Campinas

Understand

Campinas is certainly not a main tourism destination, attracting more business travellers, international students and research visitors than conventional tourists. It offers however a number of interesting things to do for the casual visitor, such as exploring the city's coffee farming heritage and its lively nightlife.

History

Campinas started as a simple outpost for Portuguese settlers on 1774. It became a municipality on 1797, with the name of Vila de São Carlos. The city grew and prospered in subsequent decades with sugarcane farming, followed by coffee farming by the end of 19th century. After the decline of the coffee farming, Campinas started to re-emerge after the 1930s by means of industry development and more diversified exported-oriented agriculture. It eventually became the center of Brazil's major important industrial areas, which includes nearby municipalities such as Paulínia, Americana and Valinhos, collectively forming the Campinas metropolitan area. The creation of State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), in 1966, also resulted in the city becoming one of the country's most important centers of research and technology, hosting several research institutes and technology startup companies.

Culture Campinas' culture can be described as a mix of the urban, cosmopolitan São Paulo city and the rural, caipira culture of the countryside of the São Paulo's state. The city's many bars and clubs play international pop music as much as sertanejo music. Demographically speaking, Campinas is similar to São Paulo, with a strong Portuguese and Italian heritage as well as a sizeable population of descendants of Japanese as well as migrants from the Northeast of Brazil.

Getting there

By plane Campinas has its own an international airport, but many international and domestic visitors arrive from São Paulo's airports.

By Viracopos International Airport 1 Viracopos International Airport (VCP IATA). (updated Dec 2021) Viracopos Airport is one of the main airports in the state of São Paulo and the main hub of the airline Azul Brazilian Airlines. It has flights to Fort Lauderdale, Lisbon and Orlando, and seasonal flights to Punta del Este. To arrive from the airport to the city, one can use the following options:

Taxi. Taxi prices from the airport are either by meter or by fixed price according to the destination. Fixed prices are not mandatory - taxi users have always the option of choosing to use the meter, but generally there is not much difference between both. By fixed price, as of Oct 2015, a trip to UNICAMP would cost R$ 141 (flag 1) or R$ 181 (flag 2). To the intercity bus terminal , R$ 81 (flag 1) or R$ 103 (flag 2). The full list of destinations can be found in the EMDEC website. Local bus. Every 30 min, from 06:10 to 00:08. The cheapest option. Line 193, that has a 30 minutes time delay and cost R$4,50, this line stops at the main Campinas streets and at the main local bus station, from which you can get buses to other points of the city and to other local bus stations without extra cost. R$4,50, to be paid on board. Lirabus Shuttle Bus, ☏ +55 19 3234-1000. Every hour. The shuttle bus operated by LiraBus is a cheap option and good if you have luggage. It stops at Largo do Pará Square (city center) and at the intercity bus station, where you can get a bus to other Brazilian cities or a taxi. One way R$9. Rent a car. There are two car rentals at the airport and the prices for economy class cars are close to R$70 a day.

By Guarulhos/Congonhas airports The airports of Guarulhos and Congonhas are both about 1:40 minutes away by car. Cab trips are somewhat pricey but you can take a shuttle from Lirabus that goes directly to Campinas and take about 2 hours. It costs R$40 from Guarulhos, R$35 from Congonhas, and will leave you at Largo do Pará Square, one block from Hotel Ibis, or at Terminal Multimodal Ramos de Azevedo (Rodoviária). From there you can get buses or taxis to other points of the city. A far less attractive option is to use the Airport Bus Service from EMTU [1] that goes to Terminal Rodoviário Barra Funda and stop at Terminal Rodoviário Tietê, where you have to take an intercity bus to Campinas. This option is both more expensive and takes a longer time (about 3 hours) than the LiraBus direct bus, s

Getting around

On foot Downtown Campinas, containing most of the city's shopping and historical buildings, is a relatively large area but still easier to be explored on foot, given the large amount of traffic. The center of Sousas/Joaquim Egídio is also an excellent area to walk. Other areas of Campinas don't offer much in terms of sightseeing, but calm, green suburbs like Parque Taquaral, Nova Campinas, and Cidade Universitária (in Barão Geraldo), can offer a nice leisurely stroll.

