Aqua-Firma is not a city break company, but Brasilia is a unique city and a worthy stop en route to wilder parts of the country. It was many years in the planning, but once construction began in 1956, the city was built in just four years.
The current area occupied by Brasilia is almost 6,000 km2 (just over 2,200 sq mi), providing a home to nearly 3 million people. Shaped like a bird, there are 2 main axes: Rhe Monumental Axis, where you can walk past ministries, Palácio do Planalto and the supreme court (amongst other political landmarks); and The Residential Axis. Taxis and busses are the most common ways to navigate across the distances between locations, caused by this layout and a metro also operates here. Even to go between two locations on opposite sides of the city, however, you should rarely expect to be on a bus for more than an hour.
The Brutalist architecture is a key feature, crowning it the UNESCO “City of Design” for good reason. There are some stunning sites which are unique compared to that of most capitals. Many of these sites can be accessed easily from the Esplanada dos Ministérios: a rectangular lawn found at the end of the monumental axis where whirling path networks can take you to landmarks like the Cathedral of Brasilia, the National Congress and the Supreme Court.
Temperatures rarely range outside 14 - 27°C and typical humidity is between 40% and 80%; so you can hope to explore the city comfortably through virtually all times of the day. This should allow you to wander through the city’s many forest reserves or enjoy the views at Lake Paranoá and its nearby rivers. There is also plenty of opportunity for leisure around other areas of the city, with cinemas, the Historical Museum and a selection of restaurants, of which some of the best are in the Asa Sul district.
There are also some great sites just around the city. One of them, Parque Nacional de Brasília, is a 69,000 acre park and a wonderful place to walk through. Walkways take you across savannah and woodland dissected by streams and waterfalls; with the potential to see birds such as Osprey, King Vultures and Greater Rhea.
Aqua-Firma can include privately guided experiences of the city within our tailor made journeys within Brazil.
