DO I NEED A VISA TO TRAVEL TO BRAZIL FROM THE US?

No! Visa requirements for travel to Brazil from the US have been pushed to April 2025!



IS ENGLISH WIDELY USED THERE?

No. Even in large cities such as Rio de Janiero and São Paulo, Portuguese is the vastly predominant language. This becomes much more evident as you venture out of the metropolitan areas, to places such as Poços de Caldas.

As the vast majority of our guests are fluent in both, you won't have a problem finding some help.

That being said, Google's translator app works quite well with both text and speech options.

Some helpful words/phrases if interested

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/basic-portuguese-words-phrases-for-tr

HOW DO I GET TO POÇOS DE CALDAS FROM NEW YORK?

New York (JFK) to São Paulo (GRU) is the most common and direct flight. This leaves you approx. 3.5-4 hours from Poços de Caldas.

American Airlines, Delta, and LatAm all offer direct overnight flights (approx. 10 hours)

Those travelling from within Brazil can elect to fly into Campinas airport (VCP) as that would save approx. 2 hours of drive time.

For those coming from New York, and based on RVSP demand, we are looking into sourcing an appropriately sized bus or van(s) in order to bring people from either airport to Poços.

Rental cars and other private transportation companies are also available at the airport should you be inclined but we would suggest pre-reserving prior to your arrival.

HOW DO I GET TO POÇOS DE CALDAS FROM RIO DE JANEIRO?

RIOgaleão - Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG) or Santos Dumont Airport (SDU)to Viracopos International Airport (VCP) is the most common and direct flight. This leaves you approx. 2 hours from Poços de Caldas.

Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A (GOL) & Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AZUL) both offer many daily direct flights (1 hour flight)

For those coming from Rio and based on RVSP demand, we are looking into sourcing an appropriately sized bus or van(s) in order to bring people from either airport to Poços. (a number of us who are traveling from Rio are already booked from SDU to VCP for August 6th on an 11:50am flight and are scheduling a bus so please reach out if that is your intention as well)

Rental cars and other private transportation companies are also available at the airport should you be inclined but we would suggest pre-reserving prior to your arrival.

HOW DO I GET AROUND IN POÇOS DE CALDAS?

Logistically we tried to keep everything within walking distance of the city center/ hotel recommendations. Uber works within the main city as well as "99" (the Brazilian version of Uber). Wait times can vary given supply and demand so one should plan ahead. There is an App you can download and sign up easily. Link below.

https://99app.com/cidades/mg/pocos-de-caldas/

HOW FAR IS IT BETWEEN THE TWO RECCOMENDED HOTELS?

We made an effort to keep everything centralized to the downtown area. The distance between the two hotels is a simple, flat ground, 5-8 minute walk.

WHERE IS THE MEET UP LOCATION FOR ARRANGED TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM VARIOUS EVENTS?

The front entrance of the Palace Hotel will serve as the gathering point for all events that require group transportation.



WILL MY CREDIT AND DEBT CARDS WORK IN BRAZIL / WHAT DO I DO IF I NEED CASH?

Nowadays you can pay with credit cards almost everywhere in Brazil. This is actually the most comfortable option and it is also possible in small shops or beach bars. While American Express is widely accepted in bigger cities, MasterCard and VISA are more common all over the country.

If you find yourself in needing cash while in Poços de Caldas, there are a few select supermarket locations with specific ATM's that your US debit card will work at. Look for the red colored ATM's.

Supermercado Bretas - R. Assis Figueiredo, 1370 - Centro, Poços de Caldas - MG, 37701-000, Brazil

(1 block from the Villa Fiori Hotel; subject to the supermarket hours)

San Michel Supermercados - R. Pernambuco, 1000 - Centro, Poços de Caldas - MG, 37701-021, Brazil

(Downtown area near across from the large Mercado Municipal; subject to the supermarket hours)

DO I NEED A CONVERTER FOR MY PHONE CHARGER OR OTHER APPLIANCES?

Yes. In Brazil, two voltage levels are in use (127 / 220 V), which can vary by region, city, or sometimes even hotel. Your electric devices typically operate at 120 V in the United States. While some new establishments may have universal or US style outlets we recommend purchasing a converter/adaptor prior to your travels.

SAFE TRAVELS / VÁ COM DEUS