Curitiba’s parks, Florianópolis beaches and the Serra Gaúcha

The Botanical Garden, the Ópera de Arame and the train that runs down the Serra do Mar to Morretes from Curitiba; the Lagoa da Conceição, the Joaquina dunes and the oysters of Ribeirão da Ilha in Florianópolis; and Gramado, with the Rua Coberta, Lago Negro and, in Canela, the Caracol waterfall.

Day by day Open the itinerary in the app

Curitiba → Florianópolis → Gramado · 8–12 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

BrazilCuritiba
Days
3
When
Apr–May · Aug
Per person/day
Average 478 BRLMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
BrazilFlorianópolis
Days
3–5
When
Mar–Apr · Nov
Per person/day
Average 397 BRLMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
BrazilGramado
Days
2–4
When
Mar–May · Sep
Per person/day
Explore costsGuide estimate
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For anyone who wants the South in three moods, a city of parks, an island of beaches and a highland of colonial cafés, travelling with children or as a family.

Not for anyone who doesn’t want to drive, since Florianópolis’s beaches and Canela’s parks are spread out and buses mean changes and time.

The strategy

Curitiba comes first. Outside the high season the Serra do Mar train only runs Friday to Sunday and on public holidays, and the Oscar Niemeyer Museum closes on Mondays, so build the days around the train. Curitiba to Florianópolis is about 300 km by road. Florianópolis needs a car or ride-hailing, and in summer the island’s roads get congested. Florianópolis to Gramado is the longest leg, close to 500 km, taking most of a day by car; the alternative is to fly to Porto Alegre. The flight home leaves from Porto Alegre airport, about 110 km from Gramado, nearly 2 hours by car, with Citral buses. During Natal Luz, from 22 October 2026 to 17 January 2027, book Gramado well ahead. April is the month that suits all three stops.

What you will see

Curitiba Botanical Garden, Curitiba. Opened in 1991, the Francisca Maria Garfunkel Rischbieter Botanical Garden covers 278,000 m², with a French-style garden in front of the three-vaulted iron-and-glass greenhouse, inspired by London's Crystal Palace.
Lagoa da Conceição, Florianópolis. A saltwater lagoon of about 13.5 km from north to south, in the center-east of the island, connected to the sea by the Barra da Lagoa channel.
Lago Negro, Gramado. An artificial lake about 2 km from city hall, a 20 to 30 minute walk, created in 1953 by Leopoldo Rosenfeld on land burned in 1942, with pine trees on the shore and a trail around it.

Day by day