Itajai

Itajaí sits at the mouth of the Itajaí River in southern Brazil, where a busy commercial port shares the waterfront with shops and bars. The city has a mixed German and Portuguese heritage that shows up in the architecture and in the food. Praia Brava, just north of town, has reliable surf and a long strip of sand, while Cabeçudas is a quieter cove better suited to swimming. The historic centre has colonial-era buildings and a handful of churches worth walking past. Itajaí's Marejada festival in October draws big crowds for its seafood, Portuguese folk dancing, and beer. For a day trip, Balneário Camboriú is about 15 minutes south and has high-rise beachfront, a cable car, and a livelier nightlife scene. The currency is Brazilian Real, and Portuguese is the main language, though English signage exists in tourist areas.