On the Spotlight: Curitiba Botanical Garden
Cities to visit in Brazil if You’re Avoiding the Beach Crowds
by Evelin Lima
It’s very common to think about Brazil and envision a tropical paradise brimming with palm trees, colorful drinks, and energetic people flashing neon bikinis. But the country has a lot to offer for those who enjoy cozy days in the mountains, venturing through forests, or wandering through culture-packed city centers.
In this series, I’m covering Curitiba, the capital of Paraná State, South of Brazil. Even more specifically, I turn the spotlight to Curitiba’s Botanical Garden and give you plenty of reasons to plan a visit!
Why is it cool: As most things in Curitiba, visitation is free. The Garden’s main feature is a beautiful greenhouse shaped a little like a glass dome where you can take pictures looking as if you’ve just come out of a fairy tale.
Different plant species cover the whole structure up to the top, where you can go through spiral stairs to take pictures from a variety of angles.
Right beside the greenhouse, a glass gallery shaped like a half moon completes the experience. With concrete benches and plant species divided by season running on both sides, this is the perfect spot to take great pictures or even enjoy the always-busy café, ideal if you have time in your hands.
Other perks within the Botanical Garden (Jardim Botânico in Portuguese) include a “sensations” garden, where you can follow a one-way trail and sniff at herbs and aromatic species, all neatly labeled. At the front, endless gardens are reminiscent of a different era — a must for admires of French gardens and alluring Art Nouveau architecture.
There are lakes, water fountains, and cute bridges to explore. You can also plan a whole day at the garden — there are plenty of trees to spread a blanket and watch the day go by, plan a picnic, or throw a frisbee to your dog — the garden is pet-friendly.
The garden offers an entirely different experience if you visit before or after the sunset (when a spectacle of lights takes place), so visit right before twilight, and wait for the lights to kick in for a beautiful picture of Curitiba’s skyline. I wouldn’t recommend a visit on rainy days.
All features are within close distance, so it’s not like other parks of Curitiba, where you might have to walk 5 kilometers to go from one side to the other. There are a few steps to climb to access the main glass dome.
