Campos do Jordão

On the second weekend of October we went to the city of Campos do Jordão in São Paulo. The city is located in the Serra da Mantiqueira and is one of the main winter destinations in the country.

Campos do Jordão is 181 kilometers from São Paulo and 332 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro. In other words, you can make the trip by car from either of the two places.

We left Rio and the journey took around four and a half hours, excluding the stop we made at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida. The road from Rio is very quiet, practically all along the Via Dutra. The highway is very well maintained and well signposted.

The city that is dear to the hearts of Paulistas steals the hearts of many Cariocas who know it, as was our case.

When to go?

As I said just now, the city is one of the country's main winter destinations. As such, its high season is from June to August. The season peaks in July when the Campos do Jordão Winter Festival takes place.

I've been to the city in July, during the peak season, and then back again in September and October. Having seen the weather in a couple of months, I can tell you that I prefer to enjoy spring in the region. I'll explain why now.

High Season

In high season the city is incredibly busy, with various events and shows taking place throughout the day.

The positive thing is that the city becomes livelier, full of beautiful and well-dressed people. In addition, some nightclubs have special programs. In fact, nightclubs are usually only open during the winter season and on long holidays.

Warming ourselves by the fire.The downside is that the town is literally packed. As a result, it's practically impossible to get around by car and find parking spaces around Capivari.

What's more, the wind chill is minus 5 degrees Celsius, which makes it uncomfortable for those who aren't used to it.

Finally, because it's high season, everything is more expensive, from accommodation to restaurants.

Low season

In the low season, more specifically in spring, the weather is still very cold (especially in September) but it's bearable, with no freezing temperatures. The average is between 14 and 18 degrees, with highs of 23 and lows of 10 degrees, which is enough for women to wear winter looks.

The plus point, apart from the temperature, is that things get a bit cheaper. Some restaurants even have special offers, especially at lunchtime. There's also less traffic and less worry about parking spaces.

The only downside is that if you choose to go during the week, the city will be very empty and some places may be closed. This happened when we went in September in the middle of the week.

However, if you choose a weekend or public holiday, the city will be full, busy and open. But it won't be as crowded as in high season. Keep this tip in mind and let me know what you think. 😉

We loved the idea of going in July and enjoying the winter there. But spring has undoubtedly stolen our hearts and we highly recommend visiting the city out of season too.

If you're reading this post here, you already know that Campos do Jordão isn't just about winter. It's amazing in all seasons and an incredible option for getting away from the heat and stress of the capital cities.

Where to stay?

The tourist center of Campos do Jordão is in Capivari. There you'll find restaurants, the Baden Baden brewery, stores, nightclubs and chocolateries (let's face it, one after another).

There's nothing better than staying in the very center of Capivari. You can walk everywhere. In the evening, you can have a glass of wine or a Baden Baden without worrying about getting the car afterwards.

What's more, Capivari is small and finding parking spaces there on holidays, weekends or in high season is mission impossible. What's more, due to the difficulty of parking, traffic becomes chaotic and what was supposed to be a pleasant stroll ends up being a hassle.

The few private parking lots there are cost a fortune. So put this into perspective when comparing the prices of hostels in Capivari and those further afield.

This time, we stayed at the Villa Capivary hostel and we SUPER recommend it! Check out the post we made about it here!

Where to eat?

The gastronomy in Campos do Jordão is excellent. I could spend hours here talking about places to eat. There are options for all tastes. I'll list our favorites from this trip, by category, so that the post doesn't get too long.

Restaurant: La Coupole

La Coupole is a French restaurant located near the center of Capivari. A little house with a romantic atmosphere and excellent service!

With its low lighting, fireplace and surround sound, La Coupole is the ideal place for a romantic dinner, celebrations, proposals or any special occasion.

The menu has a variety of pasta, meat, fish, seafood, fondues and raclette options.

The wine list is very complete and fairly priced, which is hard to find in the region.

Delicious!

La Coupole is the face of Campos do Jordão. When we travel there I think of exactly that kind of atmosphere. That kind of restaurant, that kind of atmosphere, and now all I can think about is the wonderful food we ate there!

It was a very special evening, so we'll be doing a post about the restaurant soon. If you're going to Campos do Jordão, be sure to include this restaurant in your program. I'm sure you won't regret it.

Cafeteria: Café Palácio

The Café Palácio is located in front of the Boa Vista Palace. The Palace is the winter residence of the Governor of the State of São Paulo and is open to the public.

The visit to the Palace is very nice and we highly recommend it as a traditional outing in Campos do Jordão.

After your visit, there's nothing better than a good cup of coffee or hot chocolate! 

This time we didn't visit the Palace because we had already seen it the last time we went. However, we made a point of returning to the Café at the end of the day to see the sunset over the city.

The view is beautiful and well worth a visit.

Chocolate shop: Chocolate Montanhês

My favorite chocolate house in Campos do Jordão! We were delighted to see that they've now opened one on the same street with space and tables to sit at! It's possible to order that wonderful hot chocolate and watch the movement in Capivari Square.

The creamy hot chocolate costs 16 reais for a large one (300 ml, I think). A small chocolate bar (the size of a galak bar) costs an average of 7 reais. Although it's not very cheap, it's worth checking out and enjoying this new café-like space.

Bar: Baden Baden Brewery

Anyone who has heard of Campos do Jordão has certainly heard of the famous Baden Baden. This is the region's brewery with a small bar right in the center of Capivari.

