A mixture of past and present: that is what can be found at the Wine Trail (Caminho do Vinho), in São José dos Pinhais. Wineries, restaurants with typical food and the traditions of the Italian immigrants.
Aiming to preserve the local folklore, crafts, ethnic foods and cultural manifestations in general, the Wine Trail tour was created. Everything revolves around encouraging the preservation and conservation of historic homes, as well as the quality of the local manufactured products, such as wine, juice, and liqueurs, as well as colonial products like salamis, cheeses, jams, and biscuits through the rural tourism.
There are currently around 30 farms involved in various activities such as wineries, restaurants and Colonial Cafés (Cafés coloniais), as well as leisure farms where it is possible to fish, pick fruits and vegetables, horseback ride etc. The local buildings are all typical from Italian colonization and are still used as traditional families´ residences.
On weekends, it is possible to catch the tour bus in front of São José Mall. There are five different routes always accompanied by a tour guide, accredited member of the Italian community. The Tourism Line operates on Saturdays and Sundays, with three routes on Saturdays, ending at a Colonial Coffee and two routes on Sundays, starting with lunch. Each stop lasts approximately 20 minutes, time to get to know the place, the people and purchase local products. The meals last longer and the price is not included on the ticket.
Schedule:
On Saturdays, the bus leaves São José Mall at 1:30 pm and on Sundays, at 11 am, returning at 6:30 and 4 pm, respectively. The tickets cost R$ 10 (children under 05 do not pay). Reservations and more information can be made with the tour guide (Rosana) at (41) 9193-2708 and (41) 3283-3204 or by e-mail at rosanajuli@bol.com.br.