GM Group Travel

Autor: conexao22

  • Foz do Iguaçu is one of the most spectacular destinations of Brazil and of the world!

    Foz do Iguaçu is one of the most spectacular destinations of Brazil and of the world!

    The City of Foz do Iguaçu, with all its diversity of attractions, represents one of the most beautiful tourist destination of the world. It possesses incomparable natural richness, as the Iguaçu National Park, declared as Natural Patrimony of the Humanity and where is located the Waterfalls.
     
    Extreme west of the State of Paraná, frontier between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, Foz do Iguaçu is integrated to a trinational area and has as territorial limits the City of Puerto Iguazú in Argentina and Ciudad Del Este in Paraguay.

    With about 300 thousand inhabitants, Foz do Iguaçu is characterized by its cultural diversity. There are 72 ethnic groups, and the most representative groups are originated from Lebanon, China, Paraguay and Argentina.
     
    The base of its economy is the Tourist Activity, with prominence for the trade and services. Being the 6th city in order of number of foreign tourists and the first of the interior of the country in number of tourists, it counts with several options of walks, leisure, gastronomy and an agitated night life.

    Beyond the waterfalls Foz do Iguaçu has another icon impels the local tourism: Itaipu, the largest hydroelectric of the world. And, inside the Itaipu Tourist Complex, visitors can know the Ecomuseu, the Bela Vista Biological Refuge, and also see the Monumental Illumination of the Power Plant.

    Besides the Waterfalls, the Iguaçu National Park offers interpretative trails and structure for practice of activities in a natural space, like: climbing, tree climbing, rafting and rappel. It is also possible to admire the area of the Waterfalls in helicopters flights.

    Near to the entrance of the Iguaçu National Park, is located the Bird Park, where the visitor comes across the most different species of birds in its natural habitats.

    Another interesting tourist attraction is the Three Landmark, limit between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, where it is possible to appreciate the three countries simultaneously, besides the encounter of the rivers Iguaçu and Paraná.

    The city still has cultural attractions, with emphasis for the religious architecture, with the Main Church, the Buddhist Temple and the Muslim Mosque. In the architectural aspect, they still stand out the international bridges like Ponte Internacional da Amizade (Friendship), in the border with Paraguay and Ponte Internacional Tancredo Neves, border with Argentina.

    There are still many options for leisure in the Itaipu Lake. In the proximities, it is located Weekend Fly, where visitors can have a trike flight over the lake (similar to a delta wing, but with a strong engine), being possible to visualize Itaipu Dam, Furnas Substation, Ecomuseu, Buddhist Temple and bridge Ponte Internacional da Amizade.

    Besides all those alternatives, the city possesses a large hotel park, transportation system, gastronomy, support services and places for accomplishment of different events. So many options to make your moments in Foz do Iguaçu unforgettable.

  • Things to do and see in Salvador Bahia

    Things to do and see in Salvador Bahia

    Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia in Brazil and is considered to be one of the birthplaces of Brazilian culture. Salvador has the reputation of being a relaxed and easy-going reputation with a vibrant music scene and a love of carnival celebrations. Salvador is a wonderfully colourful city both in its culture but also in its architecture too.

    THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN SALVADOR BAHIA

    Salvador has a 100m cliff that runs the length of the bay dividing the city into Cidade Alta (up on the cliff) and Cidade Baixa (down in the bay). At the centre of Cidade Alta lies one of the liveliest parts of town around the two squares Praça da Sé and the Terreiro de Jesus. This is a great place to experience life in Salvador from the street cafes and restaurants to the many food stalls around the centre. The Cathedral Basilica of Salvador is also here and was once a Jesuit Church built in the 17th century in the Mannerist style that was popular in Brazil at the time. The small church to the north of the centre Igreja do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Brazil.
    The central museum Museu Afro-Brasileiro is a great place to find out the history of Salvador and how it has changed over the centuries and also for a glimpse of the slave trade during the 16th century. The Museum of Modern Art (Museu de Arte Moderna) can be found in Solar do Unhão on Baía de Todos os Santos and is also a great place to relax and watch the sun set at the end of the day.
    Salvador is also famous for its great beaches with many of them concentrated to the north that are popular for both tourists and locals alike, so they can get very busy during the weekends. There are fantastic beaches all along the coast that include fine sand and calm waters suitable for families. One of the great attractions in the city is Salvador’s giant Carnival, one of the largest in the world which lasts for a whole week. The carnival includes parades, floats, music and a lot of dancing so if you’re lucky to be here during carnival time expect to join in with a great party.


