Bold and beautiful Brazil

Visiting this colossal South American country – which is 35 times larger than Britain – is a daunting task even for seasoned travellers, which is where cruising comes in.

With treasures dotted along Brazil’s 7,400km- long coastline and a vast network of inland waterways, it’s primed for exploration by water.

Whether you’re sailing to its charismatic coastal cities or jungle interior, Brazil needs to be lived through all the senses.

Nestled on the south coast, Sao Paulo is a good place to start. Known as Latin America’s ‘City that Never Sleeps’ and Brazil’s culinary capital, it owes its diverse food scene to its multicultural make-up, including the largest ethnic Japanese population of any city outside Japan.

Foodies, stock up on ingredients at Mercado Municipal, inhaling the scent of garlic and spices among a labyrinth of stalls loaded with salted cod, dragonfruit and cherimoyas (custard apples).

While Brazil’s cuisine doesn’t garner the same attention as its neighbours’, the national dish of feijoada – smoked pork and black bean stew – and churrasco (Brazilian barbecue) are delicious.

Did we mention that eating bolo (cake) for breakfast and drinking a sweet, citrussy caipirinha cocktail at noon is perfectly acceptable?

Celebrated museums, street art tours and parks are also on the menu.

Most cruise ships dock 90 minutes’ drive south of the city in the historic coffee centre of Santos, where you can stroll in the world’s longest beachfront garden.

Contrary to what Sao Paulo’s soaring skyline would have you think, this megalopolis is a springboard to Brazil’s best beaches.

Ilhabela, six kilometres off its urban coastline, lives up to its ‘Beautiful Island’ name, with 41 beaches, scuba-friendly shipwrecks and a waterfall for every day of the year.

Around 450km north is another popular cruising port of call: Rio de Janeiro, which is wedged between mountain and sea on the country’s sun- kissed southeastern shores.

It’s best admired from above, so ride the cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain and marvel at the outstretched arms of its 30m

‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue, which was voted in an online poll as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Not got a head for heights? Then drink in the views from the bohemian hillside neighbourhood Santa Teresa, or bury your toes in Copacabana’s sugar-soft sands, a 20-minute taxi hop from Pier Maua cruise terminal.

You could also make time to explore Rio’s swathe of rainforest, Tijuca, which is within the city’s limits. It’s one of more than 65 national parks that carpet the country from coast to canopy.

Once a key landing point for African slaves, the shores of Salvador in the middle of Brazil’s Atlantic coast are visited by cruise ships too. Described as a ‘City within a City,’ the pastel- hued, pedestrian-friendly Pelourinho district is a must-visit.

A Unesco World Heritage site, its cobbled streets brim with 16th-century colonial Portuguese architecture and Baroque churches.

Afro-Brazilian culture also runs deep in Recife, on the northeastern coast.

The Dutch-influenced city owes its ‘Venice of Brazil’ nickname to the picturesque network of canals that are criss-crossed by 50 bridges. As well as forts, Recife has a thriving theatre scene.

Situated midway between Recife and the port city of Belem further north is another cruising call: Fortaleza. Blessed with cloudless days from August to December, Ceara State’s capital is home to one of Latin America’s largest parks.

Craving an even greener fix? Well, you will be in the right place. Endowed with natural splendours, Brazil claims earth’s largest river island – the 40,000sq km Ilha de Marajo – and one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature: the horseshoe- shaped Iguazu Falls.

Three times wider than Niagara, this deafening border- straddling spectacle is best seen from the Brazilian side. But it’s the Amazon – the world’s largest rainforest and river system – that tops most cruisers’ Brazilian bucket list.

The Negro River’s port city of Manaus is the gateway to the lungs of the Earth – or at least 60 per cent of it. Time your trip for the end of the rainy season in May, when you can also experience its flooded igapos forests.

Since 90 per cent of the country is tropical, it’s essential to pack a poncho. If you’re planning to visit between December and March to maximise your Christmas or Easter holidays and experience the world’s greatest annual party, expect downpours – although fortunately they are short-lived.

Marking the beginning of Lent, Carnival’s parades and blocos (street- band parties) kick off nationwide in February. In Salvador, revellers move to carixada-reggae beats known as axe, while in Recife, folkloric frevo and maracatu rule.

Rio’s larger-than- life, week-long event (to 17 February in 2024) pulls in half a million foreign tourists each year. Its star attraction, Sambadrome stadium, fills with competing carnival floats.

Come for the sequins, samba and headdresses – and stay for the grand firework finale.