World Cup 2014 in Brazil – Soccer & Sightseeing, everything you need to know!

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SCHLAAAND! Soon it will be that time again – the World Cup is getting closer and closer and millions of fans worldwide are eagerly awaiting the soccer spectacle, which this time will be held in Brazil. Especially for the future world champion Germany (who else) the anticipation is great – after all, the much-coveted cup will finally be lifted in the home of the archrival himself (no, that's not in Holland).

You just have to keep in mind how huge the whole thing is. Soccer AND traveling is simply a wonderful combination. Sure, a World Cup in Italy obviously has some advantages in terms of distance and delivers:

Soccer, Sightseeing AND Pizza.

Or in Holland:

Soccer, Sightseeing AND Frikandel.

The World Cup in Germany was undoubtedly the highlight of World Cup history, with:

soccer, sightseeing AND Kolsch beer AND currywurst.

But now, dear people, it goes to the home country of the future

Vice World Champions 2014: BRAZIL!

Soccer, sightseeing AND salsa AND caipirinha AND the beach AND the Amazon AND the jungle AND micro-bikinis (but that's just a side note)

For those who were lucky enough to get hold of one of the coveted tickets, travel preparations are now on the agenda. And if you have the opportunity to travel to the "motherland of soccer", you naturally want to see something of the country and its people. To make your travel planning a little easier, here are some tips and information about the World Cup 2014 in Brazil. Photo-wise, I've been working with fellow backpacker Sina W. served, Brazil is their absolute favorite country. Thanks Sina.

Besides exciting duels on the pitch, I am especially looking forward to ravishing commentaries in front of the camera, as in previous years:

"I had a good feeling from the feeling of it." (Andreas Moller)

"As far as my hairstyle is concerned, I'm a realist." (Rudi Voller)

"Milan or Madrid – the main thing is Italy!" (Andreas Moller)

"We just can't put the sand in our heads now." (Lothar Matthaus)

"The Swedes are not Dutch – we have seen that quite clearly."(Franz Beckenbauer)

"He came into the dressing room and gave the team a good talking-to." (Otmar Hitzfeld)

"The Rizitelli and I are already a great trio, …er quartet" (Jurgen Klinsmann)

Let's get to the serious side of life first: HOLIDAY! If you are flying to Brazil to watch only 22 transpiring lads running after a round leather, in order to then make the above quotes, you have a serious problem. So at least one week to ten days should be dedicated to the country itself. What you should "take" with you during this time:

Brazil in 1 week

1. TOP-HIGHLIGHT: Iguazú Falls

The impressive waterfalls are the TOP visitor attraction in Brazil. The waterfalls also extend partly over Argentina and Paraguay, but it is generally said that the Brazilian side is the most breathtaking. You should plan at least one day, so that also a hike through the park is possible, as well as a boat trip or a hike into the rainforest.

2. Sugarloaf

The Sugar Loaf or "Pao de Acúcar" is a 395 m high, steep granite rock on the Urca Peninsula, and is considered the landmark of Rio de Janeiro. A cable car takes you to the top of the mountain, from where you can enjoy a fantastic view over Rio de Janeiro.

3. Amazon

The Amazon is the second longest river in the world and is surrounded by tropical rainforest. Typical starting point for many travelers is Manaus, the capital of Amazonas. From there you can take tours to discover the flora and fauna of the rainforest.

But BEWARE MEN: This is the river they always say:

The so-called vampire fish (Candiru) is in the Amazon and has the fascinating ability to swim against the urine stream (so to speak upstream) into the urethra, while Man(n) wants to put his "Stange Kolsch in the river". The fish "smells" the urine, but is after your blood. The small, almost transparent parasite then hooks itself onto blood veins with its teeth and can only be removed again by difficult interventions. The small fish (not yours) dies after a short time, but it can cause an inflammation, which can lead to the death of the human being. But even if not; how damn painful that must be, every MAN can probably relate to and every woman in memory of her last childbirth possibly guesses.

Small but important digression for the men's world, so much time must be!

4. Fernando de Noronha Islands

This group of islands is a nature reserve and may be visited only by 420 tourists at the same time. It is the splendor of the Brazilians and a real paradise for visitors. No wonder, because here you can dive in crystal clear blue water and swim with playful dolphins!

5. Salvador da Bahia

This is probably one of the most interesting activities you can do in Barsilia. Simply called "Bahia" by its inhabitants, this city offers an unforgettable insight into Brazilian culture. Here you can experience live music such as reggae and samba or explore capoeira dance, a combination of self-defense and dance. Definitely worth a visit!

But now into the square with the round*

(*Helmut Schulte)

With that a good week would be exhausted and we can start with the "games". The World Cup 2014 then starts on 12. June in Sao Paulo and ends on the 13th. July Rio de Janeiro. More detailed information and the match schedule can be found on the official FIFA calendar. There are games every day except the 27th. June, as well as the 2., 3., 6., 7., 10. and 11. July.

