Tubarão
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Tubarão

Tubarão

Southern Santa Catarina city near thermal waters and the heritage Maria Fumaça railway.

Tubarão sits between the mountains and the sea in southern Santa Catarina, about 130 kilometres south of Florianópolis. The city of around 90,000 people is a regional commercial centre with a strong Italian, German, and Azorean heritage. Most visitors come either for the thermal waters in nearby Gravatal or to take the Maria Fumaça steam train excursions along one of Brazil's last working heritage railways.

The Ferrovia Tereza Cristina, built in 1884 to carry coal from the interior mines to the coast, is the great historical fact of Tubarão's existence. The railway made the city wealthy, shaped its grid, and gave it a reason to grow. The Museu Ferroviário tells this story well, and the weekend steam excursions make it tangible. The other cultural anchor is the Museu Willy Zumblick — a remarkable collection of paintings by the city's most celebrated artist, who spent 70 years documenting the life and landscape of southern Santa Catarina.

Day trips go in several directions: the thermal spring resort at Gravatal (30 km north), the historic fishing city of Laguna (45 km south) with its connection to Garibaldi's campaigns, and the Serra do Rio do Rastro mountain road — 60 kilometres of switchbacks climbing from the coastal plain into the Serra Geral, with views that reach back to the Atlantic.

Guide

Things to Do

Tubarão's main attractions reflect the city's two defining characteristics: its railway heritage and its artistic tradition.

The Museu Ferroviário (Railway Museum) is the starting point for the famous Maria Fumaça steam train excursions — one of the last operational steam railways in southern Brazil, running through coastal towns and farmland on weekend departures. The Museu Willy Zumblick houses the most comprehensive collection of works by the city's most celebrated painter, whose canvases document 70 years of Tubarão life and history.

The Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Piedade is the architectural centrepiece of the city centre, with stained glass and a neo-Gothic tower that gives the main square its focal point. Nearby, the Tubarão River provides pleasant walking along its banks.

For day trips, the thermal springs at Gravatal (30 km) and the beaches of Laguna (45 km) are both within easy reach. The Serra do Rio do Rastro mountain road to the northeast is one of the most dramatic drives in southern Brazil.