0:00:02 > 0:00:03After years of planning and preparation,
0:00:03 > 0:00:06the World Cup has arrived in Brazil.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08We know the teams, we know the players,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11but what about the cities that are hosting the matches?
0:00:11 > 0:00:12In the next half-hour,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16myself and my colleagues from BBC Brasil will give you the lowdown.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19We'll dance with drag queens in Sao Paulo
0:00:19 > 0:00:21and free run across the capital.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22But first,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Silvia Salek takes you to the home of capoeira on the north-east coast.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29These are Brazil's soccer cities.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55Brazil's African soul, where two continents unite in one city.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59But in the Ponte Nova,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03the planet's greatest stars will collide during the World Cup.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Once the nation's capital,
0:01:08 > 0:01:14Salvador was the main entry point for slaves taken from all over Africa
0:01:14 > 0:01:18- the legacy passed down through generations and endures today.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26The fluid flow of capoeira, both a dance and a fight.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Born out of slavery, it was a form of resistance against colonial masters.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38- TRANSLATION:- When immigrants came to Brazil,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40they saw the possibility of using
0:01:40 > 0:01:43these movements as a way of stopping physical aggression.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47There is African DNA in Brazilian footballers.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49You can see capoeira in the way they move.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55- TRANSLATION:- The World Cup doesn't resolve Salvador's problems,
0:01:55 > 0:02:00like sewage treatment, security and education.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01- TRANSLATION:- I love football.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04I live only two kilometres from the stadium,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06but I don't have proper access to it.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Sadly, this is a violent city and racism is commonplace.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Public services struggle.
0:02:18 > 0:02:23A subway lies dormant, still not completed after 17 years.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Despite these challenges, the people
0:02:33 > 0:02:38here are famed for their exuberance, often with a spring in their step.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Salvador has a complex make-up of faiths.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50This offers another glimpse of the past.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51Over the centuries,
0:02:51 > 0:02:56the African religion of Candomble had to be disguised to survive.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Many followers pretended to be Catholic,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03but now the faiths coexist peacefully.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06In this party, two religions come together.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11People celebrate both St Barbara and Candomble's Yansa,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13united in faith and colour.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24- TRANSLATION:- 80 years ago,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28no-one would talk about being descended from slaves.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30It was like a stain in someone's life.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32But through religious education,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35we learnt that we are all brothers and sisters.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38The slaves came from Africa and stayed,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42resulting in the mix of cultures that is the Brazilian race today.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52- TRANSLATION:- The best thing about Salvador is Carnival.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55The worst is racism.
0:03:55 > 0:03:56- TRANSLATION:- I'm a doctor
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and the situation in public hospitals is chaotic.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Could this be the secret of Brazilian football?
0:04:05 > 0:04:07They call this Baba na Ladeira.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11It's football but played round the steep streets of Salvador.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Many of the Brazilian greats started improvising, just like these guys.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34There are troubling issues that need to be sorted in this town,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36but there's still plenty to cherish.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40During the World Cup, this city is determined to triumph.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54The power base of Brazil,
0:04:54 > 0:04:59the home of politicians determining the fate of the nation
0:04:59 > 0:05:02- during the World Cup, it will be the monumental Mane Garrincha
0:05:02 > 0:05:04shaping footballing dreams.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Founded in 1960, Brasilia was built in just four years
0:05:14 > 0:05:16and replaced Rio as the capital.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Brasilia's planners thought of every last detail.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Even this lake was their creation.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Lake Paranoa provides some much-needed moisture in the air
0:05:32 > 0:05:35and an emergency electricity supply for the city.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Oscar Niemeyer's striking work captivated architects
0:05:40 > 0:05:43and inspired modernism in the country.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47This political town can seem a little soulless.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51It's often left to the young to bring energy onto the streets.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11- TRANSLATION:- This was one of the first places
0:06:11 > 0:06:13to introduce free running in Brazil.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Because it's a planned city, all the places we free run have all
0:06:16 > 0:06:19kinds of obstacles - trees, concrete and walls.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23That's great for everyone, from beginners to experts.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59- TRANSLATION: - Brasilia is only 50 years old.
