Morretes is a small colonial town in Paraná, tucked where the Serra do Mar drops toward the coastal plain. It is best reached from Curitiba on the old railway, a slow, spectacular ride through Atlantic Forest, viaducts, tunnels, and misty mountain folds.
The town itself is compact and easy. The Nhundiaquara riverfront carries most of the charm: old houses, palms, the metal Ponte Velha, and restaurants serving barreado, Paraná's slow-cooked beef stew. It is a lunch town, but a good one.
Morretes also works because the countryside starts right at the edge of town. The Marumbi mountains rise behind it, with state-park trails, waterfalls, and proper Atlantic Forest walking for travelers who want more than the standard train-and-lunch excursion.