t Praia do Campeche, Santa Catarina.
discover Brazil Itineraries
Get an early flight to Porto Alegre and pick up a car at the airport. Drive into the city center and spend the morning exploring Mercado Público, which offers a perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with the regional food. Have a meat-filled lunch at traditional churrascaria NB Steak (nbsteak.com.br), then drive northwards to Brazil’s best-known mountain resort, Gramado. Stroll around the flower-filled Parque Knorr and admire the Alpine styled chalets; in the evening, go all in on the Swiss theme and treat yourself to cheese fondue at Belle du Valais (Ave das Hortências 1432). Bunk down for the night at the luxurious Saint Andrews boutique hotel (www.saintandrews.com.br/pt), which has gorgeous mountain views and impeccable service.
Swap your mountain setting for Italian vibes at Bento Gonçavales. Ride the charming steam train to Garibaldi and back, passing through vineyards. Head on to Vale dos Vinhedos and check into Casa Valduga (www.casavalduga.com.br). Spend the afternoon tasting the bodega’s sparkling wines, then stroll through the picturesque surroundings. Come nightfall, indulge in a wine-paired dinner at the hotel restaurant, allowing a few hours to work your way through chef Franco Gioelli’s delectable creations.
Rise early for the six-hour drive through the interior to Rio Grande do Sul’s best-kept Jesuit ruins: São Miguel das Missões. Stroll around this UNESCO World Heritage Site, marveling at the intricate Guaraní-Baroque architecture. Stay until sunset, when the ruins bask in the warm golden light, and then spend the night at the simple, well-located Pousada Missões (www.pousadadasmissoes.com.br).
It’s another sunrise start, this time to set off for Foz do Iguaçu. Splurge on your accommodations here and stay right by the thunderous cascades, at the pastel-pink Hotel das Cataratas Belmond (www.belmond.com). It’s the only hotel in the national park, so leave plenty of time to enjoy the surroundings while the park is off-limits to everyone else. Dine at the hotel before getting a good night’s sleep.
Wake up at dawn to see the falls and the rainforest bathed in magical morning light; this is a great opportunity to take striking photographs. For unbeatable views, treat yourself to a helicopter ride across the cascades. In the afternoon, drop your car off at the airport and fly to Florianópolis and its splendid beaches. Pick up another hire car and drive to the lovely fishing village of Ribeirão da Ilha, with its excellent seafood restaurants. It’s a busy place in January and February but off-season you have the place pretty much to yourself. Spend the evening strolling around the colorful Portuguese houses and photographing the moored fishing boats, before a dinner of oysters at the popular Ostradamus (www.ostradamus.com.br).
Wake yourself up with an early swim before driving to Praia do Campeche, one of the island’s finest beaches. Have a healthy, Thai-inspired lunch at Mercado Sehat (www.mercadosehat.com.br), then drive on to the charming village of Santo Antônio de Lisboa, a well-preserved Azorean settlement, before returning to Florianópolis. Stroll the fruit, vegetable, and seafood stalls at the city’s Mercado Público, then head to the exclusive Ponta dos Ganchos resort (www.pontadosganchos.com.br). It’s set on a private peninsula lined with deluxe bungalows; be sure to book well in advance.
Spend your morning enjoying the resort’s amenities and the tranquil setting of the private beach, with its brain-stilling soundtrack of crickets and chirping birds, and picturesque backdrop of passing local fishing boats. Rouse yourself in the early afternoon to go for a leisurely hike in the surrounding area, before heading back to Florianópolis for a flight home.
discover Brazil Itineraries
t Praia do Campeche, Santa Catarina.