Goiânia

Not to be confused with Goiana, a city in Pernambuco (not far from the Atlantic coast).

Vaca Brava Park, in Goiânia

Goiânia, the capital of Goiás, is a large city in central Brazil.

Understand

One of several major planned cities, Goiânia was founded in 1933. The city plan is generally radial, with Avenida Goiás running north-south and intersecting Avenida Anhanguera at the center. It was planned for about 50,000 inhabitants, but as of 2016, it has over 1½ million in the city and 2½ million in the metropolitan area. The architectural plan was designed by Atílio Correia Lima, who took the art-deco style to the first buildings of the city. It was founded by Pedro Ludovico Teixeira because the old capital, City of Goiás, did not meet the administrative needs of the state capital.

Get in

By plane

Good air service. Non-Stop flights from São Paulo - 1 hour 20 minutes flight time. From Goiânia, there are numerous flights per day to other cities in Brazil, either through São Paulo or Brasilia. At the airport of Goiânia you can do business and exchange offers many rental vehicles and taxi points.

By bus

Goiânia has a very good bus station at Praça do Trabalhador, (worker's square), which connects it to any other place in Brazil. So, taking a bus to or from Goiânia will not be a big problem. If you visit Brasilia, which is 3 hours away by bus (R$35 - conventional bus), it's even easier to visit. The bus station is on the northern side, about 1 km from the central district. The bus terminal shares its location with Araguaia Shopping.

Get around

By taxi

For international visitors, taxis are you best option. Fares run around R$20 or less for most rides within the central area of the city

By e-hailing

Goiania is covered by some e-hailing services including Uber.

See

Teatro Goiânia

During the day, there really isn't much to be seen in Goiânia, as it's the urban center of a young region. There are a couple of parks you can visit, malls and commercial streets. At night, you can find many bars, pubs and night clubs filled with young people. Each of these is attended by very well defined social classes.

• 1 Praça Pedro Ludovico (Civic Square), city center. An enormous roundabout at the very center of Goiânia, here sit the Governor's palace, the State Legislature Hall and a monument to the Goiano pioneers. 
• Museu Estadual Professor Zoroastro Artiaga, Praça Cívica, 13 - Centro (on northeast side of Praça Pedro Ludovico), ☏ +55 62 3201-4675. Inaugurated in 1946, huge collection of documents and historical papers about Goiás and Brazil, some signed by Dom Pedro I and Marechal Deodoro da Fonseca. 
• 2 Instituto Histórico e Geográfico de Goiás - IHGG, Rua 82, nº 455, Setor Sul. (facing Praça Pedro Ludovico), ☏ +55 62 3224 4622. houses a collection of historical documents, some from Portuguese colonization times. A highlight is the collection of original letters written by Princess Isabel to her father, Dom Pedro II. (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Museu Pedro Ludovico Teixeira (Pedro Ludovico's Museum), R. 25, 66 - St. Sul. This museum, which was the former home to Pedro Ludovico (founder of Goiânia) resident, keeps a collection of objects and furniture of the former governor, even his truck (Chevy 53). (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Praça Universitária (Universities' Square). This square is a veritable outdoor museum. Many sculptures can be seen throughout the square. (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Anthropology Museum (Museu Antropológico da Universidade Federal de Goiás), Av. Universitária nº 1166 - Setor Universitário (Praça Universitária), ☏ +55 62 3209-6010, fax: +55 62 3209-6360. Tu-F 09:00-17:00; W 19:00-22:00. Inaugurated in 1970, has about 4000 pieces of prehistoric and indigenous origin. 
• 6 Centro Cultural Jesco Puttkamer/Museu (Instituto Goiano de Pré-História e Antropologia), Av. T-3, 1732 - St. Bueno, ☏ +55 62 3251 0721, igpa@pucgoias.edu.br. 08:00-17:30. Associated with Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás (PUC-GO), big exposition about Brazilian Indians, their lifestyle, history, legends and culture. 
• 7 Centro Cultural Oscar Niemeyer (Located on Highway GO-020). This center, built by architect Oscar Niemeyer (Niemeyer designed the country's capital, Brasilia), with a theater and a museum dedicated to the culture of the city of Goiania, in addition to the Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Goiás. It is a major cultural centers of the world. (updated Nov 2020)
• Museu de Arte de Goiânia - Rua 1, nº 605, Setor Oeste. Founded in 1969, was the first public art museum in the Central West region. Inside Bosque dos Buritis.
• 8 Memorial do Cerrado, Avenida Bela Vista, km 2, Jardim Olímpico. Belongs to Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás (PUC GO). This Memorial is a natural history scientific complex, and houses some of the oldest fossil artifacts found inside South America. Plus a living history museum of early Brazil and indigenous civilizations. (updated Nov 2020)
• Estádio Serra Dourada (Serra Dourada Stadium) - It is the stage of Brazilian football matches. Considered the best lawn in Brazil. Every Wednesday and Sunday there are games in this stadium.
• 9 Teatro Goiânia' (Goiânia Theater), Located in Araguaia Avenue. Concert and theater venue. (updated Nov 2020)
• Ornithology Museum (Fundação Museu de Ornitologia), Av. Pará, 395 - Setor Campinas, ☏ +55 62 824-1919. 08:00-17:30. Fossil birds, stuffed birds, a taxidermy lab, and meeting hall. (Debatable if this is really open anymore). 

