11 Best Things to Do in Brasília, Brazil’s Modern Capital

Despite being small and relatively new, Brazil‘s capital city of Brasilia has a lot to offer! I spent 4 days exploring the city and was impressed with the diversity of things to do there. From modern architecture to nature getaways, let’s go through the best things to do in Brasilia!

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TLTR? Here are the best things to do in Brasília depending on what you’re into
🍃 Nature: Parque Nacional de Brasilia
📖 History: Memorial JK & Memorial dos Povos Indígenas
🏛️ Architecture: Congresso Nacional
🎨 Art & Culture: Museu Nacional da República

The sights and layout of Brasília

Brasília, a new city at around 60 years old, stands out as one of the most interesting planned cities in the world with a unique cross design that resembles an airplane. Constructed in just three years, Brasília is quite small, and visitors can see most of its highlights in just a day.

Although not a top tourist destination in Brazil, Brasília appeals to architecture enthusiasts like myself. The city is one of the world’s premier spots for experiencing modern and brutalist architecture. Many of Brasília’s iconic structures were designed by the renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, who approached each building as a work of sculptural art.

The city was designed with a vision of the “future” as imagined 60 years ago, which prioritized cars over pedestrians. As a result, Brasília isn’t particularly pedestrian-friendly. Fortunately, Uber is very affordable here (rarely costing more than R$30, around USD 6), making it an easy and convenient way to get around.

The best things to do in Brasília

Though small, Brasilia offers a lot of sights! Here is my selection of the best things to do in Brasilia.

1. Memorial JK & Memorial dos Povos Indígenas (Memorial of the Indigenous People)

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Memorial JK is open from 9 AM to 6 PM and Memorial dos Povos Indígenas is open from 9 AM to 5 PM every day except Mondays.
🎟️ Admission: R$10 for Memorial JK, which can only be paid in cash. Free entrance to Memorial dos Povos Indígenas
📍 Address: Eixo Monumental, Praça do Cruzeiro, Brasília 

Memorial JK, a museum dedicated to the history of Brazil’s former president Juscelino Kubitstchek, and Memorial dos Povos Indígenas, a small museum that holds anthropological pieces from the natives of Brazil, stand side by side and are worth a stop in your Brasília itinerary.

The Memorial JK tells the story of Brasília’s founder, President Kubitschek. The stunning, well-maintained building designed by Oscar Niemeyer is a sight to behold. Inside, you’ll find many artifacts from the former president’s life, as well as his body lying in a coffin inscribed with “The Founder.”

I found the exhibits to have a bit of an authoritarian vibe, portraying Kubitschek as a perfect human being. At times, the museum felt a lot like what I imagine North Korea to be like!

The Memorial dos Povos Indígenas is also an Oscar Niemeyer design, but it’s much smaller and not as well maintained. The structure is quite interesting, with its spiral shape inspired by the round malocas common in Yanomami villages.

The museum contains pieces from native peoples all over Brazil. Although the collection is small (under 400 pieces), it is quite beautiful and impressive.

It’s evident that the museum lacks funding, as the incredible artifacts are not displayed and protected in a worthy structure. It’s sad to see such beautiful anthropological art not showcased appropriately, especially considering the grand way former President JK’s wedding attire and daily items are displayed just across the street.

Important to note: Brasília’s museums are not completely accessible for non-Portuguese speakers, with few exhibits having English translations. Even as a Portuguese speaker, I found the written content often lacking organization and depth. In my opinion, the main draw to Brasília’s museums is each building’s architectural design and art displays, not the text accompanying each piece.

2. Torre de TV de Brasília (Brasília’s TV tower)

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 6:45 PM
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: Torre de TV de Brasília – Esplanada da Torre – Plano Piloto

Brasília’s TV Tower is a free and quick way to see the city from above. As a visitor, you can only go up about 25 floors, but you still get a panoramic view of the city.

From there, you can start walking towards Praça dos Três Poderes, marking the beginning of the only pedestrian-friendly path in Brasília.

3. Estádio Mané Garrincha

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Depends on the event schedule.
🎟️ Admission: Depends on the event.
📍 Address: Estádio Mané Garrincha

Although Brasília is not home to any major Brazilian Soccer team, the city still has a pretty impressive stadium! Apart from small local championships, the Estádio Mané Garrincha (aka Arena BRB) also hosts incredible international concerts (Bruno Mars played there while I was visiting Brasília) and soccer games played by the Brazilian National Team.

Check out the schedule of Estádio Mané Garrincha to see if anything fun will be going on during your trip to Brasília!

4. Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida & Museu Nacional da Republica

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Cathedral: 8 AM to 4:45 PM Tuesdays to Saturdays and 9 AM to 5:45 PM on Sundays. Museum: 9 AM to 6:30 PM Tuesdays to Sundays.
🎟️ Admission: Free for both attractions
📍 Address: Setor Cultural Sul, Lote 2 próximo à Rodoviária do Plano Piloto

Side by side are two of Brasília’s fun buildings: the Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady Aparecida with breathtaking interiors, and the National Museum of the Republic, a spherical structure that hosts a variety of exhibitions.

The Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida feels otherworldly from the inside, with angel sculptures floating from above and stunning blue stained glass.

The Museu Nacional da República, on the other hand, is far from your average building. Shaped like a massive half-sphere, the ramp leading up to it makes you feel almost as if you’re boarding an alien spaceship. When I first walked into the Museu Nacional da República, I expected to learn about Brazilian history due to its name, but instead, I found a cool collection of modern Brazilian art!

