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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Brazil

126 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Brazil

Updated January 26, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading

This stunning Brazilian library contains the largest collection of Portuguese texts outside of Portugal itself.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Largo do Boticário

Crumbling remnant of Rio's colonial past tucked behind Corcovado mountain in the neighborhood of Cosme Velho.

Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Brazil

Vale da Lua

After millennia of erosion by sand and churning water this Brazilian valley now looks like a lunar fantasy.

Bonito, Brazil

Gruta Do Lago Azul: The Blue Lake Grotto

Part of one of the largest flooded cavities on the planet, and littered with prehistoric animal bones.

Parnamirim, Brazil

World's Largest Cashew Tree

You feel like you're in a forest, but you're actually walking amidst the branches and trunks of a single giant tree.

São Paulo, Brazil

Crypt of the São Paulo Cathedral

The crypts are so large they're basically their own underground church.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Parque Lage

Beautiful public park off the beaten path and away from tourists.

Vila de São Jorge, Brazil

Glowing Termite Mounds of Emas National Park

These termites have an large and deadly abode—impressive by day, dazzling by night.

See All 126 Things To Do in Brazil

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Brazil

Parnamirim, Brazil

World's Largest Cashew Tree

You feel like you're in a forest, but you're actually walking amidst the branches and trunks of a single giant tree.

Santos, Brazil

Brazil's Coffee Palace

This majestic building, where Brazil's coffee brokers once bought and sold beans, now houses a coffee museum.

Manaus, Brazil

Biatüwi

The only restaurant serving indigenous foods from the Amazon.

Bento Gonçalves, Brazil

Capela Nossa Senhora das Neves

After a terrible drought, townspeople used wine to build this church.

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Architectural Oddities 17

Museums And Collections 12

Sacred Spaces 9

Natural Wonders 6

Places To Stay 2

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Stories About Brazil

Through an Artist’s Eye, Scientific Tools Help Tell Vital Stories

Striking work by photographer Richard Mosse shows how merging art and technology can cut through dry data.

December 27, 2022

5 Must-Read Football (or Soccer) Stories

Who needs the World Cup when we have so many con men, trendsetters, superstitions, and architectural rivalries?

December 6, 2022

Why a 224-Year-Old Human Heart Is Touring Brazil

This piece of Dom Pedro I, who declared Brazil's independence, is causing controversy in two countries.

by Dania Rodrigues

August 25, 2022

When Disaster Strikes in Brazil, This Pioneering Veterinarian Jumps Into Action

Carla Sassi is helping to develop new ways to save the country's animals from peril.

by João Velozo

Snake Island’s Venomous Vipers Find a New Home in São Paulo

Scientists hatch a bold plan to save Brazil's critically endangered golden lancehead, which lives on a single infamous isle.

This Island in the Amazon Is Producing Award-Winning Cheese

On Marajó, the buffaloes outnumber people.

by Beatriz Miranda

Why a Wayward Coati’s Selfie on a Brazilian Airbase Surprised Scientists

The adorable appearance highlights an unexpected ally in conservation.

by Gemma Tarlach

Podcast: Ubatuba Whale(s)

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

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