0:06:59 > 0:07:05It's a new city and because of that, its power grows stronger every year.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10- TRANSLATION:- Politics is repulsive! One can't possibly get involved.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13I am in power. I make my politics!
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Those not connected to politics are often
0:07:17 > 0:07:19disdainful of the people in power.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23To many, the cockroach represents the corruption all too
0:07:23 > 0:07:24common in our country.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28When it comes to football,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Brasilia's teams have never really ruled this country,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34but that doesn't mean that the fans here are any less passionate.
0:07:34 > 0:07:40HE COMMENTATES
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Like the fans on the terraces below them,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49football commentators are full of feeling.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- TRANSLATION:- I started by listening to different commentators
0:07:51 > 0:07:52on the radio
0:07:52 > 0:07:55and I got a bit of their style, but I work in a different way.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57I try to bring a bit more entertainment.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07- TRANSLATION: - I don't like living in Brasilia
0:08:07 > 0:08:09because public transport is terrible.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Everything is so expensive.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15- TRANSLATION:- It's great living here - the infrastructure, the landscape,
0:08:15 > 0:08:16people are captivating.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23At times, it's as though you're in a science-fiction film,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26but this is where Brazilian reality is shaped day-to-day.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33It will never be the utopia dreamt of 50 years ago, yet
0:08:33 > 0:08:38the capital is incomparable to any other city in Brazil or the world.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02A never-ending mass of concrete as far as the eye can see - Brazil's
0:09:02 > 0:09:07financial centre, industrial heart, in South America's largest city.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Brazil's World Cup begins here.
0:09:23 > 0:09:30Have a look. Sao Paulo is massive - a jungle of skyscrapers.
0:09:30 > 0:09:36Moving about isn't easy. The few who can fly by helicopter.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Down there, it's chaos.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53- TRANSLATION:- The best way to get around is on a motorbike,
0:09:53 > 0:09:54but don't break the speed limit!
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Sometimes, Sao Paulo feels very un-Brazilian.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Take the area of Liberdade, with its striking Asian population.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07The city's highly cosmopolitan.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12It's considered gay-friendly, but recently,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15homophobic attacks have been on the rise.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18To help change attitudes,
0:10:18 > 0:10:25the city's authorities have hired a group of drag queens.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27- TRANSLATION:- Drags are the only part of the gay community
0:10:27 > 0:10:32that doesn't suffer prejudice cos we're funny, colourful, like clowns,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36but when we take off our masks, we suffer like any other gay person.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38In this poor community,
0:10:38 > 0:10:42a small samba school has chosen the fight against homophobia as
0:10:42 > 0:10:47the theme for the next Carnival and Chaka as the Queen of the parade.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Sao Paulo is a tough city.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07It keeps you on your toes,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10but there are always ways to release the pressure.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19In a traditionally male-dominated sport, women have knocked the gender
0:11:19 > 0:11:25divide aside, helping make multiple martial arts a national passion.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29- TRANSLATION:- Sao Paulo is a sexist city. Women need to work hard here.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Although many sports are growing, Brazil is a football factory.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45This is Sao Paulo Football Club Training Academy.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47It's like a military barracks.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52200 trainees live, eat, study, sleep on site,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54but the selection process is brutal.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01- TRANSLATION:- I came here when I was 13,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04chosen from a group 13,000 teenagers.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08My routine is not normal, but I do have a little time to meet girls!
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Obviously, I think about helping my family financially,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14but mostly, I want football to be enjoyable.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19- TRANSLATION:- Here, people give too much importance to football,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21but Brazil has other sports.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29Sao Paulo is a city that embraces everyone and every cause.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Paulistas work hard, play hard.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37It might not be the prettiest,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41but there is no better stage to kick off the beautiful game.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Rodrigo Pinto reporting there. Coming up...
