with Curitiba and Iguaçu

Paraná, the state south of São Paulo has two outstanding regions to visit:

One is the city of Curitiba, the capital, not far from the coast.

The other place to visit in the inner of the state, at the border to Paraguay and Argentina, are the world famous waterfalls of Foz do Iguaçu.

map of Paraná

Curitiba

Curitiba is the capital of the state of Paraná, largest city in Southern Brazil (1.6 million inhabitants) and also the largest economy. It is situated about 90 kms from the coast, in a height of 900 m.
The city is famous for being a very green city with many parks and lakes, also being the most ecologic city in Brazil, with a very good bus system, a high rate of recycling and spending a lot for education.
Worthwhile is a visit of the Jardim Botanico (botanic garden), the by a pleasant and green environment surrounded Ópera de Arame, the Museum Oscar Niemeyer (MON), Praça Garibaldi (Garibaldi Square), Bosque João Paulo II (Park Pope John Paul II), the historic center and much more.

Something very special is a trip by train. You shouldn´t forget your camera taking the Serra Verde Express, going through tunnels, over bridges and close along the mountains through the Mata Atlântica (rain forest). If possible, you should take the train on a Sunday, then going down to the coast, ending in Paranaguá. There you can stay a day or more, also visit the Ilha do Mel (Honey Island) that is a biosphere reservate.

Curitiba in Google Maps

Hotels

We can arrange everything, the search and booking for a hotel as well as the transfer to and from the region or to other places in Brazil.

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Foz do Iguaçu

Foz do Iguaçu is the Brazilian city at the famous waterfalls of Iguaçu and at the borders to Paraguay and Argentina. The waterfalls are higher than the Victoria Falls, wider than the Niagara Falls, they are the most exciting. They are in the list of UNESCO World Heritage (the small national park in Argentina since 1984. the Brazilian national park since 1986). The water falls about 80 meters deep on a range of about 2700 meters, in more than 270 cascades. The name of the river comes fron the native tribe of the Guarani, in their language the word Yguazu means “big water”.

At the falls you will see millions of butterflies, many birds, if you are lucky sometimes monkees and caimans (but no reason to have fear, you are safe). It is home to many rare and endangered species of flora and fauna, among them the giant otter and the giant anteater. The clouds of spray produced by the waterfall are conducive to the growth of lush vegetation.
A part of the falls is on the Argentinian side, the other part on the Brazilian. For the Argentinian side you should plan a complete day in the national park there, on the Brazilian half a day. There, close to the entrance of the national park is a marvellous small zoo mainly with birds and plants of the region.

Another interesting place is Itaipu, the still largest hydroelectric plant in the world, producing 90% of the needed electricity of Paraguay and 20% of the need of Brazil. The dam has a lenght of 7235 m,and a height of 195 m. The water passing is 40 times as much as the average flow at the waterfalls of Iguaçu . It can be visited by day, but in the evening it will be illuminated. More information: see links below

Iguaçu in Google Maps

Hotels

We can arrange everything, the search and booking for a hotel as well as the transfer to and from the region or to other places in Brazil.

Video

Photos

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The south of the state of São Paulo

Not developed as the northern coast of the state, because the Paulistanos prefer to go to the north, the southern part of the state offers many unique places to visit.

PETAR (Parque Estadual Turístico Alta Ribeira) is a national park with famous caves and a wonderful nature. Not highly developed there are only pousadas to stay, but you will be in direct contact with nature.

The island Ilha Compida and the city of Iguape at the coast are also some rather unknown but very exciting places for tourism with its unique nature and history.

Santos is the largest city at the coast of São Paulo, famous for its harbor, but also has lots of historic places and of course a beach.

Santos

Santos, only 70 kms from São Paulo, it is the most important harbor and largest in Southern America.

The city is one of the oldest in Brazil, it was founded in in 1546 by Portuguese and today it has more than 400,000 habitants, the metroplitan area has nearly 1.5 million. The city of Santos is on the island São Vicente and divides the area together with the city of São Vicente. Before the urbanization there were mangroves and Mata Atlântica (atlantic rain forest) reaching to the beaches. Today there is only vegetation left on the islands and outside the city (see photos).

From Santos passenger ships leave daily for trips along the Brazilian coast, but also to Argentina and Fireland.

Not only a city of trade, Santos has a lot to offer to tourists: beaches, the historic center with its tram, the coffee museum, the aquarium, the Cathedral de Santos, the botanic garden, the Monte Serrat with a terrific view of Santos and much more. Unfortunately the ocean is not very clean here as in every large city at a coast. But still many people go swimming, surfing or diving, make a tour by a schooner.

