brazil 60 FEATURE
BRAZIL countdown to kick off...
Brazil is riding the crest of a wave as it builds up to a summer in the spotlight, says Andy Hoskins, who fi nds it’s not too late to get a taste of the action
football fans in the UK still line-up a last- minute trip to soak up the atmosphere? “It’s not too late,” says Laura Rendell-Dunn of Journey Latin America. “Flights are still available both to and around the World Cup cities but the longer people leave it to book their tickets, the higher the risk of not fi nding a fl ight or one that they can afford.” At the time of writing return fl ights to Brazil
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were available for around £1,400 and the tour operator still had room allocations available. Hotel rates are inevitably infl ated – typically
three or four times the usual price in Rio de Janeiro; less so elsewhere – and there have been some problems with availability, according to Tucan Travel’s Zoe Raftery. She points out that the World Cup’s organising
Above: Rio de Janerio - all set for football fever
body, FIFA, secured much of the hotel stock in the three to fi ve-star category, and that “the little accommodation that is available comes with outrageous booking conditions such as seven to
ith just over a couple of months to go before kick-off, World Cup fever is sweeping across Brazil – but can
ten-night minimum stays, especially in Rio.” Journey Latin America says it can source
accommodation close to the city and still has availability for a special Highlights of Brazil World Cup departure (see below for details). Rio is of course in the thick of the action. With famous beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema, landmarks like the Christ Redeemer statue and Sugarloaf mountain, plus the locals’ famed joie de vivre, it is Brazil’s number one destination at any time of the year, let alone when the World Cup is in town. Although the England football team won’t play
any of their group matches in the city, Rio will stage several games – not least the fi nal itself on July 13 – as one of 12 host cities across Brazil. “Everyone wants to go to Rio,” says JLA’s
Rendell-Dunn. “Not only does the city have a world-famous reputation for partying but it has outstanding views to match.” Tucan Travel’s Zoe Raftery agrees, adding that Salvador, Recife and Manaus have also proved popular among Brazil-bound football fans. The latter is the gateway to the steamy Amazon rainforest in the north of the country and is the location for England’s opening game against Italy. That match is followed by games against Uruguay in Sao Paulo – the largest city and economic centre of Brazil – and Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte, ‘the Garden City’. The Brazilian tourist board, Embratur, says
over £6 billion has been invested in the country’s infrastructure in the run-up to the
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