Experience the best of Brasília

Brasília was planned by Lúcio Costa, with its main buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and opened as the capital in 1960. The plan is laid out in the shape of an aeroplane or a bird in flight, with ministries lined up along the Esplanada and, at its heart, the National Congress, a pair of towers between two domes. The city's plan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Niemeyer's Metropolitan Cathedral rises as sixteen curved concrete columns with stained glass between them, and the Dom Bosco Sanctuary glows blue inside with tall panes of glass. The Praça dos Três Poderes, where the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court stand together, lies near Lake Paranoá, an artificial lake. Beyond the city is the Cerrado, Brazil's tropical savanna, with waterfalls and rock formations in Chapada dos Veadeiros national park a few hours' drive to the north.

Pequi, a strong-scented fruit cooked with rice or chicken, is a regional taste, and pão de queijo, small cheese rolls, come with every coffee. Rodízio grills serve skewered meat at the table. The dry months, with clear skies and cool nights, run from May to September, and heavy afternoon storms are common in summer.