Criciúma: Coal Mining, History and Nature

Criciúma combines impressive insights into coal mining with museums, historic sites and nature-related attractions. A special experience is the Mina de Visitação Octávio Fontana: since 2011, it has been the only hard coal mine open to visitors in Latin America. The city also offers viewpoints, collections on its history and parks with a range of activities. Which of these sides of Criciúma you’d like to explore can shape your trip planning and your search for a suitable holiday rental.

Experience Coal Mining in a Unique Way

At the Mina de Visitação Octávio Fontana, visitors ride a miniature railway through the mine. It is a replica of a 1922 model. The experience also includes impressions of activities similar to the processes involved in coal extraction. This means the focus is not only on coal, but also on how work in the mine was carried out. An exhibition of scale models complements the visit. Visitors interested in technology, industrial history and the region’s past will find several different ways to explore the subject here.

City History, Collections and Architectural Heritage

The Museu Municipal Histórico e Geográfico Augusto Casagrande is dedicated to the history of Criciúma’s colonization. Its collection comprises 1,300 objects: documents, photographs, Indigenous artifacts, and personal and household items. This variety also makes the museum interesting for visitors who want to learn about history through more than just written records. The different groups of objects offer diverse perspectives on the city’s past.

Another historic landmark is Catedral São José. Construction began in 1907, and the cathedral was inaugurated in 1917. Those who want to focus on the city’s history can combine a visit to the church with an interest in the city museum’s collections. The two places offer different ways to explore the past: one is a religious building with clearly documented construction and inauguration dates; the other is an extensive collection on the colonization of Criciúma.

Views and Nature

Mirante Realdo Santos Guglielmi offers 360-degree views of Criciúma, the Serra and the sea. The stated visiting hours for this viewpoint are daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. This makes it easy to include the view as a distinct part of your day’s plans. Those interested in landscapes and panoramas can combine this stop with the city’s more history-focused attractions.

The Museu de Zoologia Prof.ª Morgana Cirimbelli Gaidzinski offers a different way to explore nature. Its four permanent exhibitions cover animals of the Atlantic Rainforest, impacts, the marine ecosystem and wildlife. The museum was founded in 2002 with the aim of becoming a reference center for scientific research, environmental education and cultural tourism. This provides a clear thematic complement to mining and city history: the focus here is on zoological and ecological topics.

Parks, Recreation and Regional Traditions

At Parque das Nações Cincinato Naspolini, railway themes meet sporting activities. The park is home to the locomotive “Teresinha 01,” a replica of a German model from the 1920s. It also has a station recreating Criciúma’s first stopping point, as well as sports facilities. This lets visitors experience historic railway connections and recreation as different aspects of the same park.

Parque da Prefeitura focuses on physical activity, with a skate park and other facilities that encourage movement. At Parque dos Imigrantes, by contrast, the focus is on the atafona, a traditional device. Colonizers in southern Santa Catarina used it to produce corn, cassava and polvilho flour. The device thus represents a specific regional food-processing tradition. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Criciúma, the themes that matter most to you—mining, city history, nature, recreation or tradition—can help you organize your travel interests.

More Places to Explore

Also discover Lajeado Grande, Nova Veneza, Corupá, Biguaçu, Ascurra, Rio Dos Cedros, Rodeio and Otacílio Costa.

For the broader travel overview: Santa Catarina.