Brasília

Understand

The basic structure of Brasilia was completed in just four years, from 1956 to 1960, under the leadership of President Juscelino Kubitschek, with the slogan "fifty years of progress in five", and the city is in a sense a memorial to him. The cathedral has six columns representing two hands reaching up to almighty heaven. The city is designed in the shape of a giant bird or airplane, with various separated zones assigned for specific functions such as housing, commerce, hospitals and banking. Running down the center of the "airplane's" fuselage is the thoroughfare called the Eixo Monumental ("Monumental Axis") and at one end lay the government buildings. The arched "wings" are residential zones, with several rows of medium-rise apartment blocks with small commercial districts. The intersection is the commercial and cultural hub, with stores, hotels, and the cathedral. A huge artificial lake serves the city as both a leisure area and to diminish the effects of low humidity in drier months (see Climate below). Decades after its creation, Brasilia is still developing a culture of its own. The city has often been criticized as a failed utopia where rationalized modernist planning has buried the human element. Yet Brazilians are quite proud of their capital, embodying a vision of a future when Brazil is no longer considered merely a "developing" country.

Orientation and addresses

Getting a grasp of Brasilia's addresses may be a little perplexing at first, as they are usually shortened to acronyms. Here are some useful tips: The Monumental Axis divides the city into north and south sectors. Acronyms ended in N refer to sectors on the northern side, while those ended in S are on the south.

SHS/SHN - Hotel sectors (Setor Hoteleiro) SCS/SCN - Commercial sectors (Setor Comercial) SQS/SQN - Residential sectors (Superquadras) CLS/CLN (or SCLS/SCLN) - Local commerce sectors (Comércio Local) along the wings. SES/SEN - Embassies sector (Setor de Embaixadas)

Climate

Due to its location, on a plateau at an altitude of 1,100 meters, temperatures in Brasília seldom reach extremes during the year. 12°C to 28°C (63 to 82°F) are the average lows and highs, but it can get as low as 1°C (34°F) in winter and get as hot as 34°C (92°F) in September/October. In Brasilia, there are two seasons: a rainy season, which runs from October to April, and a dry season, which runs from May to September. In dry season (May–September), rains are practically non-existent. Between May and June, the relative humidity is around 50%. However, from the months of August and September, the pea

Getting there

By plane Due to long distances and falling prices in air travel, flying has become a practical way of getting to Brasilia. The city is a national air travel hub, and there should be plenty of flights. In fact you may find your plane touching down at Brasilia airport even if you're not starting or ending anywhere near, such as Salvador to Belém. On the other hand, despite being a major international capital, getting in directly from abroad is difficult to impossible in most cases. Virtually all flights are domestic, and you will have to go through Brazilian customs and immigration elsewhere and re-board. There are non-stop flights from Lisbon (TAP Portugal), Lima (LATAM and Avianca), Bogotá (Avianca), Miami (LATAM) and (American Airlines), Panamá City (Copa Airlines), Montevideo (Pluna), Atlanta (Delta Air Lines) and Paris (Air France).

1 Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport (BSB IATA) (11 km (6.8 mi) from the city center), ☏ +55 61 3364-9000, fax: +55 61 3364-9251. open M-F 11:00-16:00, departures area. Brasília's airport has one of the few tourist information services in town (☏ +55 61 3033 9488, from 07:30-22:30). It also has an exchange office at the arrivals area, another one at Banco do Brasil and several ATMs. There is an Executive Bus from airport to hotel zone and the central region for R$10. Taxis are another convenient means of getting from the airport into the city. They are relatively expensive for Brazilian standards for the 20-minute drive to the hotel zone. Regular buses number 102 and 102.1 are frequent and significantly cheaper. They link the airport to the main bus terminal at Rodoviária, from where you can catch buses or the subway to other parts of the city.

By bus Due to its central location, Brasilia is well served by a bus network that connects it with the rest of Brazil. Travel times are about 15 hours from São Paulo, 18 hours from Rio, 10 hours from Belo Horizonte and 3 hours from Goiânia. Buses from other states arrive at a dedicated bus station called rodoferroviaria (☏ +55 61 3363 4045), that is at the west end of the axis and is connected to the city center by bus (number 131, frequency each 10–20 minutes, from 05:00 to 00:00) and taxis.

