Brazil
Brazil12 guides across 2 destinations — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.
Destinations in Brazil
Practical essentials for Brazil
Brazilian real (BRL)
Portuguese; English is limited outside major hotels and tourist areas, and Spanish is not a substitute
Type C/N, 127V or 220V 60Hz
Metro, trains and buses in Sao Paulo and Rio run on local smartcards - the Bilhete Unico in Sao Paulo, the RioCard in Rio - and contactless bank cards work at only a minority of gates, so do not rely on them.
A 10% taxa de servico is normally printed on restaurant and bar bills and most people simply pay it; tipping beyond that is uncommon.
Treated and legally potable in the big cities, but almost everyone filters it and visitors normally drink filtered or bottled water.
Right-hand side; a modern photocard licence is accepted for up to 180 days, so no International Driving Permit is normally needed.
190 (police), 192 (ambulance), 193 (fire)
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
Recent stories from Brazil
Day trips from São Paulo: the escapes that earn the drive
Coffee-boom Santos, a fog-wrapped railway village and mountain air in Campos do Jordão — where paulistanos go to breathe.
São Paulo in 24 hours, for the time-poor
You cannot see Sao Paulo in a day, but you can taste its four essential registers - art, appetite, concrete-canyon energy and late-night ease - if you move in the right order and on the right rails.
48 Hours in São Paulo: The Perfect Itinerary
Two days in Brazil's colossal cultural capital, hour by hour — MASP, the Mercadão, Ibirapuera's Niemeyer curves, and Vila Madalena's painted alleys.
The Best Viewpoints in Rio de Janeiro, Ranked
From Christ the Redeemer's summit to a fort at the quiet end of Copacabana, seven lookouts that explain why Rio is the world's most photogenic city — and when to climb each one.
A Weekend in Rio de Janeiro, Hour by Hour
Two and a half days in the Cidade Maravilhosa, planned around the light: beaches in the morning, mountains in the afternoon, samba after dark.
Sleeping well in São Paulo on any budget
In a city this size the district you sleep in decides how much of Sao Paulo you actually see — here is how the map, the metro and the price bands break down.
Eat Sao Paulo the Way the City Was Settled
The kitchens here are arranged by migration rather than by fashion, so the sensible way to eat is one neighbourhood per meal, moving between them on the metro.
What to Eat in Rio de Janeiro: The Essential Dishes and Where to Find Them
From weekend feijoada to beach-kiosk snacks and flame-grilled picanha, Rio's food culture is generous, informal and joyfully specific. Here's the eating list.
Rio de Janeiro Season by Season: An Honest Guide to When to Go
There is no bad month to see Sugarloaf rise out of Guanabara Bay, but there are very different Rios depending on when you go — here is the honest version, season by season, with the costs, the neighbourhoods and the order of operations.
The Markets of Rio de Janeiro: What to Taste, and When to Go
Rio's cooking lives in its markets, not just its restaurants — here is what to taste at each, which day to turn up, and when the city's fairs are at their best.
Rio de Janeiro Beyond the Crowds
Skip the Copacabana crush for an afternoon and find the other Rio: a bohemian hilltop, a jungle-backed mansion, wild western beaches and samba in the old port.
Rio Out of Season: The Months Cariocas Keep to Themselves
Rio's quiet months - after Carnival through November - deliver sharper light, thinner crowds, humpback whales offshore and samba on a Monday night, at a fraction of the summer price.