What to do in Morretes: the charming city on the coast of Paraná, Brazil
Morretes: What to do, how to get there, where to stay and more
Morretes is a charming city on the coast of Parana State, which offers mountains, rivers, waterfalls and a lot of history. This city is around Serra do Mar and it is a destination that can not skip in your itinerary through southern Brazil.
With colonial heritage, Morretes offers a beautiful architecture and natural beauty, as well as a delicious local cuisine, famous for pleasing even the most demanding palates.
This city is the 2nd most visited in the state, after the capital, Curitiba, and there is a lot to do there.
However, the city is mostly visited by Curitiba residents and by people from other cities of Paraná, being left out of many itineraries of other Brazilians.
Morretes is a great destination to visit in a day trip from Curitiba, and on a weekend you can get to know a good amount of places of this city.
That’s why we decided to gather information about what to do, how to get there and when to go to Morretes to help you plan your trip to this charming city on the coast of Paraná.
Morretes Location
The city of Morretes is on the coast of the state of Paraná, about 60km from the capital, Curitiba, which takes 1h15min by car.
The town of Antonina is only 15km far from Morretes, about 20min by car.
Check it out where is Morretes on the map:
How to get to Morretes
Morretes is close to Curitiba, so to get there you’ll have at least 4 options. You can go by car, train, shuttle van or bus from Curitiba.
By Train
Have you thought about doing this trip by train with the Atlantic Forest landscape? This trip is already an attraction in itself, going through amazing spots such as the Véu de Noiva waterfall.
One of the most interesting options is to travel from Curitiba to Morretes by train, and you can do this with the Serra Verde company that makes this trip every day, on a journey that takes about 4 hours.
And we have good news for those traveling with pets. The train has a Pet Wagon, the first in Brazil. It has been specially designed for those traveling with their pets, with the materials and internal design prepared for it.
In this car there are panoramic windows, tables and lounges for up to 4 people where pets can travel alongside their owners in waterproof beds.
The economic ticket is R$ 26 from Curitiba to Morretes, the luxury class is R$ 360 and for the PET wagon is R$ 235.
You can check the prices and categories here. Note that the Lux category includes a bilingual guide =)
Train Station of Curitiba address: Av. Presidente Affonso Camargo, 330 – Curitiba (PR).
By Car
A great option is to rent a car and make this trip to Morretes yourself, especially if you want more autonomy and flexibility.
As we mentioned, the city is located about 60 km from Curitiba, and there are two possible routes from the capital and the journey takes about 1h15min.
Opting for going through BR 116, follow the Estrada da Graciosa (PR 410) towards São João da Graciosa. If you prefer to go along the BR 277 towards the coast, the access is by the BR 408 towards Morretes/Antonina.
Check it out the best car rental prices!
Van from Curitiba
There are several companies that specialize in tourist transfer from Curitiba to Morretes that do this trip everyday multiple times a day.
Check here the main touristic agencies that do this trip.
Bus to Curitiba/Morretes
And for those who want to go by bus from Curitiba to Morretes, Viação Graciosa runs it 10 times a day, being a very flexible way to go to Morretes. The ticket is around R$ 30.
When to visit Morretes
The best time to visit the city depends on the weather you want to find there. The annual average is 21ºC, with the coldest month being June and the warmest month being January.
In general, we can say that Morretes is colder than Curitiba. However, on summer, the weather is hot and humid, and February is the wettest month.
In the rainy season, there is a risk of flooding of the city center, and the road is also more dangerous because it is quite sinuous.
What to do in Morretes
Morretes is a small but full of attractions city and it has an excellent infrastructure to receive visitors. We made a selection here with the best attractions for you to enjoy the city.
#1 Visit the Historical Center
Morretes is one of the oldest cities of Paraná, founded in 1733. Therefore, one of its great attractions is the historical center of the city, full of old mansions that take us on a true time travel.
The historic center was built on the banks of the Nhundiaquara River, which brings an even more special look to this area of the city.
In these big houses there are restaurants, bars and cultural spaces. And one of the main attractions in this area is the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Porto, the city main church built in 1721.
Walking unpretentiously through the streets of the historic center is a must-see program!
