It was always going to be the case that the World Cup in Brazil was an event of a lifetime.

When we arrived in Manaus, the city was ready to welcome the tourists, with streets decorated in true Brazilian fashion. And before the shocking meltdown of the semi-finals, the atmosphere was very relaxed.

We watched the opening ceremony and first match in the main square in Manaus. The atmosphere was great, and the powerful sign-along of the national anthem set the scene for the rest of the tournament.

We then flew to Belo Horizonte, where we saw two games: Colombia v. Greece and Belgium v. Algeria.

Colombia v. Greece was great fun, with thousands of Colombia fans creating a loud party atmosphere at the stadium.

For Belgium v. Algeria we expected an easy Belgium win, but the Algerians went ahead to make the game more interesting – and slightly compensating for the fact that Belgium didn’t really deliver to everyone’s expectations.

There was lots of talk before the competition that Brazil wouldn’t be ready to receive the World Cup. But what we saw in the stadium was excellent – even the queues to get in were quick and organised.

The problem with anything in Brazil lies elsewhere: many people were unhappy with the political context and as ever, Brazilian infrastructure is appalling at the best of times. Being Brazilian, I can’t help to agree with musician Tom Jobim, who said “Brazil is not for beginners”.

But for us, our experience in the World Cup was great, we had a truly memorable time that lived up to the expectations.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Tickets: All major sporting events require lots of planning. We applied for tickets through FIFA at the first possible opportunity and were lucky to get all the tickets we wanted.
• Money: Again for any major event, you’re likely to pay premium prices for flights and accommodation. Plan and book everything months in advance – I’d say six months is the minimum to ensure you get your selected options at a reasonable price.
• Do: Getting in the spirit of the event ensures a trip like this is really worthwhile. Check out what the locals are doing and join them – there’s no better introduction to Brazilian culture than watching football in a local bar!

MANAUS:

Manaus is the main city in the Amazon basin. It developed rapidly in the late 1800s, and nowadays it exists uneasily as a big city in the middle of the jungle.

There isn’t much to do in Manaus itself, but the city is the gateway to the Amazon.

TEATRO AMAZONAS:

The main highlight of the city is this theatre. It is an opulent building financed by the riches of the rubber boom of the 19th century.

The building is open to visit during the day, or for performances on most evenings.

This is the main sight to visit in the city centre.

INPA:

• Getting there: TAP flies from Lisbon to Manaus directly, which is the cheapest and fastest option (being neither cheap or fast at over £600 and taking about 9h).
• Weather: Manaus is extremely hot. There isn’t much difference between seasons this close to the Equator, so the fact that we went during Brazilian winter made little difference. There are two main seasons, dry and wet. Prefer the dry season, when it only rains every few days. Many shops and restaurants have air conditioning, which helps.
• Food: Manaus is a great place to try a wide selection of fruit, which also makes for great ice cream. The local açaí is excellent. We went a few times to Tambaqui de Banda, a restaurant very close to the theatre (the only with air conditioning around that area). Service was friendly and the food was good. In doubt, order mandioca frita or tapioca.
• Stay: There aren’t many options available, so book in advance and check for recommendations. We stayed at Hotel do Largo, which was a bit basic but well located.
• Do: The best thing about Manaus is travelling around. There are lots of local tour operators, all offering similar options.