Joinville of the ballet flats. And of the duck pastry, the Prince's House and the City of Flowers.

By: Fabíola Musarra

Joinville is a "corner" full of fascinating contrasts. While it is home to the country's main dance festival and the largest industrial hub in Santa Catarina, it preserves the glamour of the traditions of the German colonizers, the immigrants who settled there, especially from the second half of the 19th century onwards.

The Dance Festival is a unique phenomenon in Joinville. Whether on or off stage, it's an event consolidated by tradition, professionalism, and the diversity of its participants. Participants can compete in the Competitive Showcase, perform in the Meia Ponta or Open Stages in squares, neighborhoods, shopping malls, and factories, or focus on educational activities. The Festival encompasses courses and workshops for professional development, free workshops for choreographers registered in the event, dance seminars, community projects, lectures, debates, and other activities.

Supported by sponsors and promoted by the Joinville Dance Festival Institute, the event brings together more than six thousand direct participants and attracts an audience of over 200 people in an average of 170 hours of performances, which even earned it the title of the World's Largest Dance Festival in the Guinness Book of Records since 2005.

Video of the opening night performance of the 2015 Festival: Bolshoi Theatre School in Brazil - Ballet "The Nutcracker", end of the second act.

Gala Night Performance at the 2015 Festival: Italian group Evolution Dance Theater - Performance “Firefly”, with music “Plastic Beach” by Gorillaz 

With the Dance Festival over, daily life returns in full force to Joinville. It's not difficult to see the traces of Germanic influence in the city. Walking through its streets, you'll repeatedly encounter and be captivated by the architecture of graceful houses, shops, and other buildings in the half-timbered style.

You will also be unlikely to remain indifferent to the local cuisine, failing to visit one of its restaurants to sample German dishes such as stuffed duck, eisbein, and kassler, just to name a few.

Cafes in Joinville - In fact, forget about dieting, the scale, and those extra pounds when you're in Joinville. At dusk, it will be impossible to resist the aromas emanating from the breads, cakes, pies, jams, and other delicacies of its colonial cafes, another cultural heritage.

If you manage to overcome this impossible mission, don't forget that lively craft breweries and bars color the city, especially at night. Besides draft beer, the food options include snacks like duck pastries and various types of sausage, of course.

Temptations aside, Joinville is located on a plain in northern Santa Catarina, between the mountains and the sea. Beautiful by nature, it offers many opportunities for those who wish to discover its treasures. 

Its center holds many of them and can easily be explored on foot. The distances between the city's other treasures are not long, and taxis are inexpensive.

Bolshoi Ballet - Now that you know this, all you have to do is venture out. Since Joinville is synonymous with dance, start your tour at the Bolshoi Theatre, the only branch of the most respected ballet school in the world.

The behind-the-scenes tour of the Russian institution's representative in Brazil includes the library, gym, piano studios, and – the coolest part – the classrooms, where you can watch the students rehearsing. The grand finale is in the costume room, where the costumes from the productions staged by the group are on display.

Next, head to the central streets. At the National Museum of Immigration and Colonization, you'll travel back in time, seeing objects used by immigrants during the city's colonization period.

Half-timbered houses However, it is in the garden of this mansion, built in 1870 to be the home of the administrator of the then colony, Frederico Brüstlen, that the museum's highlights are located: the barn and a half-timbered house.

The first tour takes you on a journey through the evolution of local industry, allowing you to learn about the technologies developed and used by immigrants. The second tour recreates, both inside and out, a typical German house from the early 20th century. On your way out, admire another iconic Joinville landmark: Rua das Palmeiras (Palm Tree Street), with its tall, centuries-old, and majestic trees.

The next stop is the Fritz Alt House, where the German artist who created public works such as the "Immigrant Monument" in Praça da Bandeira lived. The space houses artistic works and personal objects of the sculptor.

While still in the city center, take a stroll through the futuristic São Francisco Xavier Metropolitan Cathedral and the vibrant spice, local produce, and handicraft shops at the 1907 Municipal Market.

Sambaqui Archaeological Museum Make time to visit the Sambaqui Archaeological Museum, where the exhibits reveal details of the life of the prehistoric Sambaqui people.

Joinville's central streets hold other gems, but you don't have all the time in the world. Time to head to other neighborhoods. In Anita Garibaldi, we recommend the National Firefighter Museum, where highlights include a 1923 water tanker truck and an 1892 German hand pump.

While still in this neighborhood, continue to the train station. Opened in 1906, this German-style building is part of Brazil's historical and artistic heritage.

Also located there are the Industry and Bicycle museums, with models from different eras and countries, such as the Italian Volcite from 1907 and one built with nuts.

City of Flowers - Tired of cultural activities and want to discover other facets of the city? Joinville is affectionately called the City of Flowers. And, in fact, it is full of squares, gardens, and well-maintained flowerbeds. Many of them display charming yellow lilies and orchids. Abundant in the region, the latter enchanted the immigrants upon their arrival in Brazil.

If flowers are one of your passions, a visit to Agrícola da Ilha is a must. Inside, you'll admire mesmerizing gardens, learn about planting and maintaining flowers, and have the opportunity to purchase beautiful specimens.

