Tucked away in the mountain range known as Serra Fluminense, Nova Friburgo is one of the most popular getaways in Rio de Janeiro State, be it for family, adventure or romantic travel.
At an altitude of 2,775 feet above sea level, the city offers a welcome break from Rio summers and a charming winter atmosphere.
Although it's located a little farther from Rio than Petrópolis and Teresópolis, the two other most important cities in the Fluminense Range, Nova Friburgo can be easily reached by bus. It takes about two and a half hours to cover the steep 136 kilometers (84 miles) that separate it from the capital.
Taking it easy is always an attractive option in this laidback area. In "Lumiar", Brazilian songwriters Beto Guedes and Ronaldo Bastos celebrated the tranquility of one of Nova Friburgo's districts and talked poetically about things to do in Lumiar: sleep, dream, rest the eyes, spread sunshine on the veranda, hunt for the moon.
However, hiking and climbing possibilities are plentiful around Nova Friburgo. Average summer temperatures in the mid 70s and winter averages in the mid 50s encourage visitors to the hit the trails of Serra Fluminense.
Some of the hiking and climbing options are:
- São Clemente Park - A native vegetation haven in the downtown area.
- Parque Ecológico Cão Sentado - A private ecological park with 18 caves and the best view of the Sitting Dog, an unusual rock formation.
- Pico da Caledônia - The region's highest peak. At 2,219 meters (7,280 feet), it is possible to see a great part of the state, including Guanabara Bay.
- Três Picos das Salinas State Park - One of the Three Peaks is only accessible to climbers. The others can be reached by challenging trails with guides.
Brazilian climbing website Primatas Online lists the following climbers in the Salinas district:
- Serginho Tartari at Refúgio da Águas
Phone: 22-2543-3504
- Sergio Poyares at Chalé Pedra Solta
Tel: (22) 2543-3512
- Geovani Tartari at Ronca Pedra
Tel (22) 2543-3504
Festivals:
In July, Nova Friburgo hosts a winter festival. Local restaurants partner up for a culinary festival in September.
The Ponte da Saudade and Olaria districts are Friburgo's so-called lingerie circuits, where side-by-side shops sell the local production. If you buy Brazilian lingerie, remember it must never be dried in a tumble dryer - it will shrink, as would most Brazilian clothes.
German and Swiss settlers brought over their traditions to Nova Friburgo and one of the city's attractions is the Swiss Dairy, where shoppers can also buy chocolate and visit the Swiss Memorial.
Cosmetics, especially fragrant glycerin soaps, crafts, honey, and sweets are other popular shopping items in Nova Friburgo.
On the Nova Friburgo Convention & Visitors Bureau website, Click on "Onde Ficar" for accommodations and "Onde Comer" for restaurants.
For a bucolic getaway with your loved one, choose one of these romantic hotels and pousadas in Nova Friburgo.
Bus Company: 1001
To view schedules and prices, go to the 1001 website and choose Rio and Nova Friburgo in the dropboxes. There are several daily buses from Rio and back, many of them in the evening. Check carefully with your hotel which Nova Friburgo bus station is closer - Norte (North) or Sul (South).
There are local guides in the downtown area. One of them is Victor Ponce from Canoa da Serra (phone: 22-2522-4149; e-mail: canoadaserra@canoadaserra.com.br)
Released in Beto Guedes's 1977 album A Página do Relâmpago Elétrico, "Lumiar" is one of Brazil's best known odes to arcadian contentment. The song is also available in Essential, a compilation of Guedes's hits.
