Introduction  

In 1808, when the royal portuguese family dropped anchor in Brazil, began the first scientific expeditions in this territory, thanks to the harbours opening to foreign countries. Among the travelers who have come here at that time, there are prominent figures as naturalist Spix and Martius, Eschwege, Saint-Hilaire, Prince Maximilian von Wied-Neuwied, Baron Langsdorff, the russian consul, the painters Debret, Rugendas, Ender and the english John Luccock, Maria Graham and John Mawe. These people are responsible for our nature first studies and description of our landscapes. Geomorphology, very well represented was quite impressive to the curious europeans glances.

What is geotourism?  
Old explorers  
Geotourism in Brazil  
Diversity  
Available papers  
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Cachoeira de Paulo Afonso entre Alagoas e Bahia , registrada por Frans Post em 1649.
Panorama do Rio de Janeiro em 1849. Alfred Martinet
Representação em tela do Dedo de Deus, em Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro. Bernard Wiegandt, 1880
Aquarela de Hercules Florence, que acompanhou a Expedição Langsdorff, Cachoeira Juruenna, São Paulo.
Since Frans Post, in 1649, the visitors', painters and naturalists glance has been attracted by Brazil's geological landscapes. Today, thanks to geotouristic outdoors, famous sites as Corcovado or Dedo de Deus (God Finger) in Rio de Janeiro are prominent geological monuments. Waterfalls and mountains have been quite registered during the XIXth century scientific expeditions, also because they characterize geographic references.
Vila de Mariana, Minas Gerais,  em 1818 desenhada pelo naturalista Carl  Friedrich Von Martius

Small towns related to the mining, as Ouro Preto and Mariana in Minas Gerais, have always been interesting for geological context and the scenical contemplation has been increased by the mineral and geological information.

Ouro Preto em 1818 desenhada pelo naturalista Carl Friedrich Von Martius
Cabeceiras do Rio Paquequer, Rio de Janeiro em 1885, representadas em tela por Johann Georg Grimm

Waterfallas and mountains play a special role on the brazilian landscape pictorial representation, showing how the magnetismof these sites influence the human being.

Relevo de São Tomé das Letras, Minas Gerais, registrado em 1876 por Nicola Antonio Facchinetti
Impressionante registro da Cachoeira de Paulo Afonso, entre Alagoas e Bahia, em 1850, por E.F. Schute

Ancient quarries and mines exercise strong fascination on visitors. The mineral extraction always was cause of interest, not only by applied technology, but also because it givesl fresh data from sub-surface.

Extração e beneficiamento de diamantes em Diamantina, de autor anônimo português, de 1734.