Travel to Brazil

Travel Guide

Attractions

Carnival

Clubs

Entertainment

Flights

Language

Safety

Sightseeing

Termas

What to Do

http://www.1800mybrazil.com

Translated Version of 1800mybrazil.com

Spanish

Germany

French

Italian

Portuguese

Brazil Travel Articles:

Overview of Brazil for Travelers: Rio de Janeiro
Indigenous peoples have populated for a long, but undetermined, period. European influence ....read more

Brazilian Priest Murdered, Drug Traffickers Suspected - Rio de Janeiro
A Brazilian priest regarded as a champion against drug trafficking and drug consumption was murdered after celebrating Mass ....read more

Brazil's Tourism Board hopes new offices abroad will double Visitors to Brazil
The objective is clear: In 2007, Brazil should welcome 9 million foreign tourists spending US$8 billion....read more

Rio de Janeiro; Go barefoot in Brazil
With its long stretches of beaches and chic resorts, it's time to go nuts in Brazil.....read more

Hotel collapses in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- A building housing a hotel and restaurant collapsed in downtown Rio on Wednesday, and rescue officials said they believed an unknown number of people were buried in the rubble.....read more

Image makers: Brazil could chart its own course Digital Television
As television around the world begins its digital revolution, Brazilian authorities are considering launching their own, domestic version of the technology....read more

Dionne Warwick's Home In Brazil Burglarized
Five men dressed as repairmen entered singer Dionne Warwick's home in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, tied up the singer's brother....read more

Brazilian Models - Playboy Brasil Models
Meet the Models of Brazil - Exciting Brazilian Videos including Playboy Brazil "Making of Videos"...read more

Money

The Dollar is King

The Dollar is easily exchangeable and you can even pay in dollars for some goods and services. The Euro, Pound Sterling and Swiss Franc can also be easily exchanged in banks, tour agencies and money exchange shops ( the latter two are usually combined ). But the dollar rules and it is recommended to bring some dollars or dollar travelers cheques, and credit cards which are widely used.

exchange brazillian currency The Brazilian currency is the Real. Since this currency was introduced in 1994 inflation has been very low in comparison to the previous situation where the level of inflation was up to 50% per MONTH. Since then it has averaged around 10% or less a YEAR. There are several exchange rates for the Real. The only three of concern are the Official, Tourist and Parallel rate. The Official rate governs business transactions, the Tourist rate governs transactions carried out by tourists while in the country( eg using credit cards ) and the parallel rate is what you get when changing cash anywhere but banks.

ATM Locations

Not all ATMs work with cards issued in countries other than Brazil but there are sufficient within Rio to make life easy enough. Nearly all shops, restaurants bars etc accept credit cards. Outside of Rio and the larger cities you should not rely on them to obtain cash, although credit cards can be used for purchases in nearly all reasonable sized towns.

Some of the ATMs to look out for are Banco 24 Horas( red kiosks), Banco Itau, HSB, Citibank. Note that some of these banks have a mixture of ATMs - some that will work with foreign cards and some that won't, and they look almost identical. For example Banco Itau - the only way of telling is to look for the small Cirrus and Maestro logo on the front panel. These are the ones that will work with foreign cards. Citibank seems to accept all cards. All cash is dispensed in local currency. Most of the ATM's listed to the right are accesible 24 hours a day - swipe your card and you will unlock the door of the ATM kiosk or into the foyer of the bank

All Citibank ATM cash points in Brazil work with the major cash networks:- Cirrus, Maestro, Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, PLUS and Diners club. This is not the case with other banks in Brazil - not all their cashpoints will work with foreign cards.

All Citibank ATMs have instructions in English or Portuguese.

All money in Brazilian ATMs is dispensed in local currency.

