by Brian Major
Last updated: 6:24 AM ET, Thu May 15, 2014
PHOTO: Cuiaba's beautiful historic district. (Courtesy of Embratur)
EDITORS NOTE: This is the sixth in a series featuring the 12 Brazilian cities that will host 2014 FIFA World Cup events.
Brazil is South America's largest country, the largest in Latin America, and the world's fifth-largest in both geographic area and population. So it's not hard to imagine a handful of destinations fly under the radar in the vast nation.
Even locals are not immune. I spoke recently with a Latin American airline company executive who grew up in Argentina but spent plenty of time in Brazil throughout his childhood. When I mentioned Cuiaba, which is scheduled to host four World Cup matches, he described the city as "a part of Brazil I've never heard of."
In fact, while Cuiaba is the capital of the state of Mato Grosso, the city is located hundreds of miles inland (an equal 1,243 miles from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans) and historically was somewhat isolated from the rest of Brazil. Nevertheless Cuiaba developed strong African, Native American and Portugese cultural influences, reflected these days in the city's cuisine, dances, craftwork and music.
The region is also prized for its unmatched natural beauty. The "Green City" is highlighted by the Chapada dos Guimaraes mountain range and national park.
World Cup matches in Cuiaba will take place in the new Arena Pantanal, which will replace 45,000-seat Jose Fragelli stadium, also known as the Verdao ("big green"). The old stadium, built in 1976, was the main one for Mato Grosso. The new arena, which is said to be in the finishing stages of constriction, is designed to seat 42,968.
History Lesson: Cuiaba's history as a city dates to 1719, when the city emerged at the center of a local gold strike. Fortunes waned somewhat in the years that followed, and Cuiaba returned to its sleep status until the mid 20th century, when Brazil's government launched an expansion of roads into the country's heartland. New roads connected Mato Grosso to the states of Goias and Sao Paulo, and the population increased from around 57,000 inhabitants in 1960 to 400,000 in 1990. The region is currently the home of 544,737 people.
The city is located at the convergence of three distinct ecosystems: the Cerrado (noted for Savannah-like vegetation), the Pantanal (a region of wetlands) and the Amazon River region. The natural environments provide opportunities for hiking, fishing and touring protected areas including Chapada dos Guimaraes National Park.
The Pantanal town of Pocone, located two hours from Cuiaba, offers tourist districts in Porto Cercado, Porto Jofre and Sesc Pantanal, which feature indigenous alligators, pumas, pacas, monkeys, reptiles and birds.
Must See: Cuiaba's city center features colonial-era buildings including the Rosario and the Saint Benedict Church, the Chapel of Our Lord of the Stations of the Cross and the former Palace of Instruction, which is today a history museum and library. Other historic structures include the War Arsenal and the former fish market, now Cuiaba's River Museum. The Galdino Pimentel, Ricardo Franco and Pedro Celestino roads and other streets have retained their colonial architectural character.
Cuiaba's natural beauty has earned it the nickname the "Green City." The apex of the these attractions is likely the Chapada dos Guimaraes National Park, whose eponymous mountain features steep cliffs with natural red and orange walls. Chapada dos Guimaraes hosts thousands of visitors each year and extends over an area of 33 thousand hectares strewn with giant rocks, massive caves, high waterfalls, crystal-clear pools and ancient archaeological sites.
Getting In, Getting Around: TAM has added up to 12 additional daily flights into and out of Cuiaba to accomodate World Cup travelers. Visitors can connect to Cuiaba via Sao Paulo, which is served by multiple international airlines including American Airlines and Delta Airlines and TAM, which offers daily flights from Miami and New York. A light rail system connects the city and Cuiaba's greater metropolitan area with the international airport.
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