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If anyone has some questions about Brazilian Ports

msclover

By msclover,
in South America

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linda47

linda47

Posted
Posted
You can contact Rafa (Rafael Torres Lopes), a highly regarded Rio tour guide with a comfortable SUV-type car. You'll definitely make a new, lifelong friend if you spend the day discovering both iconic and off-the-beaten path Rio with this charming, funny and knowledgable guy.

http://donrafaguestsinrio.blogspot.com/

 

Thank you. I found that link earlier today and he sounds like he would be a lot of fun. I may be missing something, but how do you get in touch with him? I cannot find any contact info on the blog. Even searched on facebook.

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sjbj

sjbj

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The tour operator for our private excursion in Fortaleza is asking for our passport numbers. Supposedly, this is a requirement of the port. Can anyone verify this? We do not visit the port until Feb 2013 so I'm a little reluctant giving this info this early (or at all). Anyone have any experience with this recently?

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  • 10 months later...
VidaNaPraia

VidaNaPraia

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People mainly go to Ilha Bela to relax on the beach. You can sit at a beach bar with a cold drink, or on Rua do Meio. You can go hiking on one of the many trails, on some of which you can see a waterfall. There's a colonial period church, part of the old town walls, a number of old cannon, which wouldn't take all that long to see. There are sugar-cane plantations, the Engenho d'Agua and the Engenho São Matias.

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solorizor

solorizor

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Any idea where msc fly to from brazil santos ? Haven't got my flight details yet . Flying from London to genoa doing repo cruise in oct just would like to know where the fly back to?

 

 

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VidaNaPraia

VidaNaPraia

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Any idea where msc fly to from brazil santos ? Haven't got my flight details yet . Flying from London to genoa doing repo cruise in oct just would like to know where the fly back to?

 

Is this the MSC cruise you're talking about?

*October 25 – 17-night from Europe/Italy to South America/Brazil (Genoa to Santos/Sao Paulo) visiting Marseille, Barcelona, Lisbon, Canaries (Gran Canaria), and in Brazil – Recife, Maceio, Salvador De Bahia, Ilha Grande, to Rio (from $1,200).

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VidaNaPraia

VidaNaPraia

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Any idea where msc fly to from brazil santos ? ....... just would like to know where the fly back to?

I'm not sure of the question, but it seems like one you could ask the cruise line or the agent who sold you the cruise..

The nearest airport to Santos is GRU in Sao Paulo (on the opposite side of the city from the port of Santos though). It is the major hub for Brazil with international flights to most cities in the world.

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earn

earn

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We are doing Santos to Venice on Preziosa next April and although we have booked our own flights we did look in to MSC organised travel. If you have booked your flights through MSC they will include transfer from the airport to the port unless you decide to add a stop over in brazil to you holiday.

 

We are flying from Madrid a couple of days before the cruise and booked in to the Ibis in Santos for two nights. can anyone tell me if it is best to do that or spend a day in Sao Paulo and a night in Santos. We have two boys aged 15 and 13.

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VidaNaPraia

VidaNaPraia

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Only you can know your family's preferences.

 

Sao Paulo is not a city with a lot of tourist sights. There are some interesting museums to learn more than most US residents know about Brazilian art, but IMO the museums are not what one might expect of a city of this size (as compared perhaps to NYC or Paris or London, to which it has pretentions). S.P. has restaurants (I particularly like the sorveterias/ice cream shops--tropical fruit meets the best of Italian immigrant gelato making skills.), shops, clubs, and a bustling urban life to people watch.

There is also an Ibis in S.P. iirc.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/travel/13hours-saopaulo.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/travel/14hours.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/03/13/travel/20110313-HOURS.html

 

If you stay in or near Santos, you could get a head start on your Brazilian beach time.

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grmmybtty

grmmybtty

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I am hoping that someone who has sailed can tell me where the cruise port is in Santos? Can we walk to the historical center of the city? Beaches? Gardens? or is it taxi only? If so, how much can we expect to pay for a taxi? We would just like to walk around the city and have a nice meal or drinks and want to plan on how much money to change from USD to Brazilian reals while we are in Rio.

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quepaquete

quepaquete

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Que what's your cruise and when are you going ?

App

 

My partner and I will be on Regent's Mariner, from Buenos Aires to Rio on December 20. The ship stays an overnight in Rio and we added an extra night, and since our flight is until midnight we will have three full day in Rio. Yeeeaa! I haven't booked any hotel in Rio yet, I'm finding that they are expensive. Haven't figured out what to do on the last day in Rio, since we need to check out of the hotel by noon. Maybe hire a private tour guide with a car to haul our luggage? Or ask the hotel for a late check out? Any suggestions are appreciated.

We are not laying on the beach kind of people, we rather explore the sights. Some of the islands and small ports seem to be about the beach. Any ideas in these ports would be appreciate.

