Sequins sparkled, peacock feathers quivered and scantily clad curvaceous ladies danced to a thumping Samba beat. Elaborately decorated floats sailed past and muscle-bound men performed acrobatic moves to wow the audience. We had joined thousands of excited people to descend on the Sambadrome to party and the anything-goes celebratory vibe was completely infectious.
Festival Fever – Festa do Bonfim
19 Jul
Brazil is famous for its vibrant festivals and raucous celebrations. Naturally outgoing and full of life, smiles and laughter, Brazilians instinctively know how to have a good time making their parties amongst the biggest and best in the world. Images of streets thronged with carefree revellers, live bands playing every kind of music and curvaceous ladies dancing in sequined bikinis is not a marketing ploy, this is the real deal! The Brazilian calendar is chock-full of festivals and if you spend any length of time in the country, it’s highly likely you’ll stumble across one. For those lucky enough to be swept up in the festival spirit, the anything-goes celebratory vibe is infectious and it will undoubtedly be the highlight of any trip to Brazil.
Explore Beautiful Olinda
7 Jun
Olinda is a highlight of any trip to Brazil’s north-eastern Atlantic coast. It has bags of personality and looks to die for. The historic centre offers one of the largest and best preserved examples of colonial architecture in all of Brazil and earned Olinda UNESCO World Heritage status in 1982. The city is built into rolling green hills and is studded with beautiful painted houses, baroque churches and tree-lined plazas. The views out to the turquoise sea and back towards Recife from one of Olinda’s many look-out points are simply magnificent. Over past decades artists and creative types have settled in Olinda, making it a hotspot for art and creativity. The city is also home to one of Brazil’s most famous carnivals, rich in folklaw traditions.