Curitiba

Curitiba is the administrative center of the state of Paraná, Brazil. If you are heading to Iguaçu Falls from Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, then you should stay here for a couple of days.

General information

Curitiba is one of the largest cities located in the prosperous Southern region, and most of its population are immigrants from Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Italy and Poland. This city is well known to urban planners in all countries of the world thanks to its innovative public transport system.

The historical part of the city - cidade velha - deserves special attention. Over its 319 years, it has undergone a considerable number of restorations, but now, unfortunately, most of the buildings are covered with graffiti and there are very few that are still nice to look at. In this part of the city every Sunday there is an art and craft fair, which is definitely worth a visit.

As for hotels - I usually book at Bucking (here), and you can check if there is a better price somewhere here. By the way, an alternative housing option is renting a private apartment or apartment. Such offers can be looked in this section Trevelask.

Weather

Many visitors, those who are not from Brazil, do not expect to find cold in this tropical country. But Curitiba is located behind the tropic belt at an altitude of almost 1000 meters above sea level, so in winter (June to September) it can be very cold here at night, which means a coat and everything else will be very useful here. As a matter of fact, at other times of the year, cold nights are not uncommon here, but frosts occur only in winter.

Summer (December to March) is very mild, on hot days the air temperature can reach a maximum of 30'C or 90'F. Although from time to time and at night the temperature drops to 10'C or 50'F.

Rains in Curitiba happen very often, and at any time of the year: at least one good rainfall will pass in 4-5 days. Meteorological conditions make it possible for quite a long time - days and weeks - to drizzle here and be very foggy - just like in London.

Snow is very rare here, the last time - in 2013. But in nearby cities - in Palmas (300 km) or in São Joaquim (400 km), snow falls every year. Frosts, however, in Curitiba are common and very picturesque: in the city parks of Barigui Park and in the Botanical Garden, hoarfrost creates incredible landscape landscapes (but only until 8 in the morning, until the sun melts it).

How to get there

By plane

Curitiba is one of Brazil's largest cities and is served by the Aeroporto Afonso Pena International Airport, located in the neighboring city of Sao José dos Pinhais, 17 kilometers from the center of Curitiba.

According to the schedule, daily departures are made to the following cities in Brazil: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Brasilia. Flights depart to other cities of the state of Parana, for example, to Foz do Iguaçu, Londrina and Maringá.

Major airlines (the largest and most famous), such as Gol, Azul and TAM, organize regular flights to both the cities of Parana and other countries. Smaller airlines such as Brava and Passaredo also serve scheduled and unplanned flights in Curitiba. You can compare flight prices for different airlines here.

There are several ways to get from Afonso Pen Airport to the center of Curitiba. Regular city buses leave every 20-30 minutes on weekdays, and the fare is only R $ 2.70, on Sunday - R $ 1.50.

The transfer provided by the airport leaves every 20 minutes on weekdays, it runs faster than regular buses, and it is much more comfortable than them, but the fare is already R $ 12.00.

Taxis are available 24 hours a day and the cost of their services depends on the length of the route. Expect to get to the city center for about R $ 60.

The airport also has at least 4 companies involved in the rental of cars. You can familiarize yourself with the model range and prices here.

By train

In connection with the decision made by the Brazilian government to discontinue passenger traffic, passenger trains no longer run in Curitiba. However, one railway tourist route leading to the ocean coast of Parana still exists (its end is in Paranagua). This trip is worth making for those who really want to get to know nature and the amazing views of the Atlantic rain forest and its many waterfalls, cliffs, mountain peaks and historical monuments.

By bus

The Curitiba Bus and Train Station (Estaçao Rodoferroviária) is a large area with 3 stations (a railway station, an inter-bus station and a station inside the regular buses). It offers regular bus trips from Curitiba to any city in Brazil, as well as flights to Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.

In fact, a bus is the best way to get to Curitiba from (or via) Sao Paulo or Florianopolis. The trip will take so long. In addition, bus stations are located in the city center and it is very convenient. The Sao Paulo bus station, however, is not located in the very center, but next to it, but there is a metro station in its building.

Flight "Curitiba - Sao Paulo": the duration of the trip is 6 hours, R $ 60-80, buses leave hourly (there is no need to book a ticket in advance).
Flight "Curitiba - Florianopolis": the duration of the trip is 4.5 hours, R $ 50-70, there are a lot of buses going from here, but they still do not depart as often as from Sao Paulo.

