Going to the World Cup in Brazil? We've homestays in all 12 host cities

This summer devoted football fans from all over the world will descend upon Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Supporters for the 32 teams including Australia, Honduras, Italy, Belgium and of course current title holders Spain will be travelling to destinations all around Latin America’s largest country.

I’ve taken a look at these destinations to see what they’ve got to offer…

1. Rio de Janeiro

Rio is one of the most stunning cities in the world. It’s home to golden beaches, a city centre rainforest, mountains loom over you from every corner and it has one of the most famous statues in the world. The most famous neighbourhood (and beach) is Copacabana, but my favourite part of town was Ipanema. Here the beach is a bit more relaxed plus the neighbourhood itself is full of great bars and restaurants. My two picks are Garota de Ipanema on the corner of Vinicius de Morais and Prudente de Morais (the lyrics for the famous song ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ were written here) and Churrascaria Carretão on Rua Visconde de Pirajá – a traditional Brazilian restaurant that serves all types of meat.

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2. São Paulo

São Paulo is a metropolis in every sense of the word. It’s Brazil’s largest city and the world’s seventh largest by population – 11 million people call it home. It’s the business and financial hub of the country, but still offers many things for visitors to see. These include Paulista Avenue, the observation deck at Banespa Building and neighbourhoods like Liberdade (Asian) and Mooca (Italian).

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3. Manaus

Found in northern Brazil, Manaus is the capital city of the state of Amazonas. Known as the ‘Heart of the Amazon’, or ‘City of the Forest’, it is the gateway to the world’s most famous rainforest. Before (and if) you you leave for the outback, other attractions include the Amazonas Opera House, the city’s beaches and the natural phenomenon of ‘The Meeting of the Waters’ – where the Negro River’s dark water and the Solimões River’s muddy brown water come together to form the Amazonas River.

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4. Salvador

Salvador is a city that has lots going for it. Its architecture is stunning, it’s steeped in history, it’s located on the coast and it’s famed for its food and drink. Don’t leave without exploring the neighbourhood of Pelourinho with its cobbled streets and colonial buildings.

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5. Brasília

The Brazilian capital is the country’s most modern city – construction only began back in 1956 and it wasn’t officially founded until April 21st, 1960. Similar to Canberra in Australia, it is a city that was purposely built to be the country’s capital. Visitors here will notice its wide avenues and open squares, most notably Praça dos Três Poderes (Three Powers' Square).

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6. Cuiabá

Located in the centre of Brazil, Cuiabá is the exact geographic centre of South America. Founded in 1719 during the gold rush, it is at the heart of three of Brazil's most important and characteristic ecosystems – the savannahs of the Cerrado, the wetlands of the Pantanal and and the Amazon. Unsurprisingly, it’s also known as ‘The Green City’.

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7. Fortaleza

Originally a village that was founded back in 1726, today Fortaleza is the capital city of the state of Ceará. The main attractions here are the beaches. Most people travelling to north-eastern Brazil have this city (and its golden shores) on their itineraries. The city is also home to Brazil’s largest water park – Beach Park.

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8. Natal

Natal is proudly known as ‘Sun City’ – thanks to its tropical climate, it boasts an average temperature of 28°C and an average 300 sunny days ever year. Because of these warm climes and coastal location, beaches are again a popular attraction. But Natal is also where you will find the world’s largest cashew nut tree, Brazil’s second largest urban park and a host of museums.

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9. Recife

Recife is regarded as the capital of the northeast. Another city on the coast, the beaches here are always popular. Boa Viagem beach is popular with swimmers while Candeias is known for its beauty. Then if you’re a surfer, you need to look out for Piedade and Praia do Pina beaches. But the city has an intriguing history also, primarily due to the prominence of the Dutch over the years.

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10. Belo Horizonte

With a population of just over 2.4 million people, Belo Horizonte (known locally as ‘Beagá’) is Brazil’s sixth most populous city. Attractions include the Natural History Museum, the Palácio das Artes and the city’s zoo. If you want to experience the city more like a local, then relax in one of its neighbourhood bars – areas like Serra, Savassi, Lourdes and Funcionários all boasts great places to relax at night along with good restaurants too. Or you can spend a day by Pampulha Lake with the Capybaras (Brazil's largest rodent)

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11. Curitiba

While Curitiba is home to over 1.8 million curitibanos, it’s a hub of many cultures – this city is home to ever-growing German, Polish, Italian and Ukrainian communities. Their influences can be seen throughout the city, from the neighbourhoods like the Italian Santa Felicidade to the architecture to the plethora of restaurants.

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12. Porto Alegre

This city in southern Brazil is different to many of its counterparts. With an average temperature of 19.5°C and winters where snow isn’t uncommon, this is not a city for sun worshippers. Here the fresh waters of the enormous Lagoa dos Patos replace the sea. But the sights are similar to those in other Brazilian cities – museums, churches and parks.

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