Brazil: Practical information

Eating Out

Rules For Eating Out: Restaurants are open all day, from noon to midnight.

Food Specialties: Staples of the Brazilian diet include: arroz (white rice), feijão (black beans), farofa (cassava flour), carne (beef), peixe (fish) and galinha (chicken). Feijoada, Brazil’s national dish, is a stew of pork and black beans.

Brazil’s large size has allowed for a great culinary diversity. The food of the northern region is heavily influenced by the culture of the indigenous peoples who lived there before the arrival of the Portuguese and includes many root vetegables and fruits (such as the açaí berry). On the northeast coast, the cuisine has a more African flavour, including chilies, spices and dendê oil (palm oil). Moqueca, a sort of sea-food based sauce or stew, is a specialty of Bahia. Acarajé, composed of peeled red beans, fried in palm oil and stuffed with vatapa (dried shrimp, with chili and tomato), is sold by the Baianos on street corners. In Minas Gerais, they prepare ‘comida mineira’, which is pork and vegetable based. Two specialties include kuiabo (a sort of bean) and tutu (fried bean paste). In the south, ‘comida gaucha’ is prepared, with a heavy use of meat.
Drinks: Brazilians are very fond of beer. Cachaça, a sugar cane spirit, is a strong liqueur of which there are many varieties. As the cheapest and most common alcohol in Brazil, Cachaça is the basis of many delicious cocktails-including the famous caïpirinha. Wine is not as common and is generally only served in international restaurants.
Dietary Restrictions: There are no dietary restrictions in the country.
Table Manners: Continental. Tips are optional but strongly advised according to the quality of the service and the friendliness of the waiter; about 5 to 10% of the bill.

Getting Around

Means of Transport Recommended in Town

Urban transport services: Brasiliametro
Metros
Taxi services: Taxi agency in Rio

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
São Paulo - Guarulhos Intl (GRU)	28 km / 18 miles	BRL 85 / 35-60 min	BRL 30 / 45-60 min	-	Available
Rio de Janeiro - Galeão Intl (GIG)	18 km / 11 miles	USD 15 / 20 min	USD 2.50	-	Available

Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country

Train reservation services: SuperVia

Major airlines

Name	Type	Domestic Flights	International Flights
TAM	Major company	Yes	Yes
GOL	Low cost company	Yes	No

You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Travelling By Yourself

Car rental agencies: Localiza
Real-time traffic conditions: Traffic conditions in São Paulo

Rules of the Road

National Roads Organizations: Brazilian roads

Time and Time Difference

Current Local Time: It is %T:%M %A In Recife, Brasilia, Rio, Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre
It is %T:%M %A In Salvador, Fortaleza
It is %T:%M %A In Manaus
Summer Time: Summer time from October to February.

Map of the Time Zone

Time zone

Climate

Type of Climate: Brazil is largely tropical, but there are five different climatic regions. The climate is very mild in Sao Paulo and Brasilia, on average 19°C, but it is considerably warmer in Rio de Janeiro. It is best to visit the south of Brazil between September and November. The tropical climate in the north allows visiting all year, but be careful of the rainy season from December to March and the very high temperatures which go with it. The ideal time to visit Amazonia is the dry season, from June to September.

Average Annual Temperatures and Rainfall

Climate

Electrical Standards and Measurement Systems

System of Measurement Used: Metric system
Unit of Measurement of Temperature: Degrees Celsius (°C)

Use our service Measurement Converter.

Electricity
Voltage: 110-220 according to the region, with a two pin plug.
Frequency: 60 Hz
Type of Electric Socket: Type A&B, C
Type of Telephone Socket: US RJ-11, Brazilian
DVD Zoning: Zone 4

Paying

Domestic Currency: Brazilian Real
ISO Code: BRL
To Obtain Domestic Currency: Foreign currency is rarely accepted. There are ATMs which take foreign cards in towns throughout the country. You should plan to have cash on you when you go to more isolated places, such as seaside villages, parks or rural areas.
Possible Means of Payment: Credit cards are often taken in large cities, but usually not elsewhere. Only 27% of the country’s payments are made by credit card. Traveler's checks are accepted in banks and some large hotels in Rio and São Paulo. Cash is the easiest means of payment when traveling. Debit/credit cards are useful for those with bank accounts in Brazil.

To Find a Cash Machine Where You Need, Use the ATM locator

Speaking

Official Language: Portuguese
Other Languages Spoken: English is the most commonly spoken foreign language in Brazil. Spanish is generally understood by the Brazilians and French is spoken by around 570,000 people across the country.
Business Language: Portuguese, English and Spanish.

Emergency Numbers

Police	190
Ambulance	192
Firemen	193

Communications

Telephone Codes: To Make a Call From Brazil, Dial 00
To Make a Call to in Brazil, Dial +55
Mobile Telephone Standards: The network accepts bi-band telephones. You can buy a local chip without a subscription.
National Mobile Phone Operators: Tim, Claro, Vivo, Oi.

Availability of Internet

Internet Suffix: .br
National Internet Access Providers: Universo On Line, TERRA

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