In Brazil for business? Find here tips of places to escape for the weekend.

You came to Brazil on business and have a very limited time to explore this gigantic country, besides the odd weekend off. At the same time, you feel it is a shame to not get to know a bit of the Brazil of your imagination, away from the big business cities.

SO...If you have only a weekend to spare, where would you go? 

Brazil is continental in size: you will not be able to do the Amazon or the Pantanal and would barely have time to unpack if you go to the Northeast coast but there are some 2-night or 3-night break destinations just over an hour’s flight from São Paulo (or even without flying if you are in business in Porto Alegre or Curitiba) that can show you some highlights as well as some hidden gems of Brazil.

Iguazu Falls, gorgeous beaches to relax, active adventures in the Southern canyons, a stunning train journey,  learning to surf, wine tasting ... Whatever makes you tick, you can do it in a Weekend Break.

Brazil Ecojourneys is a boutique tour operator, specializing in tailor-made tours. Consult us for these and other customised itineraries to make the most of your weekends in Brazil.

Make the most of the World Cup in South Brazil - Day trips from Porto Alegre & Curitiba

South Brazil has a lot to offer and some of the best attractions can be visited in a full day trip from the host cities,  Porto Alegre or Curitiba.

Porto Alegre is a pleasant enough city for a couple of days but if you are staying longer or have an interest in nature or wine, you should know that you can have great day trips from there.

The best Wine-producing region in Brazil is just 2-hours away from the city. We offer you a private trip that takes you behind the scenes to the small wineries that produce the best wines in the country.

For nature lovers, you can visit the largest canyons in the country in the Aparados da Serra National Park. Ideally you should stay at least one night, but it is possible to do it on a full-day too, if you don´t have the time.

In Curitiba, the Serra do Mar train journey is an unforgettable day trip that can easily be done in a spare day.

Check out this mini-guide from The Guardian for more information and tips  on the Southern capitals hosting the World Cup.

Availability is restricted- contact us and book now.

Short Breaks from Sao Paulo for Business Travellers

In Sao Paulo for business? Here are 5 great places to escape it for the weekend. 

Sao Paulo is the megalopolis of Brazil and the business centre of Latin America. People from all over the world come to this highly energetic city for work every week. Although it has its hidden charms, Sao Paulo is definitely not love-at-first-sight and most foreign visitors would rather escape from it as soon as possible.   

If you have only a weekend to spare, where would you go? 

Brazil is continental in size: you will not be able to do the Amazon or the Pantanal and would barely have time to unpack if you go to the Northeast coast but there are some 2-night or 3-night break destinations just over an hour’s flight from the city that can show you some highlights and also some hidden gems of Brazil.

1) The un-missable sight “do-able” in 2 full days is without doubt the Iguazu Falls. Direct flights from GRU will take you there in 1h30 min. Planning your flights right, you can do both sides of the Falls and still have time for some relaxation by the pool.

2) A great beach destination in just over an hour? Do what a lot of Paulistas executives do- go to Florianopolis for the weekend. If you enjoy beautiful beaches, sports and outdoor activities, this is definitely your Island.

3) If you rather have just 2-days of perfect relaxation, your first choice should be a weekend at Ponta dos Ganchos, one of the most exclusive resorts in South America, less than an hour by car from Florianopolis airport. Even better if you bring your significant half: it is one of the most romantic hotels in the world, according to The Daily Telegraph.

4) Ever dreamed of learning to surf? If you manage to leave Sao Paulo earlier on Friday go a bit further down the Santa Catarina coast. One hour south from Florianopolis airport you will be in the rustic-chic beach resort of Praia do Rosa,  a laid-back destination with charming guesthouses, starred restaurants and some of the best waves on the Brazilian Coast- that you can tame with the help of  a great surfing coach, Capitao David. Already a surfer?  Come in winter and you get the bonus of big swells and whales!

5) Colonial towns+Rainforest+the most spectacular Train Journey in Brazil? All of these you will find in this short tour from Curitiba, a mere 30-min flight from Sao Paulo. Arrive earlier on Friday and add contemporary Brazilian culture to the mix by visiting the excellent Oscar Niemeyer Museum.