By bicycle Campinas has a very limited network of cycleways; there is for instance one that links the center of the Barão Geraldo district with the UNICAMP, and another surrounding Parque Portugal. It is better to cycle in calmer suburbs, with small amount of traffic. Cycling is a popular means of transport for the students of UNICAMP.

By bus Despite being a city with more than 1 million inhabitants, Campinas does not have any mass rapid transit system, although a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is under implementation. Buses are hence the only option of public transport; check the EMDEC company website for routes and itineraries. As with most large Brazilian cities, buses are confusing, and can be overcrowded and slow (as they often get stuck in traffic), but they are relatively frequent and reach practically everywhere. Although it is not easy to find where are the bus stops and which bus to catch, people on the street will be glad to help if they can understand you. There are several main bus terminals, where you can transfer from one line into another. Some urban buses even go to neighbor cities as Jaguariúna and Paulínia. Campinas has adopted a prepaid smartcard for paying buses, the Bilhete Único, that allows you to take multiple buses in a 2-hour period paying only a single tariff (R$3,30 as of May 2013). A visitor can obtain a Bilhete Único for free in the main bus terminals, by bringing an identity document and charging as little as R$9,00 (two tariffs).

1 Central bus terminal (Terminal Central). The central bus terminal, most local and regional routes stop here. (updated Aug 2020)

By car If driving a car, be aware that some avenues have been converted to one-way streets to form a ring around downtown. Sometimes it can be tricky to find your way back and be careful not to get into the wrong way on one of those avenues. After 22:00 until 06:00, some traffic lights are turned off and just blink yellow. Don't be scared, this is not effect of a Martian invasion. For safety reasons, you are not supposed to be stopped at red lights late at night. Be aware, however, that during

See

Downtown

Like many others large Brazilian cities, Campinas' Downtown suffers from urban degradation. However, it contains several buildings of historical and architectural value, many associated with São Paulo state's glorious coffee farming era between the 19th and 20th centuries.

1 Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception (Catedral Metropolitana de Campinas), Praça José Bonifácio, ☏ +55 19 3231-2085. Inaugurated in 1883, after more than 70 years of construction. It was finished by the famous local architect Ramos de Azevedo, with a façade in Neoclassic style, and interiors in Baroque style. It is unique among churches in Brazil, by virtue of being entirely sculpted and carved in dark jacaranda wood. (updated Aug 2020) Praça Bento Quirino (Largo do Carmo), ☏ 7. This public square is where Campinas was founded, in 1773. It contains the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Colégio Bento Quirino, Jóquei Clube Campineiro, a monument to the local politician Bento Quirino, and the graveyard and monument of the local opera composer Carlos Gomes (some of these are actually in the adjacent Praça Antonio Pompeo). Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Praça Bento Quirino - Centro, ☏ +55 19 3231-2327. The former central church of Campinas, inaugurated during the foundation of the city. However, a large portion of the building was reconstructed in 1939, giving its current neo-Gothic appearance. Its nicely decorated interior is open to visit 7 days per week (check the website for the time table). Free. Jóquei Clube Campineiro, Praça Antonio Pompeo, 39 - Centro, ☏ +55 19 3232-1680. The social quarters of the Campinas Jockey Club, built in 1925 in eclectic style with art nouveau and neo-Renaissance element. The building maintains its original function. Solar do Visconde de Indaiatuba, Rua Barão de Jaguara, 1252 / 1276 - Centro. Built in 1846 in colonial style as a residence for a well-known aristocrat. Now it functions as a public notary. Solar do Barão de Itapura, Rua Marechal Deodoro, 1099 - Centro. Mansion built in 1883, in Renaissance style, as a mansion for a local aristocrat. It hosts a private university. Museu de Imagem e Som de Campinas (Palácio dos Azulejos), Rua Regente Feijó, 859 - Centro, ☏ +55 19 3733-8800. 09:00-20:00. Campinas' Image and Sound museum, located in a colonial-style mansion built in 1978 for a local aristocrat. Contains one of the few cinemas in the city where it is possible to watch non-mainstream movies. Capela da Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte (Capela da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Campinas), Rua Benjamin Constan