There are many small cities with beaches nearby, so Santos is a good place to start discovering the coast, it is the city offering most of history and culture.

São Vicente

São Vicente was the first permanent settlement in the Americas. 1532 the first proper village was established by Martim Afonso de Sousa (the first Royal Governor of Brazil) and the first democratic city council of the Americas was elected. It is called the Mother Cell of Brazil. São Vicente was an important place of trade with slaves, today it lives of tourism.

Since 1914 there exists a bridge to the mainland, leading to the city Praia Grande (“big beach”).

The font Biquinha de Anchieta was one of the main fonts of drinking water for the inhabitants for centuries. Still today people go there for water. Beside it there is a sculpture of the jesuit priest Anchieta who drank its water and christianized the indios.

Santos in Google Maps

Paranapiacaba

Paranapiacaba is a small city in the mountains, actually a little more than a train station.

The trains from Santos to São Paulo and further pass here a steep part (10.7%). There is also a train station constructed by British, opened 01/01/1902.
Each July there takes place a festival of music, people come from all over the country to stay a few days. As there aren´t enough pousadas, inhabitants also offer to stay in their houses.

Paranapiacaba in Google Maps

Link about Paranapiacaba

World Monuments Fund

Guarujá

The next city north of Santos at the coast is Guarujá, which you can reach by a ferry. It is situated at the northern coast of São Paulo. Guarujá on our site…

Hotels

We can arrange everything, the search and booking for a hotel as well as the transfer to and from the region or to other places in Brazil.

Photos

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PETAR, Ilha Comprida and Iguape

PETAR (Parque Estadual Turístico Alta Ribeira)

In the south of the state São Paulo was founded a national park in the year 1958, which is nowadays part of UNESCO – world heritage. It is the largest area of Atlantic Rainforest (Mata Atlântica), with many waterfalls, also Quilombos (settlements of slaves that flew) and about 300 caves, of which twelve can be visited. Some of them have rivers, and the cave Casa de Pedra has the largest entry with a height of 215m. It can be visited, but not entered.

An unique flora and fauna expects the visitor in this region: bromelias, orchidees, fruits, monkees, many other animals and birds. You have the possibility to see everything by foot (as the caves and waterfalls), but also sportive activities await you: swimming in the natural swimming pools under waterfalls, boia-cross (on a river on floating tires), descending waterfalls and tours by bike.

You may not enter the park alone, you do need a guide (called monitor) that accompanies up to eight persons. A booking in time is better as also the daily number of visitors in the caves is limited

The region has cheap and rather simple guest houses, being in the nature. As not highly developed for tourism yet it is better to make a reservation in advance, especially at long weekends or during vacations.

Optimal is a stay of three to four days. You need shoes for walking (tennis shoes for example), trousers and torches would be good, too.

The main attractions are at the road Iporanga – Apiai. Close to PETAR, in the city Apiai are the rests of an old gold mill, which is museum nowadays.

Ilha Compida and Iguape

Also interesting is a tour to Ilha Comprida (Long Islandl) at the south coast of the state of São Paulo, which is about three hours of driving away from PETAR and also Sao Paulo. And, different as at the north coast of São Paulo there are only simple but comfortable guest houses available.

There you have the possibility to watch botos (dolphins), which live in the ocean as well as in rivers.

Iguape is one of the oldest cities of Brazil, it was Spanish in the beginning until the contract of Tordesilhas. Finding gold in the region the city grew very fast, in the 17th century here was produced the first Brazilian money. After the gold rush the city survived by planting a very good rice, which was exported to Europe. It is said that each week ten ships with rice left for Europe. When shortening the way to the sea port by a channel, the river Ribeira left a lot of sand in the harbor, which meant the end of the importance of Iguape. Today, Iguape with its basilica and historic center is a place to relax, life is passing slow there.

Links to the region of Iguape

jureia.com.br

in Google Maps

Hotels

Especially in this region we offer a package with an English speaking guide and a car as it is not very easy without some knowledge of portuguese. We can arrange everything, the search and booking for a hotel as well as the transfer to and from the region or to other places in Brazil.

Gamboa Eco Refugio

Photos

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The Brazilian coast between Rio de Janeiro and Santos (São Paulo) is one of the most interesting and beautiful regions in the world: many bays with wonderful beaches and islands, mountains with the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Rain Forest), historic towns and indigenious villages, still not known to international tourism yet.

