There are plenty of activities to keep children busy in Brazil. Local Brazilians take their children everywhere and you’ll feel comfortable doing the same.

Amazon Rainforest
If you’re planning a family trip, the Amazon is a must-see. The range of family-friendly lodges and tours will ensure children have a safe and educational experience.

São Paulo
If you are heading to São Paulo, you can keep the little ones occupied with theme parks, a science museum, zoo and Butantã (a snake study centre). The city also has a range of sporting arenas, shows and public parks. Siqueira Campos Park offers a good break from the bustle of the city with its several small play areas featuring swings, teeter-totters and slides.

Rio de Janeiro
Rio’s main family attraction is the beach. Leblon in particular offers a free play area with toys for toddlers. Jardim Zoológico is the city zoo, and always popular with the little ones. For an educational experience, try Museu do Indio in Botafogo where children can play with stamps and body paints to create native designs. There are models of native Indian houses that can be played in as well. Parque do Catete offers a ‘toy library’ where you can hire toys by the hour. If you get too hot, take the kids to Wet 'N Wild Rio, a massive water park open daily September through until May.

The tropical climate and ideal environs of Brazil encourage outdoor activities and sports.

Bonito is home to crystal clear freshwater rivers, with visibility of up to 18 metres. You can snorkel easily here, letting the river carry you downstream as you look at the fish. The waterfalls of Chapada dos Guimarães are set in tropical forest and ideal for swimming. If you’re looking to go much deeper, try scuba diving in Fernando de Noronha, off the coast of Pernambuco. There are frequent sightings of dolphins and manta rays here. If you are an experienced cave diver, you’ll find some interesting caves as well.

You’ll find plenty of solitude if you take a canoe down the Amazon. From the river, you can spot lots of wildlife in the jungle surrounds, including monkeys, snakes and hundreds of species of birds. There are many guided tours into the Amazon, and you’ll find this dense and mysterious jungle challenging and beautiful. Go for just the day or stay as long as you want. There are endless trees and animals to see. For the more adventurous, hang gliding is a good option in Rio. Just take a running leap of faith off a platform and soar 800m above stunning rainforest and beaches. If however you prefer to stay on land, hiring a bicycle is an excellent way to see many sights.

Eating in Brazil can be almost as sensuous as the dancing here. Every meat-eating visitor should try the churrasco, a traditional barbeque dating from the 17th century. Cowboys would carve out meat and roast it in a hole opened in the ground, seasoning it with the ashes from the fire. Today’s churrasco is more hygienic and along with the traditional cuts of beef, chicken, pork, sausages, boar and even alligator are incorporated. A churrascaria (restaurant where churrasco is served) will serve a variety of meat along with salads and side dishes like rice and beans.

Lunch is the main meal of the day in Brazil and traditionally includes rice, beans and meat, and coffee is served afterwards. Breakfast is light, consisting of bread and butter, juice, and sometimes fruit, along with coffee with milk

You’ll find a good mix of European, African and Native American themes in Brazilian cuisine. Brazilians are predominantly meat lovers and even the poorest try to eat meat daily. Most of the side dish recipes use ingredients such as wheat, corn, rice and beans and manioc, which is a local root at the centre of Brazilian food. Cashews and Brazil nuts are also native ingredients. Visitors should make it a point to try all the succulent native fruits of Brazil. Along with the familiar banana, papaya and pineapple, there is graviola, acai, caju and maracuj.

Along the rivers and coastlines, the Brazilian seafood is mouth-watering, including shrimp, fish and crab – fried, baked and stewed in thick sauces. The meaty flesh of the pirarucu, a fish, is likened to chicken. Other tasty fish include: tambaqui, dourado and the tucunare.

Brazilian food was influenced by the African slaves, who instilled the use of dende, peppers and coconut milk. After slavery was abolished, Brazil became a melting pot of immigrants from around the globe, ensuring the local food would be multi-ethnic and unique.

While in the south or west of Brazil, you should try the pao de queijo, a cheese roll made with tapioca starch and grated cheese. Also worth sampling is a delicious dessert made of egg and grated coconut called quindim. Feijoada (black beans) is the quintessential Brazilian dish.

With so much to see and do in Brazil, you’ll have to make some time to shop. Gemstones and jewellery are a particularly good value and come in a wide variety of quality and prices. Art, antiques and home décor are of an excellent quality and unique style. Handicrafts are widespread and make good souvenirs and gifts. If you are visiting Rio, have a look at the latest fashions and accessories, as well as leather goods and music. In São Paulo, don’t miss out on the beautiful fabrics.

The best places to shop for authentic goods at a bargain rate are the local markets. In Rio, try Babilônia Hippy Fair, where you can listen to music and explore the beautiful arts and crafts. Another good crafts market is Feirarte, where artisans sell their leatherwork, ceramics, glass and silver. 

In São Paulo, you can find good quality antiques at the Antique Fair, held each Sunday from 10am to 5pm on Avenida Paulista. Dealers are registered so you can be relatively assured of getting something nice. Also of interest in this city is the Japanese Market, offering Japanese cuisine and arts and crafts.