The World Cup is a monumental occasion, and even though the birth of football was actually in England, the Brazilians have really made it their own. Brazil delivers fairy-tale football stories each year as the next prodigy earns his salt at a local team before making the “big European move”, with a nice shiny lucrative contract and an extra load of weighted expectations placed on their slender shoulders. The fact that Brazil is hosting the World Cup in 2014, echoes the chorus of the Three Lions song “Footballs coming home”, as Brazil are the only team to have won the World Cup 5 times and in fact be represented in every single tournament since its inception in 1930. Here is a list of a few places I would check out while on your football tour.
- Rio de Janeiro, World Cup 2014 BrazilArtyominc / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
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Rio de Janeiro
No trip to Brazil would be worth it without a visit to Rio. The Copacabana beach is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the climate, the scenery, and the festive atmosphere of the World Cup. The beach is also the spot where the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup tournament is held.
- World Cup 2014: BrazilThomás / Foter.com / CC BY
If you venture up to the Corcovado Mountain on the outskirts of Rio, you will get the opportunity to view Rio from a different vantage point, but more importantly you will get to witness one of the New Seven Wonders of the World – Christ the Redeemer. This impressive statue stands on top of a 10 metre pedestal and adds a further 30 X 30 metres (height X width) to create the largest Art deco statue in the world. It is located 700 metres above the ground at the top of Corcovado Mountain and was built in the early 1920’s. Another notable inclusion in the Rio region is Sugar Loaf Mountain which is accessible by cable car.
Iguazu Falls
There is often no greater spectacle than the raw beauty of nature and the Igazu Falls is one of those spectacles. Situated where the waters of the Igazu River veer away from the Parana Plateau, these falls are separated into small islands which create an incredible 275 waterfalls. The Devils throat is probably the most daunting of them all obviously for its name and for its sheer size. The Devils throat is 270 feet high, nearly 500 feet wide, and from its descent to its end 2,300 feet long. It is recommended to take a double decker bus tour through the Igazu National Park, so you can check out the different wildlife which inhabits this glorious area.
- Iguazu Falls, BrazilLucag / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
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Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto is a town so rich in history that it is deemed as a UNESCO world heritage site. The European influence which shaped the town is still present today, and it is interesting to see the baroque architecture and how it influences the landscape, which makes it appear as an old European settlement. It is also home to a number of museums and churches. It is located in the state of Minas Geriuas and is renowned for its mining heritage. There are a number of other local towns which aren’t too far from Ouro Preto, and also possess a similar quaint charm which makes Ouro Preto such a popular destination.
- Ouro Preto, BrazilJessica Aquino / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Adam Porteous writes on behalf of ICEplc.com who offer a comprehensive international currency exchange service including prepaid currency cards and travel money with competitive exchange rates, 0% commission and a buy back guarantee.
