Are you planning a trip to Blumenau and Pomerode in the south of Brazil but is unsure what to visit and how to prepare for the trip?
On this post I will highlight the places we visited and what we did while visiting Blumenau and Pomerode in Santa Catarina, Brazil. These will give you some ideas of what is there to visit and if you want to include the town and attractions to your itinerary.
After spending an afternoon visiting Balneário Camboriú on the previous day, today the plan was to visit Blumenau and Pomerode. Blumenau is about one and a half hours from Balneário Camboriú and Pomerode is about forty-five minutes from Blumenau by car.
We were travelling independently with a hired car as we are confident travellers and speak the language. However, if you prefer to be part of a tour and to have everything organised for you, I advise you to book a complete tour with Tourradar.
They have different kinds of tours that will fit your time and budget. If you book it via my links you can get a discount by using this code: RoseG50.
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Next day, early and after breakfast at the flat we left for Blumenau and Pomerode. We took the BR-101 first. There was a lot of traffic at the BR-101, but once we turned on BR-470, traffic was back to normal, and we arrived in Blumenau at about 11 am.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BLUMENAU
Blumenau is a charming city in the state of Santa Catarina, known for its unique blend of Brazilian culture and rich German heritage. Founded in 1850 by German immigrants led by Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto von Blumenau, the city has retained much of its European roots, making it a fascinating destination for those seeking a different side of Brazil.
The most famous and popular attraction of Blumenau is the “Oktoberfest”, the largest beer festival in Brazil and the second in the world. It takes place in October every year and brings visitors to Blumenau from all parts of Brazil and the world.
The festival is full of traditional German music, folk dances and a large choice of local beers as well as imported ones. The festival takes place on “Vila Germânica”, a park purpose built to host the festival showcasing Bavarian-style architecture, shops and German restaurants.
Germanic architecture can be found throughout the city. You can find half-timbered houses, quaint cafés and restaurants serving German food in other parts of the city too. There are plenty of cultural institutes that preserve the customs and the German language to pass to young generations.
The city is also rich in natural beauty and is surrounded by hills, the” Itajaí-Açu” River and waterfalls. There is plenty of opportunities to enjoy hiking, walks, boat rides and there are activities for all kinds of visitors.
The economy is driven by the textile and glass industries. Some of the most popular textile’s brands in Brazil come from Blumenau, brands such as “Hering”, “Karsten” and “Teka”.
Blumenau also produces beautiful, delicate, handcrafted crystals that make a very good option for presents and souvenirs.
VISITING BLUMENAU
1 – Vila Germânica
When we arrived, we went straight to the “Vila Germânica”. There weren’t many people there and we were able to visit the whole village quite quickly as it is not very big. This was in April; I believe if your visit is in October, it will be a different case.
After looking all around the village we sat at the outside tables of “Choperia and Restaurante Vila Germânica” and ordered some beers. As it was lunch time, we decided to enter the restaurant and have lunch there as well.
The food was from a buffet and per kilo, but there was a huge variety of dishes, Brazilian and German to choose from. Very good food and we all enjoyed everything we ate.
2 – The Historic Centre
From there we drove to the centre of town and had a look at the shops on XV de Novembro Street and the architecture of the centre. We also visited the Cathedral of São Paulo Apostle.
3 – São Paulo Apostle Cathedral
The plans to build the cathedral started in 1952 and the German architect Dominikus Böhm and his son Gottfried Böhm were appointed as the responsible architects for the project.
They designed a modern building, very different from what people were used to see in a cathedral and this attracted many critics from the population. However, the design was approved and construction started in April 1953.
The cathedral was only fully completed in June 1963 resulting in a very beautiful building in a modernist style. For those interested in architecture and curious about the story of this construction and its architects, you can read about it on this SITE.
For anyone staying in the city, it is worth doing the “Beer Route”. This is a tour visiting various breweries such as Eisenbahn, Bierland, Container, Wunder Bier and of course tasting their beer after the visits.
We didn’t do that mainly because of time restriction, but we heard that a tour of “Alles Blau Bierkneipe” is a must, especially if you are into beer and like to try different types.
You can also visit the “Beer Museum” where you can learn the history and culture of beer.
There is also the “Museum of the Colonial Family”. On this museum you will find photos, objects and documents of the German colonization of the town.
We didn’t have time to do the museums either and after visiting the cathedral we pressed on and headed to Pomerode, another German colonised town about 45 minutes from Blumenau.
Below is a map showing the places we visited while in Blumenau:
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POMERODE
Pomerode is a small town in the countryside of Santa Catarina State. It is famous as “The most German city in Brazil”. Founded by Pomeranian immigrants in the late 19th century,
Pomerode preserves its deep connection to German culture in a way that’s hard to find anywhere else in the country. With its picturesque streets, traditional architecture, and strong cultural identity, Pomerode offers visitors a unique glimpse into the fusion of Brazilian and German cultures.
Walking through Pomerode feels like stepping into a village in northern Germany. The town’s architecture is distinctly half-timbered (known as “Enxaimel”), with charming houses and buildings featuring intricate woodwork and red-tiled roofs.