Brazil Ecojourneys is a boutique tour operator, specializing in tailor-made tours. Consult us for an itinerary to make the most of your weekend in Brazil.

Porto Alegre - a new gateway to Brazil

This week, TAP, the Portuguese airline, operated the first non-stop flight between Europe and South Brazil.

The 4 times a week flights between Lisbon and Porto Alegre , capital of Rio Grande do Sul, open a new entry point to Brazil and to a region that has been largely overlooked by most visitors to the country.

The most southern State in Brazil is well-known for its gaucho culture, the pampas and the Jesuit Missions but it has more to offer.

Porto Alegre, the capital of the State, is the entry point for the attractive wine region- an easy 2 hours drive- and also the best access to the dramatic canyons of the Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral National Parks- a 3 hours-drive through a newly built dual carriage way.

From Porto Alegre, there are direct flights to some of Brazil best natural attractions, such as Iguazu Falls, the beautiful beaches of Florianopolis and to Curitiba, starting point of the most scenic train ride in Brazil and the gateway to the World Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest.

In the next few blogs we will highlight Rio Grande do Sul's attractions and how Europeans can easily combine a visit to South Brazil to an itinerary to Argentina and Chile, places that also have daily direct flights from Porto Alegre.

New Routes to Iguazu Falls- More Reasons to Visit!

I am asked frequently by our clients that already visited Niagara or Victoria Falls, if it is worthy visiting the Iguazu Falls.

Regarding Victoria I can give a personal view, and I can tell that I was seriously disappointed with it when I visited, having expected to see something similar to "our" Iguazu.


For Niagara, I just tell a story that became a legendary tale in Brazil: when Eleanor Roosevelt visited in 1944, her first words were: "Poor Niagara"! Enough said.

Iguazu Falls IS one of the natural wonders of the world - and it is now more accessible.

More direct flights from Brazil and neighbouring countries are coming into place in 2011, making a visit to the most magnificent waterfalls in the world (and I am NOT biased!) easier to fit into a longer South American tour.

From 16th January LAN starts a new direct flight from Lima to Foz do Iguaçu(IGU), making it even easier to combine Peru and Brazil itineraries.

The Uruguayan PLUNA will offer flights Montevideo-Foz do Iguaçu-Santiago do Chile, making it possible to combine 3 countries of the Cono Sur.

For those already travelling in Brazil, additionally to existing direct flights from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo operated by the main airlines GOL and TAM, WEBJET is now offering direct flights from Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.

Another regional airline, TRYP , offer flights from Cuiaba, an excellent option for those visiting another unmissable natural highight of Brazil, the Pantanal.

Once there , Brazil Ecojourneys can help you make the most of your stay with our Essential Iguazu package.

And if you are just entering Brazil and do not want to fly all over the country to experience the rainforest or relax on a beautiful beach, we have great Escorted Small Group itineraries in South Brazil that start from Iguazu.

Oscar Niemeyer Museu - Curitiba

Curitiba is one of the greenest and best organized cities in Brazil.

Besides its numerous parks and green areas, the city has a lot of culture to offer.

If you are in town, make sure you reserve an afternoon to visit the Museu Oscar Niemeyer (aka MON), which is for me the current unmissable attraction of the city.

Open in 2002, it houses an interesting permanent collection of local and national artists as well as great seasonal exhibitions, so everytime you visit you can have a great experience.

The building alone is worth the trip. Built in the 50s by the master of Brazilian architecture to house a School of Art, it was transformed into a museum by Niemeyer himself. An outstanding new feature is the grand hall or "the Eye", as it is known locally, inspired on the very Paranaense Araucaria tree.

The museum opens Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 6pm.




Brazil Ecojourneys tips:
Curitiba is a great stopover on your way to/from Iguazu Falls and the starting point of the most beautiful train journey in Brazil, and the World Biosphere Reserve of the Lagamar.