    EATING OUT & NIGHTLIFE IN SALVADOR BAHIA


    For South American cuisine, Bahian restaurants are considered to be amongst the best. Street stalls also offer a quick taste of Salvador on the move Abara – a bean paste and onion wrap cooked in a banana leaf and acarajé – fritters made from black-eyed peas and onions that are covered in shrimp paste.


    GETTING AROUND IN SALVADOR BAHIA


    The old city centre is easily explored on foot and to get between the Cidade Alta and Cidade Baixa, the cable car (Elevador Lacerda) is the best option and quite cheap. There are plenty of taxis and these probably offer the quickest route getting you to where you want to go and if they don’t have a metre, be prepared to haggle for your price. The bus service is frequent and affordable but can be confusing so it is best to plan your route in advance to travelling knowing the location of your hostel should you need to ask for directions back.

  • 3 of the Best tourist attractions in Rio

    3 of the Best tourist attractions in Rio

    Most of these tourist attractions are in Rio de Janeiro City, not the state (which has the same name).

    Still, I will mention some other places to go in Rio (state) that you will be thankful to have learned about. Let’s get to them!

    Arpoador Rock

    Oh, the Arpoador!

    Watching the sunset in this spot gives the moment a unique charm.

    The Arpoador, literally the harpoon thrower, is a small peninsula between Ipanema and Copacabana. It is a famous place for watching the sun setting on the horizon and surfing as the waves are wild in this area.

    Grab your significant other, hike the paths to a spot in the rocks, sit back, and take in the view of the Atlantic turning orange as the evening comes around.

    Even if you’re traveling alone or with friends, do check out this tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro–you won’t regret it!

    Tijuca National Park (Parque Nacional da Tijuca)


    Tijuca National Park is the backdrop of Rio and the largest urban forest of Brazil, let alone the world.

    Going from the Corcovado to Pedra da Gávea and beyond, the Tijuca Forest is a massive urban rainforest with hiking trails, waterfalls, and countless spots with unforgettable city views.

    This tropical forest attracts over 2 million visitors annually, but it hasn’t always been like this. That’s because this forest is, in fact, a human-made reclamation of land that was previously used for sugar and coffee plantations.

    Tijuca Forest was only declared a national park in Brazil in 1961. However, many favelas are growing out of proportion and occupying environmental conservation units in the park. When the local authorities take action, it is still to be seen.

    Anyway, visitors can wander through the park, visit a 19th-century chapel (Mayrink Chapel), waterfalls, caves, and spot hundreds of plant species as well as many animals.

    Botanical Garden (Jardim botânico)


    Towering palm trees, water lilies, and hundreds of plant species, the Botanical Garden is one of the most pleasant tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro.

    Not only that, but the garden also houses several monuments, statues, and cultural institutions.

    For instance, you can visit the Environment Museum–the first one in Latin America–and the Espaço Tom Jobim, where exhibitions and cultural performances occur.

    Take your time, stroll around the garden, and marvel at the diverse plant species you will spot along the way. It’s a lovely place to spend an afternoon.

  • Porto Seguro: find out what are the main attractions for tourists

    Porto Seguro: find out what are the main attractions for tourists

    Porto Seguro is in Bahia and attracts thousands of tourists every year, in addition to being one of the oldest in Brazil. The city is proud to be “the cradle of Brazil”, after all, it was in that region that the Portuguese first landed here on April 22, 1500. In addition to the historical value, the tourist resort offers the traveler several unforgettable activities . Its beautiful beaches, gastronomy and walks are extremely varied and promise to please all tastes.

