Curitiba is one of southern Brazil's best bases for day trips, with dramatic mountain scenery, colonial towns, and a stretch of Atlantic coast all within reach.
The highlight is the Serra Verde Express, which descends the Serra do Mar from Curitiba through Atlantic Forest, over viaducts and through tunnels, to Morretes, a small colonial town known for its slow-cooked beef stew, barreado. The train continues to Paranaguá, a colonial port city with fine waterfront architecture and excellent seafood. From Paranaguá you can take a boat to Ilha do Mel.
South along the coast, Guaratuba sits on a wide bay backed by Atlantic Forest and national park. It is popular for its beaches, boat trips across the bay, and fresh oysters from the Cabaraquara area.
West of Curitiba, the highlands open into the Campos Gerais region. Ponta Grossa is the base for Vila Velha State Park, where wind and water have carved sandstone into extraordinary shapes, and for the gorge at Buraco do Padre.