Now, if you're truly a fan of nature's beautiful creations, visit Joinville in November, when the yellow lilies are in full bloom and the city hosts the Flower Festival, an event that has been held for over 70 years.

Joinville also holds great surprises for sports lovers. Are you one of them? There, you'll find golf courses, equestrian centers, go-kart tracks, and many places to practice everything from shooting (a German tradition from the Middle Ages) to extreme and nautical sports.

Prince Boat - In Babitonga Bay, in the Espinheiros neighborhood, you can embark on a boat trip (www.barcoprincipe.com.br) to São Francisco do Sul, one of the oldest cities in the country. The route passes by 14 islands and calm waters surrounded by the fauna and flora of the Atlantic Forest.

Beautiful Road - Rural tourism also has its place in Joinville. And it is in its four rural zones – Estrada Bonita, Estrada Dona Francisca, Vale do Quiriri and Piraí – that the city's roots resonate most loudly, constituting a spectacle in itself that deserves to be witnessed.

Bucolic landscapes, trails, and fishing spots dot these regions. Starting points for tourist routes, they offer attractions that can be explored by car, bike, tractor, horse, horse-drawn carriage, and wagon. 

Located 25 km from the city center, Estrada Bonita offers the best infrastructure. Its idyllic 8 km route features wooden bridges over streams surrounded by lush greenery, restaurants serving food cooked in wood-fired ovens, inns, and small farms open to visitors.

During your visits, you can buy bread, cakes, molasses, and watch the artisanal production of these and other homemade treats. Signs at the entrance of the properties indicate their specialties.

City of Princes Back in the city center, you should know that Joinville is also known as the City of Princes. The nickname is well-deserved. In 1843, Prince François Ferdinand Philippe, son of the French King Louis Philippe, married the sister of Dom Pedro II, Princess Dona Francisca, whose dowry included the lands that now comprise the city.

The couple never set foot on that land, but they also never opposed its development. The land was sold in 1848 when the French king, after being deposed, found himself in financial difficulty.

The new owner, German Senator Christian Mathias Schroeder, began "inviting" his countrymen to live on the acquired land. Many came and helped build what the city is today, a fact that is, in itself, an irresistible invitation to get to know Joinville. Just go. 

In the Valley of the Vineyards

If you plan to go to Bento Gonçalves (RS), the Hotel Villa Michelon (www.villamichelon.com.br) is an option. Besides a lake with a jogging track, trails, a small farm, an orchard, sports courts, and a heated pool, the hotel, located in the Vale dos Vinhedos (Wine Valley), houses the Wine Memorial and the Casa do Filó (Filó House), which retraces the history of Italian immigrants in the region.

Tourist tips in Maresias

Maresias beach, in São Sebastião (SP), has gained a Tourist Information Center. Located in the International Surf Square, in the center, the center provides tips on tours and places to eat and rent snorkeling gear and surfboards, for example.

New signage

Armação de Búzios and Cabo Frio, in Rio de Janeiro, have new tourist signage. In Búzios, the signs are located at the city entrances on the RJ-106 highway. In Cabo Frio, they can be seen in the Passagem neighborhood, at Forte São Mateus, and at Ponte Nova.

Unprecedented service

Hplus Hotelaria is offering a unique service on its website, www.hplus.com.br, where you can simultaneously book hotels within the chain and purchase airline tickets.

The service works like this: in the "Reservations" box on the website's main page, you click on "Book hotel + flight" and enter the hotel, the length of stay, and the departure and arrival airports.

Once that's done, simply check the screen for the best fares and make your reservations. If you want more options, click again and see the other flights offered by the airlines on the new page.

Cycling in Fernando de Noronha

Do you enjoy cycling? Did you know that it's now possible to get around by bike on the beautiful island of Pernambuco? The recently implemented initiative provides cyclists with eight stations offering communal spaces and another 12 support stations, where bicycles are available 24 hours a day.

Azul's launch

Clothing, accessories, model aircraft. These and other products bearing the Azul Linhas Aéreas brand are now within your reach. Or rather, within your budget. To purchase or simply browse the items in the Azul Collection line, just visit www.lojinhaazul.com.br

Overnight stay in Istanbul

Turkish Airlines is offering a complimentary overnight hotel stay and transfers to passengers on flights with long layovers in Istanbul – at least ten hours for economy and comfort classes, and seven hours for business class. To claim the services, passengers must go to the Turkish Airlines Hotel Desk and present their boarding pass. Information: www.turkishairlines.com

Seychelles, the jewel of the Indian Ocean

With beaches of multiple shades of blue and green, this paradise, also known as the Jewel of the Indian Ocean, is a perfect destination for couples in love.

If you're planning a romantic getaway, it's worth checking out Sonho a 2's itinerary. It includes two and three nights' accommodation on the islands of Mahé and Praslin in the Seychelles, respectively, plus a day trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. Information: www.sonhosa2.com.br

Brazilian passport

The Brazilian passport has changed and now features a new look and security mechanism, as well as being valid for ten years. However, it now costs R$ 257,25, 65% more than the previous model. 

(*) Correspondence for this section: https://fabiolamusarra.wordpress.com/