One of the most wonderous areas of the state of Sao Paulo is Campos do Jordao. This area has a wealth of things to share with visitors from a train ride to the top of the mountain, a walk through stunning gardens, a ingenious waterfall, and a Swiss inspired village to wander through.
This is a smaller state within the state that is famous for the incredible view of the Mantiqueira mountains. Because of the warm mist that cover the mountains, it was believed for a long time that a trip up the mountain could cure you of any aliment. So hundreds of people would board the train and take the ride to the top carrying with them the faith of being healed. The building at the bottom would serve as hospitals and resting places for all the people. And at the top is a beautiful statue of Mary and the baby Jesus, reminding those that made the journey in whom they owed their gratitude to.
After taking the railroad up to the top of the mountain, the next stop is a glorious walk through the Amantikir Gardens. These gardens are so extensive and have hundreds of different walking paths through the flowers. Home to many native grown, and not native grown flowers this garden is absolutely enchanting to walk through. There is a restaurant at the opening of the gardens which offers some incredible views of the mountains.
Another key feature of this area is the Ducha de Prata or Silver Fall. This extensive series of waterfalls is a man made gem and you can spend hours wandering around on the wooden decks as you try to really grasp the achievement that this is.
And last, but certainly not least, is the wonderful area known as Vila Capivari…a Swiss inspired town that will make you want to pull out your passport to make sure you landed in Brazil and not in Europe. With a number of shops to peruse and restaurants to enjoy, this area is by far one of the most popular for any visitor to the area.
Campos do Jordao is a wonderful area. It is somewhere that has something for everyone, no matter what your interests may be. And it is definitely one of the places that I would love to return to next time I find myself in this beautiful country. It is a place that begs visitors to come again and again to discover all the hidden treasures that it holds.
We skipped Sáo Paulo as we did not find much up to date information and after Rio we wanted to hit the coast and avoid another large city. Looks like you discovered some great places though!
If you go back to the Sao Paulo area I would highly recommend the Campos do Jordao part- it was so lovely 🙂