Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 341

it's on the radar of São Paulo's rich list and
has no budget accommodation aside from
camping. Stunning coves and Atlantic
forest mark the route onwards to Ubatuba ,
an energetic yet plain town best known for
its 72 beaches on nearby islands and inlets.
Though some now resemble hotel resorts,
they're still the state's best, and numerous
secluded spots remain. A car or plenty of
time on buses is needed to explore them,
but you'll most probably find plenty of
like-minded beach seekers to do it with.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus 13 buses/day ply the route from São Paulo's
Rodoviária Tietê (R$47) to São Sebastião, while there are
3/day from Santos (both 4hr). From there, 4 buses/day
make the 2hr journey eastwards to Ubatuba (R$20), and
beyond, 2 buses daily go from Ubatuba direct to Rio, or 6
(3 on Sun) to Paraty (2hr; R$20).

forbidden on the beautiful islands of the
Bay of Paranaguá in Paraná - the most
frequently visited being the gorgeous Ilha
do Mel . By way of contrast, tourism has
encroached along Santa Catarina's coast,
but development has been restrained and
resorts around Florianópolis , particularly
in the south of the Ilha Santa Catarina ,
remain small and in tune with the
region's natural beauty.
Beyond the pretty German enclaves of
Gramado and Canela, the highland areas
and the pampas of southern Rio Grande
do Sul are largely given over to vast cattle
ranches and latter-day gauchos - who
share many cultural similarities with their
Uruguayan and Argentine neighbours.
The haunting remnants of Catholic
missions pay homage to the brief but
productive Jesuit occupation of the area.

3

ACCOMMODATION
HI Maresias Hostel Rua Sebastião Romão Cesar 406, São
Sebastião T 12 3865 6612. A great place to relax after the
rigours of the big city, and also l lively with Paulista and
Argentine surfers in season. R$35
HI Tribo Hostel Rua Amoreira 71, Ubatuba T 12 3842
0585, W ubatubahostel.com. Consummate facilities include
free wi-fi, large buffet breakfast, games and book/DVD
rental, while the lively party atmo sphere is aided by the
Praia do Lázaro right on hand. R$30

CURITIBA
Founded by the Portuguese in 1693,
CURITIBA was of little importance until
1853 when it was made capital of the
newly created state of Paraná. Since then,
the city's population has risen steadily
from a few thousand to 1.8 million, its
inhabitants largely descendants of Polish,
German, Italian, Ukrainian and other
immigrants. Home to a pristine old town
and some enticing art museums, notably
the eye-catching Museu Oscar Niemeyer ,
to visit Curitiba is to experience the best of
the Brazilian economic boom: on average,
curitibanos enjoy Brazil's highest standard
of living, the city boasts facilities that are
the envy of other parts of the country, and
its eco-friendly design is a model that
many urban planners try to emulate.

The South
Southern Brazil - the states of Paraná ,
Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul - is
a land of gauchos, barbecues and beaches.
It's also generally considered to be the
most developed region in the country
and shows little of the obvious poverty
found elsewhere. As a result the South
can be an expensive place to travel, and
hotel and restaurant prices are equivalent
to those in Rio de Janeiro. Choose wisely,
though, and you can still find good-value
places to stay and eat out.
The spectacular Iguaçu Falls are
deservedly the South's most visited
attraction, though it's the subtropical
southern coast that provides much of
the region's allure in the summer
(Nov-March). Building is virtually

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Most of Curitiba's attractions can be
visited relatively easily in a day or so on
foot. However, if you have limited time,
take the Linha Turismo bus tour , which
departs from Praça Tiradentes (every
30min Tues-Sun 9am-5.30pm; R$27).
Stopping at 25 attractions around the city
centre and suburbs, it takes two hours
thirty minutes to complete the full
circuit. Tickets allow passengers five
hop-on hop-off stops.