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PORTO ALEGRE
Porto Alegre shares the border with Uruguay to the South and Argentina to the West. The wave of German, Italian, Swiss and Eastern European immigrants that arrived in the later half of 19th century added to the local Portuguese, Spanish and Guarani Indians.
Porto Alegre is a sophisticated metropolis with and exciting nightlife and an excellent gastronomy. The city is filled with Churrascaria Gaucha, the authentic way to prepare the ‘Brazilian BBQ".
FLORIANOPOLIS
Florianopolis is a lovely place with 42 beaches surrounded by mountains, dunes and mangroves. The Azorean spirit, inherited from immigrants who settled the region 250 years ago, marks the island personality. Florianopolis is a Brazilian mecca for outdoor sports such as hang gliding, climbing, hiking and most particularly surfing. The beaches of the north have calm waters and good tourist facilities. On the east, Conceição Lagoon and the beaches of Joaquina, Mole and Barra da Lagoa are the centers for young people and radical sports. The southern and western parts have retained closer link with the past. The cattle farms, mills, stills and colonial residences conjure up the age of the settlers whom the Portuguese brought from Azonres in the 18th century to occupy land coveted by the Spanish crown.
CURITIBA
Curitiba, the capital of Parana, is one of Brazil's urban success stories. This city has managed to modernize in a relatively sane manner- historic buildings have been preserved, a handful of streets have been closed to cars and there are many parks, gardens and wide boulevards. The population is mostly the descendants of Italian; German and Polish immigrants with great respect for their historical past have also lead to the preservation of the Paranaense Museum, Flowers Street, the Guaira Theatre, the Paiol Theatre, and the stately Federal University of Paraná. This is the gateway to the world-famous Iguassu Falls.
Main Attractions of Curitiba
Parque Estadual de Vila Velha- This State Park contains twenty two extraordinary rock formations dating from Carboniferous period (300 milion years ago).
The Curitiba-Paranagua Railroad- This railroad, a feat of engineering dating from 1880, runs through Brazil's dense Atlantic forest. On its 70-miles journey the train passes through 13 tunnels carved through solid rock and crosses 41 bridges spanning abysses and foaming rivers. The view from the carriage windows is breathtaking, and you will see a variety of trees in the tropical forest, including Sapicais, green ebony, jacarandas and guapiruvus.
Ilha do Mel- Boat trips to the Ilha do Mel depart from Paranagua city. This island is a nature reserve with beatiful beaches and rustic pousadas.
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Africa
