The old town of Curitiba, also known as Largo da Ordem, is a perfectly preserved area with a history that goes back more than 350 years. The cobblestone streets, which are pedestrian-only, make Largo da Ordem and the Praca Garibaldi Square a perfect place for strolling along and beginning to discover the old town. The streets are lined with beautiful eighteenth and nineteenth century buildings that have been restored and converted into trendy galleries, cafes, restaurants, pubs, antique shops and cultural centres.

Be sure to plan a Sunday in this area to see the great variety of local art and to experience the diverse cuisines at the Feira de Artesanato, all of which reflect the city's ethnic culture. Live music adds to the charm of the place for both the locals and the tourists. One of Curitiba's oldest buildings is a church called Igreja da Ordem, a huge structure that overlooks the Largo da Ordem and built in 1737. The church is quite plainly built, with the traditional Portuguese blue and white tiling being the only decorative elements along with the elaborately designed altars. It is considered one of the best examples of Portuguese church architecture in Brazil. The other historical building in this area is also a church. Uphill on the Praca Garibaldi you will find the Nossa Senhora. Built in 1737 in the colonial style by the slave population of the town, this church was completely reconstructed in 1946.

Curitiba's other attractions include the Curitiba Memorial - a space used for art, culture, folklore, both old and new. It is closed on Sundays and remains open only till one in the afternoon on other days. Take a look at the neo-classical buildings like the Palacio Garibaldi and Casa Romario Martins, considered to be the oldest house in Curitiba. And don't miss the Flower Clock, which is set in a bed of seasonal flowers that are changed every three months.

Very close to this region you fill find some Curitiba hotels, like Hotel Garden Curitiba, Hotel Brasilia and Hotel Crowne Plaza.

The Botanical Garden of Curitiba or Jardim Botânico de Curitiba is modeled after French gardens. The garden was opened to the public in 1991 and it is the fourth largest herbarium in the country. It is a fabulous haven for nature lovers. There is a cycle track, an exposition area, a library, an auditorium and a greenhouse.

The greenhouse is a Curitiba picture-postcard landmark, standing at the entrance of the garden, its two-storey metal structure resembling the Crystal Palace in London. The greenhouse has an exotic and wide-ranging collection of tropical and sub-tropical flora and fauna and attracts visitors and researchers from all over the world. The garden is open daily, between six in the morning and eight in the evening.

The Espaço Cultural Frans Krajcberg Museum (opened in October 2003), located behind the greenhouse, has some of the most beautiful works of art. Particularly worth mentioning are 114 huge sculptures and the 3 carvings from tree trunks. Krajcberg, an artist of Polish Brazilian descent, has taken up the cause of environmental conservation and the carvings are his gift to the city. The museum also has a huge repertoire of videos, educational material and photographs, besides being a meeting place for artists. Krajcberg Space also boasts an exhibition space and theatre. Except on Mondays, when the museum is closed, you can spend your time here from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 18:00.

The Garden of Senses or Jardim das Sensações is a new touristic attraction created last year with exhibits specially designed for visually impaired. It also offers a different experience to people, where they can touch, smell, and hear the landscape. At first, visitors take a walk along the 200-meter path blindfolded, and then they take them off. The path has a map in Braille, 72 plants with different textures, smells and forms, with subtitles in Braille as well. The area is isolated from external noise by a curtain of trees.

Location: Rua Engenheiro Ostoja Roguski, s/nº - Jardim Botânico

Open: Green House and Botanical Museum - daily from 6:00 to 20:00
            Jardim das Sensações - Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00.

The  Oscar Niemeyer Museum is a great photo opportunity if you are enthusiastic about photography. The famous ‘eye' shaped architecture in an area of 2000 sq m balanced on a 21 m high column leaves you stunned by its opulence and singularity. It was designed by the famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, considered one of the best architects in the World. The ‘study centre' was built in 2002, to house Niemeyer's works. The museum also holds permanent and itinerary exhibitions and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 13:30 to 18:30. Its beauty and size really impresses...

