Two to three days is enough for most visitors. Spend one day on the Monumental Axis, from the TV Tower to the Three Powers Plaza, with stops at the cathedral and Congress. Use another for Lake Paranoá, the JK Bridge and a walk through a superquadra.

Not by design, according to its planner. Lúcio Costa described his plan as two crossing axes, a cross adjusted to the terrain. Because the residential wings curve, many people see an airplane or a bird, and the Monumental Axis is still often called the body of the plane.

Yes. The National Congress runs guided tours for the public, though visits are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The route passes through the chambers of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies and the Green and Blue halls. Tours can change or be canceled during official events.