In this post, I will describe what we did on the first day we arrived in Campos do Jordão. We spent two days there, and I will tell you what we did in this short space of time.
Every year, we visit our home country to see friends and family. We stay in our flat in São Vicente, SP. While there, we travel to places we have already been before or to new places we haven’t visited.
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Campos do Jordão is a place I visited when I still lived in Brazil, many years ago. I could not remember it very well. It certainly changed after all these years, and I was curious to go back to see what it looked like now.
We have two friends who moved to Campos do Jordão. One of them, who had lived in the UK for many years, decided to return to Brazil and made it their home. Another one moved from the coast of São Paulo state to start a new retired life in the mountains. We had two friends to visit and catch up with after a long time of not seeing each other.
For the two nights, I booked a very nice house with 4 bedrooms in a nice part of town. I was going with my mother, my daughter, my brother and his wife. This was the reason to book a large house. However, my brother had health issues and at the last minute cancelled his trip and couldn’t go. So, it was only the three of us in a big house. But at least each of us had one of the bedrooms with an en-suite only for ourselves.
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.
Because it was near Easter the whole town was decorated with beautiful Easter eggs.
Before I start telling you about our visit on day 1, let’s learn a little bit about Campos do Jordão.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CAMPOS DO JORDÃO
Campos do Jordão is a mountain resort city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It is located in the “Serra da Mantiqueira” range at about 1,628 meters (5,341 feet) above sea level, making it the highest city in Brazil. Because of its altitude, it has a subtropical highland climate with cool, dry winters and mild summers. It is often compared to small European alpine towns.
The city was founded in 1874, originally as a health retreat due to its clean air, which was believed to benefit patients with respiratory illnesses such as tuberculosis. It gained popularity in the early 20th century among wealthy São Paulo residents seeking a mountain getaway. Its architecture reflects a mix of German and Swiss chalet styles, which became a defining characteristic of the urban landscape.
Its economy is driven by tourism, especially in winter when temperatures can drop near freezing and the city’s alpine atmosphere is most pronounced. The combination of natural scenery, cultural events, and gastronomy makes it one of Brazil’s most popular mountain destinations.
There are many attractions to visit in Campos do Jordão, and below are just some of them:
· Capivari District
“Capivari” is the central district of Campos do Jordão and the heart of its tourism. It concentrates the city’s European-style architecture, with timbered chalet façades, lively squares, and pedestrian-friendly streets lined with cafés, restaurants, and boutique shops.
In winter, “Capivari “becomes especially crowded, attracting visitors who come for the cold weather, fondue, craft beer, and chocolate shops. The area also hosts the annual Winter Festival, when orchestral and chamber music performances take place in venues like the “Cláudio Santoro Auditorium” nearby.
· Amantikir Gardens
“Amantikir Gardens” is a 60,000-square-meter botanical park on the outskirts of Campos do Jordão, designed with landscapes inspired by gardens from around the world. Opened in 2007, it brings together more than 700 plant species arranged in themed areas such as English, French, Japanese, and labyrinth gardens.
The park emphasises harmony between cultivated design and the natural mountain setting of the “Serra da Mantiqueira”, offering walking trails, panoramic viewpoints, and spaces that highlight seasonal changes in vegetation. It has become one of the city’s main attractions for visitors interested in botany, photography, and contemplative outdoor experiences.
· Pedra do Baú
“Pedra do Baú” is a massive granite rock formation rising about 1,950 meters above sea level, located near Campos do Jordão in the “Serra da Mantiqueira”. Shaped like a giant chest or “baú” (trunk), it is part of a larger complex that includes the “Bauzinho” (small trunk) and “Ana Chata” peaks.
The site is a major destination for hiking, rock climbing, and mountaineering, with trails ranging from accessible walks to challenging ascents using iron ladders fixed into the rock. From the summit, visitors get sweeping views of the Mantiqueira range, nearby valleys, and on clear days even the “Paraíba Valley”. It is one of the region’s iconic natural landmarks and a key attraction for adventure tourism.
· Felícia Leirner Museum
The “Felícia Leirner Museum” is an open-air sculpture museum, set within a forested area of the “Serra da Mantiqueira”. Opened in 1978, it houses over 80 sculptures by the Polish-born artist Felícia Leirner, who settled in Brazil in the 1920s. Her works, created mainly in bronze and white cement, are displayed across lawns and wooded paths, integrating art with the natural landscape.