By car

When leaving São Paulo, use the BR-116 South Highway, the Florianopolis Highway BR-10, and the Porto Alegre Highway BR-116 North.

hint: Curitiba - time is now16: 5213 OctoberDifference in hours: Moscow & plus; 6 Kazan & plus; 6 Samara & plus; 7 Yekaterinburg & plus; 8 Novosibirsk & plus; 10 Vladivostok & plus; 13

When is the season. When is the best time to go?

Curitiba - monthly weather

hint: Curitiba - weather for the months of January January ± 20.4 February ± 20.6 March ± 19.6 April ± 17.2 May ± 14.5 June ± 13.1 July ± 12.9 August ± 14.1 September ± 15.0 October ± 16.5 November ± plus 18.2 December & plus; 19.3

The main attractions. What to watch

When planning on sightseeing in Curitiba, it should be remembered that many of them are closed on Mondays. In addition, the tourist bus on this day is also a day off.

City Public Library

Stylized as the Lighthouse of Alexandria, it is a block building with a metal frame, reaching a length of 17 meters and covering an area of 98 square meters. The internal structure of the library is very simple: the basement, where books are stored, a hall with a spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower into a room with a vault, and at the very top of the dome is an aircraft recognition station. This library, called "The Farol das Cidades", is located at João Gava Street, s / n ° - Abranches, operates Mon. – Fri. from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is unique in its kind and differs from the others in its collection of videos and CD-ROMs, equipped with computers connected to the Internet, and data from the city hall, provided for free use.

Arabian memorial, along the street Claudino dos Santos

Open Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday - from 9 am to 1 day. Built in honor of the Middle East culture, this memorial serves primarily as a specialized library. The building resembles a Moorish architectural style, for which such elements as a vault, columns, arches and stained-glass windows are just characteristic. Covering an area of only 140 square meters, the memorial is a cube placed above the water. Inside the building, on a marble base, a statue is erected depicting the writer Gibran Halil Gibran. It is located right in the center of Gibran Halil Gibran Square.

Curitiba Memorial

This place is reserved for art, folklore, past and future. Built on uneven ground, this architectural project forms spaces that turn into one another and includes many functional and creative installations. The dome of the building, similar to the picture, symbolizes the importance of culture, as the foundation of everything that exists in the human environment.
Capão da Imbuia Forest / Museum of Natural History, 407 Benedito Conceição street / Prof. street Nivaldo Braga, 1225 - Capão da Imbuia. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 5:30 pm. Inside there is an exhibition representing a large collection of dioramas, stuffed animals and dehydrated plants. Outside is the “Araucaria Trail”, which is 400 meters of various display cases and panels with exhibits from the Araucaria Forest, telling visitors about the relationship of natural factors found in the Forest, as well as about various products made from local plants.

Opera Arama (Ópera de Arame) in Pedreiras Park, João Gava

Tue-Sun - from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Built of metal pipes and transparent polycarbonate, this opera of extraordinary beauty is one of the symbols of Curitiba. Since its construction in 1992, Opera Arama has been serving all kinds of shows. Situated among lakes, local vegetation and waterfalls, it is part of the Pedreiras Park, as well as the cultural space of the Brazilian poet Paulo Leminski, where the Passion of Christ has been played and many major events have been held since 1989. The building (in the open air) accommodates 10 thousand seats and 50 thousand - standing.

Guaíra Theater, XV de Novembro Street, Santos Andrade

It is a living monument to the multifaceted culture of Curitiba and, moreover, one of the largest theaters in all of Latin America. After construction in 1884 on Dr. Muricy, it was called "Theatro São Theodoro", but in 1900 it was renamed and it got its current name. In 1930, it was destroyed and was erected again in honor of the celebration of the Centennial of Independence of Parana (19th of December, 1953) already in its present place. Finished it only in the 70s. The theater has 3 halls, the largest of which seats 2,173 spectators.

Paiol Theater, Chile Street at the intersection with Reynaldo Machado Street

Open daily 8: 30-12: 00 and 13: 00-21: 00. This is a symbol of the cultural changes of Curitiba that took place in the 1970s and launched a process that gave buildings of great historical significance to the city a new life. Built in 1906, this room was originally a powder warehouse. December 27, 1971 it was turned into a theater. The poet Vinícius de Moraes coined the name for him and specially wrote the song "Paiol de Pólvora" for this occasion. In the performance dedicated to the opening of the theater, both Toquinho and Marília Medalha took part.