Do

Campinas-Jaguariúna steam locomotive ride, Rua Dr. Antonio Duarte da Conceição 1.500 (Near carrefour of Rod. D. Pedro), ☏ +55 19 3207-3637, [email protected]. Tourist steam locomotive ride starting at the historical Anhumas train station towards the Jaguariúna train station, in Jaguariúna. Only on weekends. Call or send an e-mail (in Portuguese) for prices, exact departure and return times. Ciclofaixa Campinas. Su 07:00-13:00. Like São Paulo, during Sundays and holidays several exclusive cycling lanes are open in Campinas. However, in Campinas these temporary cycling lanes remain open only until 13:00. There are two routes: the first links Lagoa do Taquaral (north) to Largo do Rosário (Downtown), and another links Parque Linear do Capivari (Downtown) to Bosque Augusto Ruschi (southeast). Check the website for maps and other information. Carduelis Birdwatching tours (Has no office), ☏ +55-19-98100-8806. Carlos Enrique conducts ornithological tours in Campinas or in and around São Paulo State.

Sports Estádio Brinco de Ouro da Princesa (Jóia da Princesa), Av. Imperatriz Dona Tereza Cristina, 11 - Jardim Proença, ☏ +55 19 2136-3400. Stadium of the Guarani football team, with capacity for 32,341 people. Estádio Moisés Lucarelli, R. Antônio Francisco de Andrade, 1900 - Jardim Proença, ☏ +55 19 2101-7200. Stadium of the Ponta Preta football team, with capacity for 19,728 people.

Theater and culture For a city of its size, Campinas is somewhat underwhelming in terms of cultural options, mostly due to the proximity to São Paulo, that tends to get the most relevant performances and expositions. Theatrical performances are mostly in Portuguese; check websites such as [2] for a list of ongoing performances in the Campinas metro area.

Teatro Municipal José de Castro Mendes, Praça Correa de Lemos - Vila Industrial (Near Campinas Central station), ☏ +55 19 3272-9359. Campinas municipal theatre, hosting a variety of performances. Teatro Iguatemi Campinas, Av. Iguatemi, 777 - Vila Brandina (At Shopping Iguatemi), ☏ +55 19 3294-3166. Theatre that frequently hosts high-end performances. If you are fan of Brazilian soap operas, it is your best bet in the city to see famous TV actors. SESI Campinas, Av. dos Amoreiras - Parque Itália, ☏ +55 19 3772-4100. SESI Campinas offers a wide range of cultural activities, including concerts, theater and expositions, at low prices. Casa do Lago, Rua Érico Veríssimo, 1011 - Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz - Barão Geraldo, ☏ +55 19 3521-1708. Located inside the UNICAMP, Casa do Lago offers free expositions,

Buy

Downtown. Downtown Campinas is the main shopping area of the city, and you probably can find cheaper products here than in the suburbs or shopping malls. A good place to start your shopping is the pedestrianized Rua Treze de Maio (where the Catedral Metropolitana sits), that contains all major chain stores like C&A, Pernambucanas and Americanas. Downtown streets shops are typically open M-F 08:00-19:00, Sa 08:00-17:00. During December, before Christmas, working hours are generally extended. Central Market (Mercadão), Av. Benjamim Constant, Praça Carlos Botelho - Centro, ☏ +55 19 3232-3679. Nice place to find exotic food and to feel the charm that Campinas had in its past. It is downtown close to two main bus stations, which takes some of this beauty away but makes the local easily accessible. It is a great spot for people watching. Hippie Fair (Feira Hippie), Praça Imprensa Fluminense, no number - Cambuí (at Centro de Convivência), ☏ +55 19 3232-4168. Sa Su 09:00-14:00. The art crafts fair now is officially called "Feira de Arte, Artesanato, Antiguidades, Esotéricos e Quitutes de Campinas" but with such a long name, all the locals still call it by its old and more charming name: Feira Hippie. The fair started in the 1970s and since then a lot has changed: its location, size, and products, and today actual hippie vendors are rare. This is a must-do in Campinas. It is possible to buy all kinds of arts and crafts: paintings, jewellery, clothes, house articles, shoes, bags, etc. The food section is an amazing trip through local and Brazilian cuisine: pasteis (fried dumplings), empanadas, and pies share space with regional food and as well as dishes brought by immigrants and fully adopted by the Brazilians, such as yakisoba and sushi.