    The municipality is 590 km from the capital, Salvador, and is divided into different districts, such as Arraial d’Ajuda, which is quieter, Trancoso which enchants with its colorful houses and Caraíva, which has beautiful paradisiacal beaches. Discover the main attractions of the municipality for tourists.

    historic center

    In the historic center of Porto Seguro, tourists can go back to the past and learn a little more about the arrival of Europeans in Brazil. If you prefer, you can hire guided tours that explain how the development took place on site. Some points such as Cidade Alta, Cidade Baixa, Marco do Descobrimento, Casa da Câmara, Church of Nossa Senhora da Penha, Church of Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia, Jail and Museum are listed by the National Historical Heritage Institute ( IPHAN).

    Beaches

    Both Porto Seguro and its districts have beautiful beaches, from the most agitated, to the most calm and peaceful. Among the main ones are Mundaí Beach, located very close to the historic center and offering a comfortable structure, with beaches and shacks. Tuperapuã Beach, in normal times, would be the busiest in the city, with shows and parties, ideal for those who like excitement. Praia do Mutá is very quiet and the right place for those who want to rest.

    Recife de Fora Marine Park

    Approximately 45 minutes from Porto Seguro, the park is a set of natural pools. The tourist arrives at the place by means of a boat and the trip is done entirely by boat. In addition, the ideal is to visit the park at low tide, when the corals form beautiful pools.

    Pataxó da Jaqueira Reserve

    In the reserve, the visitor is taken to know the indigenous culture through lectures, guided tours and contact with the residents. The tourist, then, has access to the habits, dances, crafts and customs of the people who live there. The site preserves approximately 830 hectares of native vegetation and ecotourism promotes the cultural and vegetal preservation of the reserve.

  • Operators, hotels and companies airlines are preparing for the resumption of tourism

    Operators, hotels and companies airlines are preparing for the resumption of tourism

    The strength of tourism can be seen by numbers. A few days ago, a study by the Institute for Social, Political and Economic Research (Ipespe) identified the Brazilians’ goals for the post-pandemic.

    Nobody wants to miss the opportunity that will certainly come with the resumption of the sector. Club Med, one of the most traditional hotel chains in Brazil, announced the launch of a resort in Canada.

    According to the Brazilian Association of Travel Agencies (Abav), the domestic market should gain momentum as of the middle of the year, with a complete reopening of national attractions and destination.

    In July, for example, Azul expects to resume 85% of its network. International routes tend to receive a greater volume of Brazilians only in the last quarter of the year, when, it is expected, a good part of the world will be immunized – including, of course, Brazilians themselves. “For trips abroad, we believe that the recovery will be more gradual.

  • Rural tourism becomes a trend in Brazil and a alternative for farmers

    Rural tourism becomes a trend in Brazil and a alternative for farmers

    The lack of perspective to make great trips due to the pandemic has fostered a type of tourism that is not common in Brazil: rural. This modality provides contact with nature and experiences in the interior of the country.

    According to the IBGE, the index of tourist activities fell 36.7% from 2019 to 2020. For this year, the scenario is still of retraction: the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC) projects a shrinkage of 9.7 % in the market.

    It is in the midst of this slowing scenario of conventional tourism that other types of travel are gaining space, showing how the sector manages to diversify. Many people have joined staycation, escape tourism, to break the routine of social isolation and travel safely during the pandemic.

    Destinations close to urban centers, with less flow of people and, preferably, in the midst of nature, is the new demand of tourism.

  • São Paulo Coast Offers Infrastructure for Summer Tourists

    São Paulo Coast Offers Infrastructure for Summer Tourists

    The summer season has finally arrived and the coastal areas of the state of São Paulo is ready to welcome a record number of tourists.

    To this end,both municipal and state government have introduced a number of improvements throughout the year in both the Baixada Santista (near the port of Santos) and the Northern Coast (near the state of Rio de Janeiro).

    There are sanitation and water supply works, as well as reinforcement in police and road infrastructure.

    Investments by SABESP, the São Paulo sanitation company, total R$250 (US$63) million.

  • Luxury tourism rises in Brazil

    Luxury tourism rises in Brazil

    Hotels with few suites, signature dishes, 24-hour customer service, tours and private travel. Luxury tourism already combined features naturally opposed to the concept of crowds.

    In addition to this equation, closed borders for international travel by Brazilians and reinforced health safety protocols in the segment.

    The result: high end travel is on the rise in Brazil.