Mercês Tower, Prof. Street Lycio Grein de Castro Velloz, at the intersection with Jacarezinh

Operating time - Tue.-Sun. from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is the tallest building in Curitiba, overlooking the entire city from a height of 95 meters. The tower is serviced by Telepar and the Curitiba City Hall, which facilitate video filming and excursions here. There is also an exhibition of old phone models.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

Church of the Order of the Rosicrucians, 2641 Nicarágua Street. Mon-Fri - 8: 30-12: 00, Sat. - 14: 30-17: 00. The Brazilian shelter of the Order of the Knights was built in 1956 in Rio de Janeiro and moved to Curitiba in 1960. The temple is part of an architectural complex of 6 buildings made in the Egyptian style as a tribute to the first knights of the order, who arranged their meetings in the secret rooms of the great pyramid . Other buildings include: General Property Management, Harvey Spencer Lewis Lecture Hall, a memorial with a pyramid and the Order Building itself, which houses a library and museum where you can find Egyptian cultural monuments such as papyri and mummies.
San Francisco Ruins (São Francisco) - at João Cândido Square. This place is surrounded by many legends. Stone ruins - what was once supposed to be the church of "São Francisco de Paula", but this idea was never successful. In 1811, the chapel and the sacristy were finished, but in 1860 a stone was needed to complete the Nossa Senhora da Luz Cathedral. In these parts of the world, rumors are still circulating about the ancient tunnels and pirates that used them. Now around this place are entertainment and business centers.

Parks

German forest, Niccolo Paganini street at the intersection with Franz Schubert street. The forest is open for visits daily from 6:00 to 20:00, the library - from 9:00 to 17:00, fairy tales - on Saturdays and Sundays at 14:00. This park celebrates ancient German traditions. Here are 38 square meters of forest, which once belonged to the Schaffer family farm. A copy of an old wooden church with neo-Gothic architectural elements, built in 1933 in the Seminário district, now houses a concert hall called the Oratorio of Bach. Other attractions of the park are: the path of John and Mary, illustrating the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm, a children's library, a tower of philosophers, a wooden observatory that allows you to admire the beauties of the city from above and the area of German Poetry, where the reproduction of "Casa Mila façade" is located - a German building, built at the beginning last century and located first in the very center of the city.

Park Barigüi, BR-277 - Rodovia do Café. Covering an area of 1.4 million square meters, this park is the largest park in the city and certainly the most visited. But not only locals and tourists find a place of rest here. Guinea pigs, night herons, white herons, skunks, zonotrichia, songbirds and dozens of other local birds and animals used to consider the park as their home. As far as entertainment is concerned, the park has kiosks, barbecue shops, bike paths, tracks for model airplanes, playgrounds for various sports, fitness equipment, car parking, a playground, a restaurant, a Car Museum, an exhibition center, a steam locomotive station and headquarters City Council for Environmental Protection.
Barreirinha Park, 6010 Anita Garibaldi Avenue. Open to visitors daily from 6am to 6pm. This is the most beautiful park in the whole city, where you can admire beautiful araucaria, cinnamon, mimosas, Paraguayan tea bushes and other local plants. Green foliage here is not only the most important regulator of oxygen in the atmosphere of the region, but also scientific material for students - university professors conduct their practical classes in botany here. The City Forest, located next to the park, also plays an important scientific and educational role. In addition to everything here are located: 200 thousand meters of wild flora, a children's library, a playground, a rural hut, a snack bar, a barbecue cafe and parking for cars.
Curitiba Botanical Garden, Ostoja Roguski Street. Open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the summer and from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at any other time of the year. This landmark of the city was designed and erected by people inspired by the beauty of French gardens, throwing a carpet of flowers right at the feet of visitors - at the very entrance. In a greenhouse with a metal frame, many plants grow from different parts of the planet. There is also a wonderful fountain, library, theater and many paths for tourist walks. The Botanical Museum attracts scientists from all over the world, in addition, this place is used for exhibitions.
Gutierrez Forest / Chico Mendes Memorial / Puppet Theater, Albino Raschendorfer Street. Opening hours - daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Built right in the middle of the forest on March 22, 1989, the Chico Mendes Memorial expresses respect to the national hero of Brazil, one of the founders of the Workers' Party, who was killed in Shapuri, Acre. This area includes: 18 thousand square meters of vegetation, numerous paths, a living spring, hourly producing 1,350 liters of mineral water. This place is also the seat of the Amazônica school and the Dadá Puppet Theater.
Iguaçu Park / Zoo, Mal Avenue. Floriano Tue - Fri - Opens 8: 30-16: 00; Sat, Sun and days recognized as official holidays - 8: 30-17: 00. This is Brazil's largest urban park with an area of 8 million square meters. Equipped with parking lots, kiosks, a bar, a snack bar, the park provides its visitors with a wide variety of entertainments, divided into 7 different zones: sports, sea business, fishing, forest, garden, nature reserve and zoo. Here - almost in the natural environment - live more than 80 species of animals: birds of South America, reptiles and various mammals.

