The Brazil Travel Site

Historic Rio: Praça Floriano (Cinilândia)

During the golden days of Hollywood, Brazil was experiencing a cultural and economic growth period at the tail end of the coffee boom. Here in Rio, a number of things were occurring, including international recognition of the city, mostly due to the casinos in Copacabana. In the old downtown area, a number of movie houses were erected and the area that was Praça Floriano became known as Cinelândia. During the coffee boom just a few decades earlier, the praça was chosen as the location of some important public buildings. Today there is a convenient metro station right at Cinelandia and the area is buzzing during happy hour, with various bars serving cold beer. There is often live music playing in the praca (usually samba).

The highlight of the praça is the grand Theatro Municipal (21/2262-3935, 10am–5pm Monday–Friday). The Theatro, built in 1909 at the height of the coffee boom, is a neoclassic building rich in wood, marble and brass. There are stained glass windows from Europe and salas rich in crystal and ornamentation. The best way to visit is to see a orchestral performance in the evening, but there are guided tours of the Theatro during the day (subject to cancellation for rehersals). You can also catch a performance on Sundays at 10am and 5pm Also in the Cinilandia area is the Biblioteca Nacional (Av. Rio Branco 219, 9am–10pm Monday–Friday and 9am–3pm Saturday), built in 1910 in a style to match the Theatro. It’s said to be the second largest library in South America and the eighth largest in the world. Inside are numerous rare books (over three million), all of which are available for viewing. Most impressive is the building itself with its grand marble staircase and columns. It’s worth looking inside and they have guided tours for R$2.

Down the street a piece is the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, inside a 1908 building of renaissance style that was the city’s fine arts acadamy until 1937, when it became a museum. It holds over 14000 pieces from national and international artists, with a special focus on the natoinal artists (including works by Portinari, Segall, Calvalcanti and Tarsila do Amaral, among others). There are also works by Picasso, Dali, Monet and Rodin. Inside is a casual restaurant and souvenir shop. Cost is R$4 and Sundays are free.

When you’re ready to take a break from all this history and art, have a seat at the Bar Amarelinho, a classic bar from the 1940’s that sits in the Cinilandia praça and usually attracts an international crowd. In the evenings, they have samba music and dancing among other festivities.

Historic Rio: Galleries & Cultural Centers

Across Av. Rio Branco (toward the ocean) is an area full of galleries and cultural spaces. First, there’s the Casa França (Rua Visconde de Itaboraí 78, noon–6pm Tuesday–Sunday), which has temporary and permanent scultpure exhibitions in an 1820 neoclassic building. The building was designed as a fine arts school, but was used instead as a business center. Later, it served for a time as a customs house. Inside is a bookstore, coffee shop, and a lovely central atrium.

Nearby is the Espaço Cultural Banco do Brasil (Rua Primeiro de Março 66, noon–10pm Tuesday–Sunday) in a 1906 structure that was originally the headquarters of the Bank of Brazil, but was reformed and turned into a cultural center. The building is fabulous; it has a theater, cinema, exhibition rooms, tea room and souvenir shop. It usually has some excellent national and international exhibits running. Inside is a restaurant/bar that is a popular spot for happy hour. Next door is the Centro Cultural dos Correios (Rua Visconde de Itaboraí 20, noon–7pm Tuesday–Sunday), an exhibition space that focuses on Brazilian sculptors and paintors with rotating exhibits. They have ten exhibit halls and a concert hall for up to 200 people, where they often produce Brazilian musical performances. On the bottom floor, there is a nice coffee shop and a functioning office of the correios (postal service). Finally, there’s the Galeria Paulo Fenandes (Rua do Rosário 38, noon–6pm Tuesday–Sunday) with contemporary works of art from local and national artists.

At this point, you might seek out the Laranjada Americana (Rua Buenos Aires 2c) for a fabulous orange juice. The shop, open since 1925 is in a great old building.

Grupo Corpo: Brazil’s National Modern Dance Company

Grupo Corpo is probably Brazil’s most highly regarded modern dance company. They travel all over the world demonstrating their interpretations and unique choreography. This particular piece is a delightful number that is typical of their casual and whimsical dance style and upbeat and childlike mood. Grupo Corpo is based in Belo Horizone and Sao Paulo and is often playing at one of the large venues in Sao Paulo when they are at home in Brazil. You can often find them with the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra.

Brazil Photo Gallery…

Here are some photos of Brazil that I think you won’t want to miss. Taken by professional photographer and videographer Geoffrey Hiller, the site offers us several photo essays on different regions of Brazil. It’s an excellent way to really see what Brazil is like. The Brazil journey is located here: hillerphoto.com.

Take your time and look over the entire series, it’s worth it.