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Dolphin therapy in the Amazon and a street party in Recife.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01But first, an adrenaline rush in Rio.
0:13:10 > 0:13:15Cidade Maravilhosa - a city fit for football's greatest stage.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19This July, the eyes of the planet will be
0:13:19 > 0:13:22fixed on the Maracana Stadium for the World Cup final.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26And the nation expects Brazil to be there.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40With its incomparable natural beauty, Rio is wonderfully seductive.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46But there are frustrations - anger over the cost of living,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50the state of public services, the gap between rich and poor.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53A fifth of the city still live in the slums,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56but despite the problems, there has been some progress.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Favelas are the lifeblood of the city,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06a source of so much incredible energy.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Things are never dull, its residents living life on the edge.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19A network of twisting, turning alleyways, these steep,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23narrow streets are a super-speedway for daredevil bikers.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Drug lords once ruled this area, but not now.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- TRANSLATION:- I used to hear many stories of people being murdered,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40even children. I was afraid of being robbed.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43But since there's been a police presence in this favela,
0:14:43 > 0:14:44I feel a bit safer.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57- TRANSLATION:- The World Cup will be more than a game.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59It will be a spectacle.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- TRANSLATION: - Rio doesn't just have beaches.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04There are other things for you to visit.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10The Condal Mask Factory is preparing for Rio's Carnival.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15The faces are some of the country's most popular characters - real
0:15:15 > 0:15:16and imaginary.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27- TRANSLATION:- We were expecting the World Cup
0:15:27 > 0:15:28to be like an extra carnival,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32but unfortunately, this isn't going to happen for us.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36We really wanted to make masks of the Brazilian footballers.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39They would have sold really well, but the players won't let us
0:15:39 > 0:15:40because of image rights.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47- TRANSLATION:- The World Cup will be fantastic for the city
0:15:47 > 0:15:50but horrible for my pocket!
0:15:50 > 0:15:52- TRANSLATION:- The World Cup will be great for employment
0:15:52 > 0:15:54but I hope it lasts.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05As day turns tonight, you can feel this place move.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Every Saturday, hundreds dance the night away under this flyover
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- Viaduto de Madureira.
0:16:11 > 0:16:17The beauty of this city is that you never struggle to find a party.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Occasionally, you need to draw breath.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32200 years ago, this was a coffee plantation,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35but Floresta da Tijuca was replanted,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39transformed into a rainforest to protect the city's water supply.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Rio's getting a face-lift.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49It's time to entertain the planet - first the World Cup,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51then the Olympics.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53A sporting carnival is about to commence.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16In the heat and the heart of the Amazon,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19one of Brazil's most exotic venues.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24The world's finest footballers will need more than fancy footwork
0:17:24 > 0:17:27to tackle the humidity of the Arena Amazonia.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Manaus is nested between the world's largest rainforest
0:17:32 > 0:17:34and one of its biggest rivers.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41During the rubber boom of the 19th century,
0:17:41 > 0:17:43it was an economic powerhouse.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Manaus still remains fairly isolated from the rest of Brazil.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Like any other city in the world, it needs its highways.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58But in a place where urban life and nature are so closely knit,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01the only road to Manaus is its river.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09For centuries, it was said that creatures with evil powers
0:18:09 > 0:18:13lurked in the murky waters of the Rio Negro.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16But today, it's a source of hope.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Children with disabilities swim amongst the pink river dolphins.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Bototherapy is an experimental treatment that uses
0:18:25 > 0:18:30the endangered mammals' natural ultrasound to heal.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32- TRANSLATION:- When I started Bototherapy,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35I did not walk, I didn't know how to swim.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42The dolphins have a very good energy.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46They pass it on to me through their ultrasound. They're a great help.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51I have started walking. Now my spine is flexible, it's stronger.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52It's given me a new life.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00- TRANSLATION:- The World Cup will be very important for the city.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04It will show the whole world what life is like in the rainforest.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07It's Manaus' very isolation that keeps its special
0:19:07 > 0:19:08connection with the rainforest.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11If we lose that, it becomes just like any other city in the world.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16Nearly a quarter of the Amazon has already been lost to deforestation.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19The concrete and tarmac slowly creep further
0:19:19 > 0:19:22and further into the woodland.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27The 1st Jungle Infantry Battalion are the guardians of the forest.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29With 25,000 troops,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32they watch over an area that covers about half of the country.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35- Salvam!- Salvam!
