqueduct on a short trail from Abraão.
Photo: Jessica Perez Kuschel · Google
Pico do Papagaio
Ilha Grande · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
982 m peak shaped like a parrot's beak, with a steep forest trail and wide views.
Tip: Hike with a local guide and start before dawn for sunrise.
Photo: Evanilda Pereira Santos · Google
Vila do Abraão
Ilha Grande · On our Rio, Ilha Grande & Paraty route
The island's main village of sand lanes, pousadas, a white church and boat docks.
Photo: Fulviusbsas · Public domain
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Brazil?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 11 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Brazil has the most things to do on this list?
Paraty and Rio de Janeiro lead with 4 each; the other picks are spread across 1 more destination.
Are any of these free?
5 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Paraty Historic Center, Selarón Steps, Lazareto Ruins & Aqueduct, Igreja de Santa Rita and Vila do Abraão. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Brazil
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Paraty 4 on this list
- Rio de Janeiro 4 on this list
- Ilha Grande 3 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.