Location: Rua Marechal Hermes, 999 - Centro Cívico

The Wire Opera House also known as Ópera de Arame stands as an icon of Curitiba. Inaugurated in 1992, the Wire Opera impresses everyone for its tubular structure and see-through ceiling. It has capacity for 1,640 spectators and a 400m² stage to host all types of artistic and cultural presentations. The external area of the Wire Opera is also spectacular. Amid lakes, typical vegetation, waterfalls and unique landscape. It is part of Parque das Pedreiras, together with Espaço Cultural Paulo Leminski, where the Passion of Christ and other major events have been performed since 1989. It has an open-air seating capacity of 10 thousand spectators or a standing capacity of 50 thousand people. If you have the opportunity to watch a play or a concert, you must do it!

Location: Rua João Gava, s/nº - Abranches

Open: Tuesday to Sunday, from 8:00 to 22:00.

Walk down the Rua XV de Novembro, which cuts through downtown Curitiba, and view of some of the most important buildings here, such as Teatro Guaíra and Universidade Federal do Paraná, the first University in Brazil. At the end of this avenue, after crossing numerous squares, you reach the Rua das Flores or Flower Street, the first pedestrian street in Brazil. Inaugurated in 1972, it is adorned with immaculate flower displays, and has some excellent bars, confectioneries, stores, etc.

You will not need a road sign to tell you that you have reached the Rua das Flores - the entire ambience changes. This is one of the main business office centres and houses numerous stores. It is the preferred avenue for all sorts of cultural and political programmes. Flower Street is paved with black and white patterns and lined with renovated buildings from the early twentieth century. Do not be surprised by the mime artists, clowns, musicians and magicians you are likely to see here. Although the shops close, the street is alive even after business hours are over, thanks to the Rua 24 Horas, a shopping arcade that you can reach through Praça Osório.

There are several hotels located in this area, such as Hotel L´Avenue,  Hotel Del Rey, Hotel Centro Europeu and Hotel Slaviero Palace.

The Federal University of Paraná - UFPR was established in 1912 and it is the oldest Brazilian university. It is also known by having one of the most difficult and demanding selective processes among other federal universities. Its historic building is the official symbol of Curitiba and it is a famous postcard picture.

The University is located at the beautiful Praça Santos Andrade in Curitiba downtown, really close to Teatro Guaíra and Rua das Flores. The Curitiba hotels close to the Universidade Federal do Paraná are L'Avenue and Mabu Royal Curitiba Hotel.

The eclectic-style building with art nouveau details Paço da Liberdade was built in 1916. This elegant building used to be the city government seat and, from 1974 to 200 also housed the Parananese Museum. It has been called Municipal Palace (Paço Municipal since 1948. It was recently restored trough a partnership between the Curirtiba city government and the Comerce Federation of the State of Paraná, recovering its former magnificence and preserved its public function. It was reopened on March 29th of 2009, the date Curitiba celebrated its 316th anniversary. It is now property of SESC and it is a cultural, musical and artistic place counting with library, bookstore, a charming coffee shop, movie theater, music studio, computer lab, exhibition rooms, etc.

It is located between the twin Generoso Marques and José Borges de Macedo Squares, close to the Pedestrian Walk.  It is a lovely place to visit and to stroll in the evening. 
 

Location: Praça Generoso Marques - Downtown

Open: Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 22:00.

Close to Paço da Liberdade you fill find following Curitiba hotels: Hotel L´Avenue and Hotel Deville Express.

Our Curitiba Walking Tour ends at Paço da Liberdade café, where you can enjoy a delicious coffee or pie.

