Amazzonia & Lençóis: Acqua, foresta e deserto

Manaus stretches along the banks of the Rio Negro, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, the gateway to the planet’s largest rainforest. Grown during the rubber boom, it preserves traces of that opulent era such as the sumptuous Teatro Amazonas, with its dome in Brazilian colours, and the Mercado Adolpho Lisboa. From here, excursions set out to the Encontro das Águas, the spectacular meeting of the dark waters of the Rio Negro and the muddy Rio Solimões, and to jungle lodges where pink dolphins, caimans and extraordinary wildlife can be spotted. Manaus is the ideal starting point for exploring the Amazon.

Coffee-dark waters and an endless forest define the Rio Negro region, one of the great tributaries of the Amazon. Here the jungle is mirrored in silent stretches of water, dotted with igarapés, islands and villages reachable only by boat. From Manaus, travellers reach the famous lodges deep in the rainforest, a base for excursions in search of pink dolphins, caimans, monkeys and extraordinary birdlife. The acidic waters of the Rio Negro keep mosquitoes at bay, making the experience all the more remarkable. This is the beating heart of the Amazon, where nature reigns supreme and travel becomes adventure.

São Luís rises on an island along the coast of Maranhão, in northeastern Brazil, and ranks among the country's most evocative colonial cities. Its historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserves hundreds of mansions clad in Portuguese azulejo tiles, cobbled lanes and shady squares where the local reggae music — which has put down deep roots here — still echoes. Among the pastel façades of the Projeto Reviver, time seems suspended, marked by drumbeats during the Bumba Meu Boi festivals. Maranhense cuisine brings fresh fish, shrimp and the celebrated arroz de cuxá to the table. The gateway to the Lençóis Maranhenses, São Luís blends colonial heritage and tropical warmth in a singular embrace.

Barreirinhas stretches along the banks of the Rio Preguiças and is the main gateway to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, the famous desert of white dunes dotted with turquoise lagoons. From this lively town in Maranhão, four-wheel-drive vehicles cross the sand toward the Lençóis and boats head up the river through mangroves and small fishing villages. River excursions lead to viewpoints, stretches of forest and secluded beaches where the Preguiças meets the ocean, while in the rainy seasons the lagoons fill with water to create one of Brazil's most astonishing landscapes. A hub of services and local life, Barreirinhas offers restaurants, markets and riverside hospitality, serving as a convenient base for exploring one of the country's most captivating natural parks. Barreirinhas is the starting point for a journey through desert, river and sea.