A journey through Vale Europeu, is to enjoy the Best in Life.
What place is this, where in travelling just a few short kilometers, you feel that you have traversed several European Countries? Who are these people who look so much like their ancestors? What era is this, where there is still time to stop, gaze and appreciate all of the splendours of this Earth? It is the magnificent region, which includes eighteen Municipalities around Blumenau, Santa Catarina, and is justly known as the Vale Europa.
Embarking upon a leisurely journey of discovery through the valley, stopping frequently to chat to local descendants of German, Italian, Russian and Azorian immigrants, it seems that you are no longer in Brazil. You will meet Brazilians with hair the colour of pine seed or cider, skin as white as snow, sea blue eyes and rosy, sunburnt cheeks. In this “tuti-fruti” land, pause to admire the vineyards, banana plantations, cabbage fields and the blue skies reflected in the waters of the paddy fields. Enjoy the multitude of gastronomic delights, visit the beautifully kept churches, be enchanted by so many flower gardens, stop off at local cheese producers, distilleries and vineyards, purchase beautiful local handmade artefacts, dare to try rafting or rappel and above all, dance, party and drink repeated toasts to our great good fortune that all of this bounty is so near at hand, here in Santa Catarina.
When sight seeing here, the journeys from town to town become an integral, delightful part of your holiday. A perfect example is the case of Rio dos Cedro, one of the valley towns. The country roadway, zigzagging through the mountains, passing by the Pinhal reservoir, is bordered by hydrangea, and enveloped by dreamy blue skies. Let the road just simply carry you along. Leaving the main highways, and following the secondary roads and sidetracks, so carefully maintained by the local residents, you will discover, from November through to mid January, more than 30km. of roadsides ablaze with the bright, delicate lilac and deep purple flowers of the robust hydrangea. At some spots, the plants form veritable banks of flowers, spilling over into the waters of the reservoir. On arriving in Rio dos Cedros, colonised by Italian and German immigrants, you will find among the many the many fascinating features something quite special. Look closely at the windows of the older houses and you will see that the window blinds are made of thin slats of wood, beautifully painted, showing local views.
Continuing your journey, you will discover other little gems, like Pomerode, that most German of towns and home of the musical Timbo. As you drive along the dirt roads, you will be enchanted by scenes taken from the last century. Simple timber framed houses, with tiny plain bricks and blackened cross beams, through which plumes of smoke drift the day long. In the gardens, flowers are jumbled together with vegetable patches and aromatic herb gardens. Hospitality greets you everywhere. Travelling around these towns reveals to us the most important aspect of the lives of these communities, whose people are the descendents of the principal immigrants into the region. It is here that one can so easily capture the spirit of a past era, a time when German, Italian, Polish and Ukrainian colonists arrived. It is here that we may discover our roots.