Things to Do in Southeast Brazil

The Cosme Velho neighborhood is best known as the jumping-off point to ascend Corcovado Mountain to Christ the Redeemer. Most visitors to Rio will set foot in this small, historic area on their way to the city’s most iconic attraction, but it’s worth it to explore beyond that. From shady plazas overgrown with jungle to colonial architecture, Cosme Velho offers a taste of Rio’s old-time charm. The neighborhood’s principal street, Rua Cosme Velho, snakes up into the hilly area and to ‘Estação de Ferro do Corcovado,’ where visitors catch the funicular to the Christ Statue. Beyond the station, the neighborhood becomes mostly residential and continues way up the hill into the rain forest.

While in Cosme Velho, before or after seeing the Christ, allot some time to roam the winding, leafy avenues with quaint shops, or grab something to eat in one of the many open-air cafes. Just across the street and a few yards up from the funicular station lies Boticário Square (Largo do Boticário). This plaza of early 19th-century Portuguese buildings has fallen into disrepair, but the brightly colored colonial structures set among the rain forest scenery retain the square’s original charm. Art-lovers can head to the International Museum of Naïf Art just down the road from the station, where they’ll find a small colonial-era building housing an impressive collection of 6,000 paintings from 120 different countries, which focus on struggle and marginalized populations.

This rugged trail in the hills of Minas Gerais, once served as a train route for mining supplies, African slaves and exporting gold. But after numerous pirate attacks on ships loaded with the precious medal headed for port in Rio de Janeiro, the trail fell out of use. Today, despite the fact most gold has already been mined, the Gold Path has become a popular destination for travelers looking to explore scenic mountains, thick forests and a bit of Paraty history. Enjoy a ride on the natural rockslide into cooling crystal waters after a hike through the hills, then head to scenic Toboga Falls before stopping at the nearby distillery where strong sips of locally made cachaca—a sugarcane rum—round out the day.

With miles of white sand beaches, aquamarine waters and a backdrop of forested mountains, Angra dos Reis, or the Bay of Kings, is as impressive as its name suggests and known as one of the top attractions of Brazil’s famous Costa Verde (Green Coast). The main draw of Angra dos Reis is its serene coastline, and with 365 islands dotting the bay, there are many beaches to explore.   Cruising around the islands is a popular pastime for visitors, and the warm, clear waters offer ample opportunities for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving. Ilha Grande is the largest and most visited island, but additional highlights include the fish-filled waters around the Botinas islands, the lush rainforest trails on Gipóia and the floating bars around Jurubaíba Beach and Praia do Dentista.

This Catholic church in the heart of Paraty’s Historic Center is not only the largest in the town—it is also the most popular. Travelers flock to this impressive example of colonial architecture that stretches over an entire block and was built on donated land. Despite it’s beauty, the bell towers and temple of Our Lady of the Remedies remain incomplete. In addition to exploring the chapels, visitors can partake in local festivals during Holy Week and wander the halls of upstairs art galleries year round.

The Flamengo district of Rio de Janeiro offers a comfortable, middle class, downtown alternative to trendy beaches and resorts. Far less crowded than Rio hot spots like Copacabana or Ipanema, Flamengo is still located close enough to be a short cab ride away. The neighborhood’s main highlight is Flamengo Park, a grassy section of reclaimed shoreline that faces Guanabara Bay. The water here isn’t safe for swimming, but the walking trails throughout the park are packed with joggers, walkers, and locals in the morning and late afternoon, not to mention that the Flamengo beach offers sweeping views of Guanabara Bay, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and Christ the Redeemer. There’s also a wide selection of local restaurants and steak houses for a leisurely lunch or dinner on the town. A benefit of the neighborhood’s location is that late night venues are a cab ride away if you want to party all night—yet the neighborhood itself is quiet enough if you’d prefer a mellower night.

An enduring symbol of São Paulo’s 20th-century race to modernity, the Edifício Altino Arantes—more commonly known as the Banespa Tower or Banespão—remains one of the most notable landmarks on the city’s exhaustive skyline. Originally built as the headquarters of the State Bank of São Paulo (Banespa) and named for one of the bank’s first presidents, the tower rose over an eight-year period, crowning the city as its tallest building in 1947, a title held for the next 18 years. At completion, the 528-foot tower also held the title of tallest reinforced concrete structure and tallest building outside of the United States. Inspired by New York City’s Empire State Building, the tower exhibits Art Deco styling both inside and out.

Despite being the third-tallest building in the city, the Banespa is situated on the highest point in downtown São Paulo, giving it the appearance of being even taller than the Mirante do Vale, today the tallest building in Brazil at 558 feet. Panoramic, 360-degree views of the city from the 35th-floor observation deck extend to over 25 miles, encompassing all of downtown and even the verdant Serra da Cantareira mountain range to the city’s north. The observation deck and the first-floor building museum is free to visitors and open Monday through Friday, except holidays, from 10am to 5pm.