Park "Passaúna", Eduardo Sprada street. Open daily. The Passaúna basin in the west of Curitiba contains almost 6.5 million square meters, of which 3.5 million belong to a lake created as a reservoir for a waterworks.From the height of the observatory you can admire a panoramic view of the plants growing here, their beauty and splendor. It is also worth walking along the paths among the trees and visiting the Biological Station and the old brick warehouse.
Pope Forest, Wellington Oliveira Vianna Street. Open daily from 6am to 8pm; Memorial - Tue.- Sun. from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The memorial to Polish immigrants was erected after a visit to Curitiba by Pope John Paul II. An area of 46.337 square meters was part of the area from which the evictions took place. Seven log houses, representing a memorial, are the eternal memory of the faith and struggle of Polish immigrants, whose symbols are an old cart, a barrel of sour cabbage and images of the patron saint. In Curitiba, Polish immigration began in 1871.
Portuguese Forest, Ozório Duque Estrada Street. Open to visitors daily. It is a symbol of Portuguese-Brazilian ties. The main attraction of the forest is the brook, on the tiles under which are excerpts from the works of the great Portuguese poets, which is also a tribute to the Portuguese sailors and their discoveries.
City alley, Luiz Leão street. Tue-Sun, 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.; aquarium - Tue.-Sun. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The avenue used to be called a botanical garden. This is the first public park in Curitiba that it was officially opened by the president of the province of Parana Alfredo d'Escragnolle Taunay on May 2, 1886. The creation of the alley was the first work to significantly improve and reorganize the urban area: the swamp existing here was turned into a resting place with lakes, bridges and islets of greenery. Curitiba's oldest zoo, located here, still contains small animals and pleases visitors. And the gate is a copy of the magnificent gate of the Dog Cemetery in Paris.
Reinhard Maack Forest, 70 André Ferreira Camargo Street, Vl Hauer. Open on holidays and weekends from 8 am to 5 pm. This is a tribute to the city and thanks to the German geologist and scientist who worked in Paran and made a huge contribution to the preservation of its environment. A small part of araucaria grows in the forest - unique plants that live only in this region. Ecological and educational excursions are also held here, during which visitors are told about environmental protection methods.
Tanguá Park, Dr. street Bemben. Opened in November 1996, the park has an area of 450 thousand square feet. Its main attraction is two quarries, interconnected by a 45-meter tunnel through which you can pass over the water. The park also has a jogging track, bike path, observatory, snack bar and Poty Lazzarotto garden.

Tingüi Park, Fredolin Wolf Avenue / José Casagrande Avenue. The park is open daily, a memorial on Tue.-Sun. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., craft shop: Tue.-Sun. 14: 30-18: 00. This is part of the country's largest ecological park, stretched along the banks of the Barigüi River. A statue of Tindiqüera Chieftain recalls the Indians that used to live in this territory. It also houses the Ukrainian Memorial, erected in honor of immigrants and representing a copy of the Orthodox Church, once built on the territory of the state of Parana and engaged in coloring Easter eggs and exhibitions of icons.
Tropeiros Park, Maria Lúcia Locher de Athayde, 10.000 - Cidade Industrial. Open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8am to 7pm. The traditions of the Gaucho culture brought by cattle traders passing Curitiba when they were heading to the Sorocaba Fair are preserved here. Thanks to them, many cities of the state were formed. The park is equipped with facilities for rodeo and dance.

