Located in the central-western region of the country, known as the central plateau, Brasília has an area of 5,779 square kilometers and is approximately 1,000 meters from sea level. The annual average temperature is 21.2°C/70°F, with two well-defined seasons: rainy, which corresponds to “summer”, from October to April; and the dry season, which corresponds to “winter”, between May and September.
In Brasilia, temperatures are pleasant all year round. However, the best time to visit the city is from May to September, during the dry season.
The country’s capital was founded in April 1960 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 as an example of bold urban planning and modern architecture. Viewed from above, the city is shaped like an airplane.
Eixo Monumental: the body of the "airplane", where the main attractions are concentrated: Juscelino Kubitschek memorial, National Congress, Metropolitan Cathedral Our Lady Aparecida, the various ministries, Itamaraty Palace, Supreme Federal Court, Palace of Justice, National Theater and the TV Tower, the best place for an aerial view of the city.
Palácio da Alvorada: the official residence of the President of the Republic, designed by Oscar Niemeyer and one of the most beautiful buildings in Brasilia. Located on a peninsula, it divides the Lake Paranoá into North Lake and South Lake.
Santuário Dom Bosc: built in honor of the boss of Brasília, founder of the Salesian Order. Its interior is dazzling, with stained glass in 12 shades of blue ranging from light blue to dark blue, and a walled chandelier of 7400 pieces.
On the outskirts of the Brazilian capital, there are several leisure options. For instance, a number of neighboring cities full of waterfalls, such as Pirenópolis. A little further, 300km away from Brasilia, in the Brazilian Cerrado (tropical savannah ecoregion), is the Chapada dos Veadeiros. This "savannah" has beautiful natural landscapes, huge rocky walls, crystalline rivers and an incomparable biological diversity.