Journey into the History of Brazil

Begin History of Brazil in Salvador where Africa meets the Americas in a riot of color, rhythm, and soul. With a private guide, walk the pastel streets of Pelourinho, once the New World's most opulent zip code. Admire the Baroque mastery of Salvador Cathedral and São Francisco Church. At House of Carnival, learn about the festival's rebellious roots. Tonight, we’ve secured a reservation for a Bahian dinner where Afro-Brazilian flavors dance across the plate. 

Begin unraveling Salvador. With your guide, navigate the colorful chaos of São Joaquim Market—where sugarcane and tobacco were once exported. Visit Bonfim Church, a sacred intersection of Catholic faith and Candomblé spirituality, where ribbons flutter with whispered prayers. The Afro-Brazilian Museum illuminates Bahia’s diverse African influences while Jorge Amado Center celebrates Brazil’s influential writer. This evening, a Bahian dance performance is followed by an elevated regional dinner.

Immerse yourself in the rhythm of resistance at a traditional capoeira school. This graceful martial art, once disguised as dance by enslaved Africans, unfolds as a living dialogue between movement and music. Under the guidance of local masters, learn basic steps, play the berimbau, and understand capoeira’s philosophy of freedom and resilience. End the day reflecting on Bahia’s enduring strength over a steaming bowl of moqueca (savory seafood stew).

Fly to Rio and drive the Costa Verde to Paraty, a UNESCO-designated colonial town with a gold rush connection. We've chosen Pousada Literaria for you, a serene oasis celebrating Brazil’s literary heritage. The evening invites exploration. Wander lantern-lit cobblestone streets framed by whitewashed facades and terracotta roofs. Sip a caipirinha made with local cachaça and dine while a chorus of live music drifts through the Centro Histórico. 

Step into Paraty’s gold-plated port past. Your guide brings you through the historic heart, where Baroque churches and colorful doors tell stories of sugar merchants and seafarers. In the afternoon, journey by jeep into the lush Atlantic Forest. Visit Pedra Branca and Toboggan Waterfalls—perhaps sliding down the 100-foot-long stone chute yourself. Later, stop at a boutique distillery to see (and sample) how sugarcane alchemizes into Brazilian cachaça. 

Start the day with a leisurely pedal along Paraty’s coastal trails before boarding a private schooner cruise. Chart your way through emerald-green waters, stopping to swim in secretive coves. Lunch is fresh grilled seafood served on deck with views of jungle-draped mountains. Return to Paraty for one last ambient dinner. Order a Jorge Amadao, Paraty’s signature twist on a caipirinha that pays homage to the literary great.

Settle into Belmond Copacabana Palace, a century-old art deco landmark overlooking Rio’s most coveted stretch of beach. A guide takes you on a walking tour of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon where platinum beaches meet trendy bars and upscale boutiques. After dinner, live it up at Scenarium, part antique shop, part samba temple, all soul. Steps from Lapa, close out your evening in Rio’s buzziest nightlife scene. 

Meet your guide and begin your day at Jardim Botânico, brimming with orchids, bromeliads, and palm-lined promenades. The 200-year-old collection was founded at the time Rio became the capital of the Portuguese Empire. Next, tour Rio’s historic downtown. The Imperial Palace and Praça XV de Novembro (the main square) whisper of royal decrees, colonial trade, and Brazil’s path to independence. Hear how Princess Isabel was celebrated, then exiled, for abolishing slavery.

Past and present collide on a guided tour of the revitalized port. Walk the cobbled streets of Pedra do Sal, birthplace of samba, then marvel at Eduardo Kobra’s superlative mural and the district’s striking blend of colonial façades and modern design. Drop by the Art Museum of Rio where Brazil’s artistic lineage is reimagined and tour the futuristic Museum of Tomorrow—a science institution that explores our planet’s future. 

Alongside your guide, sample pyramids of tropical fruit, familiar and foreign, at a buzzing street market. Next, wend up Corcovado Mountain to stand beneath Christ the Redeemer, his outstretched arms embracing Rio’s dazzling blend of forest, mountain, and sea. Later, cycle Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon’s ringed path before joining in on a neighborhood samba party. Imagine: a brassy band, a crowd of joyful onlookers, dance, traditional snacks, and sips.

Journey inland toward the mountains of Minas Gerais, pausing in Petrópolis, the summer retreat of Brazil’s emperors. Continue to Ouro Preto, where steep lanes wind past gold-spired churches and colonial mansions preserved in time. Check into Pousada do Mondego, a converted pharmacy school brimming with charm. As you explore by twilight, street musicians play and lanterns glow, illuminating the enduring influence of colonial Brazil.

Step into the story of Brazil’s 18th-century Gold Rush in Ouro Preto, once the epicenter of colonial wealth and ambition. Wander cobbled lanes lined with mansions built from fortune and faith, then trace the path of gold from mine to masterpiece in Aleijadinho’s baroque church carvings. Visit the Museum of Mineralogy, view the type of sparkling gemstones and minerals that once financed colonial European empires. 

Travel to Inhotim, an extraordinary open-air museum where installations stretch across 1,945 rambling acres. Framed by palm fronds and mirrored lakes, Inhotim blurs the line between landscape and gallery. Your guide will navigate the property based on your interests, identifying artworks and offering contextual commentary. Touring by golf cart makes quicker work of getting around. Later, arrive in Belo Horizonte and settle into the elegant Fasano, one final architectural tribute.

This morning celebrates Brazil’s modernist genius. With a guide, tour São Francisco de Assis Church and the landmarks of Pampulha Lake to see where Oscar Niemeyer scrawled his signature aesthetic across Belo Horizonte.  

History of Brazil draws to a close; a private driver transfers you to the airport. Continue your onward journey or board your international flight home.