Two-thirds of Brazil's population live near the coast, meaning that 'life's a beach' for locals and tourists alike.  People are the essence of the country, and while Brazil is home to a multitude of ethnic groups of varying economic status, there are some characteristics that everyone shares - energy and passion.

It's not all reserved for football either - Brazilians also enjoy a good party! 

The country's landscape is as diverse as the people who inhabit it.  A rich colonial history exists, and the town of Parati is an exquisite example of eighteenth-century Portuguese architecture. The jungles and rivers of the Amazon, home to lush vegetation and exotic wildlife, incite notions of exploration amongst the intrepid, while the thundering Iguazu Falls are simply a spectacular wonder.

Rio is the hottest of destinations, particularly around Carnival time. Dancers gyrate, the music beats and the summer temperature rises. Bodies of all ages, colours and sizes don the very minimum in beachwear and idle away the days on the sun-kissed beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema.  Volleyball, swimming and people-watching are but a few of the activities in which you can indulge.  The beaches are particularly lively at night time when the floodlights come on and the games start.

However, it would be totally wrong just to go to Rio ... you must visit Manaus, and Iguaçu.  Just north of Iguaçu, situated along the country's eastern border with Brazil, the Itaipú Hydroelectric Power Plant is the largest development of its kind in operation in the world.  Built in a joint development between the two countries, Itaipú was listed is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, according to a worldwide survey conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

 

• British Airways ~ Non-stop daily from London Heathrow to Sao Paolo.  The same flight continues on to either Rio de Janeiro or to Buenos Aires in Argentina.  
• TAM ~ This is a Brazilian airline where you connect in Paris for onward travel.
• Varig ~ This is also a local airline and has been the major Brazilian carrier across the Atlantic for many years, operating between Brazil and Frankfurt in Germany.  However, it has had many financial problems recently which means that we would check on its financial viability before booking any of our tours with them.  
• We also look at airlines who fly via their own countries, for example: TAP-Air Portugal ~ From London Gatwick via Lisbon, then on to both Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro, daily; and Iberia ~ From London Heathrow, via Madrid, to Sao Paolo, daily.

We also look at other airlines who fly via their own country's main hubs from Europe or the United States to ensure you get the best flight deal.

Football is the passion.  You'll not be short of a game.  Whilst we have arranged other sports tours to Brazil, including rugby, where the St Paul's School in Sao Paolo were particularly good hosts.  Football has been our main sport for touring this amazing country.  During your visit to Rio de Janeiro, you must visit the Maracana, the world's largest football stadium, with a 200,000 capacity!

An increasingly important part of our tours to brazil has been the use of different football sports camps.  Several are residential whilst others are day camps.  We believe the residential ones are better as it gives the touring team greater opportunities to link in with their coaches to improve your skills.

We have used Centro de Futebol Zico most successfully where the boys are accommodated at the centre and the coaches spend days improving the individiual and group skills of the players at a relaxing pace.  A key to the success of the Zico Centre is that they also arrange fixtures against local suitable opposition which means that the coaches who have been working with the boys can check on their improvement during these contact sessions.

 

As with a country which is so orientated to tourism, you have a very wide range of hotels. With prices so attractive, use nothing less than a 3.5* hotel like the Sheraton Barra Hotel & Suites which we are using for Colet Court. The Rio beaches have been cleaned up after they had a spate of muggings. When you go there and you see the shanty town (locally called the falavas), it is not surprising that the 'have nots' seek alternative ways of living like stealing to survive.

• Fitness Centre
• Sauna and Spa
• Several restaurants
• Swimming pools
• Terral Restaurant, offering an assorted buffet for breakfast and lunch, and for dinner, a la carte service of Mediterranean cuisine, with a Thai touch.
• Palmeiras Bar, serving drinks, sandwiches, salads, pastas and pizzas (made in the local oven) are served
• T-Lounge bar, with live music on some nights, and serving appetizers and snacks

• Sugar Loaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro 
• Christ the Redeemer statue, Rio de Janeiro
• Copocabana and Ipenema Beaches, Rio de Janeiro
• Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro  
• Barra Shopping, Rio de Janeiro
• Iguazu Falls, Iguazu National Park
• Itaipú Dam, Cuidad del Este, border with Paraguay
• Jungle Tour, Manaus
• Museu do Momem do Norte, Manaus
• Opera House, Manaus