0:19:37 > 0:19:41After the demise of the rubber trade in the early 20th century,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Manaus fell into poverty.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47But in the '60s, a tax-free district was established,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50creating a major industrial centre.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52This is the Traxx factory -
0:19:52 > 0:19:55a seven-year-old Chinese-Brazilian venture.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00This company pulls employers and employees from all over Brazil
0:20:00 > 0:20:01and beyond.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06- TRANSLATION:- We feel the people of Manaus are very honest,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08easy-going and warm.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Freedom and equality are very important to them.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15If you're willing, it's relatively easy to integrate into society.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Designed in China, built in Brazil.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26People here often say they're proud of the blend of cultures
0:20:26 > 0:20:30in this extraordinary city - a driving force for the economy.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- TRANSLATION:- I love Manaus because of its hospitable people.
0:20:45 > 0:20:46I'm proud to be from here.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Manaus is the starting point for an Amazonian adventure.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Its mix of indigenous and European cultures, with the most
0:20:57 > 0:21:02extraordinary landscape, make it one of a kind, even for the locals.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20The coastal metropolis that draws you to the north-east of Brazil.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26The Arena Pernambuco.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28As with many of the World Cup's stadia,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32the wisdom of building such an expensive venue has been questioned.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39When Brazilians talk about Recife, they speak of its rivers
0:21:39 > 0:21:40and bridges.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Everything here brims with colour.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Beyond the conventional, this is a curious place.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Some find it outrageous, others genius.
0:21:55 > 0:22:01These pieces of art have teased minds for over 60 years -
0:22:01 > 0:22:04the work of one of Recife's most creative sons.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12This warehouse and its grounds were once in ruins.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14It was moulded into a garden of the central
0:22:14 > 0:22:18and mythological by the sculptor Francisco Brennand.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29- TRANSLATION:- This was the very spot where we fought the Dutch invaders.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32For Brazilians, it is like sacred land.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38In my work, I speak about the great enigma of reproduction.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41If we were able to comprehend it,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45we would be able to solve the very mystery of the universe.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- TRANSLATION:- You have to visit the beaches but you shouldn't go over
0:22:53 > 0:22:56the coral reef, otherwise the sharks will get you!
0:22:58 > 0:23:02These aren't the safest waters, but people still have fun.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05On Boa Viagem, beach lovers combine Brazil's two most popular
0:23:05 > 0:23:08sports to give you futevolei.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14In the land of football and volleyball champions,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16this evolution was inevitable.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25However, the TV schedule isn't shaped by sports but soap stars.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Telenovelas, as we call them, are a national obsession.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- TRANSLATION: - Why do people watch soap operas?
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Because they watch it and see themselves in the characters.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Every Brazilian Carnival has its own character.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Seismic sounds of Recife have triggered hundreds of rhythms
0:23:52 > 0:23:53to dance to.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Frevo dancers keep on their toes like ballerinas on hot coals.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- TRANSLATION:- There was prejudice against frevo because it was
0:24:13 > 0:24:17invented by former black slaves celebrating their freedom.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20But now, it's a dance that brings all races together.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Frevo is the soul of Recife's Carnival.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32If there's no frevo, there's no Carnival.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46The innovative spirit of the people has allowed Recife to blossom.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Despite life's setbacks, it has given Brazil some of its most
0:24:56 > 0:25:00influential artists, writers and musicians.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04When you are here, you believe there's more to come.