Brasilia

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Brasília, the capital of Brazil, is a planned city. It was built in 1960 on what used to be an uninhabited cerrado (savannah-like vegetation) area. With a relatively recent history, it is still developing a culture of its own. However, it is a masterpiece of modernist architecture listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts architecture aficionados worldwide. Brasilia is also an important transportation hub for travel within Brazil.

	brasilia Travel Guide : 1 Understand 1.1 Orientation and addresses 1.2 Climate 1.3 Tourist information 2 Get in 2.1 By plane 2.2 By bus 2.3 By car 3 Get around 3.1 By bus 3.2 By taxi 3.3 By subway 3.4 By car 4 See 5 Do 6 Buy 7 Eat 7.1 Budget 7.2 Mid-range 7.3 Splurge 8 Drink 9 Sleep 9.1 Budget 9.2 Splurge 10 Contact 10.1 By web 11 Get out

Understand

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 city plan 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. The "airplane's" main body is called the Eixo Monumental ("Monumental Axis") and at one end lie 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 dryer months (see Climate below).

Brasilia has been criticized since its creation as a failed utopia where rationalized modernist planning have buried the human element. Yet Brazilians are quite proud of their capital, as a vision of a future when Brazil is no longer considered merely a "developing" country.

The original planned area (called Plano Piloto) is home to about 300.000 inhabitants, most of the city's middle and upper classes. The so-called satellite cities (that stay from 15 to 40 kilometres away, some in the neighbouring State of Goiás) concentrate the remainder of the almost 3 million inhabitants of this metropolis.

Orientation and addresses

Getting a grasp of Brasilia's addresses may be a little mind-boggling at first, as they are usually shortened to acronyms. Here go 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.

Climate

Temperatures seldom hit extremes. 17°C to 28°C (63 to 82°F) are the average lows and highs, but it can hit as low as 10°C in June and get as hot as 30°C in September/October. July, August and September are the worst months to go as it gets simultaneously hot and very dry. Plants go all grey and leafless, the air is filthy and everyone must constantly drink lots of water to prevent the unpleasant effects of dry weather. On the other hand, during those months the city is blessed with a gorgeous sunset in spectacular shades of orange, pink and red. The best months to go are probably May and June - cooler and enjoyable, with lesser chances of rainfall, therefore favoring most outdoor activities.

Tourist information

Official tourist info can be obtained from Brasilia's tourist authority (http://www.setur.df.gov.br/) (in Portuguese).

Get in

By plane

Due to long distances and falling prices in air travel, flying is 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.

Brasilia's airport (phone:(61) 3364-9000, fax: (61) 3364-9251) is situated 11 km (7 mi) from the city center and has one of the few tourist information services in town (phone (61) 3033.9488, from 7.30 am to 10.30 pm). It also has an exchange office at Banco do Brasil (open Mo-Fri 11:00-16:00) and several ATMs.

Taxis are the best means of getting from the airport into the city. They are relatively expensive for Brazilian standards and the 20-minute drive to the hotel zone should cost about R$ 30-40. Buses number 102 and 102.1 are frequent and link the airport to the main bus terminal at Rodoviária.

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 to São Paulo, 18 hours to Rio, 10 hours to Belo Horizonte and 3 hours to Goiania. Buses from other States arrive at a dedicated bus station called rodoferroviaria (phone:(61) 3363-4045), that is located at the west end of the axis and is connected to the city centre by bus (number 131, frequency each 10-20 minutes, from 5 am to midnight) 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 signs and Zona Central if you're staying at the hotels sector.

Get around

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.

By bus

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. Red minibuses, called Zebrinha or Transporte de Vizinhança 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).

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$ 2,00 for travel within Plano Piloto. There is no advance sale of tickets, pay as you board.

By taxi

Taxis are relatively expensive in Brasilia and usually cannot be hailed on the streets. Taxi stands, however, are close to all tourist attractions and any hotel will be able to call a cab or provide the phone number of the best known dispatch offices. All taxis must have taximeters and can start charging only after the passenger has boarded.

