The South - The Rough Guide to Brazil - page 600

Tílias. As the dense forest around the settlement was gradually cleared, more settlers
joined the colony, but after Germany's annexation of Austria in 1938, immigration
came to an end - as did funds to help support the pioneers during the di cult first
years. The area eventually came to specialize in dairy farming, and today its milk
products are sold in supermarkets throughout Santa Catarina. The Tirolerfest
( W tirolerfest.com.br) during the first two weeks of October is a lively display of
Austrian folk traditions including singing and dancing.
But for the absence of snowcapped mountain peaks, the general appearance of Treze
Tílias is not dissimilar to that of a small Alpine village. Walking in any direction, you'll
pass through peaceful pastoral landscapes; the gentle 7km walk to the chapel in the
hamlet of Babenberg is particularly rewarding. If you decide to visit the local waterfalls
a few kilometres outside town, get very detailed directions before setting out.
In Treze Tílias itself, try to visit some of the woodcarvers , several of whom have
shops in the centre of the village where items, large and small, are for sale. The best
woodcarvers learned their craft in Europe, and their work is in demand from churches
throughout Brazil.

9

Museu Municipal Andreas Thaler
Rua Dr. Basílio Celestino de Oliveira • Mon-Sat 9.30am-noon & 2-6pm, Sun 10am-noon & 2-5pm • R$2
On the main street, the grand mansion known as the “Castelinho” is now the Museu
Municipal Andreas Thaler , featuring a small collection of photographs and paintings of
the area in the 1930s and 1940s, as well as items brought with the immigrants from
Austria. Completed in 1937, the house was initially the residence of town founder
Andreas Thaler (1883-1939) and his family until 1969, serving thereafter as the city
hall until 2002.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION TREZE TÍLIAS

By bus All buses stop right in the centre of the village
outside the Hotel Áustria . Treze Tílias is only an hour or so
north of Joaçaba, where you'll have to change coming by
bus. To get to Joaçaba, Reunidas ( W reunidas.com.br) runs
6 daily buses direct from Lages and Florianópolis (9hr), and
on to Chapecó; from Joaçaba buses run to Treze at 6am,

11am & 3.30pm (1hr 10min; R$10.31). Reunidas
( W reunidas.com.br) also runs 2 daily buses between Treze
and Videira (7.10am & 4.45pm; 1hr; R$9.46).
Tourist information Secretaria do Turismo at Rua
Leoberto Leal 195 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-3pm,
Sun 9am-1pm; T 49 3537 0997, W trezetilias.com.br).

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Cervejaria Bierbaum Rua Dr. Gaspar Coutinho 439
T 49 3537 0531, W bierbaum.com.br. Top-notch
microbrewery attached to Edelweiss where you can sample
the Reinheitsgebot-sanctioned suds (or buy bottles to take
away), with unusual flavours such as pineapple, right next
to the factory. Tues-Sun 6pm-midnight.
Edelweiss Rua Dr Gaspar Coutinho 441 T 49 3537 0531.
Traditional-looking place with excellent craft beers brewed
next door (see above), and typical Austrian/German food,
with especially good sausages and strudel (but also pizza)
and live music. Tues-Sun 6pm-midnight.

Hotel Tirol Rua São Vicente de Paula 111 T 49 3537
0125, W hoteltirol.com.br. Typical Tyrolean-style chalet
hotel, complete with geraniums hanging from every
balcony, very comfortable, modern rooms and a heated
pool. Also does decent buffets in its restaurant. Daily
11am-3.30pm. R$135
Hotel Schneider Estrada Geral T 49 3537 0184,
W hotelschneider.com.br. Traditional Austrian-style lodge
where even the rooms are decorated with beautiful wood-
carvings, and come with TV, a/c and free wi-fi fi (room s at the
front tend get some noise from the highway). R$120

Videira
Some 40km east of Treze Tílias in the valley of the Rio do Peixe, the population of
VIDEIRA ( W videira.sc.gov.br) is mainly of Italian origin, descended from migrants who
came from Rio Grande do Sul in the 1940s, their brightly painted wooden houses
instantly distinguishable from the Austrians' chalets. Thanks to the Italians, this is
Brazil's "Capital do Vinho", and vines dominate the landscape.