COMING FOR THE WORLD FOOTBALL CUP?

You might as well check this out - a newly released Guide to the host cities. It includes services, tips and useful information so as not to miss the best of the World Cup. Also, news on the latest developments.

Why is the mascot a three-banded armadillo? In Brazil it is known as 'tatu-bola'. It is native to the country´s north-east and is capable of rolling itself into the shape of a ball when it feels threatened.

WORLD CUP PORTAL

CARE FOR SOME COFFEE?

One of the main tourist attractions in the city of Santos, the Museu do Café [Coffee Museum] was created in 1998 as an institution of the State Secretary of Culture, with the aim of preserving and spreading knowledge about the historical relation between coffee and Brazil. Among the objects and documents that make up its archive, it is possible to perceive how the development of coffee growing and the nation’s political, economic and cultural development are closely linked. This relation, which began in the middle of the 18th century, has remained strong until today. 

Photo by Marcus Cabaleiro www.marcuscabaleiro.com.br

Installed in the former building of the Official Coffee Exchange, which began to operate there in 1922, the Museu do Café counts among its collection a stained-glass work and a number of paintings by Benedicto Calixto, an icon in the art of São Paulo State. Museum-goers can also visit the Auction Room, where the negotiations for setting the daily price for bags of coffee were held, until this activity was transferred to the city of São Paulo in the 1950s.

The building of the Official Coffee Exchange was constructed to centralize, organize and control the coffee market. Inaugurated in 1922, as part of the celebrations of the Centennial of Brazil’s Independence, the building became a key symbol of the wealth of the coffee business and one of the most emblematic sights in the city of Santos. 
 
The building’s eclectic architectural style and splendor, the quality of the materials used in its construction, and the richness of the details of its decoration all contribute to an understanding of its importance during the golden years of the coffee trade.

The Coffee Preparation Center (CPC) plays a fundamental role in spreading knowledge about the different ways to prepare one of the world’s most traditional beverages. Besides the barista course, it offers workshops and lectures for different publics, with the aim to stimulate the search for technical information on coffee.

SOURCE: Government of the State of Sao Paulo

Coffee that isn't strong enough is referred to as chafé in Brazil, which translates to "tea-coffee." A true testament to the fact that they don't believe in weak brews or tea, really. You won't find too many vanilla lattes either, they're not ones for all that jazz. They thrive on the traditional cafezinhos, which are espressos with a splash of hot water.

In Portuguese

Museu do Cafe

BIDDING ROOM 360 DEGREE VIEW

AND THE WORLD´S GREATEST BIODIVERSITY IS LOCATED IN...

Westernmost state of Brazil, Acre fascinates many people with its well preserved natural beauty. The Juruá Valley, part of the itinerary called "route to villages and biodiversity" offers the tourist contact with various indigenous ethnic groups and their ancient customs. 


It is in this wonderful setting that the city of Cruzeiro do Sul and Serra do Divisor National Park are located, the park being considered by many researchers as the region of the greatest worldwide biodiversity.

On setting off from the capital Rio Branco, there are several routes that unveil the Juruá Valley, with its  natural attractions such  as navigable rivers, streams and lakes. Sailing along the Moa River is a must, for it is a link to the Park of Serra do Divisor, where contact with nature is exposed before some unmatched and preserved  flora and fauna.

The enormous biodiversity of the Amazon holds treasures from traditional communities yet to be discovered by urban society. Among the natural materials  is the tucum. It is a palm tree that can grow 50 feet tall and from which a kind of very tough line can be extracted, known to the Amazonians as the "line of loyalty."

The linkup of tucum straw and companionship comes from the belief that the fiber´s strength never ruptures.  Legend aside, the material has drawn the attention of crafts groups which see the thread of the palm tree as an income generating raw material for sustainable development of areas with frail economy.

TOURISM INFO