9 places to travel in the coming weeks and enjoy the cold

The cold spell that hit much of the country this week is slowly starting to lose strength. But the low temperatures continue in some regions for the next few days, much to the delight of those who love to enjoy the cold.

This time of year is also ideal for enjoying the warmth of the mountain towns in São Paulo’s hinterland.

Some cities in the state are known for combining low temperatures, fine cuisine and charming inns with fireplaces, as well as many other leisure options and activities in the great outdoors.

9 places to travel in the coming weeks and enjoy the cold

Campos do Jordão

Part of the Serra da Mantiqueira circuit, the famous tourist resort is 173 km from the capital. The city, affectionately called the “Brazilian Switzerland”, was already recognized, in 1957, at the Climatological Congress in Paris, as “the best climate in the world”.

Allied with beautiful landscapes, tranquility, the fascinating Swiss-European architecture of hotels, inns, shops, restaurants, bars, chocolatiers, bistros and pubs, Campos do Jordão has a natural vocation for tourism and attracts visitors in autumn and winter .

Santo Antonio do Pinhal

This health resort is located near Campos do Jordão, in Vale do Paraíba, and belongs to the tourist circuit of Mantiqueira. With several mountains, peaks, rivers and valleys, visitors find ecotourism one of their strengths.

There is also no shortage of options for those seeking adventure in Santo Antônio do Pinhal, in activities such as rock climbing, abseiling, tree climbing, trails, off-roading, hang gliding, among others.

The traditional Festa do Pinhão, which takes place from May to August, is a great choice for those who appreciate the typical fruits of the region, as well as the stalls of typical food, crafts, presentations and performances.

The name Santo Antônio do Pinhal derives from the various species of araucaria that hosts the city, which in Tupi-Guarani means “mountain that cries” or “mountain where the waters arise”.

Sao Bento do Sapucai

Gateway to the famous Pedra do Baú – which, contrary to what many think, does not belong to Campos do Jordão -, São Bento do Sapucaí is 185 km from the capital and presents a rustic landscape with a bucolic air, full of simple houses. dirt roads and the natural charm of the Serra da Mantiqueira.

São Bento do Sapucaí also offers charming and comfortable inns hidden amidst native vegetation. Extreme sports lovers will find options for abseiling, climbing, hiking, hang gliding, among other activities.

Tourists can also learn about and buy local handicraft products from the Arte no Quilombo Association, made up of 80 artisans who use, among other materials, banana straw, sambentista, fruit grown in the city.

Araçoiaba da Serra

With exuberant natural beauty, Araçoiaba da Serra is known as “Sol’s Hideaway”. The city is 123 km from the capital São Paulo and, in the past, was the destination of the pioneers, who scoured the region in search of gold mines.

One of the local tourist attractions is the Morro de Araçoiaba, where the pioneers found the first mines in the region and where the first smelting furnaces were built in 1591, preserved to this day. Another attraction is the Horto Florestal, ideal for a picnic.

Sierra Negra

Belonging to the Circuito das Águas Paulistas, the hydro-mineral resort of Serra Negra is located 142 km from the city of São Paulo and offers numerous opportunities for leisure, as well as a healthy mountain climate and sources of mineral water with therapeutic properties.

In 1928 the radioactive wealth of local waters was discovered and two years later a hydrotherapy pavilion was built next to the spring.

The quality of the mineral waters gave Serra Negra the title of “City of Health”, from the then president Washington Luís. Equipped with excellent infrastructures, the city attracts tourists for its hydro-mineral waters and for the sale of wool and yarn products (knitwear), leather clothing and accessories, layettes and various handicrafts.

Saint Peter

190 km from the capital São Paulo, the tourist resort is part of the Serra do Itaqueri circuit. São Pedro offers beautiful landscapes, waterfalls in the middle of the mountain range formed by mountains, farms and ecological parks.

The city also has many options for leisure, adventure with the practice of extreme sports and rest.

Founded in the 19th century by Italian immigrants who colonized the region by investing in the cultivation of coffee, the city – which from afar resembles a Neapolitan nativity scene – maintains its cultural and gastronomic traditions.

Wedge

The climatic resort Cunha, in the Alto Vale do Paraíba, is another ideal destination for those looking for low temperatures, peace and contact with nature. Among the options is the core of the Serra do Mar State Park, the largest biological corridor in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

There, visitors can enjoy cascading baths and trails among the rich fauna and flora. A highlight is the Cachoeiras Trail, which sits on a disused road where you can travel half by car and half by bike or on foot.

Another tip is Pedra da Macela, which separates the Paraíba Valley from the cities on the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Its privileged view over the entire bay of Paraty, Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande is amazing, as well as the mountains and nature preserved by the Serra do Mar State Park.

It is also worth visiting the unusual Lavandario, which has flower fields 365 days a year. There you can see grandiose lavender plantations that form a real show and also buy products such as herbs, soaps, creams, room flavorings and candles, as well as artisanal foods based on the plant, such as cakes, cookies and ice cream.

Monteverde (MG)

Despite being south of Minas Gerais, Monte Verde is about 166 km from São Paulo (SP), a district of Camanducaia characterized by one of the coldest climates in the south-eastern region. The village is located at an altitude of over 1,600 meters and is surrounded by the mountains of the Serra da Mantiqueira.

In winter, temperatures often drop below freezing. It doesn’t snow, but you will see, early in the morning, a landscape completely covered with ice.

Monte Verde also offers a wide range of lodging options, from farm cottages to boutique inns. Gastronomy is another strong point of the mining village.

Penedo (RJ)

Another ideal destination to enjoy the cold is Penedo, district of Itatiaia, south of Rio de Janeiro, the only Finnish colony in Brazil. The charming village is a year-round destination. In summer it is possible to bathe in the many waterfalls of crystalline and frozen waters of the region. In winter, the cozy atmosphere of bars, restaurants and chocolate shops sets the tone for the season.

Now don’t be surprised if you find Christmas decorations or Santa Claus somewhere, especially at Shopping Pequena Finland. The good old man has a whole village to call him in Penedo and is open all year round.

Penedo is also the starting point for those who want to climb the Serra da Mantiqueira and spend the day or stay overnight in two other paradises: Visconde de Mauá, in the Resende district, and Maringá, which belongs to Itatiaia and borders Bocaina de Minas (MG ).) – just cross a small bridge on foot.