Nova Friburgo
A Swiss colony of 1820 in the Rio state highlands, now a lingerie manufacturing town with mountain walking around it.
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In 1818 the Portuguese crown recruited settlers from the Swiss canton of Fribourg, and around two hundred and sixty families who survived the crossing founded the town in 1820, making it the first non-Portuguese European colony in Brazil. German settlers followed. The Swiss inheritance is now thin - a square, some names, a few festivals - and the town's actual economy is lingerie, of which it is the largest producer in Latin America, with factory outlets that are the main reason many Brazilians come. What holds up is the setting: mountains to nearly two thousand metres, cool air, a cable car to Morro da Cruz, and walking in the Tres Picos state park nearby. The 2011 landslides in this region killed over nine hundred people.
What you actually see
- A Swiss foundation of 1820 - the first non-Portuguese colony in Brazil.
- A lingerie industry - the largest in Latin America, with factory outlets.
- A cable car to Morro da Cruz - the view over the town and the range.
- Tres Picos walking - the state park peaks nearby.
When to go
April to September. Two days.
Honest expectations
The Swiss identity is largely nominal now and visitors expecting an Alpine town will be disappointed. The road up from Rio is winding and slow. The 2011 disaster left the whole region cautious about heavy rain, and roads close when it comes. Winter nights are cold.
Nearby
Teresopolis is west; Visconde de Maua is far to the south-west.
What to pack for Nova Friburgo
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.