When Brasilia was just being constructed, migrants, especially those from Brazil’s poorer states, came. Unfortunately, the new capital was not designed to cater for these people. It was built to become the residence of people in high authorities, dignitaries, respective families, and civil servants.

Many assumed these migrants would eventually return to their homes once Brasilia’s finished. But they did not. Because these people came from the country’s poor cities, they saw Brasilia be an opportunity to get a better life. And since they could not afford a slot in the city’s residential zones, they instead created provisional communities surrounding the Pilot Plan. – Just like satellites.

These communities then grew quicker and gained recognition from public power. Today, the communities are now known as Satellite Cities.

The Cities

Although called cities, the aptest term to call them is districts in Brasilia. They are the city’s neighborhood separated only by empty spaces that are green. Currently, the total number of satellite cities is 16, yet one or two is added up in a few years to accommodate the growing population of the city.

Nucleo Bandeirante, among the smaller satellite cities, is the oldest of all the satellite cities. Ceilandia, on the other hand, is closest to Brasilia. It is also one of the satellite cities with bigger size along with Samambaia, Taguatinga, Cruzeiro, Planaltina, and Guara.

What to Do

Because Brasilia does not really have a vigorous and lively street culture as compared to some major cities in Brazil such as Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro, tourists can head off to the neighborhoods to get the experience. The satellite cities feature festivals and street markets that are similar to that in Sao Paolo and Rio. A number of authentic restaurants are in the satellite cities as well.

For those trying to save on accommodation while in Brasilia, the satellite cities closer to the capital city are a good option. There are many hotels in Taguatinga and Ceilanda offer accommodation at low prices.

Getting There

Brasilia may be designed for automobiles but it also has a good public transport system. To get to the neighborhood or the satellite cities, tourists can take the metro. From the city center, this will go to the southwest side of the satellite cities such as Aguas Claras, Taguatinga Samabaia, Guara, and Ceilandia.

There may already be a lot of things to see and experience in Brasilia, but looking beyond its borders you will see that these satellite cities add up to the beauty of Brazil’s capital.