Attractions Nearby Brasilia, Day Trips and Excursions

(Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil)



Being the capital of Brazil, there are so many attractions in Brasilia that you could easily spend weeks here and still have sights left to see. However, countless further interesting tourist destinations, natural attractions and vibrant cities are within easy reach of Brasilia, lending themselves to day trips, excursions and weekend getaways.

Established in the early 1960s and located in the neighbouring state of Goias, the Chapada dos Veadeiros is a stunning national park and just a short distance to the north of Brasilia, being home to some wonderful attractions and covering approximately 161,800 acres / 65,500 hectares.


Day trippers exploring Chapada dos Veadeiros will find that this Natural World Heritage Site contains endless hiking trails, popular hilltop restaurants, good bird watching, a gorge named 'Moon Valley, and a series of waterfalls (cachoeiras), such as the Almecegas, Andorinha, Raizama, Sao Bento and Segredo waterfalls.

General Information

At around 100 km / 62 miles from Brasilia, the Itiquira Falls (Cachoeira de Itiquira) resides to the north of Formosa and cascades some 168 metres / 551 feet into the Parana River Valley.

Further waterfalls are to be found at the park of Chapada Imperial (50 km / 31 miles away), as well as around the Portuguese colonial town of Pirenópolis, which is located roughly 150 km / 93 miles to the west of Brasilia and is home to a thriving tourism industry. The waterfalls of Pirenópolis serve as its principal tourist attraction and number more than 20 in total, with the Salto de Corumba being especially impressive.

The beautiful colonial architecture is another notable attraction in Pirenópolis, with two churches standing out in particular, the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Meia Ponte and the Igreja Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. If you are here at the end of June, you may like to join in the celebrations of the Festas de Cavalhadas, where parades of Christian knights are announced by a bugle fanfare.

Other attractions suitable for day trips from Brasilia include the historical city of Goiás Velho, which is the former state capital and brimming with colonial heritage. Each year on the Wednesday just before Easter Sunday, the Procession of the Fogaréu is a traditional Holy Week festival held in Goiás Velho and not to be missed, featuring a procession of torches at midnight.

At just 51 km / 32 miles to north-east of Brasilia, the attractions of Planaltina include the oldest church in the state of Planalto Central - the Igreja de Sao Sebastiao. Located a similar distance from Brasilia but to the south-west, the municipality of Santo Antonio do Descoberto comes with waterfalls, caves and a large university campus - the Pólo Universitário da UEG.