Here is the list of ports (I included Argentina and Uruguay just for info)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Montevideo, Uruguay

Punts del Este, Uruguay

Rio Grande, Brazil

Porto Belo, Brazil

Santos, Brazil

Paraty, Brazil

Buzios, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

I know we will sailing along the coast near Rio on New Year's Eve. I wish the captain would get close enough and stop near Rio so we can watch the fireworks from the water. I emailed the cruiseline and was told that there are no plans for that. I guess we will have to go back ;-)

Best Regards

Jorge

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VidaNaPraia

VidaNaPraia

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Hi Jorge.

For a hotel in Rio, you could try the “budget” Ibis, which has lately been rebuilt, and is convenient to the sights. Or try a business hotel with an address in the Catete neighborhood. Away from the beach neighborhoods of Copacabana, Arpoador, Ipanema, and Leblon, hotels are somewhat cheaper.

Insofar as storing luggage, I expect that the hotel could hold it for you (after morning check out and before you depart for the airport). Also the in-town Santos Dumont airport has luggage storage, as does the bus station (and GIG, the international airport, but it is too far).

The port stops in Brazil you mentioned are indeed beach stops. If you are not “beach people”, simply enjoy the ambience while having an ice cold beer or some lunch, or do some shopping. In Paraty, you can walk around the picturesque historic center. In Buzios, you can explore the little village and enjoy its atmosphere.

This site might help a bit with port descriptions: http://www.southamericaportreviews.com/PortoBeloBrazil.htm

This is a good "intro to Rio" site, with good maps: www.ipanema.com

Have a wonderful trip.

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quepaquete

quepaquete

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Thank you VidaNaPraia,

What a wealth of information you are. The links you have kindly shared are a wonderful introduction to many sights. The only problem reading about the is that I want to go now... :-)

Also, makes me want to be in Rio on New Year's eve, and go back for Carnavale.

My partner is an artist (painter) and we always enjoy visiting art galleries/shops and/or museums. I have learned that even small communities have some art shops with local crafts and paintings. We also love to find a cafe and enjoy a drink and people watch. It's going to be fun!

Best wishes

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VidaNaPraia

VidaNaPraia

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Thank you, quepaquete. I love introducing newcomers to Brazil and hope they will become as passionate about the whole country as I am.

 

"My partner is an artist (painter) and we always enjoy visiting art galleries/shops and/or museums. I have learned that even small communities have some art shops with local crafts and paintings. We also love to find a cafe and enjoy a drink and people watch."

 

If you are in Rio on Sunday, there is the Hippie Fair in Ipanema, with some good quality crafts and also naif paintings. And good food from Bahia.

http://www.feirarteipanema.com/

http://www.feirahippieipanema.com/

There is also a small craft area/fair every evening in Copacabana.

 

The Naif Museum, next to the train depot for Corcovado (the Christ statue) might be interesting. (by appointment these days though iirc)

http://www.jspace.com/guide/venues/museum-of-na-ve-art-mian/5975

 

I also like the little ethnic art museum in Quinta de Boa Vista park for the artistic quality of the objects in the collection. You could also visit the zoo in the park, and go on to the nearby Feira Nordestina to get a taste of northeast culture. http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-travel/quinta-da-boa-vista-park-and-museum/ (although this article does not emphasize that collection)

http://www.fodors.com/world/south-america/brazil/rio-de-janeiro/review-155837.html (feira nordestina)

 

The museum in Niteroi, a nice 12 min. ferry ride from Praca XV in Rio, with a great view back over to the city, is known for its architecture.

 

If you go up to walk in the charming Santa Teresa neighborhood, drop in on the Chacara do Ceu museum. Santa Teresa also has a couple of craft shops with items I haven't found anywhere else. And go to Arprazivel or Bar do Mineiro to eat or have a drink.

http://www.ipanema.com/citytour/santa_teresa.htm

 

Museums:

http://www.ipanema.com/citytour/museum.htm

Here is a partial museum list:

http://www.gringo-rio.com/rio-art-museums.html

 

If you are in the historic Centro, stop into Confeitaria Columbo for a taste of the cafe culture of a bygone era.

http://www.confeitariacolombo.com.br/site/

http://www.ipanema.com/citytour/downtown.htm

 

Have a great time!

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quepaquete

quepaquete

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VidaDaPraia,

I'm overwhelmed, so much to do in Rio, I feel like three days in Rio is not enough. I had read about the hippie fair at Ipanema on one of the previous links you posted, and I was interested already.

One hotel that comes highly recommended is Santa Teresa near the historic center, so I thought that it was the same as the neighborhood you mentioned. Then I realized is totally different, and it looks very interesting. I read somewhere about a fine restaurant that I believe is in the same area. It's a house up in a hill with a nice view of the city. Requires reservations way in advance. Do you know about this?

Partner and I have a tradition that on the last evening of a trip we dine at a fine restaurant, usually recommended by the locals not necessarily a touristy place, but good food and if it has a view even better.

Thank you for all the links and info, our job now is to narrow it to the places we really want to see. It's not an easy task, but fun.

Best regards

Jorge

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