Itajaí Cicloturismo Rural

1st sectionWe begin the route facing the river, at Baia Afonso Wippel, where we can highlight the municipality's gastronomic route and the Itajaí Nautical Association.At the end of the riverfront, we arrive at Centreventos Itajaí, the stage of the largest Fish and Portuguese Festival in Brazil.On the stretch of Avenida Hercílio Luz, we pass the Palácio Marcos Konder next to the Casa da Cultura Dide Brandão, one of the most visited buildings in Itajaí.Built and inaugurated in the first half of the 1920s, it served as the city's administrative center.Today it houses the Itajaí Historical Museum, whose exhibits tell our story; its eclectic style enhances the charm of the city center.We cross the city until we reach BR 101, where we pass under a viaduct and begin our second section.2nd sectionThis section begins on the Itaipava road and remains an urban route, on a calm and pleasant road to ride.At the end of the road, there is the possibility to stop at the Itaipava Ethno-Archaeological Museum.The station was created in 1926 and deactivated in 1971 when the Santa Catarina railway ceased operations.In 1983, the building was used by the City Hall as the headquarters of the Agriculture Department and now houses the Itajaí Ethno-Archaeological Museum.Since archaeological sites have been located near the museum, indicating places with traces of ancient populations and cultures, the Genésio Miranda Lins Foundation has committed to researching this material and building the museum in Itaipava.These sites are cultural heritage that helps to better understand how populations lived in earlier times.Therefore, two themes will be addressed in the museum: local ethnography, highlighting the culture of European immigration in the region, and the archaeology of indigenous peoples, through the study of sambaqui.Crossing BR 486, we continue along Germano Luiz Vieira street, observing the exit of trucks from the dry port.The Km 12 Community is one of the oldest communities and received this name for being exactly 12 km from the Matriz Church of the Most Holy Sacrament, the center of Itajaí. The community's main source of income is rice and passion fruit cultivation.At this point, there are small markets, a bakery, and bars that can supply the cyclist.3rd sectionThis section mixes old and modern beauties, passing through Arraial dos Cunha, where Colonel João Antônio da Cunha lived, coming from Portugal, on lands donated by Dom Pedro III in 1532.Beautiful rice fields and pastures embellish the place. We end the route at Brilhante, a place full of mysteries, where Nato Gastaldi saw a very strong and bright light while diving into the Itajaí – Mirim River.A grand locality, it was divided into Brilhante I and II.4th sectionThe section that has the longest pedal now begins, Campeche.This community was once called Morreti, but in tribute to a large tree called Campeche existing in the place, used in dyeing, also known as Pau-Campeche, residents began to call the community Campeche. The first inhabitants to settle here were the Quintino family, around 1860.The end of the section is at the São Roque community, which also was once called Toca da Onça and was renamed São Roque after the construction of the church whose patron is São Roque.This community connects the municipalities of Ilhota and Itajaí and was once the largest producer and exporter of ginger and today stands out in the production of beans, horticulture, and corn, in addition to dairy products.5th sectionThe last kilometers are the busiest; traffic is heavy on Avenida Mario Uriate, a place with truck traffic loaded with containers.We will pass from the Cordeiros neighborhood to São Vicente, crossing Estefano José Vanolli and taking Avenida Gov. Adolfo Konder.The bike lane starts on Carolina Vailatti street in the São João neighborhood, Gaspar and João Gaya streets in Vila Operária neighborhood, and Almirante Barroso in the city center, ending at Tijucas street from where we see our goal, the Matriz Church of the Most Holy Sacrament, inaugurated in 1955.We thus complete 60 kilometers that tell a bit of the history of Itajaí and its ancestors, reflecting a better and sustainable future.Source: Itajai Tourism Department