Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful major cities in the world and famous for its natural harbor, beaches, samba, carnival, girls, football madness, statue of Christ as well as poverty and criminality. Rio is one of the largest cities in South-America and a highlight in any itinerary. Note that Rio will be extremely crowded when the annual carnival is on (February).
The mighty Iguazu falls in the jungle are one of the natural world wonders. They are definitely worth visiting if you are in the area (less than 1000kms away!).
You need to spend at least 1 day on the Brasilean and 1 day on the Argentinean side.
Sao Paulo is one of largest cities in the world. The city is the capital of the state of São Paulo, Brazil´s most populous and wealthiest state. It has strong regional influence in commerce, finance, arts and entertainment and a strong international influence.
Manaus is a major city in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and at the Amazon river. Don't expect undiscovered indigenous people, but business, because more than 1 million people live here.
The Pantanal is the largest tropical wetland in the world. A huge number of different animals species can be seen easily, for example capibara, giant ant eater, tapir, river otter and caiman.
Belém is the gateway to the River Amazon with public land, sea and air connections. Belém lies approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean, just south of the equator.
Recife is the fourth-largest urban area in Brazil with 4 million inhabitants and a major tourist attraction in the Northeast for its beaches and its historic sites, dating back to both the Portuguese and the Dutch colonization.