Shopping malls

Like any decent-sized city in Brazil, there are a number of American-style shopping malls, typically including a food court, movie theater, and a variety of shops.

Campinas Shopping, intersection of the Anhanguera and Santos Dumont Highways, ☏ +55 19 3727-2300. M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su 12:00-22:00. Easily accessible by car as it is in the intersection of 2 roads. With 168 shops. Galleria Shopping, Rodovia Dom Pedro I, km 131.5 - Jardim Nilópolis, ☏ +55 19 3207-1333. Shopping mall with a nicely decorated internal garden (with a waterfall), making it popular among couples. 208 shops. Iguatemi Campinas, Av. Iguatemi, 777 - Vila Brandina, ☏ +55 19 3131-4646. M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su 12:00-22:00. The oldest shopping mall of Campinas, containing 9 restaurants (in addition to the food court), 8 cinema rooms and a

Eat

While, like most of the state, Campinas has the fairly typical paulistano range of Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and standard Brazilian food, it doesn't have anything much that might be called campineiro food. The two most notable things might be the local penchant for arugula salad (salada de rúcula) and the local lancherias' habit of serving their sandwiches cut into bite size pieces, dubbed the "angel-mouth cut" (corte boca-de-anjo). Among desserts, you should not miss the torta holandesa (Dutch pie) which, despite its name, was invented in Campinas.

Main district Almanara, Av. Iguatemi, 777 (in Shopping Iguatemi, 3rd floor), ☏ +55 19 3255-0477. Specializing in Middle Eastern dishes, or the Brazilian equivalent thereof, with esfiha, couscous, baba ghanouj, tabouli, falafel, and other dishes. Bar do Alemão, Av. Benjamin Constant, 1969, ☏ +55 19 3254-3148. Restaurant that started in the nearby city of Itu, which is famous for the extra size of everything, the restaurant follows the pattern of the city where it was created. Be sure to ask for the "Parmegiana" the most famous dish in the house: deep fried breaded beef, taken to the oven covered with cheese and tomato sauce, served with rice and french fries. Chef Theo, Rua Sampaio Ferraz, 175 - Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3255-4333. Kilimanjaro Galleria, Rodovia Dom Pedro I, km 131.5 (in Galleria Shopping, 1st floor), ☏ +55 19 3207-3332. Kilimanjaro Iguatemi, Av. Iguatemi, 777 (in Shopping Iguatemi, 3rd floor), ☏ +55 19 3295-0051. Papai Salim, Av. Benjamin Constant, 1307, ☏ +55 19 3235-3364. M-Sa 09:30-22:00 (closed on holidays). Middle Eastern food. Pizzaria Braz, Av. Benjamin Constant, 1963, ☏ +55 19 3251-4444. Via Castello, Avenida Doutor Alberto Sarmento, 516 - Bairro Castelo, ☏ +55 19 3284-3960. 18:00-. Good pizza cooked in a big wooden oven.

Sousas and Joaquim Egídio Feijão com Tranqueira, Etr Joaquim Egídio Cabras, ☏ +55 19 3298-6682. Restaurant elected several times as "The Best of the City" for typical Brazilian food, and a visit there evokes the whole experience of countryside Brazil. The house speciality, as the name suggests, is feijão com tranqueira: bean soup cooked with bacon, sausages, sun dried meat and other delicious things. In their backyard, there is a mini-farm, and kids love to see the animals, walk around the lake and play on the playground.