By subway

The Metrô-DF1 (http://www.metro.df.gov.br/) subway system started operating in 2001. Its Y-shaped line runs along the southern wing but does not make stops there (stations seem to be forever under construction). The subway closes on Sundays and is not quite useful for moving around, but links Plano Piloto to some satellite cities. Single fare: R$ 1,50.

By car

If you arrive by car or decide to rent one there, note that drivers behave differently than in other places in Brazil:

• Stop at pedestrian crossings - pedestrians will wave a hand before crossing or usually simply start walking. Keep an eye on the sidewalks at all times. Policemen enforce this rule and you can get fined if you disrespect it.
• Use of horns - do not honk unless you really need to. Brasilienses hate it and really appreciate their driving to be as silent as possible.

See

Nearly all of Brasilia's architectural sites are on the eastern part of the Monumental Axis.

• The Square of the Three Powers (Praça dos Três Poderes) at the extreme end of the 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 a 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 and a model, built to scale, of Brasilia itself.
• Palace of Justice, and Itamaraty Palace which houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stand out among the ministry buildings at Esplanada dos Ministérios.
• Brasilia Cathedral is midway along the axis.
• National Theater
• The Television Tower is the best place for a sweeping panorama of the city.
• The Juscelino Kubitschek Memorial on the western part of the axis is a museum dedicated to the life and accomplishments of the president, and houses his remains as well. It's located underground and has a slightly spooky 1960's science-fiction feel to it.
• Palácio do Alvorada - The President's official residence. Its arches are icons of the capital.
• Dom Bosco Church - A beautiful modern church built on concrete and blue stained glass. Impossible not to notice the huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the square church.
• Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures).

Besides the outstanding architecture and art, Brasilia also has attractions on the natural side:

• Paranoá Lake - Pontão has lakeside restaurants and a park while the Ermida Dom Bosco chapel provides gorgeous views of the city from across the Lake, an excellent place to watch Brasilia's famous sunsets.
• City Park (Parque da Cidade) - Slightly larger than NYC's Central Park, this wide green area is the city's hot spot for sports such as jogging, cycling, skating and even kart racing, as well as barbecues and other outdoor activities.
• Brasilia National Park - cerrado vegetation and fauna, plus natural swimming pools.
• Poço Azul - A waterfall forming beautiful blue pools on a quartz rock.
• Chapada Imperial - trekking, rappelling and mountain biking through the cerrado and waterfalls.

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.

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.

• On Sundays there is a flea market at the base of the Television Tower.

Some off-center places can also be of interest for travellers:

• 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.

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 located at the residential wings, usually a bus or taxi ride away from most tourist attractions. One of the most popular streets is 405 sul (from rodoviaria, take bus 114), with choices ranging from sushi to Brazilian, Mexican and French food.

Budget

• A convenient place for finding reasonably priced food is the food court of the Conjunto Nacional mall (also see Buy, below). 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.
• Local chain Giraffas (several locations around town) rivals McDonalds in the fast food market by serving sandwiches and cheap beef/chicken + rice-and-beans set meals.

Mid-range

• Don'Durica ? SCLN 201, Bloco A, (61) 3326-1045. (Mo-Sat 11:30am-3pm/6pm-midnight). This all-you-can-eat buffet offers more than 50 dishes for lunch, mainly from Minas Gerais cuisine.
• Vegetarians may try and escape ubiquitous meat dishes of Brazilian cuisine at Bardana - SCLS 405 bloco A, (61) 3242-3532. Try the tropical juices too.