Do

• 1 Mutirama, Av Contorno. 10ː00-17ː00 Th-F, 09ː00-17ː30 Sa-Su. A very decrepit amusement park. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Clube Jaó, Av. Quitandinha, 600 - St. Jao, ☏ +55 62 3269 8000. Sa Su 08ː00-17ː00, open later other days. Party zone water park with slides and bar for the adults. (updated Nov 2020)

Parks

Bosque dos Buritis

• 3 Bosque dos Buritis (west of the city center). The city's main public park, with a small art museum on the grounds. But sadly the pond water is like oxygen-deprived dirty soup and the environs lack safety and cleanliness. (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Horto-Florestal de Goiânia (Jardim Zoológico - Zoo), Alameda das Rosas - St. Oeste, ☏ +55 62 3524-2390. W-Su 08:30-17:00, closed M Tu. Nice jaguar and birds that look like Rio here. (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Parque Flamboyant (near Flamboyant Shopping Center in the area of Jardim Goiás). Opened in 2007, this is now one of the most visited city parks. It is like the name sounds, a step above the rest: fountains, ponds and landscaped areas (actually maintained), surrounded by glassy highrises. (updated Nov 2020)
• Parque Mutirama, northeast from the center at the end of Avenida Araguaia. Larger than Buritis, with walking trails and hilly terrain.
• 6 Parque Vaca Brava. Sort of evokes the essence of Central Park in NYC, sitting amongst the upper crust of Goiania with examples like Goiânia Shopping center next door. It offers a jogging track around a small lake and is quite full of people doing daily exercises. (updated Nov 2020)
• 7 Parque Areião. Great views of the skyline here too although the water is still pretty stinky and you need to watch out for thieving monkeys. A little abandoned. (updated Nov 2020)

Buy

• Feira Hippie (Hippie Fair) (open-air market) Sundays at Trabalhador's Square, on Central Sector.
• Feira da Lua (Moon's Fair) Saturday at the Tamandaré Square, on Oeste Sector. This fair you can buy clothes and to delight with the food stand along the square.
• Feira do Sol (Sun's Fair) Sundays at Sol Square, on Oeste Sector. You can buy clothes and pictures by popular artists.

Shopping centers

• Araguaia Shopping, 44 Street, nº 399 - Setor Central, ☏ +55 62 3243-4400. In the main bus station complex. 
• Buena Vista Shopping, Av. T-4 and T-61, nº 466 - Setor Bueno, ☏ +55 62 3515-0500. The newest shopping mall in Goiânia. 
• Buriti Shopping, Av. Rio Verde, Qd. 102/104 - Vila São Tomaz - Aparecida de Goiânia, ☏ +55 62 3239-0707. A popular shopping mall in Goiânia. It's quite far from the old and new center. 
• Goiânia Shopping, Av. T-10, nº 1.300 - Setor Bueno, ☏ +55 62 3237-0500. Shopping with style in Goiânia. 
• Shopping Flamboyant, Av. Jamel Cecílio, nº 3.300 - Jardim Goiás, ☏ +55 62 3546-2000. The biggest and most famous shopping in Goiânia. It has commercial cinemas and a wide range of stores. 

Shopping streets

• Rua 3 and Rua 4 (3 Street and 4 Street) You can find lots of used books, CDs or LPs stores (called Sebos). It's not as big as the São Paulo's sebos, but usually, it's possible to find quite rare peaces at a very good price.
• Avenida 85 (85 Avenue) You can find numerous clothing stores and car dealerships.
• Avenida Jamel Cecílio (Jamel Cecílio Avenue) You can find many hotels, supermarkets and shopping malls
• Praça do Sol(Rua 9 Setor Oeste) - Sunday market here.