In the language of the native Brazilians who lived in that region many years before Curitiba was founded, Barigüi meant "River of the Thorny Fruit". Currently comprising an area of 1.4 million square meters, Barigui Park is one of the largest, oldest and certainly the most attended park of Curitiba. It was created in 1972 and received the same name of the river that was dammed to form the lake of the park. Several species of wild animals live in the park, as birds, capybaras and small rodents. Many people frequent the park, especially before and after work on weekdays, and along the whole day and beginning of the night, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

The park also offers an excellent infrastructure, counting with cooper track around the lake, outdoors exercise equipments, cycling paths and model airplane fields, barbecue grills, kiosks, basketball, soccer and volleyball courts, exclusive lanes for bicycles and skateboards, bars, restaurants, an Automobile Museum, an Exhibit Park and Convention Center, a Steam Locomotive Station, in addition to housing the Municipal Envirolment Secretariat headquarters. On beautiful and sunny days, Barigüi Park is a great leisure and entertainment option for many curitibanos, mainly young ones.

Location: BR-277 - Rodovia do Café, km 0 - Santo Inácio

Open: Tuesday to Friday, from 14:00 to 17:00 / Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00

The first time traveller to this city is often left wondering about the large number of public parks in Curitiba. These parks are how Curitiba has immortalised the contribution of some nationalities in establishing the city, in its 300 year long history. A special bus is available to take you around the parks.

The 38,000 sq m spread of greenery in the German Woods or Bosque Alemão is a delight for children, who particularly enjoy the Hansel and Gretel House as well as the Philosopher's Tower from which one can get a fantastic view of Curitiba and the Ocean Ridge. The Woods also house a wooden neogothic church, dating back to 1933, with a concert hall aptly called Bach's Oratorium. A tribute to the German immigrants, the park has other attractions that include a library for children and a German Poetry Square with a replica of an old German building called the Casa Mila, which was at one time located in the centre of the city. The woods were part of the Schaffer family farm.

Curitiba, with a sizeable Italian community, has a park called the Italian Woods. During the numerous Italian theme parties such as the grape party and wine party the park hosts food and drink stalls. There are also allotted spaces for presentations and shows with themes of folklore and also a polenta pot.

Go to the Japan Square on a Thursday and attend the Tea Ceremony (9 am to 4 pm), to get the flavour of the ‘Land of the Rising Sun'. In 1993, the Culture House, the Tea House and the Japanese Portal were added to the square, which is decorated with 30 cherry trees, a gift from the Emperor of Japan. The Culture House is closed on Mondays and on other days it is open from 9 am to 6 pm. If you plan to go on your own (and not take the guided tours) then do check the timings of the various parks and museums.

The large environmental park located on the banks of the Barigüi River includes Tingüi Park. A large effigy of a Tindiqüera chieftain is reminiscent of the Indian heritage of this place. The park also has a church, a replica of the original one existing in Paraná State, which is the Ukrainian Memorial in the park. The church holds a pêssankas and icons exhibition. [more information bellow] 

Visit the Tanguá Park, which has been modelled very innovatively - two de-activated quarries have been joined through a 45 m tunnel. You can cross the tunnel by foot or take a boat. The park covers an area of 450,000 sq m and is unique in its utilisation of unused space. The Tanguá Park joins the Tingüi and Barigüi parks and is part of the Barigüi river preservation project. Want to walk along a rippling brook - well, the Portugal Wood is just the thing for you. The tiles are adorned with stories of the Portuguese adventurers, who were pioneers in discovering new land, and excerpts from the works of famous poets. [more information bellow]

Do not miss Bosque João Paulo II (Pope John Paul II Woods). This memorial to Polish immigration was opened in 1981, right after Pope John Paul II visited Curitiba. Composed of seven wooden houses you get an idea about the life of the immigrants at that time. These houses were original ones built by immigrant families in other parts of the cities and brought here. The Bosque is located behind the Oscar Niemeyer Museum, close to downtown and near the main entrance there is a typical Polish coffee shop where you can find delicious pies, cakes and homemade beer. [more information bellow] 

São Lourenço Park is also a pleasant option close to the Wire Opera House. An old glue factory gave way to this Creative Centre, with courses, workshops and exhibition rooms. The park also has a race track and a lake and is surrounded by native forest. There you will also find a skateboard track, where especially on weekends locals have lots of fun.