By car Drivers coming from southern and Center-west states will arrive by the Saída Sul entrance. From other states, you'll enter Brasilia by Saída Norte. After you're inside the Federal District, keep following the Brasília indicating traffic signs and Zona Central if you're staying at the hotel sector. The Eixo Rodoviário Road, that crosses the city's south, ce

Getting around

Rent a car, ride the buses, take a cab, hitchhike, but whatever you do, don't plan on getting around Brasilia on foot. The city was designed under the assumption that every resident would own an automobile. Obviously things didn't turn out that way, and the city's public transport is a solution to an almost deliberately designed problem. Fortunately it works fairly well. Note that the roads have few crosswalks or traffic lights, so being a pedestrian also requires some caution and patience.

By e-hailing Notable e-hailing services in the city are:

Uber 99Taxi TeLevo (Brazilian service) It's cheap and convenient.

By bus Use the app Moovit to find convenient connections. Most local buses start from or go through the rodoviária, at the precise center of the city, and run along the "wings" - serving the residential zones - or through the Monumental Axis. Some bus lines are very useful for moving around, as they link the central area of Brasilia (Setor Comercial, Setor de Diversões etc.) to Esplanada dos Ministérios, the airport and some of the main avenues (L2 and W3). These used to be striped red-and-white buses called "zebrinhas" (little zebras) but now they are only distinguished from other bus lines by their numbers. Unlike many other Brazilian cities, passengers in Brasilia board buses by the front door. Buses must be flagged, otherwise they will only stop when a passenger requests to hop off. Single fares are R$3.80-5.50 (Feb 2021) for travel within Brasília. You can pay when you board the bus. In January 2021 it worked to get a public transport card without a CPF. The card is prepaid. Within 3 hours you can use 3 means of public transport. For that you pay only R$5.50 (Feb 2021) altogether. You can get the card at the BRB service center at the Rodoviaria Plano Piloto. Go downstairs in the direction of the Metro station Estaçio Central and then turn the next left. The BRB service center is at the end of the hallway. Semob Secretaria de Transporte e Mobilidade, the agency responsible for urban passenger transport in Brasília, oversees bus operations ensuring efficient service across the city. For those looking to plan their journey, the DF no Ponto platform is the official tool for finding bus schedules and line itineraries. This platform offers detailed information on the various routes that traverse the city, making it a valuable resource for navigating Brasília’s extensive bus network. Additionally, the website horariodeonibus.net is highly reliable and can provide an excellent experience for tourists and foreigners looking to travel around Bra

See

City center

1 Three Powers Square (Praça dos Três Poderes) (at the eastern end of the Monumental Axis). Includes the seats of the country's 3 highest authorities: the Congress, the Presidential Palace (called Palácio do Planalto) and the Supreme Court. The axis itself is aligned such that on April 21 (Tiradentes Day, marking the death of the Brazilian independence martyr), the sun rises precisely between the two towers of Congress. The bronze statue of two abstract figures is named Os Candangos and represents the pioneering spirit of the workers who built the city. There's also a "blind justice" statue by the Supreme Court, a small museum about Juscelino Kubitschek, the Pantheon, the Eternal Flame monument, and a model, built to scale, of Brasilia itself, in an underground space. The façade of the Palace of Justice has waterfalls that contrast with its stern geometrical beauty. 2 Congresso Nacional, Palácio do Congresso Nacional - Praça dos Três Poderes, ☏ +55 61 3216-1771, [email protected]. 09:00-17:00. Daily, Brazilian National Congress offers a guided visit. It starts every half hour from 09:00, in Salão Negro (access the main ramp). It lasts for 50 minutes. You cannot enter wearing shorts and slippers from Monday to Friday. Free entrance.. 3 Itamaraty Palace, ☏ +55 61 3411-6148. guided visits M-F 14:00-16:30 and Sa Su 10:00-15:30. It houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and stands out among the ministry buildings at Esplanada dos Ministérios for its beautiful architecture and sculptures. 4 Brasilia Cathedral, ☏ +55 61 3224-4073. M Sa 07:00-17:00, Tu-F Su 08:00-18:00. With its 16 curved 90-ton concrete pillars and stained-glass panels, it is one of the world's most amazing modernist buildings. 5 Brasilia National Museum (Monumental axis. Near the Brasilia Cathedral). Brasilia's newest museum was built to be the city's home for renowned national and international exhibitions. As of 2012, the outside space has become a regular venue to free concerts and events, and very popular for skating, but its collections are temporary and severely lacking both in size and importance. However, give it a try, it's free.