The region’s Pomeranian settlers, who came from what is now northern Germany and Poland, brought with them not only architectural styles but also customs, language, and traditions that remain alive today.
Despite the modernisation of many parts of Brazil, Pomerode has remained a stronghold of tradition. The German language is still spoken by many residents, and the local schools teach children both Portuguese and German, ensuring that the younger generation continues to carry on their unique heritage in Blumenau and Pomerode.
One of the most remarkable features of Pomerode is its “Enxaimel Route”, a scenic tour through the countryside, where visitors can see over 50 well-preserved half-timbered homes. This route is one of the largest collections of Enxaimel-style houses outside of Germany and was recognised as part of Brazil’s cultural tradition.
VISITING POMERODE
1 – Pórtico Sul
On our arrival we stopped at the City’s Gate, “Pórtico Sul” where the Tourist Information office is and where we got a map of the “Enxaimel Route”.
2 – Route of Enxaimel
We followed the route via “Rua Testo Alto” stopping at some places for photos. You can visit two houses on this route, the “Casa Radunz” and “Casa Siewert” in a guided tour.
However again, because of time restrictions we didn’t visit the interior of these houses. We were happy by only looking at them from the outside. When we arrived at the end of the road we returned via “Rua Progresso” with more “Enxaimel” constructions alongside the route.
The architecture of the area is very unique and can be seen widely in Blumenau and Pomerode, but the “Route of Enxaimel” is where you find the most interesting ones.
3 – The Historic Centre
Other than the “Enxaimel Route” there is not much to do in Pomerode except to appreciate the architecture of the city centre. There is another brewery that can be visited, called “Cervejaria Schornstein”.
There is also a park called “Enchanted Park” where there are life-sized dinosaurs statues. We thought this was more of an attraction for kids., so didn’t go.
From there we drove through the centre of Pomerode to look at the buildings in the centre, but after that decided to travel back to Balneário Camboriú which would take us about two hours to get there.
Below is a map showing the places we visited in Pomerode:
We had such a nice time visiting Blumenau and Pomerode. Once back in Balneário Camboriú, we bought some bread and “mortadella” in a close by bakery to make sandwiches at the flat in the evening.
We had an early evening again as next morning we were travelling to Florianópolis, the capital of the state of Santa Catarina. All about it on my next post.
If you are based in Florianópolis you can visit Blumenau and Pomerode in one day and take this TOUR that will take you to the Beer Museum, St Paul Cathedral, Vila Germânica, Pomerode Zoo, the Enchanted Park in Pomerode and a beer house.
Or you can take this Germanic Route tour visiting Ilhota, Blumenau and Pomerode.
I hope this post gives you some ideas of what to visit and what to do in Blumenau and Pomerode and helps you to plan your visit there.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT TO BLUMENAU AND POMERODE
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in Blumenau and Pomerode. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
£ – Cheap
PLEASE NOTE: Every hotel, restaurants and attractions I mention on my blogs are not sponsored reviews and we always paid the full price when visiting. We give our own opinion of the place and detail our experience, good or bad.
WHAT TO SEE IN BLUMENAU AND POMERODE
ATTRACTIONS
1 – Vila Germânica – ***
2 – Catedral São Paulo Apóstolo – ***
3 – Historic Centre – Rua XV de Novembro – ***
4 – Beer Route
5 – Alles Blau Bierkneipe Tour
6 – Pórtico Sul – Pomerode – ***
7 – Enxaimel Route – Pomerode – ***
8 – Casa Runduz – Pomerode
9 – Casa Siewert – Pomerode
10 – Cervejaria Schornstein – Pomerode
11 – Enchanted Park – Pomerode
WHERE TO STAY IN BLUMENAU AND POMERODE
ACCOMMODATION
1 – Hotel Glória Blumenau – 3* – ££
2 – Slaviero Blumenau – 4* – ££
3 – Villa do Vale Boutique Hotel – 5* – £££
4 – Apto Temático Bauernmalerei Centro Pomerode – 3* – ££
5 – Hotel Bergblick – Pomerode – 2* – £
6 – Hospedagem Tri-Best – Pomerode – 4* – ££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation, search and book via the below widget:
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WHERE TO EAT IN BLUMENAU AND POMERODE
RESTAURANTS
1 – Choperia and Restaurante Vila Germânica – *** – ££
2 – Oliv Restaurant – ££
3 – Restaurante Moinho do Vale – ££
4 – Restaurante Wunderwald (German) – Pomerode – ££
5 – Biergarten Pomerania (German) – Pomerode – ££
6 – Rancho Lemke Restaurante (German & Pizzas) – Pomerode – ££
If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
If you enjoyed reading this post you might also like to read:
On this trip to Brazil:
1 – Itu – São Paulo State
2 – Guaratuba – Paraná State
3 – Balneário Camboriú – Santa Catarina State
4 – Blumenau and Pomerode – Santa Catarina State
5 – Florianópolis – Santa Catarina State – Coming Soon
6 – Caverna do Diabo – Eldorado – São Paulo State – Coming Soon
7 – Guarujá – São Paulo State – Coming Soon
8 – Aparecida do Norte – São Paulo State – Coming Soon
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