Southern Brazil

Brazil's temperate south, made up of Iguaçu Falls, the island of Florianópolis, German and Italian immigrant towns in the hills, and big canyons.

Following the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) five-region division, Southern Brazil includes the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, the only part of Brazil with a mainly temperate climate and a strong German and Italian immigrant culture. At the western end of Paraná, the Brazilian side of Iguaçu Falls gives a panoramic view of the whole cascade system, and you can combine it with the Bird Park and the Itaipu hydroelectric dam. The state capital, Curitiba, is known for its urban planning and botanical garden, and a scenic train through Atlantic coastal rainforest reaches Morretes. In Santa Catarina, Florianópolis is an island city with more than 40 beaches, with surfing, lagoons and seafood as the themes, and nearby Blumenau holds a beer festival every October. In the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul, Gramado and Canela have European-style timber towns, chocolate and winter festivals; the Vale dos Vinhedos (Bento Gonçalves) produces Brazil's best wines, and Itaimbezinho Canyon in Aparados da Serra National Park has spectacular sheer cliffs. The capital, Porto Alegre, is the center of gaúcho barbecue and chimarrão (yerba mate) culture. A classic route is 2 days at Iguaçu, 1–2 days in Curitiba, 3 days in Florianópolis, and 3–4 days in Gramado and the canyons, about 10 days in all. Within the region, travel is mainly by domestic flights and road trips; mountain roads are winding and often foggy, so drive carefully. Winters are noticeably colder than elsewhere in Brazil, so bring warm clothing.

Destinations

Itineraries