Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SANTA CATARINA & PARANÁ
B
razil's southern states are a delight for nature-lovers, with
Paraná's spectacular Iguaçu Falls surrounded by lush
rainforest and lovely beaches fringing the coast of tiny Santa
Catarina. The region's long history of immigration from Europe has
created a unique cultural identity that is visible even today.
During the 17th and 18th
centuries, military garrisons
were established all along
the coast of Southern
Brazil to guard against
possible Spanish encroach-
ment, and immigrants from the
Portuguese mid-Atlantic islands
of the Azores were brought in
to establish farming and fishing
settlements. Over time, these settle-
ments grew into important towns,
and Curitiba - on the trade route bet-
ween Rio Grande do Sul and Minas
Gerais - transformed into one of
Brazil's most dynamic cities.
From 1840 to the mid-1900s, the
interiors of Paraná and Santa Catarina
were opened to immigration, with
waves of European and other settlers
staking out small farms. The new-
comers settled along ethnic lines,
with the Polish concentrated around
Curitiba, Ukrainians in southern
Paraná, Germans in Santa Catarina's
Itajaí Valley, and Italians in the
southern part of the state.
The physical and cultural
isolation of ethnic groups
has resulted in distinct
identities being maintained
in rural areas to this day. The
towns of Paranaguá, Antonina,
and Morretes in Paraná, and
Laguna, Florianópolis, and São
Francisco do Sul in Santa Catarina
also retain visible characteristics of
their European origins.
The main destination for visitors to
Paraná are the Iguaçu Falls and the
surrounding rainforest. The state's
coast has escaped the excesses of
development despite the natural
beauty of Ilha do Mel, Guaraqueçaba,
and Superaguï Island. Visitors to
Santa Catarina make straight for
the beaches of Florianópolis. The
mountainous interior around São
Joaquim and Lages is worth visiting
for its spectacular scenery.
Turquoise waves hitting Florianópolis beach, Santa Catarina
Litorina, the tourist train running between Paranaguá and Morretes in Paraná
