Águas de Lindóia

Águas de Lindóia is a city in the state of São Paulo. Its mineral water springs remain the primary touristic appeal of the city, although the surrounding area has a growing selection of eco-tourism activities on offer as well.

Understand

Águas de Lindóia is best known for its mineral water springs, discovered by a pair of Italian immigrants, brothers Henrique and Francisco Tozzi, in the 1900s. Accounts of apparently miraculous cures grew, attracting much attention; rumor has it that Madame Curie visited the springs to investigate. A town coalesced around the springs, becoming an official city in 1938.

Get in

From São Paulo by car, take the Bandeirantes Highway to Jundiaí and then pass through Itatiba, Morumgaba, Amparo, Serra Negra, and Lindóia, to finally arrive at Águas de Lindóia.

See

• Barreiro's Mill (Engenho do Barreiro), Av. Aparecido Rodrigues da Rocha, 1175, ☏ +55 19 3824-3137. Daily 08:00-17:00. Fully preserved mill built in 1880 with functional grain wash, windmill, cachaça alembic, and horse-powered sugar mill, as well as a display of 19th-century tools. A small shop sells roast coffee, traditionally distilled cachaça, and pork linguiça. For fishermen, there are also four ponds stocked with various fish. You have to bring your own gear and clean the fish yourself, but the onsite lanchonete will cook and serve your catch for you if you so desire. Free. 
• Cavalinho Branco Dam (Represa Cavalinho Branco). 
• Cruzeiro Hill (Morro do Cruzeiro). 
• Nossa Senhora das Graças Chapel (Capela Nossa Senhora das Graças). 
• Pelado Hill (Morro Pelado). 
• Praça Adhemar de Barros. 
• Zequinha de Abreu Municipal Park (Bosque Municipal Zequinha de Abreu). 

Do

• Monte Alegre Ranch (Sítio Monte Alegre), Rodovia Águas de Lindóia, Monte Sião km 6.5, ☏ +55 19 3824-7698. Daily 08:00-17:00. This scenic ranch offers a 2-hour eco-archeological walk which visits sites where paleolithic artifacts, indigenous ceramics, and colonial items have been discovered. 
• Rancho da Fronteira, Rodovia Águas de Lindóia, Monte Sião km 6.5, ☏ +55 19 3824-2743. Daytime or nighttime guided horserides of 2 to 4 hours which lead through rural landscapes, woods, coffee farms, and pastures. Horseriding lessons are also available. Reservations required. 

Water parks

Municipal Baths

• Municipal Baths (Balneário Municipal Prof. Dr. João de Aguiar Pupo), Praça Dr. Francisco Tozzi, ☏ +55 19 3824-3194. Daily 08:00-17:00. Built over the primary thermal source, the resort offers immersion baths, hydro-massage, sauna, and a variety of other therapies as well as outdoor pools and waterslides. 
• Thermas Water Park, Estrada Romualdo Ricieri Geciani, no number (a 10-minute drive from downtown). Park hours W-F 09:00-17:00, Sa Su holidays 08:00-18:00, water slide operation is typically limited to 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00. Another water park with a variety of pools, fountains, and water slides. 

Buy

• Bosque Zequinha de Abreu Crafts Fair (Feira de Artesanato Bosque Zequinha de Abreu). Weekends. Handmade crafts in crochet and knit, leather, wool, jewelry, and hand-painted wooden items. 
• Balneário Crafts Fair (at the Municipal Baths — see the Do section above). Th-Su. Knit and crochet products and hand-painted articles. 

Eat

• Churrascaria e Pizzaria Montoia, Av. das Nações Unidas, 547, ☏ +55 19 3824-1978. 
• Lanchonete Restaurante Camaresa, R. Rio de Janeiro, 343, ☏ +55 19 3824-2033. 

Drink

• Chic Chopp, R. São Paulo 29, ☏ +55 19 3824-4234. 
• Forró, Praça do Bairro Bela Vista. 
• Danceteria Romano, Rua São Paulo (in Shopping Canelói). 

Sleep

• Hotel Casablanca, Av. das Nações Unidas, ☏ +55 19 3824-2001. 
• Hotel Fazenda Recanto Paraíso, R. Romualdo Riccieri Giaciani, 115, ☏ +55 19 3824-4555, toll-free: +55 800 770 0447 (0800 770 0447 - local). 
• Grande Hotel do Lago, R. São Paulo, 441, ☏ +55 19 3824-1421. 

Connect

• Virtuall Ciber Café, R. São Paulo, 336 shop 6 (in Shopping Bergamo), ☏ +55 19 3824-4104. Internet café. 

Go next

• Campinas
• Holambra