Some of the exhibits at the Museu Nacional da República were notably left-wing in tone. While I found them one-sided, it was a thought-provoking experience to see how only one perspective of Brazilian politics is featured in a prominent National Museum.

Also nearby: Biblioteca Nacional de Brasília

The Brasilia National Library is another interesting building from Oscar Niemeyer. There are no architectural highlights in the building’s interior, but it does feature some coworking spaces if you need some downtime during your trip to Brasilia!

5. Congresso Nacional & Esplanada dos Ministérios

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Can be seen from the outside at any time. If you want to go inside, you can book a time slot.
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: Praça dos Três Poderes, Zona Cívico-Administrativa 

The building housing Brazil’s National Congress is Brasilia’s most famous building. On top of being an architectural gem, the National Congress is also a cultural landmark as many major protests took place there.

During my trip to Brasilia, I was very lucky to see (and participate in) a protest led by indigenous peoples asking for the protection of their land.

6. Praça dos Três Poderes

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Can be visited from the outside at any time. Espaço Lúcio Costa and Panteão da Patria can be entered from 9 AM to 6 PM from Tuesdays to Fridays and 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: Praça dos Três Poderes – Brasília

Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília is a symbolic square surrounded by buildings representing the core branches of the Brazilian government:

In the square, you will also find the iconic “Os Candangos” statue, which honors the workers who built the city, Panteão da Pátria, and a memorial dedicated to national heroes, and Espaço Lucio Costa, where you can see a large model of the city.

For an affordable and upscale snack, go to Casa de Chá, a fantastic café-school run by teachers and students of a government-run café professional course. The café is a stunning structure designed by Oscar Niemeyer located in the center of the square.

Casa de Chá is absolutely worth a visit—I had the best and most affordable meal of my entire Brasília trip there!

7. Orla da Ponte JK

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Kayak and paddle boat rentals from 8 AM to 6 PM
🎟️ Admission: Free, paddle boat rental goes for R$35 per 30 minutes
📍 Address: St. de Clubes Esportivos Sul Trecho 2 – Brasília

Orla da Ponte JK is the coast near the Iconic JK Bridge. Locals commonly head there on weekends to enjoy the restaurant scene, kayak, or paddle boat!

When I visited Orla da Ponte JK, I rented a paddle boat for R$35 per 30 minutes and had fun paddling around the bridge and near some capybaras.

8. Parque Sarah Kubitschek 

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: Open 24/7
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: Srps – Asa Sul, Brasília

Parque Sarah Kubitscheck is the main park in downtown Brasilia, and it is home to an amusement park, an equestrian center, artificial lakes, and trails for running and biking.

Though not a major tourist attraction in Brasilia, Parque Sarah Kubitscheck is worth a stop for those who like running or those traveling with children.

9. Palácio da Alvorada

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: 10 AM to 5 PM
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: Zona Cívico-Administrativa

Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of Brazil’s president. It is located out of the way of the other attractions in Brasilia, so it is only worth visiting if you are into architecture or happen to be staying or visiting the amazing Brasilia Palace Hotel.

Brasilia Palace Hotel is my favorite place to stay in Brasilia. Also designed by Oscar Niemeyer and located by the lake, the hotel offers unmatched cost-benefit.

The hotel is also home to the Italian restaurant Oscar, which is considered one of the best in Brasilia.

10. MAB: Museu de Arte de Brasília

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: 10 AM to 7 AM Wednesdays to Mondays
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: SHTN Trecho 1, projeto Orla Polo 03, Lote 05

Also out of the way from the major attractions is an interesting Art Museum. The Museu de Arte de Brasilia is another one of Oscar Niemeyer’s architectural designs in Brasilia and it is home to exciting Brazilian art pieces.

The museum is quite small, but it is worth visiting, especially if you also carve out the time to eat at one of the restaurants nearby.

11. Parque Nacional de Brasilia

General visiting information
⏰ Opening hours: 6 AM to 4 PM Tuesdays to Sundays
🎟️ Admission: R$18
📍 Address: BR-450, EPIA Norte – Zona Industrial, Brasília 

Featuring natural waterfalls, hiking trails, and a pool filled with fresh water, the Parque Nacional de Brasilia is an incredible place to get in touch with the incredible nature of the cerrado (Brazilian savannah).

Best things to do outside of Brasilia

Chapada dos Veadeiros

Chapada dos Veadeiros is one of the most beautiful and famous National Parks in Brazil. There, you will find stunning waterfalls, hikes, and spiritual retreats. You can reach Chapada dos Veadeiros by bus or by driving 3 hours to Alto Paraíso de Goias.

Formosa

Just a short drive (1h20min) from Brasilia you can visit Formosa, a waterfall and hiking getaway that Brasilia’s locals often go to.

Satellite neighborhoods of Brasilia

Brasilia’s city plan is far from perfect! When designing the city, they planned for “satellite cities” where blue-collar workers would live. In the beginning, these cities did not have basic infrastructure, but now they have grown to become fully functioning “cities”.

Although there isn’t any general tourist appeal to these neighborhoods, they are still an interesting sight. A local once recommended exploring the bar scene in Taguatinga, a satellite neighborhood mostly populated by migrants from the northeast region of Brazil.

The wrapup: Best things to do in Brasilia

Brasilia is an interesting city that brings us back to what the previous generations thought of as development. The city is an interesting and fun destination, although it is relatively new and small.

If you have the time, you can reach some of the most beautiful hikes and waterfalls in Brazil as a short drive from Brasilia!

I wish you the most incredible time as you explore the best things to do in Brasilia! To stay safe during your travels, make sure to check out our safety guide to traveling Brazil.