Our in-depth tour of Brazil for those interested in Brazil's fascinating history & culture

Arrive in Sao Paulo where our guide will transfer you to your chosen hotel for a 3-night stay including breakfast. In the afternoon, visit the Sao Paulo Museum of Art, with Latin America's best collection of western art, many French Impressionists and work by Candido Portinari, one of the first Brazilian artists to paint his way to international fame. 

Explore São Paulo's Old Town with our guide admiring the historical, cultural, and architectural richness. The city's starting point is the Pátio do Colégio, the site where Jesuit priests Manuel da Nóbrega and José de Anchieta founded São Paulo in 1554.

From there, the city grew from a small missionary settlement into a global metropolis. After lunch, visit modern Paulista Avenue, the cathedral, São Bento Monastery and 
Casa das Rosas - a poetic refuge in the middle of Paulista Avenue, with gardens and literary exhibitions.

Today we visit the suburb of Embu das Artes, known as a city for artists. Enjoy many galleries, the market, cafes, arts and craft shops. 

Transfer to the airport and fly to Rio. On arrival, our guide will take you on this historical tour to learn about the varied past of this city, which was the capital of the country for nearly 200 years and also the seat and home of the Portuguese Royal Family, a unique fact in Latin America. We will visit the old downtown area, cathedral, natural history museum and the famous Santa Teresa district with great views of the city. We then check into your chosen hotel for a 4-night stay including breakfast.

Explore further today visiting the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado Mountain, from where you can admire the magnificent 360 degree view of the City. Drive through the Tijuca Forest and past the Maracana Football Stadium arriving at the Sambodromo - the purpose-built host of the yearly Carnival parades. The rest of the day is at leisure.

A relaxed day of exploring with our guide visiting the charming Parque Lage Mansion and gardens, the lagoon in the centre of modern Rio where people come to walk, jog, listen to music in the restaurants and bars and enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains. In the afternoon we visit the impressive Botanical Gardens which boast a wide variety of Brazilian plants and trees as well as birds, toucans, parakeets and hummingbirds can be seen (or heard) here. At sunset, we take the cable car to the summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain and enjoy the fantastic views of the city.

Today enjoy a full day tour through the mountains to Petropolis, once the summer retreat of the Brazilian monarchs and court. Visit the palace in Petropolis and other examples of imperial architecture at your own pace. We also explore the Quitandinha Palace, a 1940's casino, the cathedral and the city's palaces and museums.

Enjoy a guided tour of Paraty this morning, focusing on the history and legends of the historic part of the town. Admire the quaint and pretty colonial architecture and learn more about the local culture.

This morning our guide will show you the Sao Francisco de Paulo Church with its Panoramic view of Ouro Preto. Continue to Sao Francisco de Assis church and the Oratorio Museum, stopping for lunch before we visit the Mineralogy Museum, the Pilar Church, the theatre and the Inconfidentes Museum.

Today our guide will take you on a guided tour on Tiradentes including visiting the church of Santo Antonio, the Padre Toledo museum and Fountain of São José das Botas. Continue to São João del Rei, founded in 1703, when gold was discovered in the area. Admire the religious architecture including the churches of Pilar, Carmo and São Francisco de Assis. 

Transfer to the airport and fly to Salvador da Bahia. On arrival, our guide will transfer you to your chosen hotel for a 4-night stay including breakfast. The rest of the day is at leisure.

n the evening enjoy an exhilarating performance by the Bahia Folklore Company where you will see the sacred dances of the candomblé: puxada de rede, a song by fishermen in honor of Yemanjá, the goddess of the sea; maculelê, an acrobatic stick and sword dance with its origins in the cane fields; and the exhilarating capoeira martial art dance.

An action-packed guided tour today including the colourful Pelourinho district with its narrow cobbled streets and fine colonial houses. We visit the lower city, passing by the areas of Calcada, Largo dos Mares and Bonfim Church (the symbol of the Bahians' faith).

Continue to Porto da Barra (the mark of the foundation of Salvador) and the Municipal Square travelling by Lacerda's elevator, from where you will have a wonderful view of All Saints' Bay. We will also visit Sao Francisco (the golden baroque church) and the cathedral.

Enjoy a full day guided visit to Cachoeira, an important trading town in  the interior of the state of Bahia. Here, appreciate the history, culture, handicrafts and folklore of the local people whose unique culture includes the "Irmandade da Boa Morte" (Sisterhood of the Good Death) where Afro-Catholic religious and Candomble groups of old ladies in long white traditional dresses perform. We also visit a cocoa and sugarcane plantation and sample some of Brazil's native fruits at a local market. 

Enjoy a morning excursion to Farol da Barra (Salvador's lighthouse), Corredor da Vitoria, Campo Grande and Piedade. Awaiting us in the upper city is the highlight of the tour, the Pelourinho district, filled with a rich collection of 17th and 18th century colonial architecture, cobbled streets and many colourful buildings. 

Today you are free to enjoy Olinda at your own pace.

Today enjoy a full day excursion to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, famous for the magnificent sand dunes sculpted by nature. On arrival at the park, take a 4 x 4 adventure on trails over the beautiful dunes and in the afternoon, visit Andorinha Lagoons home to several endemic bird species.

Founded in 1616 by the Portuguese, Santa Maria de Belém do Grão Pará, or simply Belém, has a fascinating history and wonderful cultural and ecological diversity. Its heyday was during the rubber boom in the 17th and 18th centuries, when the barons brought many colonial riches that are now historical legacies. Your tour will be a journey into the past visiting the best churches, architecture and museums. Located at the mouth of the mighty Amazon River, Belem's port areas are also fascinating to visit.

Today we take a boat trip to Combu Island on the left bank of the Guamá River. Here, we will experience the culture of riverside communities, the ecology with trails through preserved Amazonian forests, and the delicious cuisine of Pará with regional restaurants serving delicious traditional dishes. We will also visit a chocolate factory where you can taste some of the delights. The boat trip will give you an understanding of the sheer immensity of the Amazon river.