Eat and drink

Bars and restaurants

• 1 Nubah Spirited Bar, Alameda Dom Emanuel Gomes, 251 - St. Marista, ☏ +55 62 3999 0707. 11:30-15:00ish. Buffet and stuff like risotto and parmigiana fillet, plus desserts and drinks. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Cateretê Restaurante & Bar, T-2 Avenue, nº 318, Bueno. Typical food of the state of Goiás (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Piquiras, Av. Dep. Jamel Cecílio, nº 3.300 - Jardim Goiás (in Shopping Flamboyant mall), ☏ +55 62 3920 2515. Traditional Bar and Restaurant (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Casa São Paulo Pizzaria, Alameda Dom Emanuel Gomes, nº 335, Marista., ☏ +55 62 3281 2545. Brazilian pizza (updated Nov 2020)
• Pizza Hut Brasil - Sun Square, Oeste Sector.
• 5 Outback Steakhouse, Av. Dep. Jamel Cecílio, 3300 - 1 (in Flamboyant Shopping Mall, Jardim Goiás), ☏ +55 62 3093 5544. (updated Nov 2020)
• 6 Restaurante Chão Nativo, Av. T-11, 299 - St. Bueno, ☏ +55 62 3241 2266. Try the rice and chicken with pequi. (updated Nov 2020)
• 7 Contemporane Restaurante, R. 1136, 379 - St. Marista, ☏ +55 62 3281 6268. International food. (updated Nov 2020)
• 8 Empório Prime, Av. 85, 2330 - St. Marista, ☏ +55 62 3240 9200. Delicatessen with wine, cheese, etc. (updated Nov 2020)

Night clubs

• 1 Sedna, Av. 136, near Rua 90. Cover charge: R$40 for men, R$25 for women. You can easily get a courtesy so you can consume the amount you paid for entering. This is a nice club, with expensive beer, pop electronic music. There are some nights with open bar, so you better check out all the week line-up and choose the best day. (updated Nov 2020)

Pubs

• 2 Bolshoi, R. T-53, 1140 - Quadra 90 - Lote 08 - St. Bueno (in front of Cateretê). Nice atmosphere, good pop music or at least good shows playing on the big screen (updated Nov 2020)

Sleep

Full range of options - from Backpacker to Business Executive.

• 1 Hotel Terra Cedro, Rua 304, Av. Contorno, 1808 - Setor Norte Ferroviário, ☏ +55 62 3229-3322. Straightforward place with some buns and stuff in their fairly equivocal breakfast buffet each morning. The neighborhood is kind of 'yikes!' with trash and displays of bleak poverty. R$144. 
• 2 Hotel Rio Vermelho, R. 4, 26 - St. Central, ☏ +55 62 3227-2500, reservas@hotelriovermelho.com.br. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Simple, clean and central. Good prices with parking, wireless internet and a simple breakfast included. The pleasant bubbly rooftop hot tub is great! R$139. 
• 3 ibis Goiania, R. 21, No 55 - St. Oeste, ☏ +55 62 2765-6050. You can get a pretty good view of the city and squares from this highrise tower and also have some goodies in the morning at the continental breakfast. Restaurant/bar for other sustenance. R$122. 
• 4 Like Ü Hotel, República do Líbano Avenue, nº 1824, Oeste Sector, ☏ +55 62 3121 6300. Very comfortable because you can hang out at the rooftop pool and have some delicious cakes for breakfast at the buffet here too. R$202. 
• 5 Crystal Plaza Hotel, 85 Street, nº 30, Sul Sector (next to the Praça Dr. Pedro Ludovico Teixeira), ☏ +55 62 3267-4500. Restaurant/bar, breakfast buffet, wifi, a/c, but the real highlight is the splendid atrium inside. 
• 6 Castro's Park Hotel, República do Líbano Avenue, Oeste Sector, ☏ +55 62 3096 2000. If you aren't a budget traveller, you'll enjoy a lot this hotel because it epitomizes class, with its seductive pools and bar/international restaurant. But, not to worry, there is a complimentary breakfast if the rate is a bit of a setback. R$218. (updated Nov 2020)
• 7 Comfort Suítes, Av. Dep. Jamel Cecílio, 3549, Jardim Goiás, ☏ +55 62 3574-9000. Pool, fitness center, and wifi are included in this contemporary hotel. And if you like sweets for breakfast, you're in good hands, as this place rolls out the cakes and pastries in its breakfast buffet each morning. R$160.