    “The restrictions on traveling abroad triggered an opportunity for Brazil: why not offer here what many Brazilians were looking for exclusively abroad? Luxury and post-luxury services, with a strong link between charm, design, gastronomy, nature and sustainability.

  • The best things to do in Manaus, Brazil

    The best things to do in Manaus, Brazil

    Manaus, Brazil, is a city of 1.8 million people surrounded by 2 million square miles of Amazon jungle more than 1,500 miles from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Though it doesn’t get as many tourists as those two cities, Manaus is a gold mine of brightly colored architecture, riverfront views and world-class eating, minus the huge crowds.
    At the turn of the 20th century, Manaus was the center of a lucrative global trade in rubber. Today, it’s the gateway for thousands of tourists seeking Amazon jungle adventures at the many lodges outside the city.
    Yet there’s still only one road in from the more populous areas of Brazil — a tortuous 540-mile stretch of dirt and asphalt called the BR-319, which runs from the city of Porto Velho. Most visitors arrive on daily flights from Azul, a low-cost Brazilian airline which was started in 2008 by David Neeleman, who is also the founder of JetBlue and of Brazilian descent.

    What to eat and drink
    The elegant but casual upstairs dining room at Caxiri is the place for gourmet takes on Amazon food classics like the beloved tambaqui river fish. Caipirinhas get a fresh kick with house-infused cachaça and even the straight-forward gin and tonic gets a jungle update with the addition of an Amazon herb that tastes vaguely of nutmeg.
    In 2015, Sao Paulo native Fernando Vieira converted a UPS van into a burger truck, named it Borala, and brought it to Manaus. It was the first food truck in the city.
    Vieira went on to open Villa Food Park, which offered space to about a dozen food trucks and attracted the city’s tattooed set with live music and casual food (burgers dominated the offerings). When Villa Food Park closed, Vieira launched a monthly Street Food Festival which pops up around Manaus with many of the same vendors and the same vibe.
    The El Caldeira Bar has occupied a cramped space near the center of town since 1961. Live bands often set up on the sidewalk outside the bar and red plastic tables and chairs spill out until half of the street is blocked. The other half is soon blocked by mobile vendors hawking freshly grilled meat.
    Many consider Banzeiro Cocina Amazonica, opened in 2009 by Chef Felipe Schaedle, to be the best restaurant in Manaus and this place is currently enjoying nascent buzz as a possible new addition to the list of Latin America’s Top 50 Restaurants. In 2016 the same team opened Moquem do Banzeiro, a more casual place with a serious focus on local fish cooked in live embers (the word moquem refers to cooking in this fashion).
    Beer’s & Beer, located in the Container Mall alongside other businesses housed in re-purposed shipping containers, offers more than 300 different beers and ciders including Manaus-made Cervejeria Rio Negro. In 2017 the owners debuted a mobile beer trailer with four taps to bring fresh beer to events around the city.

    What to do

    Manaus’ Amazonas Theater (aka Teatro Amazonas or simply The Opera House) is an opulent ode to the rubber boom of the 1800s when rubber barons and the local government had more money than they knew what to do with. Some of that windfall was used for the construction of the theater. It took 15 years to complete and includes tiles, stained glass and other elements brought from Europe. One-hour guided tours in English are available daily on the half hour and the theater presents a packed year round roster of performances from ballet to opera to the White Stripes.
    You can take a boat tour to a spot where the milky waters of the Solimões River and nearly black waters of the Negro River meet and mix to create the Amazon River in an event dubbed The Meeting of the Waters. A more dramatic way to see this natural phenomenon is via a 30 minute air tour with Seaplane Tours.
    Arena Amazonas, the $220 million dollar, 44,000 seat stadium which was built for the 2014 World Cup, regularly hosts matches between regional and national soccer teams. Tickets are cheap and it’s a great way to check out the ethereal architecture of the structure (inspired by local woven bags) and hang out with Manauras.
    It’s hot in Manaus, so spending a lazy afternoon in cool, gentle tributaries of the Amazon River is a long-standing tradition.
    Abare SUP & Food puts a new twist on the idea by offering stand up paddle boarding as well as swimming for guests at their floating restaurant who want to cool off between rounds of cold beers and plates of fresh food al fresco. In 2017 the owners opened the floating Abare Hostal next door. Go on a weekend for the best party atmosphere.