The museum shares its grounds with the “Cláudio Santoro Auditorium”, the main stage of the “Campos do Jordão Winter Festival”, combining visual arts, music, and nature in one setting.
· Horto Florestal State Park
“Horto Florestal”, officially named “Parque Estadual Campos do Jordão”, is a protected conservation area covering over 8,000 hectares on the southern edge of the “Serra da Mantiqueira”. Established in 1941, it preserves high-altitude Atlantic Forest ecosystems with rich biodiversity, including araucaria pines, bromeliads, and orchids, as well as native wildlife such as toucans and capuchin monkeys.
The park offers a network of trails, waterfalls, picnic areas, and cycling routes, making it a major destination for eco-tourism and outdoor recreation. It also has facilities showcasing the region’s forestry history and environmental importance.
For those looking for some adventure closer to nature there are a few tours in Campos do Jordão that will tick your box. One of them is The Zoom Aventura Horto Tree climbing. It is a fun and beautiful circuit with incredible views of the area. Book this tour HERE.
There is also another activity which is “The Sapucaí Canopies” in the “Horto Florestal”. It starts with a guided walk on a trail with lots of information about the local fauna and flora. After the trail you will “fly” with the “tirolesa” at 60 metres high and above the trees and the “Sapucaí River”. Book this one HERE.
· Campos do Jordão Winter Festival
The “Campos do Jordão Winter Festival”, founded in 1970, is the largest and most prestigious classical music event in Latin America, held annually in July during the city’s peak tourist season. Centred at the “Cláudio Santoro Auditorium” but extending to churches, theatres, and outdoor venues across Campos do Jordão, it features orchestras, chamber ensembles, and soloists from Brazil and abroad.
Beyond concerts, the festival serves as an educational hub, offering masterclasses, workshops, and opportunities for young musicians to perform alongside established artists. Its combination of high-level programming and scenic mountain atmosphere has made it a cultural landmark that attracts both music enthusiasts and casual visitors.
You can visit Campos do Jordão in a day with a tour if you are based in São Paulo Capital. The tour will take you to Palácio Boa Vista, Ducha de Prata, Capivari and the cable car and to a typical chocolate factory. To book this tour click HERE.
VISITING CAMPOS DO JORDÃO
We left São Vicente at around 8 am and took the” Imigrantes “motorway in the direction of São Paulo. From there, we turned on the “Rodoanel” in the direction of Guarulhos (airport) but turned right on “Rodovia Airton Senna” up to Piracangaguá, near Taubaté. From there, we took “Rodovia Floriano Rodrigues Pinheiro” until arriving in Campos do Jordão. We arrived there around 11:30 am.
Upon arrival, we parked the car in a car park at the centre of “Capivari”, called “Engepark” and walked to the main road full of shops and restaurants. We strolled around the pedestrian streets, looking at the shops and the nice buildings.
Below is a map showing the places we went on the first day in Campos do Jordão:
It was a bit early for lunch, but we were hungry, so we decided to stop and try the famous “Pastelão do Maluf”. This is a chain of fast-food selling “pastéis” in Campos do Jordão. They are famous locally because they sell a large-sized version of the normal-sized pastel. It is double the size.
Let me tell you a little bit about what a “pastel” is. “Pastéis” (singular: pastel) are a classic Brazilian street food, thin, crispy deep-fried pastries filled with savoury or sweet ingredients. The dough is made from wheat flour and cachaça or vinegar to keep it blistered and crunchy when fried.
They’re typically sold at open-air markets, “feiras” and snack bars. Common fillings include ground beef, cheese, chicken with cream cheese, hearts of palm, or shrimp. Sweet versions might contain guava paste with cheese (Romeu e Julieta), banana with cinnamon, or chocolate.
The pastel’s origins trace back to early 20th-century adaptations of Chinese spring rolls and Japanese gyoza, introduced by immigrants but reshaped by local tastes and available ingredients. By mid-century, they had become fully Brazilian.
They’re usually eaten with sugarcane juice, known as “caldo de cana”, creating a traditional pairing for “pastéis”.
