See a football match at Rio’s Maracana stadium

An electric atmosphere pervades Brazil’s foremost sports venue. The Brazilian flair for football is legendary, as is the friendliness and spirit of the locals; combine the two and you have an utterly intoxicating experience that would have even the most reluctant sports fan wildly cheering along. 

The stadium – the largest in South America – has had a full facelift for the 2014 World Cup, but whether you’ll be lucky enough to visit during the tournament or just catch a local championship match, you can be sure of an exciting game. Samba drumming, singing and clapping accompanies the action and fans are amongst the most vocal (yet good-natured) in the world.