Barão Geraldo Greg Burguers, R. Maria Tereza Dias da Silva, 664 (Estrada da Rhodia), ☏ +55 19 3289-6400. Hamburguer restaurant.

Drink & nightlife

While in terms of cultural options, Campinas is not quite what you expect from a metropolis, its nightlife will surely not disappoint you. Cambuí is the "city center" of bohemian life, but good bars can be found everywhere, Barão Geraldo including. Campinas' clubs, mostly contained in the affluent northern and eastern suburbs, attract crowds from the entire region. The musical scene is dominated by sertanejo (Brazilian country music) and electronic music, although there are options for all tastes, including MPB and rock'n'roll.

Main district Água Doce Cachaçaria - Cambuí, Dona Presciliana Soares, 118 - Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3308-7416. Part of a large chain of cachaçarias. With 150 types of cachaça, Northeastern food, instrumental music on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, MPB music from Thursdays to Saturdays. Cachaçaria São Joaquim, Rua dos Contabilistas, 8 - Jd. Novo Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3295-3580. Club specialized in live sertanejo. Celeiro Bar, Rua Luís Moretzshon Camargo, 18 - Jd. Santana (In front of CPFL), ☏ +55 19 3256-1325. Bar and sertanejo club. Serves several drinks based on cachaça. City Bar, Av. Júlio Mesquita, 450 - Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3252-5296. Corner bar and snack shop with a happy hour atmosphere. If you get hungry, try their celebrated bolinho de bacalhau. Da Vinci Bar e Restaurante, Rua Sampaio Ferraz, 503 - Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3294-8838. Bar that offers lunch 11:30-14:30 and live music after 19:00. Dom Quixote, Rua Sampaio Ferraz, 496 - Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3295-6907. Tu-Su 17:00-last customer. With live music without extra charge. Serves boca-de-anjo snacks. Funny's Club, Rua Bento de Arruda Camargo, 270 - Taquaral, ☏ +55 19 3367-0719. Club specialized in electronic music, with three different environments. Giovannetti. The most famous beer in town, with three locations: Giovannetti Cambuí, Rua Padre Vieira, 1277 - Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3234-9510. Giovannetti Dom Pedro (in Parque Dom Pedro Shopping), ☏ +55 19 3209-1641. Giovannetti Rosário, Rua General Osório, 1059 - Centro, ☏ +55 19 3231-2830. Gold Street Club, Parque Dom Pedro Shopping - Santa Genebra, ☏ +55 19 3756-7888. Upscale electronic music club. Despite its name, it is not located in the street but in a shopping mall. The different prices give access to different areas of the club. R$ 30-120. Ópera 7, R. Bento Arruda Camargo, 256 - Taquaral, ☏ +55 19 3201-2350. Club specialized in live music, including pop, rock and 80s bands. Sebastian Bar, Rua Dona Maria Umbelina Couto, 79 - Guanabara, ☏ +55 19 3212-1508. Specialized in live rock music, with two environments: bar (w

Sleep

Ibis, Av Aquidaban 440 - Centro (in front of Largo do Pará square), ☏ +55 19 3731-2300. From R$139. Mariano Palace Hoteis, Rua Saldanha Marinho, 1165, ☏ +55 19 3232-8344. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Good breakfast included. R$87. Mercure Hotel, Avenida Aquidaban 400 - Centro (next to Ibis), ☏ +55 19 3733-7700. Royal Palm Plaza, Av. Royal Palm Plaza, 277 - Jardim Nova Califórnia, ☏ +55 19 2117-8000. Sleep Inn Galleria, Av. Dr. Carlos Grimaldi, 1653 - Jardim Conceição (beside Galleria mall, near Dom Pedro road.), ☏ +55 19 2137-2200. Village Residence Hotel, R. Dr. Salvador Penteado, 176 - Bairro Castelo, ☏ +55 19 3243-0844. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. One of the cheapest hotel in Campinas. If you want to have a quiet place to stay this is the best place. It is simple but a decent place to stay. R$70. Travel Inn, Rua Major Solon, 535 - Cambuí, ☏ +55 19 3045-8100.