We sat at one of their tables and made our orders. We ordered one pastel each in different flavours with drinks. When they arrived, we were worried because they were huge! Nevertheless, we love “pastéis” and we ate what we could but were unable to finish everything.
After lunch, we explored Capivari a little bit more. We looked for a place called “Romantik Dalen”, which was supposed to be a bridge where couples go and make love promises to each other and lock a padlock on the rails of the bridge. It is supposed to be a tourist place.
However, Google took us to a property on a back road, which was also called “Romantik Dalen”. It was open and was a space that could be hired for weddings and other events. We looked at it anyway, it had a “Love Fountain”, a “Mural of Love” and a “Julieta statue”.
Leaving the place, we walked in another direction and bumped into the “Umbrellas bridge”, which we think is the place also referred to as “Romantik Dalen”. It is a bridge full of padlocks with a heart at the entrance and umbrellas above it. The bridge takes you to a shopping centre which sells clothes, souvenirs and other merchandise.
We looked at the shopping Centre and bought a few souvenirs to take as presents to some relatives, but soon left because it was time to go to our booked house to check in.
On the way to the car park, we stopped to see the “São Benedito” church before driving to the house that was on top of a hill, about a 15-minute drive from Capivari, the centre of Campos.
You can have a private tour of Campos do Jordão in an air conditioned car and an experience to remember. Book this tour HERE.
Here is a reel of Campos do Jordão from the Travelling Surveyor Instagram account. Check it out and follow me on Instagram as well.
“Casa Campos” was very nice, but we had a bit of a problem with the heating. We were at the beginning of April, and the days were still warm, but the evenings were already quite chilly in the mountains.
Although we live in a country where winters are very cold, we have central heating like everybody else. Winters are not a big deal for us, and we feel very comfortable inside our houses.
In Brazil, central heating is not very common, but I would expect that in a place that can get very cold in winter, central heating would be a necessity. However, in that particular house, there was no central heating.
They had lots of blankets in every room and a fireplace, but we didn’t know how to fire the fireplace. The owner who lives next door, was not available to light the fire for us, so we were very cold on the first night.
My daughter and I didn’t worry too much about it, but my Mum, who is an elderly lady, feels very cold at the slightest drop in temperature, so she had a hard time.
The second night was a bit better because the owner lit the fireplace for us, but it only heated the living room; the bedrooms were still cold.
We didn’t stay in the house very much; we only slept there, so it was a shame the house was so cold during the night when we were there. I imagine when winter comes, and the temperature drops very low, how people manage in that house without heating. Anyway, we survived.
After the check-in, we went back to Capivari to one of my friends’ houses. She lives in Capivari in a charming block of flats next to a forest. We stayed there chatting until late and had dinner there with her. After dinner, we drove back to a cold house up on the hill.
Next post, I will tell you what we visited on our second day in Campos do Jordão, so bear with me.
I hope this post will give you some idea of what can be done in a day in Campos do Jordão and will help you plan your own visit there.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT TO CAMPOS DO JORDÃO
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat around Campos do Jordão. 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.
THINGS TO DO IN CAMPOS DO JORDÃO – DAY 1
1 – Walk around Capivari – ***
2 – Romantik Dalem or The Umbrellas Bridge – ***
3 – São Benedito Church – ***
WHERE TO STAY
ACCOMMODATION
1 – Cantos e Contos Boutique Hotel – 5* – £££
2 – Pousada Bella Giornata – 5* – £££
3 – Hotel Palazzo Reale – 4* – £££
4 – Casa Campos – 4* – ££
5 – Hotel Leão da Montanha – 3* – ££
6 – Hotel Euro Suite Campos do Jordão – 3* – ££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation, search and book via the below widget:
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BEST PLACES TO EAT
RESTAURANTS
1 – Pastelão do Maluf – *** – £
2 – Confraria do Sabor – ££
3 – Di Paolo – ££
4 – Restaurant Alquimia – £££
5 – Kuche – £££
6 – Libertango – £££
We only tried the ones in bold , the others are the result of my researches and ones that I would like to try. 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 visit to Brazil:
1 – Campos do Jordão – Day 1
2 – Campos do Jordão – Day 2
3 – Sorocaba
4 – Foz do Iguaçu – Day 1
5 – Foz do Iguaçu – Day 2
6 – Curitiba
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