The tournament will be played in 12 cities:

  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Brasilia
  • Sao Paulo
  • Fortaleza
  • Belo Horizonte
  • Porto Alegre
  • Salvador
  • Recife
  • Cuiaba
  • Manaus
  • Natal
  • Curitiba

Most of these cities are located in the east, southeast and south of Brazil. If you watch several games, you can get around during the World Cup.

Getting to Brazil

Major airlines like z.B. Lufthansa offer from some major German cities (Munich, Frankfurt a.M. etc.) direct long distance flights to Brazil to. Those who want to save money on their flight should also look for flights with a stopover (e.g., to.B. look for flights to Rome or Amsterdam), as these are often much cheaper. Brazil has over 2,500 airports and you can fly directly to the venue or to other parts of the country and then travel to your destination for the game. The absolute grenade price seems to be offered by Condor with flights from Frankfurt to Salvador from bombastic 400,- €.

It is definitely worth booking flights early , because prices can really explode towards the end, due to the high demand of late bloomers. As always, a good overview of all airlines is provided by the well-known flight search engines, such as Momondo, Skyscanner, Swoodoo, etc., with which you can easily and quickly search for the right flights.

Accommodation

Brazil is sh****tax! Also with the reservation of hotel rooms or other accommodations it is called, who books earlier, saves more money. Of course, hotel owners want their hotels to be fully booked as early as possible, and those who still have rooms available shortly before the World Cup have every right to charge a fortune for them.

A stay in a hostel is of course as always first choice and cheaper. But there is also the possibility to stay at campsites here. These are also likely to be booked out relatively quickly during the World Cup, so it's worth getting information in good time. If you like to spend the night in the nature, you should keep in mind that Brazilian campsites can not keep up with the campsites in Europe, from the standard. A good camping equipment is therefore an advantage. On Campingclube.com you will get more information.

Stay for free

Sounds too good to be true, but it is absolutely no problem if you plan well in advance. About Couchsurfing.org, Brazilians are sure to offer a couch to Germans who love soccer.

!Tip among friends!
Change to a hotel in time for the final, when Germany beats Brazil then!

Home-swapping is also a good alternative, where you can save a lot of money and which is especially suitable for backpackers who want to travel to several places in Brazil. With home-swapping, one exchanges one's own home for the vacation period for an apartment or a house in the vacation region. Just google.

Transport

1. Special tip for domestic flights – considered the fastest and easiest way to travel between different cities in Brazil, as some of the distances are quite long. The

"TAM Brazil Air Pass"

offers four domestic flights and is available from about 399 euros.

2. Intercity buses – most popular means of transportation for Brazilians. So if you want to get in contact with locals, this is the right place for you. There is no public bus service in Brazil, so you should inform yourself about arrival and departure times beforehand: Agência Nacional de Transportes Terrestres -Internet site (only in Portuguese) or buscaonibus.com.

3. Car – Certainly a more comfortable way to travel through Brazil and at the same time get to know something of the country itself. Brazil has breathtaking nature, which you should not miss at all. Offers for rental cars are best obtained from specialized providers for Latin America. Be sure to get information about the exact insurance conditions. A deductible with some residual risk is definitely to be borne.

Climate

Summer, sun, beach, hot salsa rhythms and half-naked dancers dancing around between cheering soccer fans and seductively shaking their hips. Forget it! It is "winter" and rainy season for the soccer world cup. So don't get your hopes up because of the highlights mentioned above. Who dances half naked Salsa at shivering winter temperatures of 28 degrees?? Nobody, correct!

Phone

1. From Brazil to Germany

Brazil has a very good telephone network, so you don't have to worry about not being connected to your loved ones at home. Also possible excuses of the football-mad (but 24/7 drunk) spouse, the phone network is so incredibly bad on site, you must pay no further attention to. It is best to get a SIM card from one of the 4 well-known companies Vivo, Tim, Claro or Oi, which usually include call credit when you buy the card.

2. From Germany to Brazil

The opposite way is not less important. Where is the old man hanging out again?? In the stadium or the salsa bar? Is carnival in Rio also really not in July. A short call provides clarity and a background noise of bawling boys the certainty that HE is in the right place. Basically, the call from Germany is even more recommended, because it is cheaper! However, the calls to Brazil should in no case be made with the usual contract cell phones, the subsequent phone bill here can be extremely painful. It is advisable to get a free extra prepaid card, with which you can make cheaper calls abroad. So a call to Brazil only costs a ridiculous 9 cents (!) a minute and an SMS 15 cents, so that nothing stands in the way of hours of conversation with your loved one, if the salsa music of the bar next door allows a phone call.

"It's so noisy next door honey, I really can't hear you. I don't know why I always have to choose a hotel next to a salsa bar."