6 Television Tower (in the middle of the Monumental axis). Tu-Su 08:00-20:00. This used to be the best place for a sweeping panorama of the city, until the opening of the new Digital Tower. It's the second best now. There is also a crafts and typical food market at the base of the tower. Free. 7 Juscelino Kubitschek Memorial (on the western part of the axis, the city's highest location). This is a museum dedicated to the life and ac

Do

Cinema Festival - Brasilia hosts one of the most important festivals of Brazilian cinema. The Festival de Cinema Brasileiro takes place late October/early November and screens independent and mainstream movies that will hit the theaters the following year. Both short and feature films are presented, but the movies have no subtitles. Japanese Festival, Honpa Hongwanji Temple, EQS 315/316. Weekends of August - Sa Su from 6PM. The Japanese community of Brasilia celebrates the Obon Festival, with bon odori dances and stalls selling typical food and other Japanese items. Free. Porão do Rock. Usually happening in July, August or September, it's one of the biggest music festivals in Brasilia. It's dedicated to rock 'n' roll and all its variants. Local bands share the two main stages with national staples and some international bands. Chapada Imperial, ☏ +55 61 9965-2461, +55 61 9961-9068, +55 61 9984-4437. 50 km from the city center. It's a natural park with trekking trails, camping area, typical cerrado birds and waterfalls. State Secretary of Culture of the Distrito Federal | Agenda - The biggest cultural schedule of Brasilia. It keeps track of all exhibitions and shows playing in the city. You can choose the listings by month or type of attraction or see the complete schedule for the current month .

Sports Basketball - If you happen to be in Brasilia between January and June, you should not miss the games of Brasilia's home team Universo BRB for the national league of basketball. Universo is well known for playing great games and drawing a big audience (for Brazilian standards). The season games happens in 'Clube da CEB' (CEB's club), at SGAS 904. If you want to play basketball, the city's park has plenty of courts available for public use. Your best chance to catch some locals playing is going on the weekends. Golf, ☏ +55 61 3224-2718. Brasilia Golf Club. SCES Trecho 2, lt 2. Jogging - Brasilia's most popular sport by far. There are running tracks in the National Park and in the City's Park. The Eixo Rodoviario road is closed to traffic on Sundays (8h-18h) and can be also used for jogging, cycling and skating. Jogging on weekends in the City's Park is one of the most popular activities among locals. Don't miss the coconut water vendors. Besides that, 5 km and 10 km races happens almost bi-monthly. Wakeboard - Wakescola de Brasília. The only wakeboard school in the city. Tel +55 61 3380-2171, +55 61 9982-3562. Expensive.

Buy

Brasilia's residential wings have many local shops such as groceries, drugstores, bakers, restaurants, hairdressers and so forth, and that is where townspeople do much of their daily shopping. The now somewhat decadent W3 avenue used to be the equivalent of a city's high street and still concentrates a large portion of the city's street commerce. Shopping malls, however, also play an important part when it comes to shopping in town.

The Setor de Diversões is a fairly nice shopping area at the center of the city, very close to Rodoviaria. The northern side, called Conjunto Nacional, is a bit more upscale, while the southern side has interesting small shops with books, music, and clothing that appeal to the local skateboard-riding youths. Notice that this southern side at night is very dangerous, being the favorite spot for hookers and drug dealers. On Sundays there is a flea market at the base of the Television Tower. Half of the stands are also open during the week and you can get local crafts and souvenirs hard to find in shopping malls. Some off-center places can also be of interest for travelers:

The imports market (popularly known as Feira do Paraguai) is the place to go for cheap electronics (cameras and replacement accessories, batteries etc.) and other travel items such as backpacks, flashlights and so forth. From Rodoviaria, take bus 124.2 (shorter trip) or bus 124. Records and books - FNAC, at the Parkshopping mall has a good assortment of English-language travel guides and Brazilian music CDs. Livraria Cultura, at the Casa Park mall, has bilingual staff and an extensive collection of Brazilian CDs and foreign-language literature (especially in English, French, Spanish, Italian and German). Both malls are close to each other and can be easily reached by subway through the (almost self-explanatory named) Shopping station. Sebinho, CLN 406 Bloco C. A mid-range café, restaurant and bookstore known for its literary events and casual atmosphere in Asa Norte. (updated Aug 2017) 1 Conjunto Nacional (Joint National Mall). (updated Jul 2018) 2 The ParkShopping. (updated Jul 2018)

