Look, let's be honest: when the cold bites in Portugal or the work routine starts wrecking your nerves, few things sound better than a direct flight to Brazil. The idea of landing, kicking off your shoes, having an ice-cold caipirinha on the beach and hearing samba in the background is the cure for almost any ailment.
Brazil is a vast country, vibrant, with food worth crying over and a people who know how to welcome like nobody else. "Rio de Janeiro is still beautiful", but the tourist traps are still there too (and scattered across the rest of the country).
If you don't want your dream trip to turn into a bureaucratic or financial headache, Martin has prepared the survival guide for the European tourist:
1. The Famous Concept of "Dar Bandeira" (Showing the Flag) 🚩
In Brazil, "dar bandeira" means drawing attention to the fact that you're a tourist with money. The golden rule in big cities (like Rio or São Paulo) is discretion. Don't go strolling along the Copacabana boardwalk with your iPhone 15 Pro Max in hand recording stories without looking around. Avoid flashy watches or gold chains on the beach. Carry only the essentials (a card, some loose change and your phone well stowed).
2. The Beach "Maquininha" and the Display Trick 💳
The caipirinha and the grilled coalho cheese on the beach are unbelievable. And the fact that even the ice-cream seller has a portable terminal (the famous "maquininhas") so you can pay by card is brutal.
But watch out for scam number 1: If the seller hands you the device to type in your code and the screen is cracked, with the light burnt out or impossible to read the amount you're paying... Cancel the operation and pay in cash. Many tourists think they're paying 20 Reais and get home with a 2,000 Reais bill because the display was disguised.
3. The Northeast Is the Real Paradise 🌴
Rio de Janeiro is mandatory at least once in your life (for Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain). But if you want true peace, water as warm as soup and absolute safety, run to the Northeast of Brazil.
Places like Jericoacoara (Ceará), Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão), São Miguel dos Milagres (Alagoas) or Maragogi. They're idyllic destinations where the pace is slow, the beaches are deserted and you don't need to look over your shoulder.
4. The "Jeitinho Brasileiro" (Relax, You're on Holiday) 🐢
Europeans are obsessed with punctuality and ultra-fast service. In Brazil, the rhythm is different.
If your lunch at the seaside restaurant takes 45 minutes to arrive, don't start grumbling or tapping your pen on the table. Order another ice-cold Skol, dig your feet in the sand and embrace the "jeitinho". The food will arrive and it will be delicious. Haste is the enemy of tropical holidays!
Hold Bags, Surfboards and the Whole Family...
You're going to Brazil. That means you're not travelling with one of those "minimalist little backpacks". You're probably packing 23kg suitcases, bags full of sunscreen, empty space to bring back havaianas and bikinis for the whole family and, who knows, even a surfboard or a baby stroller.
Now do an imagination exercise: are you going to drag this whole campsite down the street to try and stuff it all into an Uber van? And if the Uber turns up with the boot full of one of those typical gas bottles, what do you do?
Spare us the logistical stress.
Your trip to Brazil has to start with VIP vibes. Get in your car, open the boot, throw all the bags in and drive comfortably. At Multipark, we're experts at playing Tetris with your luggage, in the best sense!
You arrive at airport Departures, hand us the key and we park your car at our Valet Parking lot. Safe and watched while you enjoy the Bahia sun.
When you land back in Portugal (with jet lag, a tan and 30 extra kilos of luggage), your car will be waiting at the door. Just toss your stuff in the boot and drive home listening to Bossa Nova.
Escape winter in style. Run your simulation and book your Valet Parking on the Multipark website and have a great trip!