Baden Baden's concept is a bar. In other words, if you're looking for romance, this isn't the place for you. But if you want to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city and keep an eye on the center, this is the place.  your place.

The center of Campos do Jordão is bustling around Baden Baden. The restaurant's specialty is German food and the beers they produce.

This time we opted not to dine there but to order German snacks.s! We went for the beef croquette with gorgonzola and the German sausage mix board. The menu is very diversified and the cool thing is that next to each dish they indicate the recommended beer to pair with it.

If you're going to Campos do Jordão, take some time to stop by.

What to do in Campos do Jordão?!

Many people ask us what there is to do in Campos do Jordão, if the city isn't boring. And we clearly say no! Campos is not just about fondue and hot chocolate. There are lots of cool things to do there, especially since several incredible adventure tourism tours have sprung up in recent years.

As this is the third time we've been to the city, we decided to go on different tours, focused on adventure tourism! That's why in this post we've decided to tell you about these tours!

• Quad bike tour

If there's one thing we love, it's quad biking, so when we discovered this possibility in the city, we rushed to book our time slot.

We did a lot of research and chose to do the tour with Campos do Jordão Quadriciclos. This company is highly rated on TripAdvisor and we were able to check out some of its differentials, which we'll tell you about.

Adrenaline with safety.

The quad bikes are brand new, which is extremely important for those who are going to ride them. In addition, for those who are not familiar with the vehicle, a short training course is provided, accompanied by an instructor, so that they can learn how to drive it. As intuitive as it may be, a quadricycle doesn't work like a motorcycle or a car, so it's important for safety that you know how to handle it properly.

Another difference is the company's location. Although it's less than a 10-minute drive from the center of Capivari, the company is located on the road next to the climb to the trailhead, which has an incredible view, so you don't have to walk along the road with the cars until you reach the beginning of the trail.

What's more, all the routes are made with guides who ride in front of you on motorcycles, showing you the way, signposting obstacles and helping you to pass if you have any difficulties along any part of the route.

Our guide was SUPER attentive and even took incredible photos of us on the way.

Routes and Prices

There are several routes to take and they vary according to the length of the tour! We chose the one-hour one and had this view!

On all the routes, the guide will let you take breaks at the viewpoints to enjoy the scenery and take beautiful photos.

Incredible, isn't it?

The prices in October/17 are those below!

Well worth a look!!!!

Aaaaaah I can't forget to mention that it's an incredible ride to do with children. Depending on their age, you can go on the same quad as the person in charge, or the company has a Kids track so that the little ones can have fun on their own! Here's a tip for moms and dads for a great ride for their little ones.

Campos do Jordão Quadricycles - Contacts

Matrix

Address: Avenida Pedro Paulo 3.200, Km 2.2 Caminho do Horto Florestal - Bairro do Fojo - Campos do Jordão - SP

Store 2 Sale of rides

Address: Avenida Diogo de Carvalho, 75 - Capivari - Campos do Jordão - SP

www.camposdojordaoquadriciclos.com.br

Phone: (12) 3663.2390 WhatsApp Cézar: (12) 99783-2148  WhatsApp Cristian: (12) 99666-0011

• Altus Ecological Tourism

Another amazing tour we did was the Tree Climbing at Altus Turismos Ecológico. They are located in the forest of silence and have several adventure tours! We chose the tree climbing and LOVED it!

Although we're very afraid of heights, the ride was super easy and comfortable. We even wanted to do it again and try the longer route!

Altus offers various types of tours, all linked to ecological tourism, such as trails to the famous Pedra do Baú climb, archery and even a bike ride through the forest. Their forte is tree climbing, so we decided to try it out and let you know how it went.

As I said above, the company is located in Bosque do Silêncio. They have great facilities there, with toilets, free parking and coffee! Best of all, if you don't fancy an adventure or just want to take your child along for the fun of it, there's also the option of getting to know the forest on a hike without paying anything, as entry to the forest is free.

Tree climbing

There are four circuit options: The howler monkey circuit, which was the one we chose, has 14 traverses at height; the Nail Monkey circuit has 16 traverses over 3 levels of forest and therefore uses guided abseiling techniques; the complete circuit which is the sum of the two; and finally the spider monkey circuit which only includes zip lines of different sizes.

The price of each circuit is 70 reais, and the complete circuit costs 100 reais. These were the prices in October 2017!

In addition to these circuits, there is also Arbo Kids for the little ones, which has been specially developed for children between 3 and 7 years old and has 10 different crossings at small heights!!! Fun is guaranteed and the kids LOVE it!

Finally, they also do a Mini Tree Climbing on top of the Ducha de Prata, one of Campos do Jordão's tourist attractions.

We opted for the howler monkey circuit and had a great time! It's important to note that all circuits are done with at least two guides. In addition, all the necessary safety equipment is included!

The cool thing is that all the circuits end in a 200-meter zip line. It passes through the middle of the treetops and a mirror of water, it's breathtakingly beautiful!

Altus Ecological Tourism - Contacts

Address: Av. Senador Roberto Simonsen, 1724 (path of Ducha de Prata). Vila Inglesa - Campos do Jordão - SP - 12460-000

Tel: (12) 3663-4122 / (12) 3663-8375 ID: 14*55555

www.altus.tur.br

contato@altus.tur.br

That's it folks, I hope you enjoyed it!

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