Courtesy Paolo Costa Baldi/License: GFDL/CC-BY-SA 3
Brazil's most beautiful places: Mount Roraima straddles the border between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. Its rock formations, rivers and waterfalls are said to have inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book, "The Lost World." More recently, Mount Roraima served as inspiration for a location in Disney/Pixar's "Up." The trip up Roraima can take seven to 10 days, but the return hike takes two and hikers are rewarded with waterfall baths along the way.
Courtesy Embratur
Canoa Quebrada: The popular dunes and beaches of Canoa Quebrada are a two-and-half-hour drive southeast of Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará state in northeastern Brazil. Many locals still work as fishermen on traditional "jangada" boats. A 30-minute ride in a wooden fishing raft costs around $5.
More info: www.visitbrasil.com
Courtesy Embratur
Iguazu Falls: The Iguazu Falls are made up of more than 270 smaller individual waterfalls, most of which, including Devil's Throat, are on the Argentine side. From the tourist walkways on the Brazilian side, in Brazil's Iguazu National Park, you get fantastic, though not entirely spray-free, panoramic views.
Courtesy Embratur
Fortaleza: On the northeast coast of Brazil, the capital of Ceará state is well known for lobster and fresh seafood. Fortaleza's urban beaches are great for windsurfing and sailing.
More info: www.visitbrasil.com
Courtesy Embratur
Pelourinho: Pelourinho is the historic center of the city of Salvador in Bahia state. Its photogenic streets feature brightly colored buildings, many with stucco facades. The colonial city is a convergence of European, African and indigenous cultures.
More info: www.visitbrasil.com
Courtesy Visit Curitiba/Embratur
Tangua Park: Formerly a rubble recycling plant and a site for the disposal of industrial waste, Tangua Park was regenerated last decade and now has a jogging track, bike path and waterfall and is a popular tourist attraction.
Tangua Park, Rua Oswaldo Maciel, Taboão, Curitiba, Paraná
Courtesy Embratur
Botanical Garden of Curitiba: The path leading to this impressive greenhouse -- flanked by thousands of flowers -- is just as beautiful as the plants within the glass and iron structure. At the Jardim das Sensacoes, visitors can be blindfolded to experience the textures and aromas of plants in a more concentrated and novel fashion.
Botanical Garden of Curitiba, Rua Engenheiro Ostoja Roguski, 690, Curitiba, Paraná; +55 41 3362 1800
Courtesy Embratur
Jalapao State Park: The combination of plains, golden dunes, rivers and waterfalls makes Jalapao State Park a favorite with adventurers. After rafting in the Novo River rapids you can swim by the emerald Formiga Waterfall, enjoying the park's relatively untouched wilderness.
Jalapao State Park, Mateiros, Tocantins; +55 63 3218 2357
Courtesy Embratur
Amazon rainforest: With a little luck, you can spot jaguars, pink dolphins and giant otters at the Amazon rainforest, the world's largest and most biodiverse natural reserve. Just bring strong mosquito repellant.
More info: www.visitbrasil.com
Courtesy Embratur
Dunas de Genipabu: A 15-minute drive north of Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte state, Genipabu is best known for the buggy and camel rides available within the dunes and lagoons. The dunes are always changing, shaped and carved by strong winds along the Rio Grand do Norte coastline.
More info: visitbrasil.com
Courtesy Embratur
Imperial Museum of Brazil: The former summer palace in the middle of Petrópolis was built in the mid-1800s. It's an hour's drive (70 kilometers) from Rio de Janeiro's city center and is one of Brazil's most popular museums.
Imperial Museum of Brazil, Rua da Imperatriz, 220, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro; +55 24 2245-5550
Courtesy Embratur
Oscar Niemeyer Museum: Oscar Neimeyer was 95 years old when he completed the Museum of the Eye. The museum focuses on art, architecture and design. Popularly known as "The Eye," the tower has four floors of exhibition space.
Oscar Niemeyer Museum, Rua Marechal Hermes, 999, Curitiba, Paraná; +55 41 3350 4400
Courtesy Embratur
Gruta do Lago Azul: The "Blue Lake Grotto" is part of one of the world's largest flooded cavities. Its blue waters extend more than 200 feet deep. The mysterious source of the lake is believed to be an underground river that has yet to be located.
More info: www.portalbonito.com.br
Courtesy Embratur
Fernando de Noronha: Located 354 kilometers off the coast of Brazil's northeast state of Pernambuco, the island of Fernando de Noronha is a sea turtle and spinner dolphin sanctuary. The archipelago has some of the best diving and surfing in Brazil.
More info: www.noronha.pe.gov.br
Courtesy Embratur
Sao Miguel das Missoes: A tour down the Rota das Missoes (Mission Route) means stepping back to the early decades of the 17th century to recall the work of the priests of Companhia de Jesus in their mission to evangelize natives in the south of the country. The Jesuit mission's cathedral dates to the mid-1700s.
São Miguel das Missoes, Road RS-536, Rio Grande do Sul; +55 3381 1294
More info: www.saomiguel-rs.com.br
Courtesy Embratur
Bento Goncalves: Surrounded by hills, valleys and rivers, 24 municipalities make up the Grape and Wine Route in the south of Brazil. Wineries, cantinas, boutique restaurants, craft shops, art studios and small cheese and other regional food production facilities are scattered along the rural routes in the area.
Bento Goncalves, Rio Grande do Sul; +55 54 3055 7135
Courtesy Lukas Grumet
Elevador Lacerda: The elevator connecting Cidade Alta (Upper Town) and Cidade Baixa (Lower Town) in Salvador, Bahia, was the first to be installed in Brazil, in 1873. The original two-car elevator was given an art deco makeover in 1930. The restored and now four-cabin elevator provides the 22-second trip for around 10 cents.
Elevador Lacerda, Praça Municipal, Centro Histórico, Salvador, Bahia; +55 71 3243 4030
Courtesy Plinio Dondon
Cathedral of Brasilia: Another marvel by Oscar Niemeyer, the 40-meter-high Cathedral of Brasilia and its suspended angels are bathed with natural light shining through the stained glass. The circular structure has glass ceilings that start at the floor, supported by 16 curved columns. The cathedral can hold up to 4,000 people.
Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília, Esplanada dos Ministérios, lote 12, Brasília; +55 61 3224 4073
Courtesy claudio zagonel neto
Chapada Diamantina National Park: Chapada Diamantina in the state of Bahia is one of the country's richest bio regions. Originally home to indigenous Maracás Indians, the area was flooded by explorers in the 1700s looking for gold and, later, diamonds. Today, the area is home to around 50 species of orchids, giant anteaters, wild cats and armadillos, as well as diverse flora and numerous birds and snakes.
courtesy paula perez
Porto de Galinhas: Often nominated as one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil, Porto de Galinhas has pools of warm, clear water great for swimming and free diving, often with loggerhead turtles. At low tide, you can take trips on "jangada" boats to see schools of fish among the coral reefs.
Porto de Galinhas, Ipojuca, Pernambuco; +55 81 3551 1156 (website Portuguese only)

