Brazil Beyond Football

If in Rio
Hang gliding: Soar over Rio in the capable hands of a tandem-pilot. Few world cities offer the natural topography to pull off a comparable spectacle, so enjoy this experience. Package including photos and videos costs about 350 Brazilian Real or Rs 9,270.

Prainha Beach: This hidden gem won the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award in 2014. It is a far cry from the bustle and noise of Copacabana and Ipanema, and worth a day-trip if you want to escape the tourists of Corcovado.

Day-long cruise: Board a schooner and sail around the surrounding tropical islands and Sepetiba Bay.
The Churrascaria: Meat-eaters rejoice! These restaurants offer cut after cut of exquisite meat, right off the skewer. Tables have a green and red signal to tell the waiters when to stop.

If in São Paulo  
Art museums: With places like the Julio Prestes Cultural Center, the Visual Arts Museum and the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, the city known as Sampa is bursting with edgy, creative art work. Take a tour of the city’s architecture or watch a play or a movie at one of the many theatres and art-house cinemas.

Japan calling: Brazil is home to the largest Japanese population outside Japan. Visit the district of Liberdade to feel transported to the land of the samurais.

Coffee Museum: Learn how important coffee export is to the history of Brazil at the Coffee Museum in the city of Santos, a day-trip from São Paulo.  

Image: Corbis
A daylong tour of Praia do Forte in Salvador is ideal for large families

If in Salvador  
Tour of Praia Do Forte and the Tamar Sea Turtle Project: A great day trip from Salvador if you have children. The sea turtle protection initiative in this north-eastern town allows visitors to get close to these beautiful animals and see young ones being released into the wild.

Catamaran cruise: Explore the many islands, enjoying water sports and whale-watching.

If in Manaus
Use the Amazon’s largest city as a base for a day-long cruise down the Rio Negro, to the picturesque Meeting of the Waters where it meets the Amazon River. Spend a night onboard a cruise around the Anavilhanas Archipelago to see the rainforests and meet pink dolphins and piranhas.

If IN Belo Horizonte
Cave paintings: Take a day-trip to the three spectacular caves of  Gruta Rei do Mato (with ancient cave paintings), Gruta Da Lapinha and Gruta de Maquiné.

Hiking trip: Take a three-hour hike through the Parque Serra Do Curral to the crest of the Sierra to take in views of the city and the mountains that surround it.