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Paraná: the Serra Verde Railway & Ilha do Mel – Route Guide

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Serra Verde Express railway — Paraná: the Serra Verde Railway & Ilha do Mel
Photo: Simone Balster · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Travel from Curitiba's botanical garden by the Serra Verde train to Morretes's riverfront, then continue to Paranaguá's historic waterfront and archaeology museum. Take a bus to Pontal do Sul for the passenger boat to Nova Brasília on car-free Ilha do Mel, then explore the Conchas Lighthouse trail. Confirm dated trains, buses and boats separately, and allow for sand, heat and current path conditions.

Paraná: the Serra Verde Railway & Ilha do Mel is a 175 km one-way journey (mixed transport). It works best as 4–5 days; the plan below is the 5-day version for March, built from 99 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

4–5
days
175km
distance
4
Stops
99
curated stops

View ready-made plans 4-day plan · 5-day plan · best time to go

The route

Curitiba→ 110 kmMorretes→ 35 kmParanaguá→ 30 kmIlha do Mel

What you'll see

Oscar Niemeyer Museum
Marvel at contemporary art inside a striking modern building designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
Curitiba
Nhundiaquara riverfront
You will see picturesque trees and colonial buildings lining its banks, with an antique restored bridge from 1975.
Morretes
MAE-UFPR Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Housed in a former Jesuit college, it displays archaeological and indigenous artifacts.
Paranaguá
Conchas Lighthouse
Capture stunning photos and get a sense of the island's unique shape from this spot.
Ilha do Mel
Botanical Garden of Curitiba
Marvel at a flower carpet at the entrance and explore a greenhouse with botanic species.
Curitiba
São Benedito Church
Colonial-style architecture stands as a historic landmark in the village.
Morretes
Rua da Praia historic waterfront
Stroll along a road lined with colonial remnants and historic houses by the sea.
Paranaguá
Gruta das Encantadas
Explore a grotto steeped in myths and legends, a mystical natural wonder.
Ilha do Mel

Choose your length

4-day plan14 stops · 12.0 h transit3.5 stops/day · 3 h transit/daySee the full plan →5-day plan17 stops · 12.4 h transit3.4 stops/day · 2.5 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: December, January, February, March, April

The Serra Verde train descends its cloud-forest cliffs in summer green, and Ilha do Mel's car-free trails link warm surf beaches and the lighthouse climb.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

View ready-made plans