Stadiums

The Major Antônio Couto Pereira Stadium is the largest football stadium in Parana, home to the Coritiba Football Club.
Stadium "Joaquim Américo Guimarães" - Baixad Arena. Already subjected to considerable changes, the arena is one of the most modern stadiums in Latin America. She was selected to host 4 games of the 2014 World Cup. The arena is the home stadium of the club Atletico Paranaense.

Tourist streets

Jerusalem Fountain, Sete de Setembro Avenue, at the intersection with Arthur Bernardes - Seminário Avenue. It was erected in honor of the 3000th anniversary of Jerusalem. The concrete and brickwork structure, reaching a length of 14.5 meters, was designed by the architect Fernando Canalli. At its top there are 3 bronze statues of angels - each weighing about 600 kg - made by the sculptor Lys Áurea Buzzi and symbolizing 3 monotheistic world religions, whose followers believe in angels and consider Jerusalem a holy city - Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
Fountain of Remembrance on Garibaldi Square. Designed by architect Ricardo Tod. The bronze head of the horse symbolizes the ancient settlers who came to the border of the city and traded fruits and vegetables grown on their small farms.
The fountain "Maria Lata D'Água", Generoso Marques Square is the center of the city, not far from the Museum of Human History. Together with the Museum, it was opened on May 15, 1996. A fountain built of concrete covers an area of approximately 36 square meters, and the surface of the water is located almost 60 cm below the ground. The key figure in the fountain - the sculpture "Água pro Morro" - was made by one of the most outstanding artists of Parana - Erbo Stenzel.

Mocinhas da Cidade Fountain, at the intersection of Cruz Machado and Alameda Cabral. It was built in honor of a couple and a duet performing songs in country styles - Nhô Belarmino e Nhá Gabriela. The fountain is decorated with drawings by Fernando Canalli, and columns with rods that frame tiled paintings. These drawings reflect the words of the song "Mocinhas da Cidade", which was immortalized by the duo, and which was first recorded at the studio in the early 50s of the 20th century.

Japan Square (Praça do Japão), intersection of Setembro Avenue and Rep. Argentina Avenue. The House of Culture is open from Tuesday to Sunday - from 9am to 6pm. Tea ceremonies are held on Thursdays from 9am to 4pm. The square is dedicated to the "sons of the Rising Sun", who once immigrated here and engaged in agriculture here. The area contains 30 cherry trees, sent at that time by the Japanese emperor, and several artificial Japanese lakes are located. In 1993, the House of Culture and the Tea House, the "Japanese Gate" (the Japanese Portal), were built.
Tiradentes Square (Praça Tiradentes) - the main square of Curitiba and part-time place of her birth. In the north of the square is the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Luz (Catedral Basílica Menor de Nossa Senhora da Luz), which celebrated its centenary in 1993. Since ancient times known as "Largo da Matriz", the square is the main attraction of the city. In 1880, after the visit of Emperor Pedro II to Parana, it was renamed the "Square named after Pedro II". After 9 years, already under the triumphant republic, the square got its current name - Tiradentis Square. Now it is the most important transport hub station and the most popular meeting place.
24 hours street (Rua 24 Horas) between Visconde de Nácar and Visconde do Rio Branco. This street, like the city, never falls asleep. In length, it is only 120 meters, in width - 12. Its 32 arches of metal pipes are part of the architecture that is characteristic only for Curitiba. There are also 34 shops operating around the clock, in which they represent all areas of trade: from a pharmacy to a flower shop, from a bookstore to milk traders. Here tourists and locals meet, moving in search of amusements, have a good time, clubs and eateries. It is also easy to get free Internet access here - day and night.
"Santa Felicidade" stretches along Manoel Ribas Avenue. This is the area where immigrants from Italy once settled and devoted their lives to agriculture, growing plants, making wine and cheese, and planting willow trees. Almost opposite the church there is a cemetery with a unique pantheon of 18 chapels, made in the neoclassical style and are historical and artistic heritage. Among the rest of the buildings, the "Geraniums House", "the Panels House", "the Arcades House" and "the Culpi House" stand out. But this area is known not only for architecture, but also for gastronomy. It can be called the Curitiba gastronomic center with a large number of restaurants offering its visitors to taste the dishes and wines of the settlers. In addition to all this, there are also distilleries, wine bars, shops selling artisans and willow furniture.