Passeio Público was the first park in the city, located close to the Old Town. Here you can hire a bike at Cicles Jaime (Tu-Sat from 8:30 am to 6:15 pm). The"ciclovias" - bike roads pass through the park and from here you can start your self guided tour to Wire Opera House, for example and enjoy the city like the locals. [more information bellow]

We strongly reccommend a guided city tour visiting the famous parks in Curitiba. Check out our option available for online bookings.

Read the blogposts "A Green City: Parks in Curitiba, Brazil", "Spring Is Coming Up... Great Time to Visit Curitiba!" and "Surprise Yourself in Curitiba" posted on Travel to Paraná Blog and find out more information about the Curitiba parks!

At Tingui Park, you will find the Ukrainian Memorial, a homage to Ukrainian immigrants in the form of an Orthodox Church, that is a replica of a original Ukrainian church built in the countryside of Parana State. The church also houses pysankas (a Ukrainian Easter Egg), images, pictures, icons exhibition. Tingui Park and the Ukrainian Memorial are very interesting and beautiful places to visit in Curitiba, built in honor to the important Ukrainian heritage in our State.

Location: Avenida Fredolin Wolf, s/nº - São João

Open: Ukrainian Memorial - Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 / Park - daily / Handcrafted Goods Shop - Tuesday to Sunday from 14:30 to 18:00.

Inaugurated in November of 1996, Tanguá Park or Parque Tanguá is one of the main and most famous Curitiba parks. The park is also part of the project to preserve the course of the Barigui River, Tigui and Barigüi Park. Occupying a total area of 450 thousand square meters, the park was built over two disabled quarries joined together by a Besides the lakes, its artificial waterfall and a 45 meter long tunnel that can be crossed by foot or on a catwalk over the water attracts many visitors. The park has also a harbor, bike lane, cooper track, snack bar, parking lots and a gorgeous garden, the Poty Lazzarotto Garden.

The best time to visit Tanguá Park is in the late afternoon so you can enjoy the park right before the gorgeous sundown!

Location: Rua Dr. Bemben, s/nº - Pilarzinho

Open: daily

In the middle of the green, Bosque Zaninelly, the creation of the Free University on the Environment or Universidade Livre do Meio Ambiente - UNILIVRE made Curitiba to be recognized as the first city in the world to have a special place for studies and wide dissemination of environmental and ecological knowledge to the public at large. The interesting architectonic project, which was executed on the grounds of an old quarry with unsophisticated materials, emulates the four nature elements: earth, fire, water and air in its chapel and collars. The spiral sidewalk that runs external to the building and provides an entrée to a lookout that is at a height of 25 m. The main purpose of the area is to develop an environmental awareness as a survival factor in the people. It was established on June 5th of 1991 occupying its current area since 1992, and it was inaugurated by the oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.

Location: Rua Victor Benato, 210 - Pilarzinho

Open: daily from 8:00 to 20:00.

The Tiradentes Square is the oldest one in town. It was originally known as Largo da Matriz, which hosts the small chapel around which developed the Village that in the future would be called Curitiba. At the same site of the old chapel is now the Metropolitan Cathedral of Curitiba. In 1880, when the Emperor's visited Curitiba, the Square changed its name to Largo Dom Pedro II and it again changed its name to Tiradentes Square in 1889 (right after the Republic Proclamation).

This famous square was remodelled many times over the years but since its last reformulation, in 2008, partially recovering its history, renewing its walks and benches, people have become more frequent to the square. A new glass floor gave an extra charm to the square and reawakened the interest of those that walk by.

The Catedral Basílica Menor de Nossa Senhora da Luz of Curitiba is located at Tiradentes Square, the main square of Curitiba and also considered the point where Curitiba was born and started its successful development.

The Catedral Basílica Menor de Nossa Senhora da Luz of Curitiba was built from 1876 to 1893, in neo-Gothic style, inspired in the Igreja da Sé of Barcelona. The Cathedral is dedicated and has an image of Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais, Saint Patron of Curitiba. It was founded on March 29, 1693 and can be considered the most important construction on Tiradentes Square.

