Discover Chapecó

Chapecó combines cultural and historic sites with green spaces, walking trails and water activities. This lets you shape your stay around different interests: one day might be devoted to a museum, the city’s history and architecture, and another to walking trails or an outing by the water. Distinctive places like Gruta da Sede Figueira also showcase the variety of discoveries on offer.

Museums and the History of Chapecó

Different periods come together at the Museu de História e Arte de Chapecó. The exhibition includes archaeological objects from settlements dating back around 7,000 years. The museum also welcomes school groups of all ages from public and private schools for educational visits. Its building formerly served as the city administration; it was designated as historic and cultural heritage in 2007 and retains architectural features from the 1950s.

The Museu da Colonização de Chapecó is located in the Casa Histórica da família Bertaso, in Parque de Exposições Valmor Lunardi. Its themes include aspects of Chapecó’s colonization history, as well as exchanges and conflicts between the ethnic groups involved. The museum offers educational institutions guided visits and educational activities for different age groups. Those interested in the history of Italian immigration will find a different focus at the Museu da Cultura Italiana in Comunidade da Colônia Cella: around 300 objects, mostly agricultural tools, illustrate part of this history. The objects were used by residents at the beginning of the 20th century.

The history of the city’s buildings is also part of its cultural character. Capela São Carlos was built from wood and zinc sheet in the Franciscan style and restored in 2000 to preserve and promote its history and culture. In the 1950s, Frei João Vianey Erdrich proposed building 16 more chapels based on the same architectural design. The Monumento “O Desbravador” commemorates the colonizers who opened up Chapecó and western Santa Catarina; it is considered a symbol of the city’s historical and cultural heritage.

Green Spaces, Trails and Distinctive Places

There are several places to spend time outdoors. Ecoparque features a green area with native trees and eucalyptus, a lake with a bridge, and three walking trails. At Parque Palmital, native tree species define a wooded area that is ideal for walks. The park is also home to a sculpture of Sr. Angelo Sartori, a pioneer of the region. Parque das Palmeiras adds a walking path and a 520 m² playground to these options.

A distinctive natural and cultural site is Gruta da Sede Figueira, which includes three caves formed in the rock and a waterfall around eight metres high. The Trilha dos Mistérios do Rosário is also part of the site. Its 15 sandstone sculptures represent the mysteries of the Rosary. Every year, the Penitential Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes takes place at the grotto, welcoming around 5,000 people. The site therefore offers both a connection to a religious tradition and distinctive landscape features that set it apart from the city’s green spaces.

Sports and Water Activities

Arena Condá was inaugurated in 1976 and is the stadium where Associação Chapecoense de Futebol plays. It has also hosted national and international events. Those interested in sports and events can include this part of Chapecó in their plans alongside its museums and natural sites.

Estância das Águas offers another outing option. It has five swimming pools, a water playground and several water slides for tourists and members. The grounds also include a lake for recreational fishing. These water activities are quite different from quieter walks and museum visits; deciding which ones you want to focus on can help guide your choice of a vacation rental in Chapecó.

More destinations: Rio Do Sul, Lajeado Grande, Alfredo Wagner, Fraiburgo, Vargem Bonita, Pinhalzinho, Gaspar, Urubici.

For the broader travel overview: Santa Catarina.