This post talks about holidaying in Brazil and offers some key vocabulary, which you may find useful for your own trip.
Travelling to Brazil is the type of holiday that many Brits dream about – in 2018, 154,586 UK nationals visited the country. Despite the distance, Brazil is an easy place to travel to with flights often departing London in the late evening. Flight times of 11 or 12 hours from London to Rio, or São Paulo mean that you can settle down, eat dinner, sleep and wake up ready to explore everything that the country has to offer.
Life’s a beach when holidaying in Brazil (a vida é uma praia)
Brazil is renowned for its landscapes and diverse ecosystems, but most visitors head to the beach (a praia).
Brazilian beaches are very relaxing (relaxante) places to be and are dotted with bars (barras) and places to eat, so sit back, kick-off your havaianas and be sure to sip agua de côco (coconut water), or drink a cerveja (beer).
One of the best beach destinations is Florianopolis in the south of Brazil (or Floripa as it is known by locals). The city is the capital of the state of Santa Catarina and occupies Santa Catarina Island, as well as part of the mainland. The island contains 42 beaches as well as lagoons and waterfalls, meaning that Floripa is ideal for backpackers, travellers, hikers and party people alike.
Barra da Lagoa, Florianópolis
January and February are peak-season and a great opportunity for Brits to escape the winter. However, these are also the months when most Brazilians go on holiday, which can mean higher prices as well as busy roads and crowded hotels. When I travelled to Florianopolis in early January, it was difficult to get across the island owing to the amount of traffic, including many cars with Argentinian number plates (the island is a 20+ hour drive from Buenos Aires!).
The sun (o sol) in Brazil can be strong on the beach, so be sure to wear plenty of high factor sun cream (protetor solar) and stay in the shade (a sombra) where possible. Don’t be caught out by what might seem like an overcast day, especially if arriving from the UK in the depths of winter.
Brazilian travel requirements for UK passport holders
UK passport holders do not require a visa to enter Brazil, however, passports must be valid for at least six months and a return ticket and proof of sufficient funds may be requested on arrival. Click here to check for the latest Foreign Office travel advice to Brazil.
Vocabulary for holidaying in Brazil
General holiday vocabulary
| holidays | as férias |
| summer holidays | as férias de verão |
| tourist | o turista |
| tourist information | informações turísticas |
| guidebook | o guia |
| hotel | o hotel |
| souvenir | a lembrança |
Travelling by plane
| plane | o avião |
| boarding pass | o cartão de embarque |
| passport | o passaporte |
| economy class | a classe econômica |
| hand luggage | bagagem de mão |
| security | a segurança |
| customs | a alfândega |
| flight number | o número do vôo |
The beach
| the beach | a praia |
| coastline | o litoral |
| coconut tree | o coqueiro |
| sand | a areia |
| sea | o mar |
| deckchair | a espreguiçadeira |
| shell | a concha |
Items to take to the beach
| flip flops | os chinelos |
| sunblock | protetor solar |
| sunglasses | os óculos de sol |
| towel | a toalha |
| sun hat | o chapéu de sol |
| bucket | o balde |
| spade | a pá |
Holiday vocabulary flashcards
Test your understanding of Brazilian holiday vocabulary using the flashcards below. Click on the card to reveal the translation and the arrows to move between cards:
Thanks!