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Curitiba

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State capital
—°18
Curitiba (Brazil)
ℹ️

Practical info — Curitiba

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🌤 Weather — 5 days

📍 Nearby

Sights nearby

💡 Tips

  • Use the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system with its iconic tube stations; it is the best way to get around.
  • The weather can change quickly in a single day, always bring a light jacket.
  • Visit the Botanical Garden early in the morning for fewer crowds and better photos.
  • The Linha Turismo (Tourism Line) bus is a great hop-on hop-off option for seeing the main parks.

🍽 Food

🍽
Barreado (meat stew)

Try this traditional dish in the restaurants located in the Santa Felicidade neighborhood.

🍽
Pierogi

Find them at the Largo da Ordem Sunday market, a legacy of Polish immigrants.

🍽
Carne de Onça

A raw beef dish best enjoyed in traditional downtown pubs (botecos).

🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots

🛍
Feira do Largo da Ordem

A Sunday market great for local crafts, antiques, and street food.

🛍
Rua XV de Novembro

A bustling pedestrian street excellent for general shopping and people-watching.

🧘
Jardim Botânico

The iconic greenhouse and surrounding gardens offer a peaceful retreat.

🧘
Parque Tanguá

Built on a former quarry, offering remarkable sunsets and quiet walking paths.

Curitiba, the capital of Paraná state, is globally renowned as a pioneer in sustainable urban planning and environmental management. Perched at an altitude of 934 meters on the First Plateau, the city experiences a subtropical highland climate, making it one of the few places in Brazil where residents experience distinct seasons and occasional winter frosts. The city’s identity is deeply influenced by European immigration, particularly from Poland, Ukraine, Germany, and Italy, whose legacies are celebrated in beautifully maintained ethnic parks like the Pope's Woods (Polish) and Tingui Park (Ukrainian). Curitiba's transformation into a 'smart city' began in the 1970s under the leadership of architect-mayor Jaime Lerner, who introduced the innovative Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. This network, featuring iconic glass tube stations, allowed for subway-level efficiency at a fraction of the cost and has since been emulated worldwide. Often called Brazil’s 'Ecological Capital,' Curitiba is home to an extraordinary amount of green space, with over 30 parks and forests protecting local biodiversity and managing urban runoff. The Botanical Garden of Curitiba, with its elegant metallic structure, is an international icon of the city. Economically, it is a powerhouse, home to one of Latin America's largest automotive hubs and a thriving technology sector. The city's cultural landscape is dominated by the eye-shaped Oscar Niemeyer Museum, one of the largest and most significant museums in South America. Curitiba represents a successful marriage of rapid urban growth and environmental preservation, offering a high quality of life that attracts people from across the globe. It remains a shining example of how visionary leadership and civic engagement can create a functional, beautiful, and sustainable metropolis.

Best time to visit & climate

The most pleasant time to visit is Mar, Apr, Nov.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °C212121191514141517181921
Rain mm2211921481021041069777122148141173

Live webcam – Curitiba

See what it looks like near Curitiba right now.

Curitiba › North: Bacacheri Airport · 5.1 km · Open webcam on Windy · Webcams provided by Windy.com

Geography

Population
1,948,626 (2026)
Coordinates
-25.42840, -49.27310

Facts

  • Curitiba was founded on March 29, 1693, as a gold-mining village.
  • The city's name comes from the Tupi word for 'Pine Nut Place' (Araucaria seeds).
  • The Federal University of Paraná was the first university founded in Brazil.
  • Curitiba was the first city in the world to implement a BRT system (1974).
  • The city is located in the Araucaria moist forests ecoregion.
  • The Wire Opera House was built in just 75 days in 1992.
  • Curitiba has more than 50 square meters of green space per resident.
  • The city airport, Afonso Pena, is actually located in the neighboring city of Sao Jose dos Pinhais.

Explore nearby

Notable places around

Wire Opera HouseWire Opera House3 km · EExplore →
Greenhouse of the Botanical GardenGreenhouse of the Botanical Garden4 km · NExplore →
Curitiba ZooCuritiba Zoo11 km · NWExplore →
MorretesMorretes49 km · NExplore →
AntoninaAntonina62 km · NExplore →
JoinvilleJoinville80 km · NWExplore →
Port of ParanaguáPort of Paranaguá85 km · NExplore →
Port of São Francisco do SulPort of São Francisco do Sul92 km · NWExplore →

Route planner — Car & Motorhome

Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.

Vehicle
Only stops with (optional):

© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService

Sights in the town Curitiba (18)

Curitiba Railway Museum🏛 museum

Housed in the former railway station from 1884, this museum displays historic locomotives and rail artifacts.

🕒 Tu-Sa 10:00-18:00; Su 11:00-19:00🆓

Museu da Vida🏛 museum

An interactive museum by the Pastoral da Criança, focused on health, nutrition, and child development.

Museu de Arte Sacra de Curitiba🏛 museum

Housed in the Ordem Terceira de São Francisco church, this museum preserves an important collection of sacred art.

Fonte de Jerusalém🏺 historical

A 14.5-metre-tall fountain in the shape of a tower, symbolizing the link between Curitiba and Jerusalem.

Paço da Liberdade🏺 historical

The former city hall from 1916 features ornate Art Nouveau architecture and now serves as a cultural centre.