Eat

Brasilia does not have a typical, regional cuisine. Nevertheless, restaurants serve food from many Brazilian states, as well as international fare. Self-service (por quilo) restaurants are very common and usually cheaper than their à la carte counterparts. Most of Brasilia's "real" (table service) restaurants are in the residential wings, usually a bus or taxi ride away from most tourist attractions. One of the most popular streets is the CLS 405 (from rodoviaria, take bus 114), with choices ranging from sushi to Brazilian, Mexican and French food. Regarding tips, visitors are expected to pay at least 10% of the bill. Such amount is commonly printed on the invoice and most of the time it's OK to include the tip in your credit/debit card since most of the restaurants share the total amount with all employees. Self-service restaurants usually don't charge tips.

Budget

Multiple locations Giraffas. Local chain with several locations around town. Rivals McDonalds in the fast food market by serving sandwiches and cheap beef/chicken + rice-and-beans set meals. (updated Aug 2022) Pizzaria Dom Bosco. The oldest active pizzeria in Brasilia. Sells reasonably cheap pizza by the slice. (updated Aug 2022) 1 Pizzaria Dom Bosco South Wing, CLS 107 Bloco D Loja 20, ☏ +55 61 3443-7579. Daily 08:00-23:00. (updated Aug 2022) 2 Pizzaria Dom Bosco North Wing, CLN 306 Bloco C Loja 46, ☏ +55 61 3347-0904. Daily 09:00-23:00. (updated Aug 2022) 3 Pizzaria Dom Bosco St. Sudoeste, CLSW 303 Bloco A Loja 18, ☏ +55 61 3341-2493. Daily 09:00-23:00. (updated Aug 2022)

City center 4 Fourt Court of Conjunto Nacional Mall. A convenient place for finding reasonably priced food. The mall is located right beside the main bus terminal (rodoviaria) and at walking distance from many hotels and of the main attractions such as the Three Powers Square. (updated Aug 2022) 5 Churrasquinho do Galego, Quadra 3 Atrás Hotel Monumental Bitar. (updated Aug 2022) 6 Mini Kalzone, Setor de Diversões Norte Loja 2028. (updated Aug 2022) 7 Brasileirinho Restaurante, SCS Q. 3 Bloco A Loja 77. (updated May 2022) 8 Lanches Embaixador, Bloco A Loja 61 Quadra 04 - Ed. Embaixador, SCS Q. 4. (updated May 2022) 9 Churrasquinho Express, 18/19 - Asa Sul. (updated Jun 2022) 10 Palmier Lanchonete, Quadra 06 - Bloco A - Lojas 43/45 - Ed. José Severo, SHCS. (updated May 2022)

South Wing 11 Qui Lanche. Right beside Banco Central's main building. The restaurant is in the Comércio Local Sul 201, this street is said to be packed with cheap self-service restaurants and a few ranging from mid-range to splurge

Drink & nightlife

Despite not being particularly famous for its nightlife, Brasilia has some hangouts that save visitors from night-time boredom. Please observe that smoking on the dance floor is not allowed - all clubs have a smoking area, so people can smoke (or just get some fresh air) without leaving the club.

Outro Calaf, SBS Quadra 02 Edifício Empire Center - Asa Sul, ☏ +55 61 3325-7408. Famous for its Spanish cuisine and for its parties. On Monday night, it has one of the best parties in Brasília, the black music oriented Criolina. On the other days of the week, you can enjoy samba music. Beirute - CLS 109 Bloco A (near 108 Sul metro station), +55 61 3244-1717. Opens daily, until 2AM. One of the oldest and most traditional bars in town, serves reasonably priced beer and Arab food, and attracts a mixed crowd of students, journalists, gay people and intellectuals. Is also one of the best places to pick up flyers and find out the best parties to go. Club 904 - SGAS 904 - Asa Sul +55 61 3224-5519. It hosts two of the parties that gathers most of the youth in the city. 5uinto on Thursdays, an electronic music party and Play!, on Fridays, a rock music party. Clube do Choro, ☏ +55 61 3327-0494, fax: +55 61 3425-1448, [email protected]. Setor de Divulgação Cultural (Near the Convention Center). Considered by many to be one of the best places for instrumental music in Brazil, this club is also a school of choro, a genuinely Brazilian instrumental popular music style, usually played with a flute, guitar and cavaquinho (a small chordophone with four strings). Located near the TV tower, it has weekly presentations of national choro artists. Call in advance to check availability, as tickets are limited and often sold out days before the shows. Pôr-do-Sol - CLN 408 BL C, s/n lj 24 - Asa Norte. +55 61 8471-4146. Favorite bar of University of Brasília students. It is always crowded, so it is a great place to see different people. The beer doesn't get any cheaper elsewhere. You have to get it on the counter, though. You can see the youth of Brasília over here, drinking beer and talking about anything. Some consider the whole 408 quadra as a sort of "alcoholic set-up", due to the many bars. "Bar Godofredo" CLN 408 Bl C - Asa Norte. A charming bar where you can find good music and many types of beers. It is on a block with plenty of bars that's near the university and is normally frequented by young people. UK Brasil Pub - SCLS 411 BL B Lj. 28 - Asa Sul. +55 61 3257-1993. Live music with local bands, mostly covers of famous bands. Doesn't accept credit cards. There's

