Kick-start the fever
The only country that has qualified for every World Cup has also won the title five times, and the national passion for football will rub off on you as soon as you land. All 12 host cities are Brazilian state capitals, and watching a live game at any stadium is an incomparable experience. But it can be just as fun on any large screen around the country - listening to an entire city cheer every time a significant goal is scored. Win brownie points for using one of the national team’s many nicknames: Selecao, Canarinho, Amarelinha, Verde Amarelo, Pentacampeao, and El Scratch.
Get the other kick
Hum along to Frank Sinatra’s They’ve Got an Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil, as you discover the joys of a tiny cup of sweet and strong cafezinho, normal-sized cafe com leite or cafe pingado, and cappuccinos flavoured with orange peel or lemon syrup. Brazilians have been the world’s largest producer of coffee for 150 years, and they love giving it away. Enjoy free coffee at most petrol stations and many restaurants.
Eat, drink, be merry
While the national dish, feijoada, is a porcine stew of black beans and vegetables, the rice-and-beans combination is available in numerous variations, as are pizzas and pastas. Try as many salgadinhos as you can: the small savoury snacks include kibbes, empadas and pastels. Brazil is dotted with sem balancas or self-service buffets where food is charged by the kilo, or feature a set price for whatever you can fit on to your plate – a delicious, nutritious meal for less than $5.
Fruit for the soul
Vegans, vegetarians, and folks with food allergies and intolerances - do not despair if you cannot find fulfilling food. Take recourse in fruit. Brazil has a stupendous variety of fruits, and fruit drinks called sucos are sold on almost every street. Besides an array of tropical fruit, discover new tastes with acai, acerola, sugar apples, carambola, camu-camu, guarana, graviola, pitanga, umbu, and cashew and cacao fruits. Brazilians claim their bananas are the tastiest in the world; enjoy it in a smoothie, or as a snack.
Nurturing by nature
Brazil has seven locations recognised as World Natural Heritage sites, and rank among the most incredible places on the planet. The Patanal is one of the largest wetlands in the world, the Iguacu Falls has a flow capacity thrice as large as Niagara Falls, and the Lencois Maranhenses National Park features lagoons in the desert. Almost 60 per cent of the Amazon rainforest is located inside Brazil, and host city Manaus is located right in its middle.
The language of love
Although not many Brazilians speak English outside Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, they will definitely try to communicate with you. Customary traditions include kissing on both cheeks as introduction and good bye, placing an arm around the shoulder to emphasise a point, and robust bear hugs to express appreciation. Don’t be surprised if you receive a salvo of air kisses from someone who you have just met, or someone else offers to hold your bag in a bus as common courtesy.
Sights and sounds
Irrespective of which city football takes to you land in, there is a lot on offer. In Rio, the spectacular summits of Sugar Loaf and Christ the Redeemer provide panoramic views of the city. Fortaleza is famous for its Festa Junina (June Festival), celebrating saints with folk dances and music. The capital, Brasilia, is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The parks, woods and gardens of Curitaba make it one of the prettiest cities of South America. In Sao Paolo, Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) houses Latin America’s most comprehensive collection of art. Largo do Pelourinho, Salvador’s restored colonial square is considered the epicentre of Brazilian culture.
The shopping trail
Rua Oscar Freire in Sao Paolo, the second most luxurious street in the Americas, features Brazil’s leading fashion and jewellery brands, and the city’s most exclusive restaurants. You can’t go amiss with any Brazilian brand of swimwear, but cangas also make great gifts – they can be used as mat, sarong, towel, throw, or bedspread. Havaianas are aplenty everywhere, but a truly worthy buy is a customised pair. Cuiaba is a great place to stock up on boots and cowboy hats, and a bottle of cachaca will recall the finest caipirinhas, long after you leave Brazil.
