Travel Brazil: city guides

Honest, opinionated, English-language guides to the top vacation destinations across Brazil. Written by a Brazilian operator who manages vacation rentals in these places, not a tourism board.

Búzios

Rio de Janeiro · Brazil

Brazil's St. Tropez: 23 beaches, Argentine luxury and a fishing village that became a luxury escape…

From $120–180 USD/night

Fernando de Noronha

Pernambuco · Brazil

A volcanic archipelago 350 km off Brazil's northeast coast: UNESCO World Heritage, the clearest water in the Atlantic, and visitor…

From $250–400 USD/night

Florianópolis

Santa Catarina · Brazil

An island with 42 beaches: surfing in the north, wild Atlantic in the south, lake parties in the east, and one of the highest qual…

From $110–200 USD/night

Ilhabela

São Paulo · Brazil

An Atlantic Forest island 4h from São Paulo: 41 beaches, 360 waterfalls, sailing capital of Brazil…

From $110–200 USD/night

Jericoacoara

Ceará · Brazil

A windswept village inside a national park: sand streets, kitesurfing capital of South America, and the most famous sunset dune in…

From $90–180 USD/night

Morro de São Paulo

Bahia · Brazil

A car-free island in Bahia: numbered beaches (Primeira through Quinta), forró nights, and one of the most accessible tropical para…

From $90–160 USD/night

Paraty

Rio de Janeiro · Brazil

A perfectly preserved 17th-century colonial town between rainforest mountains and 65 tropical islands: UNESCO World Heritage since…

From $110–200 USD/night

Pipa

Rio Grande do Norte · Brazil

Backpackers, dolphins and pink-sand cliffs: the most-loved party-and-nature combo on Brazil's Northeast coast…

From $75–140 USD/night

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro · Brazil

Copacabana, Ipanema, Cristo Redentor and Sugarloaf: Brazil's most iconic city, mountains meeting tropical beach in the middle of a…

From $90–180 USD/night

São Paulo

São Paulo · Brazil

Latin America's economic engine and arguably its best food and nightlife: 22 million people, 12,500 restaurants, no beach…

From $80–150 USD/night

Trancoso

Bahia · Brazil

A 16th-century Jesuit village turned barefoot luxury: the Quadrado at sunset is one of South America's iconic places…

From $180–350 USD/night

Looking for a city not listed here? Send us a request or browse our complete Portuguese guide collection (50+ cities).