The famous HSBC Christmas Choir is one of the most traditional and exciting Christmas celebration in Curitiba, the Christmas capital of Brazil. HSBC Christmas Choir is a breathtaking and sweet spectacle that passes a message of hope and peace to everyone who watches it.

In several nights, the choir sings Christmas songs from the windows of the historical HSBC building, the famous Palácio Avenida, located at Calçadão da XV also known as Rua das Flores. On Christmas, the building receives a pretty decoration with lots of lightings and at the end of the presentations, big fireworks complete and give more magic and charm to this amazing spectacle that happens in Curitiba every year during Christmas time. Palácio Avenida becomes a real Christmas card, literally!

Curitiba has lots of museums and theatres. Here is just a small selection of the most popular ones:

Oscar Niemeyer Museum is the largest and most modern museum in Brazil. Designed by the famous brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer the so called 'eye' completes another of his constructions that he built himself and rests above an artificial pond. The art collection includes permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Ópera de Arame - is a wire theatre with a glass roof well-integrated into the surroundings. In 1992, it became a symbol of the city and hosts all types of shows. Next to the opera house is a quarry with a peculiar characteristic. This magical place hosts great cultural and artistic events (like concerts, plays etc.) on the open-air stage.

Teatro Guaíra - this is the largest theatre in Latin America featuring an enormous diversity of performances and spectacular acoustics. Artists from all over the world performing here!

Teatro Positivo - it is the newest theatre house in Curitiba and is doubtless the most modern one, maybe even in Brazil. Since its opening it has received many plays and musicians, being an excellent alternative to the customary culture scene of Curitiba.

Festival de Teatro de Curitiba (Theater festival of Curitiba) - is the second biggest theatre festival of the world. The festival occupies more than 35 theatres, squares, streets and alternative spaces.

 The winding curves of the Estrada da Graciosa cross mountain ranges and cut through the Atlantic Forest, to connect the plateau to the coastal regions. Access to the highway is via BR-116 and its approximately 30 km link Curitiba to Morretes and Paranaguá, crossing the Atlantic forest, marked by the tropical vegetation and beautiful streams. It is dotted with picnic spots and barbecue places where you can cook, eat and rest. There is also a train route from Curitiba to Morretes, a lovely colonial town. This is one of the most fascinating journeys that tourists take in Curitiba. The rail lines are considered a challenging engineering feat considering the mountainous topography. Check out our tour options: with the tourist train (available daily), with litorina (available only on Saturday and on Sunday). For further information you can read the blogpost "The Exciting Train Tour from Curitiba to Morretes and Paranaguá" posted on the Travel to Paraná Blog!

If you have only one day in Curitiba, you can have both most beloved tours in a intensive day package: in the morning city tour, transfer to Morretes by car by the Graciosa Road, lunch there and returning by train in the afternoon. Check out this option here.

The nature reserve wonderful island Ilha do Mel is also a beloved destination to Curitiba visitors. Check out our different options:

Ilha do Mel day tour: just visit the island and return to Curitiba in the same day

Ilha do Mel Backpackers: including train ride, bus tickets and 2 overnight stays on the island.

Ilha do Mel intensive private: the confort of private transfers, train ride, good accommodation and a local guide during your Ilha do Mel tour (2 overnight stays).

The Vila Velha State Park is famous for its sandstone formations. You can either go through a tour operator or by buses to Ponta Grossa. It is just 90 km from Curitiba and will take a maximum of one and half hours. These rock formations date back 350 million years. Vila Velha or ‘old village' has a visitor's centre that shows a short film on the history of the area. The rock formations or ‘Arenitos' of Vila Velha take around half an hour to cover. There are various names for the formations depending on their shapes.

The best way to visit it is during a guided tour. Check out this option available from Wednesday to Monday.

If you intend to hike at Guartelá Canyon and visit Vila Velha State park on your way back to Curitiba, a wonderful tour is a two-days one leading to this amazing and right unknown region.