Campos do Jordão (3) - Capivari

Campos do Jordão (3)

Capivari neighborhood

The centre of  Capivari district - the Baden Baden bar of artisanal beer

Another hotel at Capivari district, in Campos do Jordão

The main touristic neighbourhood in Campos do Jordão is Capivari, where buildings were built in a swiss-like form. Restaurants, bars and stores are located here, and it is the most charming place in the city. For those who like crowds, street life, shopping and eating well, this is the place to be. Of course, this is also the most expensive place to stay, to eat and to shop. 

Nightlife is also here, as shops, bars and restaurants, specially in the high season (june/july) remain openned untill late at night. Eventually, some promoters bring parties and discos to the city and, if they are not held in Capivari, ticket selling is most likely to be done here. 

People of all ages goes to Capivari, so fun is granted for all.   

Campos do Jordão 2 - the winter festival

Campos do Jordão (2)

the winter music festival

The Claudio Santoro Auditorium, which helds the main presentations at the Winter Music Festival of Campos do Jordão

Campos do Jordão hosts the Winter Music Festival (Festival de Inverno de Campos do Jordão), when the symphonic orchestra of São Paulo State (Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo - OSESP) makes a series of presentations in the city. 

The Claudio Santoro Auditorium, which helds the main presentations at the Winter Music Festival of Campos do Jordão

The winter festival is held in July, when winter is stronger at brazillian southernmost states, and specially here, where the peaks, located 2000m (1,24miles) above sea level produce temperatures under zero degrees celsium.

Musicians plays all around the city, speacially in the squares. The city gets crowded and its hotels full of tourists. Main presentations of the symphonic orchestra are held at the Claudio Santoro Auditorium, located in a hill in the city outskirts.

In front of the Auditorium, there is a garden full of sculptures and Araucaria trees, the pictoresque pine from the south of Brazil. 

Campos do Jordão 1 - a winter escapade

Campos do Jordão, a winter escapade (1)

A hotel at Campos do Jordão, by night, at Capivari neighborhood.

195km (126 miles) away from São Paulo there´s the swiss style city of Campos do Jorão. Located in the highest peaks of Mantiqueira Sierra, which divides the northeast of São Paulo state and the south of Minas Gerais state, it is also halfway by car from the city of São Paulo to the city of Rio de Janeiro. 

The Mantiqueira Mountain Range, a view close to Campos do Jordão 

The altitude makes this city the coldest in São Paulo state, and people flock here during winter to feel the cold in a country mostly used to high temperatures.

Roads linking São Paulo to Campos are very good. You can eighter take the Presidente Dutra road, which links São Paulo to Rio, and follow the signs to Campos and then take the road that climbs up the Mantiqueira by the km 139 at Dutra. 

Another option is to take the Ayrton Senna/Governador Carvalho Pinto roads (named before as Trabalhadores), which is an extension of Marginal Tietê, the avenue which is at Tietê´s river margin at São Paulo. This path demands only going straight ahead from São Paulo´s east zone, taking tourists directly to the road over the Mantiqueira Sierra. 

I recommend Ayrton Senna/Carvalho Pinto, because this road is more modern, speed limits are a bit higher and they have less trucks and buses when compared to Dutra, as this road links the biggest brazillian city (São Paulo) to its second (Rio de Janeiro). 

Using a GPS can make this trip very easy, although signs are very clear at the roads. Both ways have tolls, both automatic and with people at the cabins, just mind of having cash. Remember only  BRL, brazillian reais, are accepted. The tolls demand about 15 to 20 reais (about 5 US dollars) each way São Paulo-Campos do Jordão.    

The city is also reachable from Rio, as it is almost halfway through Presidente Dutra road. 

The Araucárias, a typical pine tree in the mountains of south Brazil. 

If you land in Brazil by the São Paulo International Airport - Guarulhos - GRU, it is even easier to rent a car and get straight away to Campos do Jordão, because both roads are linked with the airport road. Besides, by doing so, you could avoid about 30km of traffic jams inside São Paulo. 

The closest airport, however, is São José dos Campos (SJK), a city 89 km away from São Paulo, also crossed by Presidente Dutra and Ayrton Senna roads. This airport operates only (and few) domestic flights, so timetable may not be convenient, depending where from Brazil you could be comming. In the other hand, GRU is the most important airport in Brazil, whith the greatest number of both international and domestic flights in Brazil. 

GRAMADO AND CANELA

In the southernmost state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, a pair of two cities puts you in an unimaginated european atmosphere in South America: Gramado and Canela.

(above, Rapunzel´s Tower in front of the Black Lake and inside Gramado´s church)

This region, settled by german inmigrants mostly, is know for very good cheese, wine and fondue, as well for its german-style cooking. 

The most famous winery in Brazil is Miolo (www.miolo.com.br), located in the area of Bento Gonçalves, another city in the Serra Gaúcha. For visiting, you can see the tips at http://www.miolo.com.br/en/enotourism/ 

Both Gramado and Canela are very close to each other (7km) and no more than two hours drive from Porto Alegre, the state capital. There are tour operators to get you there, but renting a car at Salgado Filho International Airport is a very convenient way to go there. Don´t forget taking the GPS. Also, the car will allow you to know neighbouring cities and wineyards, making the trip a lot more interesting.

The cities are located in a mountain range known as Serra Gaúcha, one of the coldest parts of Brazil, though, even in winter, it is rare temperatures can get under 0 degrees Celsium.  

During Christmas, Gramado celebrates the "Natal Luz", or "Christmas of Light", with Santa Claus´parades, fireworks and celebrations. It´s a hot Christmas, since it is winter in South Hemisphere, but very recommended for families with children. 

(above, streets of Gramado and one of its Chocolate stores, during winter)

Gramado also helds the Brazillian Film Festival, held in august. Their site is only in portuguese and spanihs: http://www.festivaldegramado.net/novo/. It is a good time to visit the city, as there are music concerts and parties, and it is also held the kikito award to the best movies. The kikito is a parody of the Oscar, a funny way to celebrate brazillian cinema. Here it is the main road of the city:

Canela has a very beautifull stone Cathedral, which is worth visiting:

And, as we´re in Brazil, there´s always something related to the nature to see. The Caracol Cascade is at a natural park nearby Canela, and can be seen from the top very easily. Going down requires effort and physical preparation, so it isn´t advisable for people with reduced mobility. The visit can also be done by a cable car (2nd photo down). 

Gramado also hosts, in the middle of the city, the Lago Negro (Black Lake), surrounded by poplars and cypresses. 

At this part of Brazil, it doesn´t seem you´re in Brazil, a country always related to beaches, sun and high temperatures. But it is really good to visit those two lovely cities with very good food and a taste of Europe in Latin America.