Founded by 17th century gold prospectors, had is wide streets and pleasant parks opened by coffee speculators at the turn of the last century. Here there are many descendants of European immigrants - Poles and Russians as well as Germans and Italians - that gives the city something of a non-Brazilian feeling. Curitiba's railway link with coastal, colourful Paranaguá is a dream trip for tourists, the exciting three-hour journey provides a close-up of Brazil's Atlantic rainforest as the train descends 3,000ft en route to the sea.

An hour by road from Paranaguá is Pontal do Sul where boats servicing Ilha do Mel dock. Ilha do Mel is a seven-mile long, traffic-free island that welcomes small numbers of overnight guests in fishermen's lodgings. Another gem to visit are the mystical rock formations of Vila Velha state park, 50 miles west of Curitiba, yet another of Brazil's countless not-to-be-missed attractions.

How to get there
By Air: The city Airport receives flights from all Brazilian capitals.
By Road: A city privileged in ways of transportation , Curitiba is crossed by many federal motorways: BR-116, BR-376/101, BR-277, BR-476 and BR-153.