Brasil
JEWISH BRAZILIAN LINKS IN PORTUGUESE
Pletz– secular Jewish news portal.
Midrash, cultural center in Leblon, Rio.
Conexão Israel – liberal Brazilian bloggers site on Israel
Bombas e Flores em Jerusalém – liberal Brazilian blog on the events in Israel (not active since 2013).
RIO DE JANEIRO
News
The Rio Times, in English
O Globo, Rio edition, in Portuguese
Business and general news in English – O Valor
Rio Real Blog, in Portuguese
City Guides
The New Rio – Rio Real
Guide to the city center in Wiki Travel
Best Views of Rio, per Time Out Rio
Events listings
Catraca Livre, in Portuguese (Rio and São Paulo), agenda cultural rio de janeiro
Bravo Indica – events in São Paulo
Music venues
Pedra do Sal – Samba party on Mondays at the birth of Samba in the city center.
Rock in downtown – Circo Voador.
Samba jams in Copacabana – Bar Bip Bip
A Feira de São Cristóvão – Forro venue and weekly festival (Centro).
Mangueira, one of the main Samba schools with weekly rehearsals for Carnaval starting in November.
Xoroxangô, Live Samba jam in São Paulo
ó do borogodó – live music in in São Paulo
Food
culinary backstreets (Rio food blog). 3 of our favorite eateries: Adega Pérola (Portuguese) in Copacabana, Tacacá do Norte (Amazonian) in Flamengo, and Terra Brasilis on Praia Vermelha. Bar da Encruza in Santa Teresa.
Lodging
Inexpensive recommended hotel in the city center, close to all the nightlife.
Best beaches
Joatinga Beach is only 30 minutes away from Ipanema by cab (ask for Clube Costa Brava), but it feels very remote and secluded. Arrive in the morning, as tide covers it by mid-day.
It is located right by Costa Brava club, in the middle of the Joá highway (Rodovia Joa), linking São Conrado to Barra da Tijuca.
Praia Itapebussus in Rio das Ostras (3-4 hours by bus from Rio de Janeiro).
Recommended clean and very inexpensive place to stay in the area is Villa Mellancia, talk to Rosana Furman, or her mom (they love practicing Hebrew!).
Praia do Santo Antonio, Ilha Grande (3 hours from Rio + ferry).
Hip(ster) hotel in the jungle (Atlantic rainforest), the most exotic room has no walls – you sleep in the mosquito net. Recommended.
Beaches near Paraty (The Rio Times, 2017)
Map of Brazil by Rio for Partiers:
Miscellaneous
Burle Marx, UNESCO-recognized beautiful park 1 hour south of the city near gorgeous Grumari beach.
LEARNING PORTUGUESE
Semantica Portuguese (Learn Portuguese with videos of real-life situations)
Brazilian PodClass (podcast, also partially on iTunes)
ticunbrasil.com 