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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

One of the world's great railway descents: the Serra Verde inches down 900 metres of Atlantic-forest cliffs from Curitiba: itself worth a day for the botanical garden's glasshouse; to colonial Morretes, where barreado stew has simmered in clay for centuries. Ferry from Paranaguá to Ilha do Mel: no cars, five trails, one lighthouse, honey-slow days.

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

Plan your own version → 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

Plan your own version →