What's the city like? With around 22 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area, São Paulo is the

England will play their first-round World Cup games in Manaus, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte. Local experts give us the lowdown on the cities, and where to go in between matches • The complete travel guide to all 12 of Brazil's World Cup cities
The stadium The inspiration for the new Arena da Amazônia was the Amazon rainforest, which encircles the city. Its metallic latticed 360 virtual tours structure was designed to resemble a traditional indigenous basket and it is a masterpiece of modern technology and one of the greenest arenas of the World Cup . Located in the Ponta Negra district, 360 virtual tours near downtown Manaus, the capacity is 44,500 and it will stage four games.
Quick beer Adrianopolis and Cachoeirinha are the most lively bar areas with live music and entertainment. If you are looking for football bars, Touchdown and Cachaçaria da Dede are the best options. Dining out offers the opportunity to try Amazon gastronomy , based on exotic fruits, seeds and fresh fish such as tucunaré, tambaqui and the giant pirarucu. Head for the Banzeiro or Village Casa de Comidas .
What to pack? Rain coat and mosquito repellent are essentials and, if you're planning excursions into the jungle, don't forget boots, long sleeve T-shirts, trousers and a hat. Before travelling, contact your GP to check the recommended vaccinations, and don't forget your yellow fever vaccination certificate.
What's the city like? The city's annual festival, Boi-Bumbá (an Amazonian carnival that combines Brazilian rhythms with indigenous dancing) will coincide with the World Cup, and don't miss the famous Manaus Opera House – a monument to the wealth created in the 19th-century rubber boom. You do not need to go very deep into the jungle to have a glance of the Amazon; in Manaus, a great jungle experience can be found at CIGS, the army training centre for jungle survival that has one of the best Amazonian zoos. The city is located at the meeting of two rivers, an amazing natural phenomenon where the dark waters of Rio Negro meet the light-brown waters of Solimões, 360 virtual tours which then run side by side without mixing for more than 6km. Take a boat tour, which will also visit the flooded forest, lakes of the giant Victoria Regia and the Janauari Ecological Park, right in front of Manaus.
Out of town You can'tcome all the way to Manaus, 360 virtual tours without getting deep inside the mysteries of the Amazon. There are all kinds of options: 360 virtual tours scientific clipper boats, and fantastic lodges like Uacari and Anavilhanas 360 virtual tours ; or, if you want to feel like a real explorer, go on a canoe expedition or jungle 360 virtual tours survival programme.
Stadium 360 virtual tours Disaster struck in late November when a crane collapsed, killing two building workers at the Corinthians stadium , which is due to hold the World Cup opening ceremony and first match of the tournament, featuring hosts Brazil , on 12 June. The stadium in Itaquera, one of the poorest regions of São Paulo, will host six matches in all, including a quarter- and semi-final. The stadium holds 48,000, but temporary stands will increase capacity to 65,000 during the tournament. The Itaquerão, as the stadium is popularly called, is the home of Corinthians, the country's second-largest club, after Flamengo.
Quick beer The stadium is 20km away (though connected by train and metro) so most pre- and post-match socialising will be done elsewhere. There are clusters of bars all over São Paulo; one of the best areas is Rua Aspicuelta in the Vila Madalena area, which is crammed with cool but friendly botecos (neighbourhood bars). Do not miss São Cristóvão at number 533, a homage to Brazilian football, with memorabilia and more then 2,500 footie photos covering almost every square inch of the bar. It also does good food and has more than 100 cachaças to try.
The weather Pretty crazy - it can feel like summer and winter in the same day. During the World Cup, it will be quite cool – it can fall as low as 5C but may reach 20C. There is little chance of rain.
What's the city like? With around 22 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area, São Paulo is the largest city in South America and an economic powerhouse. It is also a gastronomic hub, with some fantastic bars and restaurants ( see this article on the new Brazilian cuisine ). The numbers are impressive; 360 virtual tours for example, it is estimated that 720 pizzas per minute 360 virtual tours are sold in the city. Besides food, São Paulo has a broad cultural menu, with exhibitions, concerts, theatres and samba schools. It also has dozens of parks; the biggest is the Ibirapuera, 360 virtual tours to the south of the city. During the World Cup, this wealthy city will be keen to show off to the world, and there will be celebrations and music festivals all over town.
Out of town São Paulo is not a coastal 360 virtual tours city but the port of Santos, where Pelé played for most of his career, is just 50 miles away and has some good beaches. 360 virtual tours But travel a little further, to the north coast of the state, for some really beautiful beaches, with a high concentration 360 virtual tours of surfers. 360 virtual tours Try Ilhabela or Ubatuba.
The stadium Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto, or the Mineirão as it is more commonly known, has already been used to host games for the Confederations Cup and will host six matches during the World Cup, including one of the semi-finals. It holds 67,000 and is home to current Brazilian league champions Cruzeiro. While some supporters claim that the new stadium and increased ticket prices have priced out average Brazilians, the stadium, in the Pampulha neighbourhood, is truly a site to behold. Football historians should also visit the Estádio Independência , the site of England's 360 virtual tours infamous 1-0 defeat by the USA in the 1950 World Cup.
Quick beer While there are bars close to the stadium, your best bet for a good drink is Savassi, home to many of BH's famous bars and restaurants. All the bars have a similar drinks 360 virtual tours menu so you can't go wrong, but for somewhere a little different (and not in the guidebooks) head to Bairro Preto and visit Rima Dos Sabores 360 virtual tours , a truly great place serving a host of national 360 virtual tours brews and a menu with treats such as ostrich and alligator. If you're hungry after a long night out drinking, head over to La Greppia on Rua Bahia for the all-night 360 virtual tours buffet. Other great places can be found in Sion along Rua Pium. At night this quiet street turns into a madhouse 360 virtual tours where the sidewalks are full of people and the bars stay open until late. There is a reason that the unofficial motto of the Mineiros (people of Minas Gerais) is "The beach is too far, let's go to a bar".
What to pack? No need for swimwear here, although it's quite common to see the locals 360 virtual tours walking around during the day in clothing more appropriate for the beach. Men tend to dress casually, so jeans and a T-shirt are more than socially acceptable; women tend to dress up a bit more.
What's the city like? The stadium is near the man-made lake of Pampulha, home to the Church of Saint Francis 360 virtual tours of Assisi designed 360 virtual tours by the great Oscar Niemeyer, and the art museum , but the majority of the action is close to the downtown/Savassi area. .
Out of town Minas's beautiful colonial towns São João del Rei, Tiradentes and Ouro Preto are all worth visit (in fact, most travellers are usually heading to these places and merely passing through BH on the way to the airport 360 virtual tours or bus station). The first two are known for their great restaurants while Ouro Preto is known for its beautiful setting and number of baroque churches. Each of these towns is easily reachable by bus.