Editor’s Note: This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy.

CNN  — 

If watching a game at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã stadium has been on your bucket list since the 2014 FIFA World Cup, you can now do so without adding a trip to the consulate as part of your itinerary.

Effective June 17, tourists from the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia will no longer need a visa to visit Brazil.

Travelers with a valid passport will be able to explore Brazil for up to 90 days, with the possibility of extending their stay to up to 180 days (though expect a visit to the Federal Police to get the extension approved).

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Brazil is known for the bright colors of its flag, landscapes and cities.

The move was announced in March ahead of an official visit by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to the White House.

In a joint news statement released on March 19 by President Donald Trump and President Bolsonaro, the duo announced that along with lifting the requirement, “the Presidents agreed to take the steps necessary to enable Brazil to participate in the Department of Homeland Security’s Trusted Traveler Global Entry Program.”

Since the announcement, Brazil has already seen increased travel interest from tourists in those four countries. In March, searches for flights from Australia to Brazil were up by 36% from the previous year. Americans experienced a similar search boom, with a 31% increase in search for flights following the news.

20 of Brazil's most beautiful places

In the past year, airlines around the world have launched additional routes to various cities in Brazil. In November 2018, Brazil’s largest airline, GOL, launched new direct routes from Brazil to Miami and Orlando. Virgin Atlantic and Norwegian Air also announced new direct flights from London to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, respectively.

American Airlines is the leading carrier with routes from the United States to Brazil, with direct flights to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Manaus.

“American Airlines applauds the Brazilian government for instituting a no-visa requirement that will allow for US, Canadian, Japanese and Australian visitors to travel to Brazil without a visa,” Martha Pantin, director of corporate communications at American Airlines, told CNN in an email.

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The city of Olinda boasts some of the best examples of colonial architecture in the state of Pernambuco.

Brazil has implemented a series of changes over the past few years aimed at increasing the number of tourists visiting the country.

European visitors have long enjoyed visa-free travel to Brazil, and those from neighboring Latin American countries are able to move freely in and out of Brazil so long as they can produce an identity card – no passport necessary.

During the 2016 Summer Olympics hosted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil temporarily scrapped its requirement for travelers from the four countries now exempt from the requirement altogether to bolster tourism around the event.

In 2017, the country announced that visitors from the same countries would no longer be required to visit a consulate or embassy to get their visas and could instead apply for the document online for a $40 fee as opposed to the $160 previously mandated.

According to the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, the change to an e-visa resulted in a 35% increase in the number of applications received by the department in 2018.

Additionally, a survey conducted by the ministry revealed that 88% of visitors to the 2016 Olympics indicated a desire to return to the country, especially if it continued the visa-free policy.