Tulip Campo Largo

Wire Opera House at Quarry Park
Designed by architect Domingos Bongestabs, the striking Wire Opera House (Ópera de Arame) is a round structure built in steel and covered with transparent polycarbonate. To reach the theater, visitors must cross a bridge over a lake. The opera house is surrounded by lush vegetation and waterfalls in an area that used to be a quarry. Espaço Cultural Paulo Leminski, named for a Curitiba poet, is an open-air, 5175-square-foot stage whose acoustics benefit from a 90-foot tall rock wall.

Historic District
In the historic district, you can view constructions from the nineteenth century, such as the Red House (1891), or older, like the Church of St. Francis, which dates back to the eighteenth century. Casa Romário Martins, considered the oldest in Curitiba, is a tourist information centre today.

Memorial de Curitiba, a cultural centre which houses art exhibits, plays and musical presentations, contrasts sharply with the historic buildings around it, including the Red House, an 1891 construction to which it is connected. On Sundays, there is a craft fair in the historic district.

Botanical Garden
Besides having a treasure trove of native plants, the Curitiba Botanical Garden is also known for its greenhouse, made of iron and glass and inspired in London's Crystal Palace. The garden's official name - Jardim Botânico Francisca Maria Garfunkel Rischbieter - celebrates a pioneer urbanist who greatly contributed to the urban planning of Curitiba. Other attractions are the Botanical Museum and a cultural center with works donated to Curitiba by artist Frans Krajcberg.

Santa Felicidade
Curitiba's restaurant district has a strong Italian heritage. Eat well and enjoy a glimpse of early Italian immigration in a district dotted with vintage homes such as the Culpi House, the Geranium House and the House of Paintings, which has original frescoes on the walls.

At the Italian Woods (Bosque Italiano), the Italian community has typical celebrations such as the Chicken, Polenta & Wine Festival in July. Santa Felicidade is also a great place to see Paraná's symbol tree - Araucaria angustifolia, a relative of the Monkey Puzzle Tree which is called araucária or pinheiro-do-Paraná (Paraná pine tree) in Portuguese.

Oscar Niemeyer Museum
If you enjoy art and would like to experience one of architect Oscar Niemeyer’s masterpieces first-hand, you shouldn't miss the Oscar Niemeyer Museum in Curitiba. Set against the verdant Pope John Paul II Woods, the museum occupies two buildings, both designed by Niemeyer: a sprawling construction in straight lines dating back to 1967 and the Annex, built in 2002 and commonly known as the Eye. Artists from Paraná and other parts of Brazil have their work represented in the museum. Three rooms in the Eye are dedicated exclusively to photography.

Panoramic Tower
The 360-foot tall lookout tower allows travellers a 360° view of Curitiba and has a telephone museum on the ground floor. It is closed on Mondays.

Ukrainian Memorial
At the end of the nineteenth century, more than 20,000 Ukrainians immigrated to Paraná. At the memorial park in Curitiba, you can visit a Ukrainian wooden house and a replica of the St. Michael the Archangel church in Mallet, a town about 143 miles from Curitiba. You can also buy souvenirs.

Basilica
Dedicated to Holy Mary, the Basilica - whose official name is Catedral Basílica Menor de Nossa Senhora da Luz de Curitiba - is located at the Praça Tiradentes, the city's historic berth and heart. A marker on the square signals the geodesic centre of Curitiba.The cathedral was built between 1876 and 1893 on the site of an earlier church.

Shopping Estação
Curitiba has 30 shopping malls, but if you only have time to visit one, choose Shopping Estação. The name of the mall - "station" - comes from the restored train station that houses it. Besides 180 stores, eateries and a bowling alley, the mall has a train museum, a pharmacy museum, a puppet museum, an interactive nature exhibit and an interactive fragrance centre.

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