11 Best Sights in The South, Brazil

The 10-km-long (6-mile-long) Ilha do Mel, a state park in the Baía de Paranaguá, is the most popular destination on Paraná's coast. The island is crisscrossed by hiking trails—cars aren't allowed, and the number of visitors is limited to 5,000 at any one time—and has two villages, Encantadas and Nova Brasília, and several pristine beaches. Local lore has it that the east shore's Gruta das Encantadas (Enchanted Grotto) is frequented by mermaids. On the south shore check out the sights around Farol das Conchas (Lighthouse of the Shells) and its beach. From Forte de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres (Our Lady of Pleasures Fort), built in 1767 on the east shore, take advantage of the great views of the forest-clad northern bay islands. The most scenic ferry rides leave from Paranaguá between 8 am and 1 pm (2 hours; R$39). More convenient are the ferries that depart from Pontal do Sul, 30 miles east of Paranaguá, every 30 minutes. Prices start at R$29. Both ferry routes are operated by Abaline. To ensure admission in the high season (December–March), book an island tour before you leave Curitiba.

Although not as old and renowned as its counterpart in Rio, the Botanical Garden has become a Curitiba showplace. Its most outstanding feature is the tropical flora in the two-story steel-and-glass greenhouse that was inspired by London's Crystal Palace. The Municipal Botanical Museum, with its library and remarkable collection of rare Brazilian plants, is also worth visiting. There are several paths for jogging or just wandering.

The picturesque Mercado Público is in a Portuguese colonial structure with a large central patio. Even though the interior of the market was destroyed in a fire in 2005, the renovated space—filled with stalls selling fish, fruit, and vegetables—preserves its lively bazaar atmosphere.

This park is renowned for its breathtaking 400-foot waterfall that cascades straight down into a horseshoe-shape valley carved out of the basaltic plateau. It also includes 50 acres of native forests with several well-marked paths, dominated by Paraná pine and an environmental education center for children. The entrance area is somewhat overcrowded with souvenir shops and snack tents and the river water doesn't smell the best, but the tranquil hikes and stunning waterfall more than make up for this.

One of Brazil's first national parks, Aparados da Serra was created to protect Itaimbezinho, one of the most impressive canyons dissecting the plateau in the north of Rio Grande do Sul State. In 1992 the Parque Nacional da Serra Geral was established to protect the other great canyons farther north, including the Malacara, Churriado, and Fortaleza. Winter (June–August) is the best time to take in the spectacular canyon views, as there's less chance of fog. The main entrance to the park, the Portaria Gralha Azul, is 20 km (13 miles) southeast of Cambará do Sul. A visitor center provides information on regional flora and fauna, as well as the region's geology and history. Beyond the entrance you come to grassy meadows that belie the gargantuan depression ahead. A short path (a 45-minute walk, no guide necessary) takes you to the awesome Itaimbezinho canyon rim, cut deep into the basalt bedrock to create the valley 2,379 feet below. A more challenging walk within the park is to follow the Rio do Boi, the river that cuts through the base of Itaimbezinho canyon. You'll need to hire a guide and set aside a whole day to do the 12-km (7-mile) hike, weaving in and out of jungle and along the riverbed. The local tourist office can also make arrangements for other trekking tours in the region.

The best way to visit the park is to join an organized tour in Porto Alegre that includes an overnight stay in one of the region's pousadas. Those visiting Gramado can join a day tour to visit the canyons.

Named for a British sailboat that sank here in 1700, this narrow beach has an unparalleled lineup of hotels and restaurants for all budgets, making it one of the most popular beaches on the island. In summer Spanish with an Argentine accent is the local language. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming.

The best-preserved and best-organized Jesuit mission in Brazil, São Miguel das Missões is an impressive, circa-1745 church built with reddish basalt slabs brought by the Guaranís from quarries miles away. The ruins are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jesuit missionaries moved into the upper Uruguay River basin around 1700. In the following decades the local Guaraní peoples were converted to Christianity, leading them to abandon their seminomadic lifestyle and congregate around the new missions—locally known as reduções (missionary communities). Seven of these existed in what is now Brazil, and several more were in Argentina and Paraguay—all linked by a closely knit trade and communication route. Historians have claimed that at the peak of their influence, the Jesuits actually created the first de facto country in the Americas, complete with a court system and elections. After the Treaty of Madrid granted rights over the lands and native peoples in the area to the Portuguese crown, the Jesuits were under pressure to leave. Recurrent clashes with Portuguese militia precipitated the breakdown of the mission system, but the final blow came with the decree of expulsion of the Jesuit order from Portuguese territory. Most of the Guaranís dispersed back into unexplored country. This important historical period was depicted in the movie The Mission, starring Robert DeNiro, with several scenes shot at Iguaçu Falls.

A small museum on the grounds, designed by Lucío Costa (who was instrumental in the development of Brasília), holds religious statues carved by the Guaranís, as well as other pieces recovered from archaeological digs. Guided tours (in Portuguese) are given by appointment. Admission to the site includes a sound-and-light show that tells the mission's story, at 9 pm in summer and 7 pm in winter.

Other mission sites with ruins are São Lourenço and São Nicolau, about 70 km (43 miles) from São Miguel, but there's much less to be seen at these sites, which are not normally in tours. Across the border in Argentina, there's a larger and better preserved mission site, San Ignácio Mini.