"São Cristóvão", Margarida Ângela Zardo Miranda street. Works from Mon. to Fri. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is the venue for all parties of local Italians: grape festival, wine festival and "4 Giorni". There is a lot of space to put tables and chairs, organize performances and cook polenta.
The historical part of the city, Largo da Ordem / Praça Coronel Enéas, Praça Garibaldi is a complex of the oldest buildings of the city. Among them: the Cathedral of the Romario Martins (18th-century Romário Martins), the Church of Tertier of the Order of St. Francis, built in 1737 and examples of German architecture dating from the second half of the 19th century. On Sunday mornings, the old sidewalks at Largo da Ordem, stretching past Garibaldi Square, Flower Clock, Fountain of Remembrance and the Garibaldi Society (Società Giuseppe Garibaldi), become the venue for fairs that sell handicrafts and play live music.

Food. What to try

Curitiba has a huge number of different restaurants: from rather modest to luxurious.

Keep in mind that in the city center restaurants often serve business lunches and there are a lot of visitors, but at night it is quite quiet here because many restaurants are already closed. On Sundays nights, almost all the bars and restaurants in the city center are also closed.

Budgetary

Montesquieu Bar, at the intersection of Westphalen and Silva Jardim (city center). It serves perhaps the largest sandwiches in Brazil, called "x-montanha" (cheese mountain). Layers of meat and bread can be added to these custom made sandwiches, and they are not expensive at all (around US $ 3).
Spich Restaurant, opposite Osorio Square (city center). Inexpensive and very simple restaurant in the city center. He will provide you with all the necessary daily calorie intake. A great variety of side dishes for meat dishes of two kinds at a price of R $ 5.50 (US $ 3).

Mid level

Santa Felicidade is an area where you can visit Italian restaurants.
Taco El Pancho, Rua Bispo Dom José, 2295 Bairro: Batel. Great Mexican restaurant.

Piola Pizzeria, Rua Dom Pedro II, 105 +55 (41) 3225-7725. It serves delicious pizza, as well as pasta and drinks.
Churrascaria Curitibana, Avenida Iguaçu, 1315, Rebouças, +554132335287. Great meat!
Famiglia Originale, Avenida Munhoz da Rocha, 665, Cabral, +554130190909. Great Italian cuisine and the best pizza "Stroganoff"!
Tropilha Grill, Rua Emiliano Perneta, 700, Centro, +554130855444. Wonderful churaskaria with excellent meat, salads and service - first class. Just $ R 70 for "Everything You Can Eat" (rodizio), and there are evenings when ladies can eat at half price! It is also one of the few restaurants that are open at night in the city center.

Expensive

Durski is a restaurant of Slavic cuisine (Ukrainian, Polish and Russian) located in the Historical part of the city.
Le Rechaud is a very good restaurant serving Swedish cuisine, which is suitable for dates, as it is famous for its cozy atmosphere and restraint.
Ippon Japanese. The "Everything You Can Eat" promotion is offered here for R $ 43.90 and it's inexpensive. (This price was relevant in 2011, at the end of 2014, the cost most likely was already around 80 R $)
Taisho is the best restaurant in Japanese tradition in all of Curitiba. For about R $ 60, US $ 40 you can try almost all dishes from the chef here.