♿

Teatro Regina Vogue🎭 culture

Located on the second floor of Shopping Estação, this theatre hosts diverse plays and comedy shows.

♿

Teatro Bom Jesus🎭 culture

Situated within the Colégio Bom Jesus and opened in 1975, this theatre is known for its excellent acoustics.

Teatro Positivo🎭 culture

The largest theatre in Paraná features 2,400 seats and its architecture was inspired by the ancient Greek Theatre of Epidaurus.

Igreja da Glória⛪ religious

This neoclassical chapel built in 1895 gave the Alto da Glória neighborhood its name.

Paróquia do Imaculado Coração de Maria⛪ religious

Inaugurated in 1922, this church features a unique blend of modern design and Art Deco influences.

Paróquia Santa Izabel⛪ religious

Founded in the 1930s, this parish honors Saint Isabel, after whom the surrounding neighborhood was named.

Memorial Árabe📍 landmark

This Moorish-style cube building sitting on a water mirror houses a specialized library for Middle Eastern culture.

🕒 Mo-Fr 09:00-21:00; Sa 09:00-13:00

Castelo do Batel📍 landmark

This palatial residence built in 1924 was inspired by the French châteaux of the Loire Valley.

🕒 Mo-Th 08:00-18:00; Fr 00:00-00:00

Praça do Japão📍 landmark

The square features a replica of Kyoto's Golden Temple and 30 cherry trees donated by the Japanese Empire.

Torre Panorâmica🗼 tower

Standing 109.5 meters tall, this observation tower features a 360-degree view of Curitiba and houses a telephone museum at its base.

Passeio Público🌳 park

Inaugurated in 1886, this park was Curitiba's first public green space and once housed the city's first zoo.

🕒 Tu-Su 06:00-20:00; Mo off🆓

Praça 19 de Dezembro🌳 park

This modernist square commemorates the centenary of Paraná state's political independence with its monuments.

Bosque Estadual Papa João Paulo II🌳 park

The memorial park features seven original Polish immigrant log cabins built using traditional techniques.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Curitiba considered a model city?
Because of its innovative public transport (BRT), many parks, and cleanliness.
What is the most famous landmark?
The Botanical Garden with its striking metal and glass greenhouse.
Is there a recommended museum?
The Oscar Niemeyer Museum (MON), also called 'The Eye' because of its unique shape.
What is the weather like in Curitiba?
It is one of Brazil's coldest major cities, especially in winter (June-August) when it can be frosty.
What is the 'Linha Turismo'?
A special sightseeing bus that stops at all the city's main attractions.
Curitiba: where is it located?
Curitiba is located in Brazil.
Curitiba: what is there to see?
Highlights include Curitiba Railway Museum, Museu da Vida, Museu de Arte Sacra de Curitiba.
Curitiba: when is the best time to visit?
The most pleasant time to visit is Mar, Apr, Nov.
Curitiba: why is it worth visiting?
Curitiba, the capital of Paraná state, is globally renowned as a pioneer in sustainable urban planning and environmental management.
View on map → The Top 50 Attractions → OpenStreetMap →
South America
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Nearby cities

Londrina — Curitiba (Brazil)
Londrina
A thriving university city in northern Paraná, originally planned by British investors for coffee cultivation.
Bonito — Curitiba (Brazil)
Bonito
A premier ecotourism destination in Mato Grosso do Sul.
Maringá — Curitiba (Brazil)
Maringá
A very green, planned city in the interior of Paraná, known for its quality of life and its conical cathedral.
Joinville — Curitiba (Brazil)
Joinville
The largest city in Santa Catarina, known for its strong German and European industrial tradition.

History & landmarks

Wire Opera House — Curitiba (Brazil)
Wire Opera House
A unique circular theater made of steel tubes and polycarbonate, built in the middle of a former quarry.
Greenhouse of the Botanical Garden — Curitiba (Brazil)
Greenhouse of the Botanical Garden
A beautiful Art Nouveau-style greenhouse that became the architectural symbol of Curitiba.

Nature

Paraná River — Curitiba (Brazil)
Paraná River
The Paraná River is one of South America's great river systems and a major source of hydropower.
Iguazu River — Curitiba (Brazil)
Iguazu River
The Iguaçu River is best known for forming Iguazu Falls on the border between Brazil and Argentina.

More places

Curitiba Zoo — Curitiba (Brazil)
Curitiba Zoo
An extensive zoo in southern Brazil that is part of a large regional park and houses many endangered species.
Morretes — Curitiba (Brazil)
Morretes
A charming historic town in Paraná, famous for its traditional Barreado dish and the train ride through the Atlantic Forest.
Antonina — Curitiba (Brazil)
Antonina
A historic port city in the state of Paraná, surrounded by the lush nature of the Serra do Mar.
Port of Paranaguá — Curitiba (Brazil)
Port of Paranaguá
Paranaguá is one of the most important ports in Brazil for agricultural exports.
Bird Park Foz do Iguaçu — Curitiba (Brazil)
Bird Park Foz do Iguaçu
An ecological park focusing on the conservation of Atlantic Rainforest bird species.
Itaipu Dam — Curitiba (Brazil)
Itaipu Dam
A monumental hydroelectric dam on the Paraná River, supplying a massive amount of electricity to both Brazil and Paraguay.