I like to remember this wonderful city and decided to update this older post, it has been a while without returning to Curitiba, State of Paranà in Brazil. I was lucky to visit the country several times over the last years ,and even thus not there since 2018, the memories will lingered for a long time. I like to bring it alive ,these wonderful memories of forever. This was my introductory post and then, there were many more.
Let me tell you about Curitiba where I spent 3 months of glorious residency, and great lasting memories, experiences ,and worth it going there for all. The city of Curitiba has world reputation for its outlook on the ecology, durable development, quality of life, and performing infrastructure’s as well as a dynamic economy. The city is an example of urban planning especially with the invention of the above surface metro (sort like a big long bus) . It has been call the City model of Latin America by many experts. The city is divided today into 75 neighborhoods and into 10 administrative districts.
A bit of history I like.
The city of Curitiba was founded in 1654 and raised to City status in 1693 under the name of Vila de Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais or City of Our Lady of Light of Pines. The current name was officially given by an act of Congress in 1721 and come from the Tupi Indian word Coré Etuba, that means many pines making reference to the many pines on the hills surrounding the city. In the 1700s, Curitiba possessed a favorable location between cattle-breeding country and marketplaces, leading to a successful cattle trade and the city’s first major expansion. Beginning in 1870, many immigrants started to arrive due to a government land expansion program to inhabits large tracks of lands in Brazil. The majority of these immigrants came from Germany, Poland, Italy, and also French, Japanese, English, and Swiss. The Germans came in by 1872, and Polish by 1871, the Italians by 1872 founding the district of Santa Felicidade in 1878 (very good restos here !). You, also, have the Ukrainians coming in by 1895, and the Japanese by 1915 and many from 1924 onwards. The Syrians/Lebanese came in also around this time as well. The first federal University in Brazil was founded here in 1913 as well the year of the electrification of the trolley bus .
The gateway to wild Brazil and the Iguazu Falls, plus Pantanal, Ile da Mielhe, and Morrete, Ruta Gracioza , Serra Verde train ride!, marvelous terrain and inland historical Lapa , What is there ,well a very nice cosmopolitan city. I spent over the years the most consecutive time here,3 months!! its an enchanting city! My home the apart hotel the Mercure Curitiba Batel ; you come in from the airport on avenida vicomte de guarapauva and leave on ave sete de septembro. The mercure webpage: https://all.accor.com/hotel/2127/index.en.shtml
Batel is a noble/chic neighborhood where you will be in good safe areas, full of everything around you. That is where the Mercure hotel is on; at the corner of the appart hotel you have a grocery store, mercadorama. Walking distace from here you can see the tower font de jerusalem, mercado central, rodoferraria bus and train, praça Japao (Japan Plaza), and the main downtown city center shopping mall like Batel Novo shops, and Shopping Crystal as well as shopping Curitiba, and Shopping Estaçao Central with a railroad museum inside! Your typical Wal-Mart store with my car for shopping , and the most time went to the Carrefour store on my way to from work at Pinais just outside the city , the other I went sometimes was the Extra supermarket , Other shopping pleasures are shopping Mueller, by Passeio Publico, and the biggest just outside by the park Barigui is Shopping Barigui , and yet in city center you have,also, shopping Italia!
There are various restaurants/bars in town ,my hangouts were places such as Emporio San Francisco with great beers and live music ; Jokers Pub Cafe in center city, great ambiance at nights, Restaurant Familia Fadanelli (wonderful place ) in neighborhood of Santa Felicidade, great Italian tradition and the farewell restaurant for me last time in the city with many friends, Churrasqueria Batel Grill, the great Brazilian steak houses, cant beat it , Mustang Sally for the real Mexican in you ,right in Batel. For an American in Curitiba, and great burgers deluxe head for Peggy Sue (closed here for the memories), For the Cuban mojito and some salsa then head for Guantanamera (now closed here for the memories). For the real Brazilian taste and home cooking head for Tropilha Grill, and Chimarrao Grill . For the Spanish in me go to Pata Negra, Rua Fernando Simas,23, in the area of Batel, Praça de Espanha, flamenco music live on Fridays. Spanish and great cooking, like I was at home. If you want to bring home some Brazilian wines with an Italian twist then head for Durigans winery, a real wine store, winery in one.
And for things to see there are so many in and around the city and not far from it if with a car as I had, my Chevy Prisma lol!
For tourist attractions ,my favorites were/are Bosque Alemao (German black forest), Cathedral (Basílica Menor de Nossa Senhora da Luz de Curitiba) , Centro historico or city historical center walks, Jardim Botanico or botanical gardens where in 2007 in Brazil poll it was declared one of the seven wonders of Brazil! it houses a part of the University ,Memorial Ucraniano(Ukranian memorial) at Parque Tingui, Opéra de Arame (Wire Opera House) at the Parque da Pedreiras , built in 1992 in a circular design of metal tubes covered with polycarbonate fiber given it a cage feel , Parque Barigui( with an antique automobile museum webpage auto museum in Portuguese) my best park , Parque Tangua (impressive!), Passeio Publico (first park n Curitiba 1886) right in quant city center (see pic) , Praça do Japao (Japan plaza),Praça Tiradentes (center and birthplace of the city),Torre Panoramica (panoramic tower of 109.5 meters), Santa Felicidade neighborhood (Little North Italy),Castelo do Batel or castle inspired by the French castles owners saw in France, now a cultural center, walk from my hotel. The Contemporary Arts museum of Oscar Niemeyer, A great historical center of learning the Universidade Federal do Parana, oldest in Brazil. The Municipal Market is not a normal market, there are a lot of organic products, and vegan food. The food court has a lot of Asian food, vegan food and organic too. There you will find everything and more. It is located in downtown, next to the bus station of Curitiba.
A modern city of our world, public transport is second to none in Brazil, even I tried it lol! There is a Linha Turismo bus service that take you to the 22 principal spots in the city coming out from Centro praça tiradentes from 9h to 17h30 every 30 minutes city of Curitiba govt webpage : https://www.urbs.curitiba.pr.gov.br/transporte/linha-turismo
The main bus terminal is at avenida Presidente Afonso Camargo,340 Centro right across from mercado central, praça rua Barosa, The airport for all arrivals and departures is the Afonso Pena international airport, just outside the city at Sao Jose des Pinhas, best inexpensive take taxi to city , airport webpage: webpage : https://www4.infraero.gov.br/aeroportos/aeroporto-internacional-de-curitiba-afonso-pena/
One of the best ways to see the coastal areas from Curitiba is to take the Serra Verde train, a wonderful ride into time with magnificent views like to Morretes,webpage : https://serraverdeexpress.com.br/
Another nice areas to visit from Curitiba other than Foz de Iguaçu are Morretes ( the summer get away of folks in Curitiba), and Lapa (epic battle for the federal union of Brazil), they were weekends escapes for me while there by car!!
Some further webpages to help you plan your trip are:
The Curitiba tourist office: https://turismo.curitiba.pr.gov.br/en/
The Curitiba City Hall prefecture on its history in Portuguese: https://www.curitiba.pr.gov.br/conteudo/perfil-da-cidade-de-curitiba/174
You need to check for updates but in my time there you could go by bus to Foz do Iguaçu,(Iguazú Falls) and you can choose a conventional or convencional bus or a couch bed bus Leito. The line was Catarinense. webpage: https://www.catarinense.com.br/nossos-destinos
There you go folks, wonderful memories forever, could be great if able to go back for a visit, Hope you can, it is recommended by yours truly, Curitiba was is wonderful.
And remember happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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