Beverages

Flor da Favela, Rua Buenos Aires, 80 - Batel, Curitiba. Phone: +55 (41) 3232-5380. A local bar inspired by Brazilian slums. Bright graffiti design. The bar attracts mainly couples and students gathering together for a glass of beer and delicious food. Be sure to try the "Bolinho de Aipim" - a mini cassava pie with cheese.
Cat's Club, Al. Dr. Muricy, 949 - Downtown. Tel .: +55 (41) 3224 5912. One of Curitiba's traditional clubs, if not the most traditional of them. The audience here is very motley, but this is the best place. Where to have fun and have a good time. A crossdresser Paola Full and a security guard standing at the entrance warn of what is happening inside the building, and visitors here are gay, lesbian, bisexual and a huge number of heterosexuals.
James Bar, Av. Vicente Machado, 894 - Downtown. Tel .: +55 (41) 3222-1426. If you want to visit a more "alternative" club, then this one is for you. Rock parties are held here on Wednesdays and indie and electronic music are played on Saturdays. Gays here are also friendly.
Wonka Bar, Rua Trajano Reis, 326 - São Francisco. Phone: + 55 (41) 3026 6272. Classical club in the historical part of the city. Local groups sometimes perform here, and there are a lot of nice guys and girls among visitors on weekends.
Sheridan's Irish Pub, Rua Bispo Dom José, 2315 - Batel. Tel .: +55 (41) 3343-7779. Great place to skip a pint or two. Be sure to try the local handicraft beers.
Soviet Vodka Bar, Rua Bispo Dom José, 2277 - Batel. Phone: + 55 (41) 3022-2042. Vodka from all over the world.
5th Ave Manhattan Lounge, Rua Angelo Sampaio 1785 - Batel. Tel .: +55 (41) 3082-2464. New York-style lounge bar.
Hop'n Roll, Rua Mateus Leme 950. Tel .: 41 3408 4486. Opens at 17:30. Perhaps the most favorite place for fans of a foamy drink in Brazil. Near the pub there is a small brewery and a beer laboratory, providing visitors to the pub with a choice of 12 types of beer. Since Curitiba began trying to become a center for the production of artisanal beer in Brazil, the pub has also taught brewing art. Brazilian and other cuisines of the world are served here at reasonable prices. Sometimes live music is played.
O Torto Bar, R. Paula Gomes, 354 - city center (very close to the 'Largo da Ordem'). Tel: 41 3027-6458. 19:00 - 01:00. One of the most authentic clubs in the city. Very small room, most visitors are simply located outside. Relatively cheap beer (R $ 4 for 600 ml Sol or 5.50 for Heineken the same size). The best place to start your nightly adventures before going to Wonka / Blues Velvet / Empório São Francisco / Peppers.

Security. What to watch out for

The crimes committed in Curitiba against tourists are mostly non-violent - in most cases these are petty thefts. Because Curitiba can be a completely safe place, if you follow a few rules:

do not walk around the city center after 8 pm, especially along the "Largo da Ordem" (it’s safe here in the daytime),

when a stranger or a taxi driver offers you prostitutes or some strange things, just say “No” (overall, taxis in Curitib are safe),
under no pretext do not go into the districts of the city where the poor live: "tatuquara", "cic", "boqueirao", "sitio cercado".
Do not display expensive and valuable items.

Basically, the city districts are safe, but in some of them it is still worth being especially careful (especially at night):

Surroundings of the Main Bus Station (Rodoferroviária) - if you arrive late, take a taxi, even if the hotel is nearby.
The squares in the city center are safe during the daytime, but after 8 pm this place becomes a brothel of drug dealers and thieves, so it’s better to go around the square along the neighboring streets instead of crossing it.
The historical part of the city and the district of São Francisco (neighborhood of the historical part of the city). Drug traffickers and their buyers have long flooded the area, and here at night it is very turbulent due to the frequent cases of thefts and attacks - almost all of them are related to drugs. Addicts can be found on all the streets of the district. Avoid the deserted streets. This applies primarily to the dark, but caution here will not hurt even during the day. This area is currently causing the city the most trouble, and that is why do not walk here, but to get to it (or get out of it) it is better to take a taxi.

Batel Area - Be especially careful here.

"Rebouças" and "Prado Velho" - areas 2 km from the city center (if moving south).

Avoid the following areas:

In the areas located in the southern part of the city - Sitio Cercado, Fazendinha, Pinheiriho, Cidade Industrial, Tatuquara - the poorest people live. They have nothing to lose, so they are especially dangerous. Here, a third of the total population of Curitiba lives and most of the barracks are located.
Other dangerous areas of the city include: Parolin (southern outskirts of the city), Cajuru and Uberaba (eastern part), Campo Comprido and São Braz (western part of the city). However, there is nothing interesting for tourists here, so you should not climb here.

In general, always try to follow common sense. Curitiba is a big city, and in all big cities the problems are about the same: poverty, the homeless, drugs, prostitution, etc.Watch your belongings and do not walk at night on empty streets.

Beware or walk quickly past streets where there are almost no people, especially in the vicinity of the historic city center at any time. Both locals and tourists should avoid walking in the dark.

At night it is better to travel around the city by taxi. Almost all public transport completes its work by midnight.