From the beaches you have a sight to the untouched jungle, the Mata Atlântica. The last intact coastal jungle with high mountains, water falls, rivers, beautiful beaches, many bays and islands, since 1992 UNESCO Biosphere reservate and since 1999 World Heritage. Originally the Mata Atlântica stretched up to the north of Brazil, now there is only 8% left. Half of the trees and many animals (about 80% of the primates) are endemic, which means, that they only can be seen here. The Mata Atlântica is one of the regions with the most species, so one of the 5 most important hotspots on earth. Beside monkeys, parrots, caimans, tiger cats you can meet jaguars and pumas, the largest cats in America. At the coast you often can observe tucuxi dolphines, the only species that lives in the ocean and in rivers. The climate is optimal for many orchids and bromeliads.

Take the tour on our site along this coast, from Guarujá going northeast along the northern coast of São Paulo and continuing along the Costa Verde, the southern coast  of the state of Rio de Janeiro until Rio.

Something special:

If you have the time make a trip from São Paulo to Rio on the highland and return along the coast (Rio – Santos).

You will follow a long valley (Vale Paraíba) with high mountains also places to stop and make a visit as in Aparecida (with its famous cathedral), Campo do Jordão in the mountains (cold in winter) a nacional park and more. And finally, approaching Rio from the mountains is spectacular. If you are interested, you can fill out a form here…

Videos

Mata Atlântica – São Paulo, Caminhos para a Conservação 2

Brazil for Travelers – Atlantic Rainforest

If you have the time make a trip via the highway on the highland to Rio and return from Rio to Santos along the coast. You will follow a long valley (Vale Paraíba) with high mountains also places to stop and make a visit as in Aparecida (with its famous cathedral), Campo do Jordão in the mountains (cold in winter) a nacional park and more. And finally, approaching Rio from the mountains is spectacular.

If  you are interested please fill out the form below

Guarujá

Guarujá, only 90 km far from the capitol São Paulo, many of its inhabitants like to spend their weekends or vacations there. Guarujá offers well frequented beaches as well as beaches, where you will be more or less by yourself.

A big city as Guarujá of cause offers you everything that you wish. First class hotels, cheap lodging houses as well, golf and many other possibilities of sport, nightlife and shopping. The beach of Enseada is a well known place for jetskiing.

Guarujá was founded on September 2, 1893 and it counted just a hotel, a casino and 46 small houses. Today it has about 300,000 inhabitants. It is located on Santo Amaro island. The first European to land at the beach of Santa Cruz dos Navegantes was famous Américo Vespúcio at 22nd of January 1502.

The name Guarujá was given by the indian tribes that which means narrow passage (Guaru-ya), as it was the narrowest place between the continent and the island, devided by the Bertioga Canal.

If you prefer a stay with all possibilities of a city, but also with wonderful beaches, Guarujá is the right place for you.

Guarujá in Google Maps

Hotels

Hotel Il Faro

Delphin Hotel

Hotel Vicino Al Mare

We can arrange everything, the search and booking for a hotel as well as the transfer to and from the region or to other places in Brazil.

Activities

wanna surf

Photos

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Bertioga

Bertioga, the next large town north of Guarajá with its 30,000 inhabitants, offers an excellent infrastructure for tourism.

There is lodging for every taste and pocket, many possibilities for leisure and adventure (fishing, diving, walking, ecological trails and historical culture).

Bertioga has more than 30 km of beautiful beaches, nearly 500 km of Mata Atlântica with waterfalls, natural swimming pools and a large area of preservation.

Ecotourism is very important in this region. There are several possibilities to visit the Mata Atlântica by canoe, but also with guides by foot.

Schooners, fishing boats and motorboats can be rented for fishing or swimming outside in the ocean or to visit an island.

Before Bertioga was founded by the Portuguese in about 1532, the place was occupied by Indians of the tribe Tupi-Guarani, that called the place of “Buriquioca” (house of the apes).
In 1547 the fort São João was built, which still exists and is the oldest in Brazil.

A big event is the Festa Nacional do Índio, taking place every year in April. Today, Bertioga is aware of the culture of the indigenous people. Since 2001 this takes place, meanwhile it is the largest native cultural event in Brazil with about 300,000 visitors from all parts of the world, presenting cultural manifestations, sporting traditions, corporal paintings and craft from many indigenous tribes.

Bertioga is waiting for you!

Bertioga in Google Maps

Hotels

We can arrange everything, the search and booking for a hotel as well as the transfer to and from the region or to other places in Brazil.

Activities

wanna surf

Restaurants

Restaurant Quirino Ostras

Photos

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