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The
Flower City, Joinville, is a pulsing industrial and
cultural center in the
state of Santa Catarina. Young and vibrating, the largest city in the
state is clean, flowery and very green, thanks to the Atlantic Rainforest
that surrounds Joinville.
The
first impression is that you are in a German land. German immigration was
huge in Joinville and its heritage is strong in architecture as well as in
the culinary, dance and popular culture. However, this modern city also
attracted the Polish and Russians to name a couple.
A
view from the lookout
You
could start a visit to the city by going to the Mirante do Morro Boa Vista. The view is really nice and it gives an idea of how
clean and environmentally friendly Joinville is, despite the fact that it
is an industrial center.
After
 that, stop by the Immigration and Colonization Museum and check out
its collection. Opposite to the museum is Palmeiras Street, where
you can rest for a while or eat a snack. In the mood for shopping? The
City’s Public Market is the place to go. With its German architecture,
it carries local craft, spice stores, local products, a restaurant, coffee
shop and a playground.
A
Boat Tour through the Babitonga Bay
The
tour on board the Prince Joinville III takes you to the 14 islands of
Babitonga Bay. It is well worth it. The boat, with the capacity for
350 passengers, has a great infrastructure with pool, restaurant and bars.
If you read any the other pages, you may have noticed that I love boat
tours. Whenever there is one available, there I go.
A
Journey into a Rural Land
Estrada Bonita (Beautiful Road) is a “beautiful” ride and it offers an
opportunity to take in the beauty of the valley. The place seems to have
stopped in time and it feels like you are back in a German colony of the
last century. Along the way, you will find extremely nice and hospitable
people that sell delicious homemade products such as jams, cheese, bread,
biscuits and so on. This is a not to miss ride into the past of Brazil.
Eating out
Joinville has lots of excellent restaurants and the German Cuisine is a
specialty of the city. We have tried Grün Wald Restaurant, which is
in a Private Inn (47-464-1271). You should most definitely try what
Brazilians call Colonial Coffee which consists of homemade jams and a
variety of pies and cakes. A good choice is the Delicatesse Viktoria
(47-3422-0570).
Nearby Joinville
Beautiful beaches are all around. São Francisco do Sul is the third oldest
city in Brazil, discovered in 1504. It has a wonderful historic center.
Take your time getting to know the beaches of Ubatuba, Prainha and
Itaguaçú. Penha, where the largest multi theme park in the world – Beto
Carrero World is located, is only 80 km away.
Distances
Florianópolis 182 km,
Balneário Camboriú 90 km, Blumenau 131 km, Curitiba 133
km, São Paulo 535 km, Rio de Janeiro 974 km.
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