Race Across The World 2024: Celebrity BBC show boosts searches of travel to Brazil - take a look at best cities and towns to visit

New research by InsureandGo, which analysed Google search data, revealed that Canoa Quebrada in Brazil saw a 2,488% increase in online searches after appearing in episode two, while other Brazilian destinations are experiencing similar uplifts in interest. After the finale aired and contestants arrived in Frutillar, Chile, search interest surged overnight.

This surge came on top of a 149% increase since the show began, as audiences followed the celebs' journey through Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Canoa Quebrada garnered the most attention - a beachside town on the Ceará coast. It is best known for its red sand cliffs and vibrant beach culture.

The show has also highlighted other lesser-known gems in Argentina and Paraguay, bringing attention to wonderful locations off-the-beaten-path. Tigre, a charming river town near Buenos Aires, saw interest jump 215% on Google Trends overnight – with visitors who aren’t racing across the world on BBC, likely drawn to its serene canals, weekend markets, and the famous Tigre Art Museum. 

The travel hype has also skyrocketed for a small town in the Quebrada de Humahuaca: Tilcara, who saw search interest surge overnight, reached its peak popularity for the last 12 months. The Argentinian hidden gem is best known for its pre-Inca fortification, vibrant cultural festivals, and stunning multi-coloured mountains, making it a unique destination that appeals to both culture and nature enthusiasts alike. 

If the BBC show sparked your interest in wanting to travel to Brazil and explore more of this destination, listed below are towns and cities considered to be some of the best.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is often seen as the face of the country. It is surrounded by verdant peaks, such as Sugarloaf Mountain, and fronted by coastlines like Copacabana and Ipanema. The city has been blessed with incredible scenery and is best enjoyed from the high site of Christ the Redeemer, one of the world’s most famous landmarks. Walks, hikes, swims and football on the beach are all within easy reach. It is buzzing day and night, from the caipirinhas on Copacabana to the bars and restaurants of Lapa.

Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo is the largest city in the country and is a true concrete jungle with a skyscraper-laden cityscape. It contains a wealth of things for visitors to see such as museums, covering anything from football and the Portuguese language to Afro-Brazilian history and artefacts from Amazonian tribes, as well as museums for art lovers. You can visit the city’s largest green space, the Ibirapuera Park, or, take a stroll down the tree-lined Rua Oscar Freire.

Salvador

Salvador is a city surrounded by natural beauty and dashes of colour and rhythm. The city starts on the coast at the startlingly blue All Saints Bay, where long sections of golden sands stretch down a coastline that is lined with tropical islands and fishing villages. More inland and there is a sea of skyscrapers and other high-rise buildings. You can visit Pelourinho, the city’s Unesco-listed historic centre and walk down cobblestone streets that are lined with colourful, pastel-hued colonial architecture. Salvador is also home to the country’s second most famous Carnival celebrations.

Pantanal

Pantanal is the largest tropical wetland area in the world, as well as the planet’s largest flooded grasslands. It has wildlife that ranges from jaguars and crocodiles to over 656 species of bird. The period between June and September is best for seeing the inhabitants, with 4x4 and riverboat tours offered across different areas and plenty of lodging options.

Recife and Olinda

Recife is one of the northeast’s major tourism hubs, which has a beautiful coastline and a sprawling urban setting. The coast around the city and to the south has some of the best beaches in the state, including Pina, Carneiros and Boa Viagem. Recife’s old town, known as Recife Antigo, is located on the island and is one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods of any city in Brazil. Like a more grand version of Salvador’s Pelourinho. Olinda, which lies around six miles from Recife, is like a smaller version of Recife Antigo mixed with the white-washed structures, convents, chapels and Baroque churches dotted among the gardens and hillsides.