Brasília Travel Forum

I am Portuguese. I was thinking of taking advantage of the new direct flights between Lisbon and Brasilia, and spend 4-5 days there.

My plans are to rent a car and stay in a hotel in the city centre.
I intend to visit the major monuments, buildings, shopping malls, and the lake area.
I will be travelling with my kids (3 and 8 years) and my wife.

Everybody tells me I am mad, once noticed that I am foreign I will be robbed/kidnapped/etc... Is this true ? Or can I assume that if I take the normal precautions and stay in the city centre I will be safe ?

I don´t know brasilia, but tourism in Brazil in general is not dangerous as long as you take the normal precausions.

You are mad to spend any time in Brasilia, one of the most boring places in Brazil I have ever visited, especially in comparison to most other major cities there. The monuments and buildings are dated and unexciting architecturally, shopping malls are not any better than in another more interesting city and the lake area is good for an evening at best. Oh yeah, there are two big swimming pools in the Parque Nacional, crowded with people, in a country that offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Brazilia is a great place to raise a family (go to school and work, come home and maybe go out to eat), but the lines at hte airport leaving for the weekend tell you what there is available to entertain that family.
If you're going to spend all that money and time coming from Europe, go someplace really enjoyable like Rio, Salvador, Florianopolis or one of the northeast cities that certainly have direct flights from Europe. Brazilians love kids and will go out of their way for them.
If you take the often-mentioned basic precautions and stay alert, the safety issues are not nearly as bad as some people would have you believe. A family, especially, would blend in --and you speak the language, albeit with "pedras na boca". :-)

I think you won't have security problems in Brasilia, although you'll have to study very well the map to drive because in Brasilia everything looks the same.
Brasilia has 2 hotel areas, north and south, each one with nearby shopping malls. If you have time my suggestion is to go to Caldas Novas-Pousada do Rio Quente a termal complex not too far from Brasilia, perfect for kids( I can't remember how far cause I was there a long time ago)

Caldas Novas is four hours by car on a couple of bad roads. I just did this trip with a four and six year old and wouldn't be in a hurry to repeat it. It is a town of high-rise apartment blocks with thermal swimming pools and little else.

Brasilia e segura, mas tenho que concordar com os conselhos da Bahiana - muito melhor visitar as cidades historicas e costais.

I agree with Bahiana77: Aside from the architecture -- which can be viewed in a day or less -- Brasilia is a boring city. Think about flying to Belo Horizonte and going on (by rented car or tourist bus/van) to Ouro Preto.

Your chances of being "robbed/kidnapped/etc" in Brasilia, Belo, or Ouro are nil to minimal so long as you take normal precautions.

From someone who lives here: It is very safe, even during the night, if you use common sense. And yes, it's boring, but is also a must see. One or two days is enough to see all the monuments.

Hello !! No, you are not mad,Brasilia is a nice place to stay for few days.
I just don't think you should rent a car, think better get a taxi...I suggest you to stay in a hotel called Bay Park it has a water park besides, not so big but is ok to stay with familly. Have fun !