Best Brazilian City for Foreign Tourists Despite Crime
Browse more guides: Brazil travel | Americas destinations Best Brazilian City for Foreign Tourists Despite Crime Last updated: April 2026 · 12 min read If you want one straight answer, it's Florianópolis. The southern beach capital of Santa Catarina has the best mix of things-to-do and don't-have-to-think-about-it of any major Brazilian destination. Curitiba is the runner-up, Foz do Iguaçu works as a focused two-night trip, and Rio and São Paulo are absolutely doable, just with more habits. TL;DR: Best overall pick for nervous first-time visitors: Florianópolis (around 9-11 homicides per 100k, beach city feel, low ambient hassle). Underrated runner-up: Curitiba (clean, well-planned, easy public transport). Focused two-night trip: Foz do Iguaçu (you're there for the falls and that's it). "Safe" in Brazil doesn't mean Switzerland-safe. It means: low risk in the right zones, low chance of violent encounter against a tourist if you don't broadca...