In this post, I share tips on what to do in Morretes, a historic city on the coastline in the southern state of Paraná, after arriving there by train from Curitiba. The name Morretes refers to the “pequenos morros”, the small hills surrounding the city. Conserving the old Portuguese architecture from the 18th century, its main landmark is the view around the Nhundiaquara River (a Tupi-guarani term that means “fishing place”) – combined with colonial buildings and surrounding trees.
Morretes is also famous for the dish barreado, a cooked beef in flavored broth for 20 hours in a sealed clay pot. Due to the long cooking process, the beef becomes a broth. Once ready, barreado is served with manioc flour and rice, and local restaurants serve it daily. More tips about what to eat in Brazil and Brazilian food culture, you find in this article.
A very compact city, possible to visit on foot. There are local tour operators who rent a bicycle, too. Local artisans sell their crafts on textiles and products made of banana and ginger. Worth trying the candies, the chips, and the cachaça made of banana and ginger. Cachaça is a spirit normally made of sugarcane, but there are regional varieties with other ingredients.
How to arrive in Morretes
You can arrive in Morretes taking a train from Curitiba and return by bus since the railway journey is the same. Due to the schedules of the train and buses, you must plan a day trip to explore the town.
From Curitiba to Morretes
By train: 4 hours (departing at 8:15h) on the beautiful railway journey between these two cities.
By Bus: about 2 hours, depending on the traffic conditions. The ticket costs about R$ 15 BRL-R$ 30 BRL. The bus departs from Curitiba at 9:00h.
From Morretes to Curitiba
By train: 4 hours (departing at 15:00h)
By bus: about 2 hours. The bus departs from Morretes at 15:00h, from the local Bus Station.
From Morretes to Paranaguá: by bus, it takes about 2 hours. Make sure in advance of the timetable of the buses! The ticket costs about R$ 7 BRL.
From Florianópolis to Morretes: By bus, you need to go via Curitiba. You can also try a ride with BlaBlaBla Car for this route, but it’s not as used as in Europe, although it’s been growing in Brazil.
In the state of Paraná, most travelers visit the Iguazu Falls in the triple border with Argentina and Paraguay. So, you can include Morretes during your itinerary from or to Foz do Iguaçu, where the falls are located on the Brazilian side.
Originally posted 2017-12-18 11:26:00.
