Brazil’s top places to visit are Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Salvador, Manaus and the Amazon, and São Paulo. International tourist arrivals reached a record 6,657,377 in 2024, up 12.6% from 2023, according to the Rio Times. Separately, UN Tourism data reported by Travel And Tour World put Brazil ahead of every other South American country in 2024 arrivals, ranking fifth across the wider Americas behind the US, Mexico, Canada, and the Dominican Republic.
- Rio de Janeiro — Christ the Redeemer was dedicated on October 12, 1931, and Rio’s street Carnival is recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest carnival celebration on Earth, drawing roughly two million people a day.
- Iguazu Falls — Spanning 275 individual cascades over a 2.7-kilometer stretch of the Iguazu River, the Brazilian side of the falls was UNESCO-listed in 1986, two years after Argentina’s side in 1984.
- Salvador — The historic Pelourinho district, UNESCO-listed in 1985, holds the largest collection of colonial Baroque architecture in the Americas and is the birthplace of capoeira and candomblé.
- Manaus & the Amazon — Built during the rubber boom, Teatro Amazonas opened on December 31, 1896, its dome covered in 36,000 ceramic tiles painted in the colors of the Brazilian flag.
- São Paulo — Brazil’s financial capital and largest city anchors most international flight connections, and is home to the single largest Japanese diaspora of any city in the world.
Planning note
Brazil’s size makes ground travel between regions impractical for most trips — budget for domestic flights between Rio, Iguazu, Salvador, and Manaus rather than trying to connect them by road or rail.
Sources
- iguazufalls.com — Is Iguazu Falls a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
- Wikipedia — Christ the Redeemer (statue)
- Guinness World Records — Largest carnival
- Wikipedia — Pelourinho
- The Famous Landmarks — Landmarks in Brazil
- Wikipedia — Amazon Theatre (Teatro Amazonas)
- Wikipedia — Japanese community of São Paulo
- Rio Times — Brazil Welcomes Record 6.65 Million Foreign Tourists in 2024
- Travel And Tour World — Brazil’s Tourism Boom Propels It to the Forefront of South American Destinations
Read the Top 10 Countries to Visit in 2026 roundup for how Brazil compares globally.