Sleep

Most of the city's accommodation is at the Hotel Sectors (SHS and SHN), two central areas located on both sides of Eixo Monumental. During weekdays, hotels are usually busy due to the capital's political activity and it is advisable to book in advance. Most of the hotels have an off-price for the weekends.

Budget

Mid-range Like U Hotel, SHS Qd. 04 Bloco F., ☏ +55 61 3204-6162, fax: +55 61 3321-2690. Formerly the Bristol Hotel, central location with easy access to a shopping center and bus lines. From R$181 single per night.

Splurge Hotel Royal Tulip Brasília Alvorada, SHTN Trecho 1 Conjunto 1B Bloco C - Asa Norte, ☏ +55 61 3424-7000. This large hotel by the Paranoa Lake and right next to the Alvorada Palace is reputed as the city's best. It's somewhat out of the way though. Meliá Brasil 21, SHS, Quadra 6 - Conjunto A - Lote 1 - Bloco D (in the Monumental Axis, between the Television Tower and 50 m from the City Park, within easy reach of the Esplanada of Ministries and 13 km from the airport.), ☏ +55 61 3218-4700, fax: +55 11 3043-8353. This full service 5 star hotel features large rooms as well as a good restaurant and breakfast buffet. R$437. Lets Idea Brasília Hotel, SHN Quadra 5 – Bloco B, ☏ +55 61 3424-2500. A luxury 18-story 148-room hotel, adjacent to the central business and banking districts. You shouldn't be too agoraphobic if you want to use the pool here because it's on the roof. Brasilia Palace Hotel, SHTN Trecho 01 Conjunto 01,- Asa Norte, ☏ +55 61 3306-9000. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated in 1958, this hotel completes the Brasilia/Niemeyer experience. It was the first hotel in the city. In the 2000s, it was revamped maintaining the strict modernist 1960s style. Always remember though, never show off any of your 'splurging'. Not only will this be considered as an insult to less fortunate citizens, you will be an advertising for a mugging.

Go next

Hostels and private rooms are offered in:

Pirenópolis – 150 km in the west. An old Portuguese colonial town surrounded by several waterfalls Alto Paraíso de Goiás – 230 km north. It's the main gate to the Chapada dos Veadeiros region. It's also known from its hippies and esoteric communities. Uberlândia – 420 km in the south. A very modern cosmopolitan city, the second largest city in the state of Minas Gerais. It offers its visitors delicious cuisine, historic districts and trips to numerous waterfalls. Chapada Diamantina National Park in the north-east. The hostels are in the Vale do Capão and in Lençóis. From there you can go further east to Salvador. Belo Horizonte and Ouro Preto.

Further destinations are:

Itiquira waterfall – 110 km in the north-east. This beautiful 168m-high waterfall is a pleasant 2-hour drive going northwest; exit the city through the Ponte do Bragueto and continue on highway BR020 to Planaltina and then Formosa. Chapada dos Veadeiros – 230 km in the north. A national park with plenty of cerrado wildlife and spectacular waterfalls. Cavalcante – 320 km north. It's part of the Chapada dos Veadeiros national park. Also known from the Kalunga communities, descendants of escaped slaves. Caldas Novas – 300 km south. Caldas Novas is popular for its hot springs that attract travelers all year round.

Brasilia has direct low-cost flights to several destinations, for example:

Florianópolis and Vitória on the Altlantic coast Belo Horizonte São Paulo Rio de Janeiro