As in any other large city, pedestrians should always look around before crossing the street, as most Curitiba drivers ignore both pedestrian crossings and the red traffic light.

Things to do

Serra Verde Express (Serra Verde) - This is a train going to the coastal city of Morretis and is one of the main reasons that make tourists fly to Curitiba. The views from the windows of this train are simply unforgettable! Departure of the express takes place daily at 08:15 in the morning, and the path runs through the small section of the Atlantic wet jungle remaining here, allowing passengers to see incredible landscapes (not to mention the fact that this is almost the only train operating in Brazil). On Sundays, the train runs to Paranagua, although the stretch of route from Morretis to Paranaguá is no longer so picturesque.
Depending on the degree of luxury of the wagons, passengers are offered 3 types of round-trip tickets: R $ 72 - economy class (they are very difficult to get), R $ 92 - tourist tickets (R $ 58 for children), R $ 133 - a class above ( R $ 63 for children) and R $ 290 - luxury class (R $ 205 for children). Get the cheapest ticket that you can get, because there is no significant difference between the cars. Return ticket is 30% cheaper. In addition to this train, there is a special train for tourists called "litorina", which travels only on weekends. The cost of a ticket for it is R $ 126.

You can spend the day like this: first take the train to Morretis, then take a taxi or carriage upstream (to Porto de Cima), rent a car camera ("boiacross" in Portuguese) and slide down the dirt roads. Rafting down the river through the humid jungle will be no less picturesque than a train ride. In addition, cleaner air than here, you will not find anywhere else in Brazil. Just be sure to choose a day not on weekends or during the holidays, otherwise there may be too many people here. Look for a hotel next to the takeaway diner, and this day will definitely be memorable and significant for you.

Shopping and shops

As in any other city in Brazil, in Curitiba you will not find better places for shopping than shopping centers.

The biggest shopping centers of Curitiba:

"Mueller"
"Estação"
"Curitiba"
"Crystal"
"Park Barigüi"
Shopping Palladium (www.shoppingpalladium.com.br) and the recently opened Patio Batel. "Patio Batel" is a luxury shopping center where you can find products of all Western brands.

If you want to take a walk, there are several shops in the Batel area. Walk along Carlos de Carvalho and cross the intersection. If you are looking for something from world famous brands - Prada, Dior, Armani, D&G and Diesel - take a look at Maison Capoani. This is a boutique located at the end of Comendador Araújo in Batel, very close to the Crystal Shopping Center.

Trade fairs

Feira do Largo da Ordem (fair on Largo da Ordem street) - an open-air market held every Sunday morning, where you can buy artisans, paintings, sculptures, local dishes, ecological pencils (Natural de Curitiba), visit the old exhibition cars and look at street artists at work.

Feira da praça da Espanha (fair on the Spanish Square) - they sell antiques here.

How to get around the city

The Curitiba city transport system is very simple and practical: it includes only buses. They run everywhere and each of them performs a specific function.

The fare on most routes is R $ 2.70 on weekdays and R $ 1.50 (€ 0.55 / U $ 0.70) on Sundays. In addition, within certain lines or areas of the city, you can transfer to any other bus for free.

There are also buses in Curitiba that perform some special functions. For example, those who travel only in the city center (the City Center Circulator) (fare in it is only R $ 1.50 (€ 0.60 / U $ 0.90)). Or specialized tourist (the Touristic Route), the route of which includes more than 20 attractions, and four of them can be visited by a passenger for the price of one (though the fare in such buses is quite high - R $ 35.00). And there are airport shuttles (the Airport Shuttle) - minibuses that carry passengers between the center of Curitiba and the Afonso Pen Airport. As for the best way to get from the airport to the center, it is the Aeroporto bus, the final stop of which is located at the metro station right next to the main entrance to the airport. The fare is R $ 2.70, which is cheaper than a shuttle (R $ 13.00) and even less so than a taxi (R $ 60.00).

Despite the fact that the transport network in Curitiba is quite developed, there are a lot of road lanes (over 60 km), most avenues are quite wide and equipped with sidewalks for safe and non-intersecting traffic of pedestrians and drivers, moving around the city by car can create many problems. Especially for those who are in the city for the first time and who have not yet had time to get used to the local traffic. Indeed, in the central part of Curitiba there are many one-way roads, parking restrictions, pedestrian zones and road lanes intended only for buses.