Splurge

• Patu Anu2 (http://www.patuanu.com.br/) (SMLN ML trecho 12 Conjunto 1 casa 07 S. de Mansões do Lago (61) 3369-2788); patuanu@aol.com). Tu-Sat 08:30 to 02:30, Sun 13:30 to 18:00. Booking is recommended. A hideout at the distant Lago Norte zone that serves creative dishes that mix international recipes and national ingredients such as jacare (alligator), Brazil nuts, tropical fruits etc. Main dishes from R$ 40.
• Villa Tevere - CLS 115 Bl. A - (61) 3345-5513 - Mo-Sat 12-15:00 and 19:30-1:00. Su 12-17:00. Cosy Italian restaurant with good wines.

Drink

Despite not being particularly famous for its nightlife, Brasilia has some hangouts that save visitors from night-time boredom.

• Beirute - SQS 109 Bloco A (take any bus that goes through Eixo W Sul, drop at 109 Sul), (61) 3244-1717, 3 (http://www.beiruteweb.com.br/). 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.
• Clube do Choro - Setor de Divulgação Cultural (Near the Convention Center) (61) 3327-0494 (producao@clubedochoro.com.br, fax (61) 3425-1448) 4 (http://www.clubedochoro.com.br/). This club is also a school of choro, a genuinely Brazilian instrumental popular music style, 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.
• Gate's Pub - CLS 403 Bloco B. (61) 3225-4576/3322-9301 (viajando@loreno.net). 5 (http://www.gatespub.com.br/) This pub-cum-club has a dartboard and is one of the few places to offer a week-round choice of nights, ranging from Brazilian music to alternative electronic stuff. Opens Mo/We 9pm, Tu/Thu/Sat/Sun 10 pm. Fri 11pm. Admission R$ 5 - R$ 18 (there are usually discounts before 11 pm).

Sleep

Most of the city's accommodation is located 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. Many simple pousadas are located at W3 Sul avenue. They are often non-regulated by tourist authorities and their quality and security may vary greatly.

Budget

• Hostel Brasília - Setor de Áreas Isoladas Norte - Camping - Lote 2 (From Rodoviária, take bus 153), (61) 3343-0531/3344-9191 (hibsb@zipmail.com.br, fax (61) 3342-2476) 6 (http://www.hostel.org.br). This albergue da juventude is a member of FBAJ, the national hostels federation that is a member of Hostelling International. Although it is cheaper than hotels, it is also more distant from most urban facilities and attractions.

Splurge

• Blue Tree Park - SHTN, Trecho 01, (61) 3424-7000 (fax: (61) 3424-7001; reservas@bluetree.com.br). 7 (http://www.bluetree.com.br) This large hotel by the Paranoa Lake and right next to the Alvorada Palace is reputed as the city's best. Rates from R$ 250.

Contact

The area code to Brasilia is 61 (also add Brazil's 55 if dialing from abroad). All 7-digit telephone numbers have recently been converted to 8-digit by adding a 3 before the number. To reach a number like 241-0000 from abroad, dial (55 61) 3241-0000.

By web

• Neon Lights cybercafe 8 (http://www.neonlights.com.br/), SRTVS, Patio Brasil mall - 2nd Floor, (61) 3322-8060, webmaster@neonlights.com.br (mailto:webmaster@neonlights.com.br)- Conveniently located inside a large shopping mall next to the South Hotel Sector. Opens Mo-Sat 10 am - 10 pm. R$ 6/hour.
• Media Cyber9 (http://www.mediacyber.com.br/) - Brasilia Shopping mall, G1 floor. (61) 3201-7300. Next to the North Hotel Sector. Has printing and scanning services and sells disks and recordable CDs.
• RedShot10 (http://www.redshot.com.br/), SCLS 409 Bloco D Loja 30 (from rodoviaria, take bus 114). (61) 3443-4359 - This lan house is aimed primarily at gamers, but has cheaper connections. Opens daily from 10am. R$3-4/hour

There are also many Wi-fi hotspots scattered around town, including the food court of the airport and various hotels.

Get out

Nearby attractions include:

• Pirenopolis - an old Portuguese colonial town surrounded by several waterfalls.
• Chapada dos Veadeiros - A National Park with plenty of cerrado wildlife and spectacular waterfalls.