Brasilia is not a walkable city. The distances between buildings, and sectors, requires a vehicle. There are sectors for hotels, other for finance, commerce, sports and diplomacy. Because of rigid zoning laws and the basic layout, the majority of the population lives outside the city limits, in these lower income satellite cities, and there you'll find the essence of Brazil.

While there is debate on the success of Brasilia, there is no doubt that its construction in such a short time gave employment to thousands of workers. The system of highways linking the new capital to the rest of the country unified Brazil in a way it had not known before. The city is a mounument to modernism in architecture, but as a city for humans, it leaves a lot to be desired. The Reality of Brasilia discusses the reasons for this and concludes that the greatest criticism is that Brasilia was not built for daily human activities, nor is it "Brazilian." Many of the residents are there only during the week to conduct business, political or otherwise, and take long weekends to go elsewhere.

In spite of its failings, in 1987 UNESCO declared Brasilia a world heritage site:
Brasilia, a capital created ex nihilo in the centre of the country in 1956, was a landmark in the history of town planning. Urban planner Lucio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer intended that every element – from the layout of the residential and administrative districts (often compared to the shape of a bird in flight) to the symmetry of the buildings themselves – should be in harmony with the city's overall design. The official buildings, in particular, are innovative and imaginative.

If you have the time and are interested in viewing Brazil's architectural showcase, it's worth a short visit.

Getting There:

Check flights from your area. You can also browse for hotels and car rentals.

Unless you have unlimited time, flying to Brasilia is your best option. Varig, Vasp Gol, and TAM have several flights a day to Brasilia from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Salvador.

Modern and efficient, Aeroporto Internacional Brasilia (photo) is about 6 miles (10km) west of the city's main east-west axis, the Eixo Monumental. Take a taxi to your hotel. Busses will take you to the Rodoviaria, but from there you either take a taxi or face a long walk to your hotel.

By bus, the bus terminal for other cities is west of the city, and busses leave there for Goiania, three hours away, all the way to Belem, 36 hours away.

When to Go:

The capital city was built on an almost treeless plain and is hot all the year. Nevertheless, summer, December - March, is the better time to visit because the rain cools things down. Winters are dry, and the summer temperatures average about 35°C (95°F).

Check today's weather.

Practical Tips:

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