Rio De Janeiro - RJ

1) Rua da Assembleia 100, Centro. Tel: (21) 2276-3636
2) Av Das Americas 1901, Barra Da Tijuca. Tel: (21) 2439-4224
3) Blockbusters Botafogo, Rua Voluntarios da Patria 450. Tel: (21) 2219-1048
4) Blockbuster Copacabana, Av. Nossa Senhorita de Copacabana. Tel(21) 2549-0556
5) Rua Visconde de Piraja 229 Ipanema. Tel: (21) 3222-9450 /9452
6) Rua Conde de Bonfim 36, Tijuca. Tel: (21) 2276-3033
7) Rua Vitor Civita 66 Bloco 1, Rio Office Park. Tel: (21) 3870-3123

Citibank ATMs
City Center branch
Rua da Assembléia, 100 CEP: 20011-000 Telefone: (21) 2276-3636

Copacabana
Av. Nossa Senhora de Copacabana,
619 (ATM in Blockbuster store)

Ipanema
Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 459 CEP: 22410-003 Telefone: (21) 3222-9400

Tijuca
Rua Conde de Bonfim, 36 CEP: 20520-053 Telefone: (21) 2276-3033

Barra da Tijuca Av. das Américas, 1.901 CEP: 22631-000 Telefone: (21) 2439-4224

Ipanema II Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 229 CEP: 22410-001 Telefone: (21) 3222-9450

Brasilia - DF

1) SCS Quadra 06 - Bloco A - S/n -Loja186
Tel: (61) 218-8000/218-8089
2) Asa Sul - SHL/Sul Quadra 716 - Conj. N- Bloco A - Lojas 81,72
Edificio Medical centre Tel:(61) 346-7966
3) 505 Norte Blockbuster - SEP/Norte Quadra 505
Conj. D S/n - Loja 85 Tel: (61) 273-0333

Recife - PE

1) Av. Marques de Olinda, 126 Tel:(81) 3216-1256
2) Boa Viagem, Av. Conselheiro Aguiar, 2.034 Tel:(81) 3465-2314

Salvador (Bahia)

1) Rua Miguel Calmon, 555 Salvador Tel: (71) 254-5254
2) Barra - Rua Almirante Marques de Leao, 71 Tel:(71) 267-1944

Belo Horizonte - MG

1) Rua EspiritoSanto 871, Belo Horizonte. Tel: (31) 3219-1000
2) Blockbuster - Praca da Bandeira, 50. Mangabeiras. Tel: (31) 3287-7711
3) Av. Cristovao Colombo, 323. Savassi. Tel: (31) 3219-1097

Curitiba - PR

1) Rua Marechal Deodoro, 711. Curitiba. Tel: (41) 221-6717
2) Blockbuster, Rua Buenos Aires 205, Batel. Tel: (41) 221-6603
3) Blockbuster, Rua Rocha Pombo 600. Juveve. Tel: (41) 352-9836

Porto Alegre - RS

1) Rua Sete de Septembro, 722 . Tel:(51) 3220-8619
2) Blockbuster. Av. Dr Nilo Pecanha 2785. Tel: (51) 3328-7662
3) Praca Dr. Mauricio Cardoso 176, Moinhos de Vento
Tel: (51) 3220-8681

Ribeirao Preto - SP

1) Av. Nove de Julho, 668. Tel: (16) 3977-7500

Campinas - SP

1) Av. Dr. Moraes Salles 711. Tel: (19) 3737-1200
2) Blockbuster Cambui. Av Julio de Mesquita 895. Tel: (19) 3254-6828

