Programme

Places to visit in Curitiba and things to do 

Credits: (GreenMochila, 2023)

The attractions in Curitiba aren’t as spread out as in other Brazilian cities; so you can just gently stroll on your sightseeing from one to the other. That way, you’ll definitely have time to sit down at a pastelaria (patisserie) and enjoy a slice of bolo (cake). Or two!

We think it’s good if you spend 3 days in Curitiba; and divide your time between doing fun things in different parts of town

Explore the Botanical Garden

The Jardim Botânico is a pretty cool place to visit. Especially in warm weather when you can marvel at the native flora from grass level, that is sitting down. And if we add the metal Art Nouveau style building that houses a beautiful French garden, it’s an absolute must!

There’s a 200-meter trail within the botanical garden, where you can learn and sense native plants and natural landscapes (which, in Brazil, is of course fascinating!). You can reach the gardens with a short walk from downtown, they’re open 6 am-7:30 pm.

Parque Tanguá

We don’t know if it’s possible to walk along the river from one park to the other; but otherwise, it’s just a 50-min walk, from the district of Pilarzinho to Taboão. For us, this kind of park-hopping ranks among the best things to do in Curitiba Brazil.

Tanguá Park offers a circular walk around a lake, with a lookout over the greenery and even a modest waterfall. Is it lunch time already? There’s a restaurant inside.

Wire Opera House or Ópera de Arame

This functioning opera house is a round glass building in front of the Parque das Pedreiras, district of Abranches. Built in 1992 by Domingos Bongestabs, it’s a rather intimate space, with only 1000 seats, literally surrounded by the green vegetation outside. Due to the environment, I think this is one of the best things to do in Curitiba.

Visit it for free from Tuesday to Sunday and once there, don’t forget to look up and marvel at the glass ceiling. Or if you’d like to watch a show, check here the program. 

Visit the Oscar Niemeyer Museum

It’s called Museu Oscar Niemeyer (site in Portuguese) and abbreviated as MON. It exhibits the most important Brazilian contemporary artists (many of them women, I was happy to notice) and international artists; an Asian collection was also on display when we were there.

Considering that it’s a regional museum, I found the exhibitions quite impressive, and the guiding commentary to the Asian museum eye-opening.

The building itself is called “The eye” (o olho) and is an attraction already; it was constructed by Oscar Niemeyer, one of the 3 guys who built Brasília from scratch in the 1960’s. This museum is among his most famous buildings, and we can see why. It’s definitely one of the most fun things to do in Curitiba.

What to visit in the northern districts of Curitiba

The northern part is the green lung of the city, with parks full of flora and fauna, so it’s among the most relaxing things to do in Curitiba. It’s really cosy, for a fresh stroll and a picnic, away from the cement and stones of the centre. 

Tingui Park

This long park with a weird gut shape takes its name from a native tribe that lived in the region. It’s part of a project to create a linear park all along River Barigui, connecting Tanguá Park to Barigui Park. There are sweet little capybaras roaming about.

If you are further interested in the European roots of Curitiba, visit the Ukrainian Memorial; it features a replica of a Ukrainian traditional house made of wood, some 11,500 km (7,150 mi) away from Ukraine. It’s this one:

Things to do in Curitiba – Centro Cívico

This district, north of the centre, is the city’s administrative area. It’s full of beautiful architecture scattered in a quiet environment, with a great art museum and even a small wood.

Stroll along the quiet avenues

Admire the modern buildings gathered in this part of town. There are several palaces, squares and public artworks that could well captivate you for a few minutes (each). There aren’t many places where to grab food from, so bring your pão de queijo with you.

Things to do in Curitiba Downtown

We were really surprised by Curitiba, in more than one way. There’s enough life on the streets and the squares, but it’s not bursting at the seams; you would hardly guess this is a 2 million-people metropolis. We would have that feeling again in Porto Alegre, although that is palpably smaller.

The centre is the part where you’ll find most hotels and hostels for every budget. On our evening stroll back from a free movie projection, we saw many youngsters sitting and drinking on the street. We went for a craft beer in one of the many bars not far from the flower clock.

Have a stroll in Centro

We recommend you start your Curitiba sightseeing walk from the main squares: Osorio and Tiradentes, maybe with a glance at the basilica.

Check out the Ground Zero landmark before heading towards the Memorial de Curitiba. Continue to the Red House, Casa Romário Martins (which is the oldest house in Curitiba) and Paço da Liberdade. Photos about Curitiba often feature this iconic building, which is the old town hall. Visits are free from Tuesday to Friday. Then head further to the surprising Arabic monument (Memorial Árabe) on Praça Gibran Khalil. 

OR just follow your nose and your curiosity. Look at the names of the buildings, the weird public art. Follow the crowd on one of the walking streets, like Rua 15 de Novembro. On weekends, Praça da Espanha is buzzing with an antiques fair.

Climb up the Panoramic Tower

The city of Curitiba is desperately flat. That’s good news for those who like the walk but not for those who prefer the view. Fortunately, they’ve built a glass telecom tower that’s open to the public for a 360 degrees view of the city. Clever!

Take a scenic train ride

The Curitiba-Paranaguá train, also known as Serra Verde Express, is one of the most scenic you can take in Brazil. The old fellow rak-a-tak-taks on a pair of rusty rails through a lush forest, for a 3-hours exotic ride.

Let’s be frank: it’s a touristy attraction that matches perfectly with tours to Ilha do Mel. It can be pricey so no harm in taking the bus back to Curitiba after your visit of the coast.