#2 Try the “Barreado” dish
Eating typical city food makes the travel experience even more authentic, so one of the dishes you need to try is “Barreado”, a traditional dish of Morretes, made for more than 300 years.
Barreado is a dish made of cooked meat with a very striking seasoning, accompanied by flour and bananas. We ate Barreado at Serra Verde restaurant and it was delicious!
#3 Take an adventure and learn at Ekôa Park
If you love being in touch with nature and want to learn more about the environment and sustainability while having fun, Ekôa Park is a must visit.
Ekôa is in Morretes, and is not a park like the others. The area is a true ecological park dedicated to connecting people with the nature within them.
There is a lot to do there, such as tree climbing, ballooning, rappelling and zip lines. Besides that, the park promotes courses and workshops on planting, permaculture, integrated systems and more. And the good news are that there are activities for all ages and accessibility!
Here you can read our full article about Ekôa Park, check it out!
#4 Visit the Hisgeopar Theme Park
The Hisgeopar Theme Park tells the history of Paraná through models and miniatures of the main tourist attractions and buildings of the state since the beginning of colonization in the region.
For those who want to learn history in a playful and fun way, the park is the ideal attraction. There are miniatures of the Itaipu Power Plant and the Iguazu Falls and models that illustrate the economic cycles and the evolution of the culture of Paraná.
In addition, the models are organized by historical stages of Paraná and were built with fiberglass, rubber, iron and recycled materials.
The park opens from Friday to Sunday at 9:30 am and is located on the highway Mario Marcondes Lobo, 70 – Reta do Porto, Morretes – PR, 83350-000.
#5 Extent your trip to Antonina
Antonina is a small historic town on the coast of Parana, which faces Paranagua Bay.
Antonina is close to Morretes, just 15 km away. You can get there by car in 20 minutes, and it’s well worth visiting Antonina.
If you prefer, Serra Verde offers packages that encompass both train destinations.
Hotel in Morretes
Pousada Graciosa
We stayed at Pousada Graciosa and we loved the experience. This accommodation is located in the heart of the Atlantic Forest and has the purpose of being in harmony with one of the most distinguished and rich biomes in the world.
The Pousada was built with natural materials maintaining the native vegetation preserved in almost all the Atlantic Forest area in which it is inserted.
In addition, the area where the Pousada is inserted has been recognized as a “Private Natural Heritage Reserve” Conservation Unit, with the goal of protecting local biodiversity.
And for those who are a birdwatching fan, there are over 100 species of birds that can be observed in the Pousada’s reserve.
Places to eat in Morretes
Bistrô Vila Nina
Vila Nina Bistro is a cozy place that has a homely and rustic atmosphere, in a super charming and inspiring space.
The tables are around a large blackberry tree, which brings an even more special touch to the place.
Our suggestion is to try the “Casquinha de Siri”, which was the best of my life!
Serra Verde Restaurant
This was the place where we tried the barreado. The Serra Verde Restaurant has several options on the menu and is also a good place to bring kids.
Porto de Cima Brewery
The Porto de Cima Brewery is a great place to taste craft beers.
There are excellent beers produced, stored in barrels made with centuries-old trees of Serra da Graciosa.
Oka Gastronomy
This is the restaurant inside Ekôa Park.
The food at Oka Gastronomy is excellent and made with fresh ingredients produced in the park and region.
They offer a delicious buffet of home-cooked style food and regional dishes, including barreado.
What to bring on a trip to Morretes
The items that can not be missing in your bag are:
- Sunscreen and repellent (biodegradable), because there are many mosquitoes there;
- Hiking boots or shoes, because you will walk a lot there.
Don’t forget to get your travel insurance =) here is an exclusive 7% OFF World Nomads coupon fo you!
Morretes has a special gift for conquering those who set their feet there, and with us it was no different. What about you? Are you already packing to go on this adventure?
Important! Are you visiting Morretes during the pandemic?
If so, you need to get an entrance authorization on morretesdestinocerto.com.br.
Read also:
Learn about the Atlantic Forest and ecological practices at Ekoa Park in Brazil
Things to do in Curitiba, Brazil
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