Sao Paulo - SP

1) Av Paulista, 1111, Paulista. Tel: (11) 5576-1000
2) Blockbuster Chacara Flora, Av. Washington Luis 1171. Tel: (11) 5521-2140
3) Blockbuster Estados Unidos, Rua Estados Unidos 1324. Tel: (11) 3088-3002
4) Blockbuster Av Republica do Libano 2304. Tel: (11) 5051-8908
5) Blockbuster Rua Emilia Marengo 546. Tel: (11) 6671-2091
6) Av. Brig. Faria Lima 1800. Tel: (11) 3816-4988
7) Av. Angelica 1761 Higenopolis. Tel: (11) 256-2855
8) Av. Sao Joao 674. Ipiranga. Tel: (11) 5582-6659
9) Rua Faustolo, 1875. Lapa. Tel: (11) 3873-2288
10) Praca Nossa Senhora Aparecida 207, Moema. Tel: (11) 5051-9877
11) Blockbuster Mooca, Av. Paes de Barros, 2885. Tel: (11) 6169-7478
12) Av. Pedroso de Moraes, 1195. Pinheiros. Tel: (11) 3814-7788
13) Blockbuster Real Park, Av. Morumbi, 6839. Tel:(11) 3758-6205
14) Blockbuster Sumare, - Av. Sumare 1334. Tel: (11) 3872-1161
15) Praca Silvio Romero 68. Tatuape. Tel: (11) 293-7700
16) Av. Domingos de Moraes 2422, Vila Mariana. Tel: (11) 5539-6460
17) Av. Das Nacoes Unidas 12551, World Trade Center. Tel: (11) 3043-8383

Other ATM's

Banco 24 Horas
Copacabana
Av. Atlântica/Av Rainha
Elizabeth - Posto 6
Av. N.S. Copacabana, 202

Posto 2 - Av. N.S. Copacabana, 599
Posto 4 - Av. N.S. Copacabana, 427-A
Posto 3 - Av. N.S. Copacabana, 427-A
Posto 3 - Av. Nelson Cardoso, 1149

Ipanema
Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 151-A
Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 174
Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 357 -
Praça General Osório

Leblon
Av. General San Martin, 697
Av. Ataulfo de Paiva, 149
Rua Cardoso de Morais, 106

Banco Itau

Avenida Copacabana, 581ab
Avenida Copacabana, 1362a

Getting Local Currency

Money exchange Rio De Janeiro Brazil

1) Travelers Cheque's - These are best changed in the money exchange shops ( CAMBIOS in Portuguese ) found mainly in the tourist agencies. Also American Express has an office at the front of the Copacabana Palace hotel on Avenida Atlantica ( the beach front ). The rate you get for travelers cheque is normally a little less than exchanging cash. See below for a list of Cambios. You can also change in Hotels but the rate is generally lower.

2) Cash - This can be changed in all the above and in a lot of shops as well. It is not worth doing it in banks as the rate will be much lower plus you will normally have to queue for a long time. The rate in use excluding banks will be the parallel. This rate is usually higher than the tourist and official rate. It varies by how much, presently it is only a couple of percent higher. There have been a few times when it was actually lower than the official rate. You will not get a very good rate at the airport upon arrival so change the minimum you require until you reach your hotel/apartment.

3) Wire transfers - Money grams through the American Express office mentioned above. Western Union transfers are received at Banco do Brazil branches ( this bank has a yellow and Blue logo ). Again all money is received in local currency. Check out the following links.

Important Note - As a general rule do NOT change money in the street, there is no black market, the best rate you can get is the parallel rate from the Cambios mentioned above.

Exchange rates
Get the latest Dollar/Real rate here - Currency Converter

Cambios ( Money Exchange )

Copacabana

Lafayete 395B Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana
Universal Cambio 379 Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana
Best Exchange 371 B-C Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana

The 3 Cambios above are all very close together. You will be hard pressed to get a better deal than from one of these 3. They are located a few hundred yards from rear entrance of the Copacabana Palace Hotel on Avenida Copacabana, to the left if you are standing with your back to the sea

Barra

GeoTur - Downtown shopping centre
CittaTur - CittaAmerica Shopping centre Loja 103E, Av das Americas,
Belle Tours - Barra Shopping, Loja (shop) 208

American Express Offices

Av. Atlântica, 1.702/01 - Hotel Copacabana Palace - Copacabana.
Aeroporto Internacional do Rio de Janeiro - Terminal 2 Arrivals.

(Note that terminal 2 is mainly for Varig flights so if you come on another airline you will arrive at terminal 1 and it would be awkward to get to this office).