In June, Brazil found itself awash in tourists, ambling about like walking sacks of cash. Some 3.7 million visitors — including 600,000 (mostly white, mostly rich) foreigners — flooded the country for the month-long 2014 World Cup, spending an estimated 6.7 billion Brazilian reals (US$3 billion). In Rio, tourists competed for just 55,400 hotel beds — and as is traditional anywhere with tourists, were completely ripped off. Those who were priced out took to the beaches with sleeping bags. Come June, the Copacabana was studded with bare-footed superfans.
But what about the tourists with thirst for knowledge as well as beer, who wanted something more authentic than the fan zones? Some visitors opted to pass their time in the cozy confines of a bona fide Brazilian favela, like Rocinha, which lies in the southern zone of Rio and is perched on a pretty hillside—and which, just three years ago, was invaded by thousands of elite “pacifying police” and their armored vehicles, as part of an effort to box out ruling drug gangs and bring the rogue neighborhood back under the control of the state. In June, tourists in Rocinha slept in shaded guesthouses, where they dined with welcoming host families and took organized walks along winding residential streets. Many booked their slum rooms online and then reviewed their stays on Tripadvisor.